Twins

I promise this is the last blog about baby calves, but I couldn't resist sharing these two little cuties. Born a week ago, they are the littlest calves I've ever seen. Of course, my hubby, who tries to raise cattle for profit, isn't as impressed with them as I am, especially since they and their momma have to be penned up separate from the rest of the herd. That means a little extra work feeding & watering, and they won't grow as fast as the others so that will add time and money to get them raised, but I still enjoy watching them and marvel at how strong they are for their size. They race around and chase my dog out of their pen like they are really tough. Of course, the dog is bigger than they are, and she knows she isn't allowed to chase back, so they think they are all that!!

What is a Cowgirl?

What is a "cowgirl" really? I like to call myself a cowgirl because I like to dress in western clothes, I own a horse and ride, and I'd much rather wear my cowboy boots than don a pair of heels and tight skirt. Somehow, though, when I look back at some of the women in history that we call cowgirls, I don't think I hold a candle to them.

Women of the west that we call cowgirls never looked like the ruby lipped, long-legged, fringe-skirted damsels in distress portrayed in movies, TV and old posters. Many of them dressed like men, drank and swore like men, chewed tobacco and were just as deadly with a gun and clever with a rope as men. There were several who deliberately passed themselves off as men in order to survive in the man's world of the old west.

Calamity Jane was famous for her habit of dressing in men's clothing. Martha Cannary, aka "Calamity Jane" was born in Missouri in 1852 and was an expert horsewoman and sharp shooter at an early age. It is said that she earned the nickname during and Indian campaign in 1873 when she rescued a cavalryman. She also traveled with the famous "Buffalo Bill" Cody and his Wild West Show. Many magazine writers of the late-1870's wrote graphic, puffed up stories for their readers back east about Jane and the Wild West.

Annie Oakley was born Phoebe Moses in 1860. She learned to hunt game at the age of nine to help feed her widowed mother and siblings in Ohio. By the age of 12 she could shoot the head off a running quail. Word spread of her tomboy talents and by 1885 she was part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. For 17 years she was the show's main attraction.

Those were brave women who stepped out of the stiff traditions of their era and lived their lives doing what they liked to do. I'm so glad that today we aren't limited to a certain "code" of proper dress. Cowgirl fashion ranges from frilly, lacy dresses and skirts with boots to button down shirts and comfortable jeans. I love them all, but I'm still happiest in my boots and jeans.

Contemporary Western Style

Western is as American as you can get. It is the symbol of freedom, individuality and pioneering spirit. Western style was borne out of necessity. Furniture and fashions were created to fulfill a need. At a time when very few possessions could be carried in wagons or on horseback, pioneers made do with what they could find.

Today, Western Décor has a much more contemporary look, but many of the same types of materials are used to keep the unique look that is Western. Some of those materials are wood, such as pine or juniper, leather, antlers, stone. Indian designs were often integrated into western designs. Buckskin, hides, beadwork and fur were as essential then are they are now to western fashion.

Whether you actually live in the West or the West just lives in you, you can create that atmosphere of relaxed western lifestyle by incorporating western style into your décor. Pieces don't have to be "rustic" to reflect western style. Many modern furnishings and décor are a blend of modern sophistication and rugged traditional materials.

Take a look at some of the new contemporary styles in fashion and décor and find the style that most reflects who you are! There's a little bit of cowgirl in all of us!