It's not easy being a cowgirl......

Just ask Miss L, she would know since she IS a cowgirl and all.

There are the good times and bad.

Riding Peanut.....good.

Losing your cowboy boots.....bad.

Selling your calf, Candyland, that you bottle fed and raised yourself.....very bad.

In fact, its very, very bad. So bad that the mere announcement that the time had come to sell Candyland, as we do all of our half-grown calves, brought on an onslaught of tears and pleas heard through the hiccuping cry of a four year old.

Steven assured Miss L that this is what we do.....we sell the calves. This is in part how we make a living..... It is necessary. He pointed out that we were aware that this calf was special (and no, not special because of her special....uh, hum...abilities) ....but because this calf was hers and Mr. B's. This money would go to them. She could put her half in the bank and save it to by something later.....like a cow to make more calves.

Miss L was not going to hear of it. She decided she didn't want her own cow to make her own calves and she didn't want money.....she just wanted Candyland.

Steven pleaded for her understanding. He explained how she would go to the sale barn and go home to a new family and make new friends. And then, Steven, appealing to the girly "princess" side of Miss L, exclaimed: "You can help me get her ready to sale. We will comb her hair and brush her tail.....It will be fun!"

Miss L perked up and I could see the wheels turning...."We need to make her pretty?"

Steven: Yes, that will help her bring more money....

Miss L: "So I can fix her hair?"

Steven: Yes, won't that be fun...

Miss L: "Can I put make-up on her too?"

Steven: (not missing a beat) Sure! Why not? We will make her so pretty!

And that, my friends, is what it took for a little girl to feel good about sending Candyland to market, so we rolled with it, and Steven stood good on his word.

The next morning we penned Candyland up and ran her through the head catch and Steven commenced to brushing out her hair and Miss L ran to get some make-up.

Although, she had actual eye shadow, Miss L didn't want to "waste" it on the calf, so she used a bright pink lipstick as eyeshadow.

Steven held the tube so she could "reapply" as needed.

Although this type of treatment isn't given to all of our calves, if Candyland brings a record price, this may be the start of something big. You know, kinda raising the bar for others.

I mean, tell me folks, what man could resist this calf batting her eyelashes at them as she walks through the sale barn pen?

If putting make up on her calf makes her feel better about it leaving .....then it was time, and make up, well spent.

(Sorry all of the paragraphs kinda ran together.....for some reason it wasn't recognizing my line spacing?)