America, and cows (very, very long)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

That was a wonderful story. I love cows. Despite having been pooped on by more than one (in the same day) I still love cows. Living in MA - I don’t see too many cows. Mostly horses here. But, my grandfather lives in eastern upstate NY and I live in western MA so the fastest way to his house is right through - VERMONT! Holy friggen cows batman!
I honestly think that cows and maple candy - yum, maple candy - pop up right from the ground in Vermont. The people are only there to harvest the cows and candy.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot lately that I wish I had the money to take a year off work, buy a motorcycle, and drive through every state - even Hawaii. Of course, I wont drive TO Hawaii. I’ll swim!
Then, I want to drive through Canada. I want to see everything. Massachusetts is cool. We have lots of fun stuff: Sturbridge Village, The Freedom Trail, Salem, lots of museums, the Basketball Hall of Fame, etc. But, we don’t really have any cool monumental type thingies like arches or canyons or memorials. We do have the Bunker Hill Monument. But, it’s pretty lame once you actually see it. I’ve lived in 3 story apartments which were taller than the BHM. AND! it’s false advertising. It’s not even ON Bunker Hill. I feel gypped.

So, where are the pictues???

22

Puts me in mind of a lovely drive I once did from Eastern Iowa to middle of nowhere Middle Iowa. Mostly two lane state highway. Hay field, corn field, cow pasture, corn field, cornfield, little town, hay field, cow pasture, corn field, corn field, corn field, cow pasture, little town, hay field, corn field, cow pasture, corn field, corn field, gagchokegasp HOG FARM! gagchokegasp corn field, corn field, cow pasture, hay field, little town, corn field, corn field, corn field, cow pasture, hay field, gagchokegasp HOG FARM! gagchokegasp and on and on and on. Then, little town I was going to.

From little town I went to to Des Moines to catch a flight home it was cow pasture, corn field, corn field, corn field, corn field, hay field, cow pasture, little town, corn field, cornfield, cornfield, gagchokegasp HOG FARM! gagchokegasp little town, then interstate to Des Moines.

Good times that.

23

swampy, you really need to get that cough looked at. :dubious:

24

8-yr-old niece: Oh, look at that beautiful cow on the hill. [troubled look gathers on her face] They’re not going to kill it, are they?

13-yr-old gum-snapping niece: Duh, of course they’re going to kill it. [pause] McDonald’s anyone?

8-yr-old niece: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

25

Angus are bred and raised for beef, better taste and marbling. Just like Holstiens are raised for extraordinary milk production. You could raise Holstiens only for beef and milk Angus, but don’t expect as much meat or milk. Different qualities like breeds of dogs are better at different things.

26

NinjaChick Thank you for that! It brings me fond memories of places I’ve lived where the exciting pass-time was watching your dog run away, for three days.
Too bad you didn’t make it to the Pacific Northwest. We don’t snow on our tourists. (hey, new state motto!) We do, however have our own rain forest.
Having lived around livestock most of my life, I tend to dismiss it. You made me “see” the cow-filled pastures again.
BTW, when you counted the Bizillion cows, how did you do it? When my son was little, he’s count cows, mail boxes, fence posts etc. to pass the time on long drives. His method was, when a sparsely populated cow pasture would appear he’d count the ones standing alone then the groups, pointing with one finger, he’s say, one… two… three… a buncha them… five… a buncha them… seven… so the counting a bizillion could go fairly fast. :smiley:
I lived in Kansas City Mo for several years. I visited the Arch just after it was completed, indeed impressive.
I lived in Amarillo Tx too, not so impressive (hence, the dog-running-away pass-time)

I have a vivid memory of driving from KC to Seattle alone, when I came upon a field of sunflowers. It must have been a couple hundred acres. It was late afternoon and I was passing West of the field. Sunflowers are Heliotropic, so their heads were all facing west, making it appear that they were all watching my progress. It was eerie, but happy at the same time.
Again, thanks, next time come to the jewel of the west.

27

The second largest cross in the Western Hemisphere (Groom, Texas)

Inspired by that symbol of Christianity, the First Baptist Church of Effingham raised over $1,000,000 to erect this 198’ tall beauty in Illinois.

28

Hmmm. Why does the Effingham cross look smaller than the Texas one? Oh well.