Black Angus

What are you thinking as you look into my eyes?

One of my earliest memories is being told to "stand in the fence opening and don't let any cows get through" as my parents and brothers were trying to run the cows through the chute beside the barn. I suppose they were giving them medicine, putting in ear tags, or checking them for pink eye.  I have a vivid memory of a cow standing right in front of me and staring me right in the eyes.  She was easily ten times bigger than me so I cried, "It's looking at me!" and Momma came running.  "Well, of course she's staring at you.  She can't help it because you're so pretty.  Now here's a big stick; whack her if she comes back over here." That seems so funny and farmer-like to me now - sweet then practical all in one breath.  I do believe that was when I learned to enjoy looking into a cow's eyes.  Hmmm... she thinks I'm pretty...
And, isn't this a pretty little Angus heifer!  She's got her hair all spiked on top and swirled in the front...long fluttery eyelashes and wispy long ear hairs...

She lives on the farm land where I grew up.  I took a picture of her when I went back for a class reunion.  

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How Now, Brown Cow?

What Next?

According to the Urban Dictionary, that's what How Now Brown Cow means...  Well, it's one of the meanings listed.  It has taken on several meanings:

• getting turned downed down flat by the opposite sex... "You got how now brown cowed by her!"
• a really pretty girl... "Look at that how now brown cow coming!"
• another way to ask what's up... "Hey, how now brown cow, dude!"
• there's no more beer... During Prohibition, the wooden keg was called a brown cow.  When it was empty they asked what they should do next... "How now brown cow?

Those are the silliest things I've ever heard!  I thought it was just a phrase to teach the open ow vowel sound, and of course, the appropriate greeting when meeting a brown cow.

This little brown cow lives on the land that belonged to my family when I was a kid.  When I went home for my 30-year class reunion, we went to have a look at our old house, field, and pond.  This cow was just as interested in me as I was in her;  She even stopped chewing her lunch to stare for a minute.

Enjoy an Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces and vintage items) called How Now Brown Cow - just click!

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Hey, Hey... Hay! Again?

 Do you like reruns?

There's just something comforting about watching certain movies again, reading special books again, or going to the same favorite spot again.

If we catch When Harry Met Sally, Apollo 13, or It's a Wonderful Life on television, the channel flicking stops.  We just have to stop what we're doing and watch it again.  

One of the best parts of being a teacher is getting to read some fantastic books again and again every year.  Books like Dear Mr. Henshaw, Number the Stars, and Where the Red Fern Grows never get old!

So... What does that have to do with this little painting?  Well, I just love this little heifer!  It makes me smile to see her hanging on my wall, but she keeps selling!  I guess it's my fault for listing her for sale, but she's kind of fun to paint anyway.




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Hey, Hey... Hay!

What kind of cow is this?

That's what I called to ask my dad yesterday.  Now, I know that my dad has been a farmer for 86 years and was an agriculture teacher for 20 years; so what made me think I'd just get a short answer...

ME: Hey, Dad.  What's the breed of cow that has a black body and ears but a white face?  I thought I remember you calling them a black baldy, but I Googled it.  There doesn't seem to be a breed named that.

DAD: Yeah, that's a black baldy.  It's not an actual pure breed, but that's what farmers call it.  The black baldy is a cross breed between an Angus and a Hereford.  They do that to get the best of both breeds.  It's best in the first generation cross.  See, if you can get 900 pounds of beef from the Angus and 900 pounds of beef from the Hereford, you might get a calf that would go up to 1,000 pounds.  The male gene has the dominate black hair, and the female gene has the dominate white face.  So, the bull would have been an Angus, and the mama cow would have been a red Hereford... good hybrid... gentle like the Hereford, strong like the Angus... other breeds are done the same way... and on and on...

Anyway, you get the point... once a farmer/teacher, always a farmer/teacher...

So... how about my curious little black baldy! Isn't she a pretty little heifer!

This little painting was fortunate to be part of an Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces and vintage items) called Bold.  Click to have a look.