The stray

This is a stray bovine - or cow if you never took Ag-Ed. She's a beaut! She didn't like her eating options across the road, so she ventured out into the vast unknown that is our yard. Notice the big tuft of yumminess hanging out of her mouth? We have pretty grass; it's green and full of good stuff! Generally, cows tend to stay together because they're herd animals, but occasionally, one does wander off. If you ever watch them graze across a pasture, they all move in the same direction. Because why? They're herd animals, that's right!

"Oop! I hear Bobo on the horn. That means I'm supposed to run over there because it's feeding time. But, I have all of this nice grass right here. I don't really feel like running back across the road." You can tell she's thinking about going, but not really sure if she wants to. She gave out a "moo" after this, as if she were saying, "You come to me!" A bovine with her own mind ..... a dangerous thing. If you're not familiar with how to call cattle in at feeding time, generally, honking your horn is their indicator that it's time to chow. You can holler at them, but the horn is louder. We used to honk the horn then say "Sssa-calf, sssa-calf, sssa-calf! Whoo-oo!" There's a definite art to how you say it. When we were just wee babes, my brother, my cousin and I would go with my uncle to feed and we'd stand up in the seat so we could see. It was the early 80's and seatbelts were optional. As he drove across the bumpy pasture our heads would hit the back window of the truck and it hacked him off like no other. "Sit down! I can't stand it when your head hits the window!" So, we'd sit down for a few seconds until we got a glimpse of some cows and we'd stand up again and bump our heads again and get yelled at again. It was good times.

To help encourage this independent-thinking-bovine, D did what everyone does when they push a cow, raise his arms and yell at her. It's a language they understand.

"If you yell at me one more time..." She's still not sure if she wants to go to Bobo or not. She's definitely thinking about turning around and bolting back to our pretty grass. Or maybe she's thinking about running D over?

But, finally, she gave up. The thought of eating some deliciously hard cattle cubes won out over the grass.

Ooooohhhhhhh! Pop quiz! When a cow gets up from laying down, which end of their body rises first? In other words, do they rise up front legs first or hind legs first? I'll give you a hint, it's the opposite of how horses rise. I will post the correct answer in the comments section later. :)