Til the Cow Come Home
“Hopelessly passing your time in the grassland away
Only dimly aware of a certain unease in the air”
It has been smoky hereabouts, what with Canada sending billows of smoke southward to us, igniting our air monitors, beeping our phones, aching our heads. Even the best of our recent rainstorms have been unable to wash away the atmospheric haze, let alone this creeping malaise.
Yet it seems that even Mordor has a day or two when the cows come home, wandering and munching on grass, and keeping watchful eyes on their progeny, those youngling calves skittering around nervously at every bee in their bonnet, every biped in their path.
Therefore S and D attempted to avoid being in their path.
Unfortunately, they ventured onto ours, and they brought their attitudes with them. One fellow hiker was kind enough to warn us about one cow in particular, who was aggressively defending her calves against everything in the area. Our fearless adventurers even witnessed her charging a jogger, who deftly avoided the collision. Here, for example, is a photo of said cow (on the right) preparing to stampede over a cyclist, while the calf (on the left) scampers away:
Their conversation, in Bovolexian, going something like this:
“Oh me oh my, that fearsome bi-wheeled humanoid scares me, mom!”
”Watch and learn, youngling. MOOOOOOO!”
S and D considered several options:
Cross the field instead of walking the trail;
Speak softly and carry a big stick;
Hurry past while the cow is distracted by a cyclist or jogger;
Wave jackets, matador style, and dodge the impending stampede;
Sidestep carefully.
One can assume that at least one of these techniques was successful.
Then, toward the bottom of the trail, a young lady with a Canon film camera asked to photograph our fearless adventurers, “for practice.” Perhaps she had heard of their exploits? I mean, there are prairie dogs and cows, meadowlarks and clouds, grass and flowers and bugs and dirt and cyclists and fenceposts and ruts in the muddy trail that might make a better photo for practice than spending one’s celluloid on fearless adventurers attaining a modicum of altitude, now and then.
Be that as it may, our explorers stood as intrepidly as possible, for a photo or two. And off she went.
Phase 2
After all this excitement, S and D had worked up an appetite, so they headed over to the Superior Community Center for some sandwiches. Bet you can guess what kind of sandwiches. Here are your choices:
PBJ
Cucumber
Egg Salad
ROAST BEEF
With a brownie and chips.
There was also live music, as it was “open mic night,” and a gathering of locals who clapped and cheered the brave souls singing. Seems a good time was had by all, and as you might expect, it was another successful BNO.
