“All the good ideas I ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.” Grant Wood.
No, I’m not that much of a country girl. Never learned how to milk cows. I did try once, but being the youngest girl, I guess nobody thought it important enough to teach me the proper method of tugging on the cow’s udder to get milk to come out. I remember thinking there must be a trick to it I didn’t know. I was never too excited about the task anyway. Feeding the chickens was more my speed. I did a lot of carrying in wood too, and I do remember coming up with some story ideas while I was doing that.
But cows are one of the attractions down here on the farm when my city grandkids come to visit. No cows in their neighborhood. So the only time they see a cow close up is when they come to the farm to visit. This granddaughter is trying to get the cow to eat an apple from her hand. The cow looks interested, but not quite interested enough. Just as well. She would have freaked if it slobbered on her. The older granddaughter was a little freaked out just looking at the cows and very nervous that a horse fly was going to come her way. Bugs are not her thing. And when the cows cut loose as cows do, then there were plenty of eewws.
But on the way back from seeing the cows, the older girl wanted me to treat her like a “farm girl” and have her do the kind of chores her father had to do when he was her age. A little hard to re-create since we don’t burn wood anymore and we didn’t have any rocks to haul off fields or hay to put in the barn. She did pick a few boysenberries and that gave her a little feel of country living.
It would be interesting to know what my grandkids will remember about their visits to our farm when they get older. I remember so many wonderful times visiting my aunt who was like a grandmother to me when I was younger. I remember the wavy medicine cabinet mirror that could stretch my face into funny shapes like a fun house mirror. I remember the smell of chewing gum in the drawer of her buffet. I remember her cats and the playhouse in the backyard. Mostly I remember feeling so very loved and accepted there. That’s what I hope my grandkids will remember someday. That and feeding apples to the cows.
Do you have sweet memories of times with your grandparents? I know some of you do because you sent me stories about those memories in one of my giveaway contests. Remember, I have a little giveaway going now. I’ll draw for a winner Sunday from those who guess on my mystery pictures from the Sunday post here. Any guess will get an entry. Right guesses will get a double entry and if you get all three mystery photos right, you’ll get a triple entry. Some of you have guessed already. Fun guesses, but I’m not saying if you’re right or wrong until Sunday.
If you’re in the area, I’ll be at Corinth Christian Bookstore in Frankfort this Saturday, August 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. signing my new book, Small Town Girl. Other area authors will also be there signing books. So come on out and support your local Christian book store and tell us authors hello.