Day Eighty-Two: Pooh Shoe

little foot

On the last trip to the Buffalo National River we found some river trash and it got attached to my thwarts because this was my nickname.

On the 10 day trip we were giving people nicknames and as it turned out everyone had a bear themed name.
It all started with one guy being called Honey Bear. Then we got Kare-Bear, Papa Bear, Sugar Bear, and Shakey-Bear. Those are all the ones I can remember off the top of my head.

My first nickname given was Pooh Bear and therefore I got to keep the river trash. I have evolved into Mama Bear because I mother people and yell at them to put on sunscreen while we’re on river.

Pooh Bear with the Pooh Shoe, Day one

Our Australian classmate has been nicknamed the Roo Baby because he jumps up in the air with both feet to kick a hacky sack to the other players. I will get a picture of that before the end of the semester.

I’m leaving today for my next long trip of 12 days. I will return late on the 8th but have scheduled some posts to keep you company along the way :)

Day Sixty-Six: My Last Name…Lost

broken key chain

Somewhere between my house and driving to Illinois (Ill-ah-noise) I broke my key chain. You may be scoffing to yourself ‘what a huge deal, the world cannot continue spinning, Kat!’

It’s not that big of a deal, but it really did mean a lot to me. I have had my initials keychain since I was 15. Stop scoffing, six years is a lot if you’re barely over two decades.
It was a gift from my at-the-time boyfriend who had made it for me in his woodshop class (cliche, no?). He tried multiple times and kept cutting the corners too close and broke off the letters. This was a labor of love and obsession, or perhaps just a labor of boredom and assignment.

Me and that guy have since parted ways, and therefore it holds little value based on the giver but I still cherish that it was handmade and has ALWAYS been on my key chain. That little buddy was what made my key chain immediately recognizable in a pile of rings.

I also found this freakishly ominous (not to read too much into it) because I will be graduating soon and there will be a new definition of self as I step into the professional realm. Also, at the end of this summer I will have a new last name, only the last initial broke off.

I have considered finishing the break of my last initial and just leaving the first two. I have also considered getting a new one made, with my new initials. It will be a good conversation starter with people that know my last name. I will answer by saying, “I nabbed it off of some chick in an elevator.”

Day Fifty-Six: Calf by Any Other Name

calf in her "wussup" pose

Okay, so in my blog several days ago I talked about naming of some of last year’s calves. My description of this unnamed heifer was a bit off. Viola has no white on her and she has little horns. The unnamed calf (pictured) has a white splash under her chin, none on her face and no horns.

She is curiously whuffling me and hoping that I will be feeding some treat or perhaps that if I stand still long enough I will become a nibble worthy treat. Her sisters, O’Hara and Viola are just as curious and wanting to play.

I’m taking suggestions for names. Names such as, blackie, spots, patches, mooby and others similar will be rejected.
She is the daughter of She-Daisy (all black longhorn) and her uncle (either Steak or Shake). By the way, that is another reason for wanting to get Steak n’ Shake to the market. In-breeding is baaad and the longhorn blood is being watered down by other breeds, hence the loss of horns or stubby horns in the most recent calves.

Here are baby pictures of O’hara and Pepper, just for fun!

Baby O'hara, with blond eyelashes

Her eyelashes still freak me out a bit. She is a descendant from Pontchartrain if cow bloodlines mean anything to you. He was a bull as long as a train.

Baby Pepper with mother Sprite

Since she has grown older all her red spots have turned deeeeeep red or almost black. She also has stubby horns. Haha, look how awkward she is in this picture.