While working the herd is no longer a part of my life, will always be part of who I am. I'm grateful my children get to experience this and make their own memories of horses, leather, moving cattle, watching baby calves learn to walk, and all of the responsibility and rewards that go along with it. There is definitely something very romantic about the cowboy way.
Chaps
Growing up I always wanted my own pair of chaps. My dad never went riding without his and in my mind they were what made you a real cowboy. Until my son was in Fourth Grade I'd only ever heard that word pronounced /sh/aps - like shag. But then his teacher pronounced it /ch/aps - like it is spelled - like when your lips are dry. He tried correcting her and she told him he was wrong. Well, no one told my son that his knowledge of cowboying was wrong, so he had me go talk to her. I set her straight in a very gentle and diplomatic way - by telling her that's how my dad always said it. Since then I've heard other actual cowboys pronounce it the same way she did. So now I'm curious... is it a tomayto/tomahto kind of thing? Or is someone out there saying it wrong?
Cattle Drive...
When I was young I always looked forward to the cattle drives. It meant I got to be on a horse all day long, with my dad, and out in nature... even if that meant eating the dust and smelling the manure all day.
Painting cattle is a different story... I admit I'm having fun with this painting, but I just have to say it...
Cattle Drive... me nuts! ;)
Moving Cows... or Cowboys...
I've spent a lot of time in my life on the back of a horse and moving cows. But today moving cows around the canvas was a bit different than it used to be. And that dear cowboy had to be moved three different times... I just couldn't seem to get him in the right proportion. I knew this painting was going to be a bit tricky, so tomorrow I'll see if I can move things around a little more.