Cow Soup For The Soul

The dog has traditionally been "man's best friend" but one must admit, the cow is the most fun, not to mention the most edible. And as a cow item collector, I feel the cow is possibly the funniest animal on the planet. Though this may be hard for some city-dwellers to fathom, I can assure you Mississippians and other inhabitants of the southeastern states were laughing at cows years before The Far Side. In my youth, and even beyond, I would often imagine cows asking each other questions, gossiping and their take on bulls.

"Got Milk?", was not one of the most asked questions. It was a given. But as we would pass the cows, and there were many, down the many lazy country roads in Ms.

we would make believe, as children, that we were the cows talking to each other. Of course our intrepretation paled in comparison to The Far Side but we were able to produce belly-laughs. Until Al Gore invented the Internet (there actually is some truth to that story.more in another article), I felt certain this was "just a good ol' boy southern thing". By the time I was twenty, I was already collecting "All Things Bovine" as were so many of my peers. It was just the thing to do.

Corn was semi-funny, but how many puns and jokes could be made from corn aside from "The Jolly Green Giant had to have been a stalker" or "The Jolly Green Giant's son is grounded after school as he was caught viewing web corn". Corny, sure, but had to be said. Cotton? Just not funny in any way shape or form.

Cotton candy is semi-funny but not a knee-slapper. I have come upon the realization that there are cow figurine and other type collectibles, or cowlectibles as I like to call them, worldwide, and I have corresponded with numerous other cow lovers. Perhaps it is the way they stare at us with their souldful brown eyes. Perhaps it is the way they stand patiently while being milked fhappily without blinking an eye.

Maybe it's because Ol' McDonald had a cow e-i-e-i-o. Who knows? We just love our cows. Before my first (of many) experiences with higher education, when my peers were all checking out med schools, law schools, and how to become CPA's, I was trying to figure out what cow items would sell the best.

I would be the cow selling king of Mississippi if not the world. I had grandoise udderly silly ideas that remain with me. I have late in life that many of the most popular cow collectibles today come in the form of funny cartoons manufactured onto products. Aprons, hoodies, t shirts, mouse pads, and other types of gifts that can be utilized are favorites of many.

This pertains to me too. I collect a great many cow t shirts for instance and sometimes sweatshirts, a few aprons and mousepads, but I always like them to be funny, the crazier and more far out they are, the more I seek them out. Humans are a "visual bunch". We instinctively know that if we are not feeling well, sad, blue, depressed or whatever, we can look at a funny picture or cartoon or product featuring a cartoon, and we will often "snap out of it" and even share it with a friend or neighbor.

This is why "cowtoon collectibles" make great gifts as well. I give them to people who grew up in the city. Oddly enough, they seem to enjoy them even more. Maybe its because many of them were not used to seeing cows growing up, and, upon first glance, notice the beauty and serenity of the cow persona (is there a cow persona?); well there is now. Top Internet offbeat cartoonist Rick London manufacturers some of the most popular cow items and gifts on the Internet featuring his cow-related cartoons.

Top offbeat cartoonist Rick London, founder of Londons Times Cartoons, also founded several webstores including Rick Londonwear which feature some of his funniest cow cartoon gifts and clothing. The cow page at his e-store is