How Now Green Cow

Baby Z loves cows. This week we talked with Papa on speakerphone. She was amazed when I told her he had cows we could go visit. Even more exciting was the brilliant array of colors in which she must have pictured them.

Me: Do you like cows?

Baby Z: I like cows!

Me: Did you know Papa has cows at his house we could go visit? Would you like to go see the cows where Papa lives?

Baby Z: (stunned)

Papa: I have a black and white cow.

Baby Z: Black and white COW!

Papa: And I have a red cow.

Baby Z: Red COW!

Papa: And I have a cow that's white all over.

Baby Z: White cow!

Papa: And I have a yellow cow.

Baby Z: YELLOW COW!

Me: Wow, a black and white cow, a red cow, a white cow and a yellow cow. What other color cows do you think Papa might have?

Baby Z: GREEN COW!

Well, yes, why not a green cow? They do seem to come in every color of the rainbow after all.

Thanks to Papa -- Part of the Thanks Giving Series

My grandfather "Papa" with his first turkey.

I'm thankful for the lessons my grandfather taught me, some traditional, some not. Here are just a few:

1) Don't hunt for fun. Hunt for food. (We actually ate the turkey seen here, and it was the freshest, best turkey I've ever had.)

2) How to find water with a small branch from a peach tree. (How many girls do you know who can do that?)

3) How to drive a tractor with a plow. (Well, that one didn't go so well.)

4) How to drive a motorcycle.

5) How to shoot a revolver.

6) Tell the truth. Lies are too hard to remember and only snowball.

7) How to tell when it's going to hail.

8) How to know when a tornado is coming.

9) How to see the rain in the distance.

10) How to work hard even when no one is pushing you.

11) How to listen for rattlesnakes.

12) How to make doughnuts. (I don't think he knew I was watching.)

13) Don't chase boys. Let them chase you.

14) Let men open the door for you.

15) You come from a good family.

16) Treasure the past and look to the future.