To Justify the Ways of Pig

I've had a particularly porcine couple of days.

I like to think that it all began when Casey and GSR's new blog decided to ponder meat. I had to share my "when I camp I wrap all meals in bacon" stories. (In all fairness, this is really Diva T's strategy. She knows she can lure me into the woods if there's bacon involved.)

Since then, I've been organizing a party for some friends who are leaving town. Upsettingly, they're nearly all vegetarians, so I've had to figure out new appetizers to make for people who do not eat meat and who do not like mushrooms. Luckily, I've come up with a few, but it's been a strange struggle. Hmmmm, cheese, cheesy dip, cheesy cheese cheesers, hmmm...with parsley on top? Fear not, ethical eaters, I found something spinachy. but my stuffed mushrooms must wait for another day. Which is a waste, because they're awesome.

Next, at the spring graduation this week, the commencement speaker's talk consisted of an extended barnyard metaphor that included shooting arrows at chickens, ducks, skunks, and pigs. The faculty was dumbfounded, which is saying something about a group of people who talk for a living.

Finally, as I was returning from an early event on campus this morning, I found my neighborhood overtaken by a street fair. Children were dancing and having faces painted, there were all sorts of booths and finery, and there was a man grilling bratwurst within 25 yards of my front door. Given that the rest of the day involves cleaning my house for the veggies and then serving them my green and friendly apps and bottle after bottle of enviromentally friendly hootch, I felt a wave of gratitude for this porky miracle. Thank you, bratwurst man, who seemed perplexed that someone would want the brat combo meal at 10:15 am but was willing to help me out. And all hail the piggy divinity that shapes us all. She works in mysterious ways.