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Tuesday, May 11, 2021

The Ghost Cow of Mesilla

I was driving down a part of the nearby village of Old Mesilla, when I saw something so strange and wonderful: An ethereal cow looking out from a small pecan orchard and tumbledown house right before the entrance of one of the oldest cemeteries in the area, the San Albino Cemetery. 

ghost cow of mesilla


Once, this holey cow was plastered and painted (maybe it got plastered when it painted the town red), but the weather has reduced it to its amazing inner framework. Whoever made this was a sheer genius.

This is clearly a quality-made bovine objet d'art.

I would dearly love to have this cow in my yard. I always, always wanted a concrete deer in my yard. For literally decades I dreamed of it. My beloved Granny had a pair of concrete deer and I loved them as if they were family members. Hmm, I loved them more than most family members. My family members were not all nice. 

And I would love that crazy cow! 

I have that little donkey in the courtyard, but I want a sizeable concrete animal. I am very unlikely to get one, but I'm going to try! 

burro in the snow


In the Deep South, the concrete deer were popular. When I moved to Arizona, the Sleeping Mexican abounded, despite being horribly stereotypical. 

In the DC area, there were gnomes before gnomes were a thing. I had a neighbor who must have had ten of them. Joking, I offered the loan of a "ten pound sledgehammer" to "take care of his gnome infestation." He was unamused. Yeah, talk politics all you want up there, but DON'T bring up the gnomes. 

In Ohio, I saw endless geese, DRESSED UP in little clothes, depending on the season. It was difficult to reconcile the dour kinfolk I met with the idea of those same people making or buying clothes for plastic or fiberglass geese. "Since when ve spend money on geese? Vat?! Go play in ze snow."

In the Pacific Northwest, I saw many small boats in yards as planters, and what we called "porch sitters:" Life-sized doll people. Or People Dolls. Sitting in chairs, swinging on porch swings, sitting in the boats. And totem poles.

Midland had many fake oil wells and pumpjacks and lots of "Texas Stars" on the sides of homes. 

Here, there are many shrines. The area has an affinity for St. Michael the Archangel, too, so you will see versions of him calmly spearing demons in many homes. But the Virgin of Guadalupe reigns in most hearts and is most often depicted in tile mosaics.

las cruces shrine

virgin of guadalupe mosaic


So, each area seems to have something tacky, er, unique! 

What is in your area?

41 comments :

  1. I like your little burro. So cute. I live in Ohio, and I would say geese were the thing for a while, I must admit I am iterested in dressing them up, husband not so much. We don't have one. I've got some statuary, what hasn't been stolen. Angels. The miniature flags are big here, and the lighthouses. In the more rural areas south of us, window houses, made from old windows. I got one for mothers day, always wanted one. It looks out of place in suburbia. In the country they are very pretty. Interesting post to see what is everywhere.

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    1. I hope you find a place to tuck your Window House in your yard where it will be safe from being stolen. Maybe even in the corner of the den or back patio? I would love to see a lighthouse in a yard!

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  2. Well that was interesting I had no idea regions had their lawn art. When I was little in my grandmothers town was a home that had a full size deer in her yard. I always thought she must be rich because I never saw another one like before.
    Cathy

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    1. I just love those deer! Especially when the concrete comes off and you can see the rebar in their legs. I think they look like fairy creatures when that happens.

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  3. I loved this post. In Florida, I saw a LOT of pink flamingos in peoples' yards. Nothing in KS., though. I have a couple of rocking horses on my front porch. Does that count? Love your little burro. I wonder if the cemetery would sell that cow to you.

    Loved how you found items specific to a region or state. That is genius.

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    1. I might see if I can buy that cow. I forgot about the flamingos in Florida!

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  4. I forgot to mention, that we have a tree artist in our town. He takes old dead trees and turns them into art using a chain saw. Sadly people have had to bring them inside or donate them to museums because they have become targets for vandals.

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    1. Gosh, why are some people so destructive? Sad to hear about them tearing up the chainsaw art.

