Pages from Laurie's "Milking Time" sketchbook, vol. 1

 There are always a few cows who seem to take a little longer to finish up milking than the rest.  Or, who take a little longer to clean up their grain in the barn before coming in to the parlor to be milked.  I've found that keeping a little sketchbook in the parlor is a good way to pass the time while waiting for the slowpokes.  Keep in mind while viewing these, that they are very rough indeed. I usually only have a few minutes to scribble each image.  On top of that, I am usually using a bic pen.  Not exactly a choice drawing tool, but if it gets stepped on by one of those big stompers, it's no great loss.

Size comparison:  Jackee, on the left, and Styx, on the right... 2 average sized Jerseys.
Melody, in the middle..... our average sized Brown Swiss.  I scribbled this one morning as
I was waiting for them to finish up their grain.  Melody always seems like such a giant
amidst the diminutive Jerseys.

the view from the parlor window

a comparison of cow feet.... Tide on the left is a nice, young first calf heifer.
She has slim legs and dainty feet.  Alpine, on the right, is the matron of the herd.
She has big old knees, thick ankles and hefty stompers.  I get to see this particular view,
the backs of the their fronts, a lot!