Monday, January 23, 2017

Benny and the Jets

Benny and the Jets
Oil on black canvas, 40x40

These striped cows are Belted Galloways, a breed that's native to southwest Scotland, where the temperatures are often brutal, and the landscape often rugged and not very fertile. The original Galloways were all black; the banded ones are a genetic mutation which got its own herd book (I'm guessing this is something of a pedigree) in 1928. Belted Galloways are gentle creatures, naturally polled (no horns) and gifted at surviving on what's euphemistically called "rough forage." They also have lots of calves and the beef is supposedly very good. 

I just like the way they look, with their white stripe and big black heads. They're sometimes called "Oreo Cows." 

At a show, someone mentioned that there are strict rules for naming Belted Galloways, and the rules were fascinating, but I can't remember them, and can't find them on the internet. Do you know the rules? Please let me know if you do! 

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Man of the Day
Today, my wonderful, smart, funny, loving, kind, generous and gentle husband turns 70. It seems impossible, he looks so young, and is so young in spirit. Who knew when we met, so many years ago, that we'd have the life, the love and the adventures that we've had? And who knows what awaits us?  Happy birthday, Peter! 

It's Molly, the cat who lives at the post office. Our postmistress, Jackie, is part of a small group of women who have addressed themselves to the issue of feral cats in Wachapreague. They capture them, get them spayed and vaccinated, and gently find homes for them. Jackie has gotten a small, covered carrier for Molly, and it sits on the porch of the post office. Molly enjoys greeting people, and being petted, but she hates being picked up. 

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A Final Thought

"The hardest part of artmaking is living your life in such a way that your work gets done, over and over - and that means, among other things, finding a host of practices that are just plain useful. A piece of art is the surface expression of a life lived within productive patterns."
- David Bayles and Ted Ormand
"Art & Fear / Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking


2 comments:

Unknown said...

We have belted Galloways in our development which is Fearrington Village,NC. They make me so happy when I drive in and see them. I will ask about the naming. We have been here less than a year and I don't know if they are all named. Each field though has a donkey to protect the cattle and they have names.

carrie jacobson said...

Thanks for telling me about your neighborhood cows. They're wonderful, aren't they? Wish we had some in our neighborhood. Please do ask, and let me know. It's possible I was confusing the naming practice with the Shetland Highlanders... so many cows, so little time!