Friday, April 28, 2006

Country Roads

Our two weekend rides were great – the temperatures were cool but not cold, and it was mostly sunny … though I did think we were going to get caught in a downpour as we hurried home in the dark on Saturday evening. Fortunately we stayed ahead of the rain and made it home dry. Both times we headed out into western Hamilton County, into the area where we’d like to live some day (we can dream, right?). I had told Chris I wanted to take some pictures of the farm animals we always see in the fields just off the road, so he pulled over a couple of times. This horse just trotted right up to the barbed wire fence while the two black bulls hung back, glaring at me. I guess the motorcycle helmet was a little unsettling? I do look a little like an alien with my sunglasses and shiny black helmet.




The second time we pulled off, there were maybe 8 or 10 black and white cows (Holsteins??) hanging out by a dirty pond. Three of them stared at me for a moment, then started slowly and deliberately advancing towards the fence in unison. (Whoa! Don’t need to be face to face, guys … those flies on your faces kind of gross me out.) So I was snapping pictures like crazy when I noticed Chris waving at me, pointing to the hill on the far side of the pond. I looked up and saw a small herd of cows galloping downhill – running, mind you, like horses would. I’ve never seen cows running before. Evidently they heard my voice and thought it was feeding time? It was the craziest thing I’ve seen in a long time. When they reached the pond they slowed to a walk, again advancing towards the fence slowly and silently as a group, shoulder to shoulder, making me feel very uncomfortable. (I know, I know, they’re just cows, for pete’s sake, and there was a barbed wire fence between us, but they were getting in my personal space, you know? I felt a little threatened by their approach.) That ended the photo shoot. No more Glamour Shots of those bovines!


One more oddity - have you ever seen a cow scratch behind its ear, like a dog would? I would never have thought a cow could balance well enough to pull off that kind of action, but darned if it didn't manage ... without falling over! (Note the tongue sticking out as it scratches - must really be concentrating hard!)

1 comment:

Gail at Large said...

That last cow picture is hilarious! Who'd have thought cows could do more than chew their cud?