Quirky
Posted by Jennifer LaBrecque in Jennifer LaBrecque, tags: Brenda Chin, Chicago, cows, Cows on Parade
I grew up on a farm. 100 acres outside of what was a really small (1-traffic light for years) town in south Georgia. Trust me when I tell you, this was not where I wanted to be. (Cue the theme music to Green Acres.)
One of the animal groups we had on our farm was cows. Not just a couple. We had lots and lots and lots of cows. And a bull. Black Angus. Do you know what a bull likes to do? I know this is the Blaze loop, but no, I’m not talking about that. Bulls like to take down pasture fences. At 1 friggin’ 30 in the a.m. And you know what happens then? You get a call at 2 friggin’ a.m. telling you the cows are out and the whole household has to go out in pajamas and round the damn cows up and herd them back into another pasture. :-[
I’m really not so fond of cows.
My husband used to have this crazy fantasy that we’d buy 20 acres somewhere even further out than the suburban hinterlands we live in now and he’d have himself some cows. Really, he’s clueless. But I quickly clued him in that he’d have to live out that fantasy with his next wife.
Anywho — stick with me here, I have a way of going around my ass to get to my elbow — Brenda Chin bought my first book (a Duets) in 1999 and that was the first year I went to National Conference (that disaster is a whole nother blog a whole nother time.) The conference was in Chicago that year. I was THRILLED to be there — trust me, there’s nothing quite as exciting as attending your first national conference as a newly bought author.
Also in Chicago, along with the RWA conference, was the Cows on Parade. 
I absolutely ADORED these. And they were part of what was a very special experience for me.
Fast forward from Chicago conference in July 1999 to early September 2000. It was another exciting day in the fascinating, sophisticated life of Jennifer LaBrecque — prepare to be wowed here…. I drove out to my local feed store in my mini-van to pick up dog food. See? Glamorous and exciting, no? But actually that day it was, well, exciting, though not exactly glamorous. I pulled into the parking lot of the feed’n seed store and there stood a herd of life-sized, fiberglass cows. It wasn’t even a conscious thought, it was more of a knowing. I HAD TO HAVE ONE. I could artistically interpret and have my own Cow on Parade that I’d seen and loved at my very first national conference.
I perused the herd. While the entire ten were all exactly alike, one in particular spoke to me. She was now mine…or would be soon. I had the store owner tag her. I bought my dog food. I made the trek home.
September is my birth month. I called my DH.
“I found what I want for my birthday. You just have to pay for it and trailer it home.”
“Trailer it? What do you want?”
“I found this cow out at the feed store.”
*long, pregnant silence*
“You don’t like cows. And…uh…we live in a suburb.”
“She’s fiberglass…and I already love her…I HAVE to have her.”
He indulged my quirkiness. I got her. He trailered her home and had her delivered as a surprise on my birthday. Here’s My Cow Pattie. (H)
So…it’s only 9 years later and my full extent of artistically interpreting her has been to paint her eyes red with purple squiggles. Hey, maybe one day. But I am still enamoured of her. And she’s a real conversation piece for people who actually come into the house and see her in the back yard. “Uh…why is there a cow in your back yard?” It sort of works with the whole artist/quirky thing. And my husband got his cow fix without 20 acres.
Now, before I wind this up…and, yeah, it’s about time…have you noticed this all goes back to Brenda Chin? Blame it on Brenda. If she hadn’t bought me, I’d never have shown up in Chicago in July 1999 and seen Cows on Parade. Therefore, when I saw the herd later at the feed store it would’ve merely elicited a shudder from childhood memories of herding cows at 2 a.m. rather than one of the finest moments of my life. Yep…it’s all Brenda’s fault.
So, do you have a spot of quirky you’d like to share? Go ahead. I’m convinced everyone has a quirky side. 
Entries (RSS)
I’m quirkless (in my own mind), so I definitely can’t top that story. But I did want to tell you how lovely Pattie is
Aww she’s so cute.
We had Cows On Parade a couple of years ago here in Edinburgh and it was so much fun. My freinds and I eventually found all of them. A couple of craftily hidden ones gave us some trouble though. Great fun.
I have a sarcophagus in my dining room. It’s over six feet tall and I keep part of my costume jewelry collection in it. I just love when people see it for the first time and they say, “You have a sarcophagus in your dining room.” I say, “I know.”
