Sunday, December 25, 2005

CHRISTMAS AND COUNTING


The photo is by Declan McCullagh and the cows are grazing in Big Sur, California. I could have just had a cow but I fell in love with the background so the cow is incidental and it does fall into my Christmas posting. I made a comment at 'Plodding along' about cows laying down in the grass meant it was going to rain but no-one had heard that particular old wives' tale. A google search only came up with one mention and that was a personal blog but I found a lot of other 'cow tales'.

This is where the Christmas bit comes in. There's a superstition that cattle kneel at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve.

Cows lifting their tails is a sure sign that rain is coming.
If cows lick trees you can expect rain.
Cattle who stand close together in low ground, and feed hard together are said to be foretelling rain.
Considering the lightning, thunder and rain we had here last night, a lot of cows were working overtime with the lifting and licking.

If the cows stand on high ground, the weather will be fine.
If a cow holds its head up and smell the air, someone living near you has died.
Pick up a Daddy Long Legs and ask it "Where are the cows?" It will then point in the direction of the cows! I'd test this out if I didn't know Daddy Long Legs were poisonous and the only reason they don't kill is because their mouths can't open wide enough to bite humans. I'd like to hear from anyone who tries this.
You know you will be married soon when you hear a cow moo at midnight.
It is an evil omen if a cow moos after midnight.

I didn't know cows were this smart.

6 comments:

Davoh said...

Don't give me the shits about the "weather". Am beginning to think that South Oz is being tilted toward the tropics. Supposed to be hot and dry at this time of year, but now sort of muggy and thunderstormy. Bah, humbug.
Tell Thor t' pissorf back t' th' Northern Hemisphere.

JahTeh said...

I had to scrape the cats off the ceiling last night. Not often we get lightning and thunder with no interval.

Link said...

OK so I'm well freaked out now, its 11:50pm and there's a cow 'going off' over the road! Thanks for all the useless cow information. I'll never look at cows quite the same again. Great pic too. More than one cow actually.

Mother Sharon Damnable said...

chuckle, well, that's where he is!

When I lived in Dorset the kids all used to go out "cow tipping"
Cows often sleep standing up and if you creep up on one and push they fall over!

JahTeh said...

Link, I expect you to be out there at midnight, Christmas Eve for a report.

MD, I'm going to your blog to google 'cow tipping'. I don't believe you can push a cow over.

Mother Sharon Damnable said...

Thnaks JT

Chuckle they have to be asleep!