Good neighbors mow the grass,

with their 32 teeth and a story to moo over.

Nature photo of the day: three cows communing in the meadow in front of a walnut tree.

with a swish of her tail
and a holler of her throat
the loudest cow of all
exhales a moornful groan

life is hard
she seems to say
one of her kin
has swallowed an apple
and she isn't allowed to play
in the orchard 
anymore
or nevermore
for she got lost in the act
of enjoying the grass
and the forbidden fruit
which brought out the vet
was an act
she'd rather soon forget
because animals have emotions too,
pride and shame, 
happiness and bovine blues

gossip the ladies will
each of the trio
pausing to think 
what if she would've been me?

- Cheryl M.

Do you know that I just had to look up how many teeth a cow has? Seriously, I didn’t know. It never entered my thoughts until the cursor was blinking in the subtitle.

It’s a strange world, isn’t it? Naturally, in the past, one may have looked into the mouth of a cow to find out how many teeth were actually in there, but we are living in the labyrinth of a digital age, where most of what’s known has already been written. Some information is available to everyone, other details are limited for a select few. In between the facts are a lot of lies and mistruths.

Some of us are more curious than others, always seeking an answer to our meandering and random thoughts.

On the other side of the fence, there are plenty of people who never dare to ask absurd questions, simply because we are afraid of looking stupid.

But I am here to tell you, stupid things happen. Not just to us, but to cows too.

This poem, in fact, is a true story - in as much as a cow really did swallow an entire apple. While I’m not sure how (or if) the vet got it out, or how the situation unfolded, I am positive that her lady friends saw the sight and were affected by the strange event.

Here’s the thing: the more time you spend in nature, the more stories you will have to tell.

Less about people, but more about animals, insects and plants. It turns out, if you are quiet enough, you’ll find yourself in a whole other world that doesn’t revolve around you.

So what are your plans for this weekend? Or next weekend? Will you find the time to get outside and listen to the stories nature has to tell?

As for the journal prompt of the day:

What’s the strangest thing I saw or heard in nature this week?

I know there is a lot going on weather-wise in many parts of the world and our hearts go out to everyone affected. We too, have had our share of scary weather events in the past eight years and can only sympathize with the uncertainty of moving forward.

Yet, nature is nature, and life must go on… and on.

May you have the strength to pick yourselves up and start all over again.

After all, tomorrow is Monday.

With kindness,

Cheryl