Ooh, Heather, we have Egyptian motif couches that would go great with your sarcophagus! Deep burgundy with hieroglyphics and Egyptian gods galore…
Jen, you know I love your cow. I think it’s cool as hell that you have her in your backyard.
I don’t think that I’ve got anything as quirky as Pattie. I’ve got oodles of Maxfield Parrish and R. Atkinson Fox vintage prints, a collection of Walking Ware and Carnival Glass, and have most recently started collecting tea-for-one sets.
Heather, I want to see a picture of that sarcophagus. Cool!
Oh boy, did you ever bring back memories! I, too, grew up on a farm. We had cows, horses, pigs, lambs, etc. I can’t tell you how many times I’d look out the window and see the cows in the yard instead of the pasture! And when it was time for the lambs to be born they NEVER came in the day. I swear, I think there is some lamb rule that they have to be born in the very middle of the night!
But it’s funny because I look back on all of it with fondness. I now live on a farm (without the animals) and I love living out in the country on my fairly secluded 60 acres. And I think that’s my quirkiness. I love the solitude. I don’t enjoy anything about town. Not the traffic, nor the shopping…well, OK, the restaurants are OK. But other than that I’m perfectly happy out here in the middle of nowhere.
I can’t believe you bought a COW, even a fiberglass one, and told you husband to trailer it home for you! That’s just awesome!
Spot of quirky? I love red. Love it love it love it, but it’s not kind to my slightly ruddy complexion. So I wear it in accessories. Red patent leather Dansko clogs. Red seat belt bags. Red velvet scarves. A pair of red silk pants I can’t fit into any more but also can’t bear to part with because they’re red silk pants!
Quirky? I’m sure I have plenty, although at the moment, it escapes me. I do collect Barbies, if that’s a quirk. I started when I was fifteen. I started buying the holiday ones, then some of the more high end stuff (not your average KMart doll.) I couldn’t afford the ones I really wanted because they started at $275 and went way way up. They got boxed up when I went to college until a couple years ago, when I dug them out and started selling them on eBay. I used the money, combined with my grown up salary (much higher than a 15 yr olds) to buy the few I’d always wanted. Now all that’s left are six Bob Mackie Barbies in a glass case in my dining room. I figure its the only way I’ll ever own a Bob Mackie gown.
I saw the Parade of Lions in Munich. It was pretty cool. Almost like a scavenger hunt to find the next one.
LOL, Andrea over that being as close to owning a Bob Mackie gown as you’ll come. I bet the Lions in Munich were very cool!
Venus, I’ll be sure and pass the compliment along to Pattie.
BTW, I (U) your name.
Arent’ they just awesome, Suyuri? and it’s far more fun to track them down on Parade than in your neighbors field in the middle of the night. (H)
I’m with Rhonda, Heather. I want to see a picture of that sarcophagus. Talk about a conversation piece…lol. And I love that you store your jewelry collection in there.
Rhonda, I adore all of your Maxfield Parrish prints and your glass collection. BTW, Pattie says ‘hi.’
LOL, that the lambs insists on a night birth, Alannah. The thing I miss most about a farm is the fresh eggs and the smell of freshly cut hay fields. Uh…but not enough to live there again. (H)
The DH was a wee tad surprised as well, Anne. :-P Oh, and I do love red also but have the same ruddy complexion issue. (I wore red, stiletto-heeled boots to dinner last night.) Nope, I wouldn’t be able to give up the red silk pants either.
BTW, L’Oreal makes a red lipstick that even works with the ruddy complexion — #315 True Red.
That might actually inspire me to start wearing lipstick, Jennifer!
Hello Jennifer,
I needed a laugh this morning and I got one. Thank you. Can’t top your quirkiness but would love to hear more stories. Bring’em on. Have a great day.
I love that you have a cow in your backyard, Jen! I could never live on a farm because of my allergies, but I go with my dad when he feeds the cows on his girlfriend’s farm. Last time he was having trouble getting the huge bale of hay to come off the tractor and almost threw me off when he popped the clutch. Luckily I was holding on, or the cows would have stepped on me(they came running when we got to the field with the hay). She raises Black Angus too and they are huge and they do like to tear down the fences.
Ah, Chicago! I remember the cows, and I most distinctly remember you walking back to the hotel after eating dinner at Navy Pier . . . and you were wearing fabulous neon green shoes that nearly killed you, but you soldiered on. (H) I knew then we had to become friends.
