In article , Stephen Howard
writes
On Wed, 16 Apr 2003 23:15:16 +0100, Bigjon wrote:


We always thought it was because the grass they lay on would be dry after
the rain, and there would be no worms on the surface so they could continue
munching as soon as the rain stopped !!


The cows round here must have perfected the five day forecast then -
'cos as I cycled home past the cows this afternoon I noted they were
all lying down, despite the heat and sunshine.

I think they just get bored of standing up. One cow sits down and all
the others think 'Hey, what a great idea' - so they all sit down for
an hour or so until one cow gets bored and decides to have a bit of a
stand-up. Then all the other cows think 'Hey, what a great idea' (
cows are very susceptible to peer pressure, you see ) and they all get
up again.

Of course it could just be the cow's national sport - making human
observers scan the horizon for clouds.
They probably score points depending on which direction the observer
looks first - with the ultimate goal being to get said observer to
stick a finger in his gob and hold it up to the prevailing wind.
I'm sure if you listen carefully at this point you'll hear a very
faint 'Yaaay' from the cows.

It has been said that cows can naturally tune into radio
transmissions, their default frequency being that of Radio 4. They
have never, ever missed a weather forecast... or an episode of the
Archers - which explains a lot about their slightly distant, insane
expressions.

Regards,

I think you are pulling our legs and I for one am not going to believe
you.

Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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On Thu, 17 Apr 2003 08:37:01 +0100, Mike
wrote:


I think you are pulling our legs and I for one am not going to believe
you.


OK, OK, I made up the bit about Radio 4.....

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

Ophelia wrote:

"Mike" wrote in message
...

[-]

Why does cows lying down mean rain?

LOL that was always my question when I was a child. They mght just have been
tired

That's what the man on R4 said the other day. Apparently they're not
keeping the grass dry, they're just feeling more tired than usual
because of the heat/humidity/etc that presages a rainstorm. Until the
man proves he's spoken to the animals and understood their replies, I
beg leave to doubt that one, too. *I* think it's a conspiracy, that in
fact cows teach their calves to lie down before it rains because they
know that pondering the reasons for their behaviour has wasted decades
of human time and brainpower. If it wasn't for cows lying down before it
rains, we'd have world peace, cold fusion, and faster-than-light travel.
Revenge is a dish best eaten cold, and the cows know it.

regards
sarah

--
"Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view,
is silence about truth." Aldous Huxley

On Thu, 17 Apr 2003 08:35:05 +0100, Mike
wrote:

In article , Hussein M.
writes


tickly under there.


Where? ;-}

Wherever you least expect it ...... of course.

Huss
Grow a little garden

spam block - for real addy, reverse letters of second level domain.

"Sharon Brackenbury" wrote in message
...
I am putting together a book with a working title of " Natures
Predictions -
Traditional Ways of Predicting Life's Natural Occurrences". Examples would
be cows laying down meaning rain, how high you carry a baby predicts the
sex, and how high crows build their nests predicting a good summer etc. If
anyone would like to let me have any of these sayings that they can
remember, then I would be happy to put their name along side it in my
book.


Big feet big.......... shoes

pk

"Stephen Howard" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Apr 2003 08:37:01 +0100, Mike
wrote:


I think you are pulling our legs and I for one am not going to believe
you.


OK, OK, I made up the bit about Radio 4.....


Sheeesh that is the only bit I believed!!!

O

"Sharon Brackenbury" wrote in message
...
I am putting together a book with a working title of " Natures
Predictions -
Traditional Ways of Predicting Life's Natural Occurrences". Examples would
be cows laying down meaning rain, how high you carry a baby predicts the
sex, and how high crows build their nests predicting a good summer etc. If
anyone would like to let me have any of these sayings that they can
remember, then I would be happy to put their name along side it in my
book.


oak before ash - in for a splash
ash before oak - in for a soak

heard yesterday when looking at the ash out already - although this year the
oak is not far behind

--
Jill Bowis

http://www.poultryscotland.co.uk http://www.henhouses.co.uk
http://www.domesticducks.co.uk http://www.poultry-books.co.uk
http://www.kintaline.co.uk/cottage

In message , Hussein M.
writes
On Wed, 16 Apr 2003 21:08:48 +0100, Mike
wrote:

Lots of Berries on the bushes and trees a bad winter

Yep, the Rowan tree is the true guide .

