Thursday, November 15

Summer 2012: Pig Roast

It happened again this year.  The Richard and Miranda pig roast.  This does not mean we roasted Richard, Miranda and a pig, this means that Richard and Miranda bought a pig and roasted it for some added summer fun, which has been occurring for 4-5 years now.

Usually the roast occurs around the August long weekend and I was one of the lucky many who watched, visited, partook and played at this years roast.  First, my sister Zoe and I went over for a peek earlier in the morning to see how the pig was being roasted.

Glen and Jeremy visited at the same time. 



Richard explained to Zoe and I that he uses the slow cook method during which the pig is roasted over 7-8 hours but with only 1 or 2 smaller pieces of cedar added to the fire slowly over time.  Either way I am glad he cooks the pig.  A quick visit was enough for me as I have a woozy stomach.  I eat meat but I really don't like watching the raw version in full form being cooked.  Hypocrite I know.


Time to carve the pig.  Once again, Richard and Miranda have a butcher friend complete this part.  Phew!  Glad each cousin doesn't have to take a turn each year or I would be carving a tofu pig in 2018 for the family.  :)

Bonjour Monsieur Pig

The pig. His cooker. His carver.

Senya and Wyona posing with some food

At about 12 pm it was time to begin gathering all the food that had been slaved over during the course of the day.  Our family property now has 5 cabins full of family members in them.  Each house was asked to bring two salads.  When you consider that in the Bates cabin alone there are 25 people and there are just as many people in each of the other cabins, that is a lot of people and a large amount of food.  The picture above is merely one of three large tables full of food on which we dined.  

Thomas trying out the fresh apple juice Uncle David made


I can not tell you the deliciousness of Arta's freshly baked bread.  I stood for a while trying to capture the texture, the flavour, the smell, and the bouncy-ness of her bread.  This picture is not bad but I shall have to try again next summer.  Fresh bread, one of the delights of each meal.



Dan's son digs into the pig's ear
Dan digs into the pig!


Uncle Kelvin posing near the salads and Aunt Arta dashing about in the background

After we had all eaten.  After we sat and talked to each other catching up on another year of life.  As we enjoyed the relaxing days of summer.  Great Aunts and Uncles enjoyed children.  Grandmothers and grandfathers enjoyed grandchildren.  Parents played with children as well.

Glen with a Wood baby (5 have been born in the past year, it is confusing)

Zach and Art getting ready for the pig 

Wyona with Kalina.  It was a hot, no clothes day.


Then, the water balloons (supplied by Uncle Glen) and thrown by various great grandchildren, disturbed the peace and the Pilling teasing ways eased oozed out of our bones.

Charise and Katie inspect one of the perpetrators

Kids throwing water balloons up onto the deck

More balloons to come with smaller observers in the background

Then the real tom-foolery began.  One thing a Pilling learns is that a joke or two will be played on her/him and one has to learn how to deal with it in a pleasant way attempting to laugh and go along.  A set of great aunts decided to teach one of our newest family members how to pay jokes with water.  

'Let's go throw water on Moiya.  Unsuspecting Moiya.'

'Hey but you just splashed me!' thinks Hebe 

'Get her wet!  No her!' point Wyona and Moiya
'I'm so confused!'  thinks Hebe

'No, get Katie wet!'
Once the balloons were gone, the hose came out.  The water fight continued...or should I call it a water lesson.  Either way the smiles, the laughter, the joy kept on spilling out all over the deck for all participants and observers to enjoy.

Get Arta Hebe!

A smile, a spin and a lesson learned!
The pig.  The people.  The place.  The fun.  All told, a very wonderful pig roast.  Thank you Richard,  Miranda, Arta, Kelvin and everyone else who made food and had fun!  See you in 2013!

3 comments:

  1. thanks for letting me live it vicariously!

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  2. Thanks, Tonia. I read and re-read because the camera was catching places and events faster than I could see them. I was wondering what it is that brings back so much happiness when I saw your pics and read your text. I think it is the joy of three generations in the 80 people there -- and the fact that the youngest are very young and that the oldest of us are very young, too.

    Arta

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  3. Tonia,
    In order to prove I am not a robot on your page, I am asked to type two words. I can only find one, and type it again and again, unable to post. Just when I am at the height of my frustration, I notice that in a box there is a number that keeps changing. Oh! That is the other word they are asking me to type? Finally I got it, but it is very hard to prove I am not a robot!

    Arta

    ReplyDelete