I, too, (L) Cow Patty. She’s so you. At the moment I have a pair of ceramic dragons on my bookshelf and I dress them up for the holidays. They’re wearing bunny ears right now. One of the first things visitors see is my Attack Cat sign when they walk in the front door. But I’m inspired by Cow Patty and may have to follow your lead, although getting a cow in my car could be really interesting . . .
My quirky side runs with the small holstiens (You know black and white dairy cows) the ones that will fit on shelves! I have them every where and on every surface in my house. My husband shakes his head but when he finds one he buys it for me.
I recently bought an old milk can, The old fashioned type that they used at dairys a Loooong time ago. It was painted a hidiouly ugly shade of yellow with orange stripes and these really ugly flowers all over it. I wanted to physically gag when I saw it!
I bought it for $5.00 at a garage sale and took it home. I looked at it for all of about two days then went and bought some paint stripper. Stripped at least 4 layers of paint off. Next I painted it white and put a blue ring around the top and another one on the lid. I painted a black and white cow on the side (well both sides actually) and the words “Fresh Milk .25″
My husband thinks I’m certifiable but he feeds my addiction so he is now a co-dependent! LOL
I would love to own one of those cows like you have but I know that THAT is where my loving and understanding hubby would draw the line! LOL
Everyone have a great day and what ever your quirky side is indulge in it at least every once and awhile. Your friends will understand and if you stop for some reason they may think there is something wrong with you!
SMILES from Texas! ;o)
Roberta, always glad to deliver a smile or a laugh.
Yikes, Liza. Glad you didn’t get thrown off — being trampled would be fairly unpleasant.
Vicki, it was the walk from HELL. (D) And hon, if you’re ever putting a cow in your car– ya gotta photo document that feat.(H) (H)
LOL over your Holstien addiction and your hubby’s co-dependancy, Patsy. Hey, you should show him the blog picture…ya never know.(G)
I love your cow!!! And I love those painted cows. We have quite a few down here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. As for quirks, if I mentioned them all people would realize just how weird I really am.
Do collect humpty dumpties. I guess that’s a little different, and I’m kind of a freak about art. Everything from fantasy and comic book art, to Andy Warhol and Renoir. I can’t get enough of it.
Great Post!
Candy
I love cows and chickens but here in the city you can’t have them, I miss the country life!
Penney (F)
I would really like to debate how your unique choice of lawn ornaments has become MY fault.
Honestly though, I’d put up with a lot more of this type of abuse :-P just to get the great books you write. And don’t you owe me one?????
I wonder why it is that cows only want to tear down the fence in the middle of the night? What the hell is wrong with doing it in the daytime when everyone is awake?! Yes, my south GA sista, I’ve done my fair share of cow chasing. My dad also had chickens, ducks and quail and I swear I can still smell the poop to this day! No, I will not ever buy a fiberglass chicken no matter how cute it might be. Although Pattie is quite adorable!
But, I will admit to loving a painting some drunk guy had painted and gave to Hubby when he was repairing the guy’s cable service. Hubby wanted to throw it away but I just couldn’t let go of it. It is a very bright and very colorful parrot and doesn’t match anything in my house. Right now he sits propped up behind my desk just waiting to be framed and hung on the wall in my soon to be office. I had this vision of my home office being all nicely decorated in a Tuscany theme and now I’m gonna have to rethink that cos I can’t let go of my parrot! Maybe I should just throw some sand on the floor and play some Jimmy Buffet! (H)
Hm, quirky. How’s my total belief in the gremlins under the bed?
I love Pattie…she’s beautiful and the setting’s awesome.
I was once driving across Wyoming on Hwy 2…way up at the top of the state when a HUGE Black Angus Bull decided to saunter across the road in front of our car. In his mind, he owned the road, actually in our minds he did, too.:-O I got a picture (I said he sauntered, right? slow enough for me to dig out the camera and shoot).
He was magnificent! But it wasn’t 1 frigging a.m., either.
And I feel a theme coming on with the Brenda stories. I’m going to have to relate my first sale to Blaze sale story when it’s my turn.
But hm? What I can blame on Brenda?
LOL that people would realize how weird you are, Candace. I’ve got to say I never thought to collect humpty dumpties but I’d love to see your art collection.
