Texas Longhorns
Texas Sister took this photo.
She says that it was a bit of a fluke that it turned out so well, but I think she has a bit of an “eye” about her too.
I love it for the beauty of the horns on the longhorn cow (yes, it is female, cause that is her calf). The horns are like works of art, all by themselves.
But then there are so many things about this photo that are beautiful. I love the freckling on the longhorn’s nose, her direct stare at us, the way she is protectively standing over her calf, how her calf’s face is so brilliantly white and is offset by the lighter brown patches, the calf’s white eyelashes, and the calf’s teeny baby horns.
And then there is the beatiful setting. The parallel lines of the sky, the hills, the fence, the road.
And the break in the parallel lines with the tree on the right. How all of the small scrub bushes and trees in the distance create perspective.
The fact that the blue sky offsets the green of the hills and the reddish brown of their hide.
Just gorgeous.
I meant to post this for my Dad’s birthday, because I know he really loves this photo of my sister’s. But with one thing and another, well, I didn’t get it done.
But it has been on my mind today.
I thought we all needed some pretty animals for a while. Don’t you think?
Here are more that my seestor took.
A close-up of the calf.
I love the star shape of the calf’s hair.
Wait! Is that a cowlick?!
And, didn’t we try to mimic that shape with our bangs in the 80′s? You know, the curls that spray out from a central point?
Maybe that was just popular at my school.
The white is so white! Must be using oxyclean to keep that hair white. I hear it works wonders. 
This one, to me, looks like someone was doing watercolors and was trying different splotch colors.
“Um, let’s do a dark one!”
“No, maybe a bit lighter.”
“How about somewhere in between.”
The brindling on this one is really striking. This also reminds me of Closet Metro’s dog Jack, who is also brindled.
Who knew that longhorns could be these colors?
All photos were taken by Texas Sister. I have no idea what type of digital camera she owns.
Closet Metro says:
Looks like Jack and that cow share the same tailor.
LadyBug says:
Wow, look at the horns on that cow!
I mean, that cow is just…REALLY horny!
PWAHahahaha!
I’m so sorry, Danielle. It’s late, my brain is fried, I couldn’t help myself.
Besides, you totally set that one up; what else would you expect? ;o)
My apologies to your family for my undignified behavior tonight in your comments.
Love and hugs, dear.
Amber says:
Undignified, indeed, but we do all need a little of that undignified humor.
Speaking of horny cows and steers, Ladybug, this begs a question: Are you an Aggie or a Longhorn???? Or just a Techie?
I absolutely love the first. The sky, the hills, the cows. It was like taking a step back in time, for me. I love ranches and cedar trees in the hill country of Texas. This picture captured the beauty of all of that.
The last cow reminds me of a Reese Cup. The chocolate brown and peanut butter orange. Makes me hungry. Imagine a Reese Peanut Butter Steak.
Maybe that doesn’t sound so good…
A steak shaped Reese cup, maybe? mmm.
Oooh *shivers*. Those are good pictures.
Squirl says:
You can tell they’re made for the wide-open spaces. I was looking at those horns (good one Ladybug) and trying to picture them walking through a doorway. Great pictures!
Danielle says:
CM – did you look at which pics of Jack I pic’d?
One of them is PUPPYYYYYYYYYYY Jack.
I was reminded of it by dooce’s pic of Puppyyyyyyy Chuck.
Ladybug – HA! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that one as I was writing. My family and friends will undoubtedly appreciate your jokes as much as we do. Hey, who doesn’t love a good horny joke??
Amber – um, methinks you’ve got Reese’s cups on the brain. Which could be a really funny SPD portrait you know, come to think of it.
Squirl – You know, I hadn’t really thought about it. But this brings up all kinds of problems in my mind… like if you do put them in a barn, do they need an extra wide door (Yes, I would think). An extra wide stall? What about if you ever put them in a trailer, like to show them at the State Fair. Do they have to stand all catty-wompus in the trailer?
(um, that would be diagonal, or offset of center for those of you that don’t know ‘catty-wompus’)
And what about when you have to work with them – do you put protective padding over the ends so that they don’t impale you on a horn by accident? And how many deaths HAVE there been like that .
You know, Death by Longhorn.
Inquiring minds want to know.
Wonder if Trainwreck (Texas Sister’s fiancee) knows this stuff.
Trainwreck?
Amber says:
I’ve never owned me a Longhorn, but I never thought they went in barns. I always thought they stayed outside. Oh person with knowledge, please come out and knowledgefy us!
And I think the trailers are wide enough that no catty-wompus action has to occur.
Yes, yes, Reese’s on the brain. I think we have Momo to thank for THAT one.
*shuffling ’round for digital camera and a Reese cup*
poopie says:
I’ve never seen a brindled cow!! How cool. Those baby horns on the calf are precious.
Momo says:
Great pictures, Danielle. I really love the first one.
Ladybug has me giggling with her “horny” comment.
Oh, Amber …I do love me some Reese’s, but I’m not sure about steak and Reese’s. I can’t wait to see your pictures of Reese’s on the brain.
azj says:
wow, i had no idea that cows looked like that– how cool!
Trainwreck says:
Hmm…we have been out a couple days, and it looks like the cows came home before us
.
ANYway, those big gals theoretically know where the ends of their horns are all the time. They use them to scratch their sides and rub flies away. So, I think you are pretty safe unless they feel you need to back off some. We stayed on the other side of the fence, or at least the other side of the cattle guard.
When they trailer the little ladies for a few weeks at a nearby bachelor pasture (the local male is not shown, but he is now a steer and doesn’t interest them much), they use a kinda wide trailer. The Univ. Texas mascot has a special trailer that is actually sort of key-hole shaped, if you look at it from the back. Don’t know about other longhorns, but no real barn for them to hang out in.
I was not there, but apparently, when they were trying to load Jim Bob (the steer), he took off running for the shoot. When he got there, he turned his head sideways and kept running right through the narrow shoot and out the other side. Generallly, he usually jumps over the fence, which is hard to reconcile with such a big critter.
We need to get you a good close picture of Jim Bob, too. The camera was an Easy Share something-or-other, byw.
Trainwreck says:
heh…thought shoot looked funny….how about we try chute…..
Danielle says:
Cool. thanks for all the info. Although Texas Sister mentioned that you posted it last night, I didn’t look at it until now, so it is cheering up my morning.
The idea of an extra wide trailer, or a keyhole shaped one makes sense.
And thanks for sharing the Jim Bob story. Of course this leads me to wondering just how you catch a long horn bull (or steer, depending on which stage he was at, at that point) who doesn’t want to go where you want him to go…. would that be where the lassoing comes in?
I have to laugh that his name is Jim Bob though… you have heard (my) dad say “Billy-Joe Jim Bob” right?
Amber says:
Reminds of someone in highschool.
She had a block of wood, painted a face on it, and named it Jim Bob Fred and carried it around like it was her imaginary friend.
honestyrain says:
wow. they are beautiful, aren’t they?
brand levitra says:
brand levitra .
ed pills says:
ed pills .