I find it fitting that this day in the 12 Days of Christmas song is about work because today is a work day for me. Anyone who has had a milk cow knows that there are no days off from the milking. No matter of sickness or death in the family, the cow had to be milked.
And since I'm a city girl, I am reminded again of 'the country' where my granny lived. By the time I remember going there, the cow was long gone, but my mom tells the story of my grandmother's cow who was quite ornery. She was used to my grandmother milking her, and wouldn't behave if someone else tried. My mom would dress up in my grandmother's bonnet and clothes to try to fool the cow. Did it work? That part I don't remember, but the attempt always intrigued me.
This day many of us will eat certain foods to bring good luck. From my own tradition it is cabbage and black eyed-peas. I don't believe eating certain foods on a certain day has a magical power. I believe I make my own luck. Still. The ritual of a shared feast even if that sharing is in ritual unites me with my family, my roots, my upbringing. Out of deference to my roots, I eat the food. And I refrain from doing laundry on this day-another tradition in my family of origin. Any excuse not to do laundry suits me fine.
But duty of another kind calls and so I put on my work clothes, and in the quiet of the morning I go.
1 comments:
Cows are creatures of habit. I guess your mom's clothes had her smell on them.
When I was a kid I occasionally milked a cow and didn't like it. My main memory is the milk. Fresh milk has such a strong aroma. I do miss the cream from raw milk because it whips up so beautifully and I miss the taste of raw milk butter.
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