Penney, aren’t fresh eggs the best ever? They just taste richer than what you can buy at the market.
It’s definitely your fault, Brenda.(H) And thank you and do I owe you a manuscript? For real?:-[
Yes, south Ga sistah, I’m hearing you. We also had guinea fowl — possibly the dumbest creature ever created. A parrot in Tuscany…it could happen. :-P
Bonnie, Pattie’s preening right now. LOL, I can believe that could happen in Wyoming…and yeah, those Black Angus bulls ARE huge. I always stayed out of whichever pasture he was in. I’m telling you, Bonnie, just think on it a little bit and you’ll definitely be able to track back some even to Brenda.
ROFL I looove that cow. I think the undersea cow on parade is stunning, too! BTW, is that your backyard? The woods? I’m green with envy. I wouldn’t mind seeing a picture of your red boots, either
Quirky? Hmm, I don’t know. I don’t think I could top a sarcophagus and a cow. The only quirky thing about my house is the absolute lack of white. Every room is painted, every room a different color. I love color! I usually repaint one room or another every couple years because I get bored, too. Hmmm, trying to track it back to Brenda… I think I can credit her with a couple painted rooms, since I used to paint them when I got antsy trying to sell my first book.
Having grown up on a farm also, I can totally relate to the fence issue. Only for us, it was goats. Sneaky little devils. My daughter wants to move to a farm and own horses. I say, uh, no. Why, she asks. Because it is too much work!!! I hated farming, especially when most of the animals can push you around. :-S
Am I quirky? Absolutely not.
I’m sure I’m boring in every way…
No quirkiness here…I am just a suburban mom. Sorry, Jen…I do like your cow, though. Maybe, for another birthday, you can commission someone to paint it.
Seattle has ‘pigs on parade’. My mom loves it. I don’t know why (she lives in Suburbia and grew up there, too). They typically do it each year. (*) (@)
Oh Jen I love Pattie!!
I remember that conference so well–the first one after I’d sold to Brenda, too!
It seemed like cities all over the place got into the act. I know Orlando did lizards, and Baltimore did (and still has, I think) crabs!
My local little small town, birthplace of Francis Scott Key, had decorated keys all over the place. Of course, the keys weren’t huge like cows…and they kept getting stolen. They finally gave up. :-O
Quirky….hmm. Well here it’s considered unusual to go for a walk daily….especially on those -40 degree days!
Tawny, it is my dismally overgrown backyard, but yes, I love having some woods behind me. LOL over Brenda being responsible for your rooms being painted. I’ll have to tell y’all the story of the Pier One room sometime.
Farms are SO labor-intensive, Danniele. And no, having gone to dinner with you, you are NOT boring.
Katie, commissioning someone to paint her seems to be the only way it’s going to happen. :-[
Les, wasn’t that Harlequin party at the Chicago Aquarium the absolute BEST? And that just makes me mad that people kept stealing the keys. :-S
Chey, I wouldn’t be doing jack outside in -40 degree weather. :-O
Oh, I’m definitely quirky. One of my biggest quirks is probably my love for candles and candle holders. I have already amassed enough to decorate my own place when I eventually move out. Right now, they’re all packed in their boxes inside Rubbermaid containers under my bed.
No cows. The closest I come to quirk is my choice of shoes, which are sometimes a little out there, and my clothes. We do have one touch of whimsy. You know those big metal 3D letters you can buy from home decor shops? We found some on special and agonised for hours over which letters to buy. LOVE? PEACE? IMAGINE? DREAM? They all felt like they’d been done before. So we bought FART. We have them standing upright on our hearth, the F pushed over on its back. At first, when you look at it, it spells ART. Then you see the fallen F… Being Australian and fond of low humour, we think it’s hilarious. And when we get sick of it (or have elderly relatives coming to stay) we rearrange it to spell RAFT.
OMG ROFLMAO Sarah!!!
I LOVE candles, Karin. I keep stocked up on them…but not, I think, to the extent of yours.
ROFLMAO!!! …and you change it to RAFT when the elders come over …*snort*
Great post, Jen. Pattie is adorable. I grew up on a vegetable farm, so I was more traumatized by an explosion of pumpkins for sale on our front lawn every fall than cow chasing. My dad, however, grew up on a dairy farm and insists cows are awesome creatures. And while I trust my dad, I rather like the variety you’ve chosen to keep. (H)