We'd like to release with a vote of thanks...

For those of you who are avid Reynoldses followers, you may remember several blogs ago that I had a ward livestock story. Well, the time has come, the piglet said, to talk of other things...

Let me first begin by saying that we had a ward activity. As ward activity chairs (did you know that was our calling?) we of course attended. Luckily for us, this activity was mostly planned before we were called. But it was a typical Vermont service project. Our ward is right next to Camp Joseph, a church owned and operated camp site located a few hundred yards from the Joseph Smith Memorial. It is amazingly beautiful, like everything else surrounding us.

Here we are at the service project. It was windy and I had been working for about three hours. I thought the picture should reflect that. It looks a little more lusty than I originally intended, but I thought just go with it.

The service project we did involved wood. 

Lots and lots of wood. We stacked wood six lines long, as tall as me, in lines of about 30 yards. It was lots of wood. And because so many houses around here are heated all winter by only wood, the kids knew what they were doing, and did it well. One thing about Vermonters, they know how to work. We kept wishing Aysia could have been here to meet other kids that really have to work. It would be a good experience for her I think. It certainly was enlightening for me! Even after it started raining and getting quite chilly, the children just kept at it! A little girl named Hannah who looked about 5 was just hauling log after log after log for at least three hours without ever complaining once: all without gloves. I did one log without gloves, got a splinter, and was ready to quit (then I got gloves and shut up about it). Those kids were amazing.

Now to the livestock. 

Here is a story from deep Vermont:

Once upon a time, a little ward in a little town in Vermont pooled their money and bought a new baby piglet.

Everyone in the ward loved the piglet. They decided to induct him into the ward by calling him "Brother Pig".

Brother Pig was very popular. Whenever anyone had any leftover food, they would bring it to Brother Pig so he could munch on it and grow big and strong.

Brother Pig got so much food from his friends that he grew to be two hundred and fifty pounds!

Now, the little ward in the little town in Vermont was planning a big party for Brother Pig...

Okay I can't go on like that. It's just too sad.

We sliced him down the spine, roasted him on a spit for hours, and ate him.

We ate him all.

Even I ate him.

Jake was less hesitant.

And so, Brother Pig, we salute you. 

Had I known you, I would have loved you in an embarrassingly true way. 

forgive me

you were delicious

so warm

and so juicy