04/29/2026
My grandfather, John Ransom Karnes (Pawpaw) loved to sit and watch his cows eat. I am lucky enough to have a few head myself now. We finally got a little rain and the grass must have grown 3” in 24 hours. It is lush and green. The cows wrap their tongue around a bunch and tear it loose. It is such a satisfying sound. They eat awhile, get a drink and then kneel down and chew their cud. Chewing the cud is the process if regurgitating partially digested grass while moving it through four stomachs. When PawPaw wanted to think about something, he would say he was going to sit and chew his cud. This afternoon, I am watching cows eat their way through a pasture and chewing my cud. Always a lot to think about in this world of ours.