Not a chance - the minute there's any suggestion of the berries
colouring on our rowan tree and the entire local blackbird population
comes visiting............. our rowan is never a guide to anything
except the speed at which the blackbirds can eat!

Jill
--

http://www.bellsbarn.demon.co.uk
(Gardens, geraniums and photographs)

In message , Bigjon
writes
Whistling woman and crowing hen never come to a good end.

Or as my science teacher told me "Whistling woman and crowing hen are
neither good for mice nor men" ...................... and 38 years down
the line I still remember her telling me that when I was whistling in a
practical lesson - but it's never stopped me whistling.

Jill
--

http://www.bellsbarn.demon.co.uk
(Gardens, geraniums and photographs)

"Mike" wrote in message
...
In article , Sharon
Brackenbury writes
I am putting together a book with a working title of " Natures
Predictions -
Traditional Ways of Predicting Life's Natural Occurrences".
Examples would
be cows laying down meaning rain, how high you carry a baby
predicts the
sex, and how high crows build their nests predicting a good summer
etc. If
anyone would like to let me have any of these sayings that they can
remember, then I would be happy to put their name along side it in
my book.


Lots of Berries on the bushes and trees a bad winter

Why does cows lying down mean rain?
Mike

They don't like laying down on wet grass. By lying down before it
rains, they have a dry tummy :~)
Jenny

JennyC wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message
...
In article , Sharon
Brackenbury writes
I am putting together a book with a working title of " Natures
Predictions - Traditional Ways of Predicting Life's Natural
Occurrences". Examples would be cows laying down meaning rain,
how high you carry a baby predicts the sex, and how high crows
build their nests predicting a good summer etc. If anyone would
like to let me have any of these sayings that they can remember,
then I would be happy to put their name along side it in my book.


Lots of Berries on the bushes and trees a bad winter

Why does cows lying down mean rain?
Mike

They don't like laying down on wet grass. By lying down before it
rains, they have a dry tummy :~)
Jenny

Oh well said, Jenny.
That's two votes for dry tummies (and dangly bits).
'You know it makes sense'.
;-)

--
ned

The message
from Bigjon contains these words:


Seagull, seagull sit on the sand, it's never good weather when you're on
the land.

Well that can't be true..in the warm dry calm weather we've had for
weeks now, the local seagulls sunbathe on sand or on pasture for hours
at a time.

Janet

In article , Hussein M.
writes
On Wed, 16 Apr 2003 21:08:48 +0100, Mike
wrote:

Lots of Berries on the bushes and trees a bad winter

Yep, the Rowan tree is the true guide .

Err, I hope both your tongues were in your cheeks when you wrote that.
It's rubbish :-)

--
Malcolm

On Fri, 18 Apr 2003 07:17:00 +0100, Malcolm
wrote:


In article , Hussein M.
writes
On Wed, 16 Apr 2003 21:08:48 +0100, Mike
wrote:

Lots of Berries on the bushes and trees a bad winter

Yep, the Rowan tree is the true guide .

Err, I hope both your tongues were in your cheeks when you wrote that.
It's rubbish :-)

Nope. didn't have a clue really - despite the confidence of my
assertion. I had simply heard it said ..........

Goodee goodee. Another illusion gone!

H.

Grow a little garden

spam block - for real addy, reverse letters of second level domain.

In article , Hussein M.
writes
On Fri, 18 Apr 2003 07:17:00 +0100, Malcolm
wrote:


In article , Hussein M.
writes
On Wed, 16 Apr 2003 21:08:48 +0100, Mike
wrote:

Lots of Berries on the bushes and trees a bad winter

Yep, the Rowan tree is the true guide .

Err, I hope both your tongues were in your cheeks when you wrote that.
It's rubbish :-)

Nope. didn't have a clue really - despite the confidence of my
assertion. I had simply heard it said ..........

Goodee goodee. Another illusion gone!

It is *very* commonly said, not least in the meedja every autumn, but is
completely without foundation, indeed biologically impossible!

--
Malcolm