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  5. here in our part of Florida the tacky errr Unique is the flamingo. they are every where and those who don't have them have concrete Egrets ad Herons. I am not fond of concrete animals but that cow i would love to have it as it is.. it is a stunning piece of art to me. I may like it better than when it was created. we have a resturant that has a giant PIG out front. it is known for home cooking like our mamas cooked in the south, and of course BBQ

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    1. I so agree with you: Weatherworn, the cow is now art. Get you that giant pig and let it weather, too! ha ha. Now I want a concrete heron very badly indeed.

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  6. We are the horse capitol of the world so we have beautiful horses here and there. We also have some of the funny things Sandra mentioned...Manatees dressed in floral dresses and flamingos...by the dozens! But it's fun to see something out of the ordinary, isn't it?

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    1. The manatees in dresses has me tickled! I love that kind of kitsch, I guess it's called. It's very sweet!

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  7. I would imagine that Florida has a lot of flamingos. I don't know what we have in California, but I just got a goose from my neighbor. Then I have a collection of rusty items for yard art. I didn't know about yard art until I moved here, now I think it's fun.

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    1. I am so glad you got a goose from your neighbor! Will you dress it up or leave it as is? I love yard art!

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  8. Oh my goodness! Have you lived in all those places?
    Yes, in Ohio dressed up geese were very popular...and rather tacky...back in the 80's.
    Now I don't know if this was unique to Ohio, but bathtub BVMs were very popular!!! Back in the 60's and 70's (?) when people were getting rid of their cast iron clawfoot tubs to modernize!!!, they would be cut in half, put in the yard, and a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary set inside as a little shrine. I haven't seen one of those in MANY years.

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    1. Oh yes, I lived in all those places AND MORE! It WAS the 1980s when I saw the Ohio geese! I would dearly love to see one of those clawfoot shrines. That is truly unique!

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    2. Holly,
      Just do an internet search for "bathtub Blessed Virgin Mary" and you will find MANY images!!!

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  9. Our little town of 400 has a huge plaster (or is it fiberglass) muskie statue. We're a tourist destination for "lake people" so you see lots of wildlife themed knick-knacks in shops. We have a lot of wood carvers (the chainsaw variety) who like to make and sell statues of bears, wolves and eagles and such. :)

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    1. Well! I was all set to enjoy seeing a huge dog statue in your town! I somehow thought a Muskie was a Malamute and a Husky mix...but no! A FISH! Wow. Are they good eating? And a town of 400. Heck, I think that's how many cousins I have!

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  10. I see animal statues, wood carved totems and animals, barn quilts, even an old toilet seat flower planter. I am going to make a fairy door for at least one of my trees.

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  11. There is a statue of the Lady of Guadalupe at our church also with roses on each side. And another statue of Mary on the grounds. It's fun to hear about all the places you used to live and some of the scenery and pieces that were popular in their yards. I have to say that I do like gnomes, but would only have one if I were to put one in my yard. I like that cute little donkey of yours and the yellow chair that sits next to it. And Michael the Archangel is my beloved Saint. I talk to him often. I hope you find the concrete deer that you've always wanted for your yard, Holly.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Oh, to answer your question.....here in California, I see gnomes in the yards and we have lots of fairies. They are such a delight to see, cause I love fairy statues. And we have lady bug and hummingbird items too!

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    2. I do hope you get a little gnome to enjoy with your new home! I don't know if they need protection from snow up there at your elevation. I think a fairy and a gnome together would be really cute!

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  12. I love that cow, it looks as though it should be like that, a real piece of art.
    Briony
    x

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  13. Here in North Texas, we of course have the big Texas stars, but also giant metal roosters in people's front yards (not mine, I refuse!). They are 4 or 5 feet tall and brightly painted. We only have one Texas star and that was built into the rock fireplace by the former owners of our house.

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    1. Good Golly, I guess the roosters were not yet a thing in West Texas. I know HEB grocery started selling a LOT of metal yard art and some of it I really wanted. They sound big, but then..."everything's bigger in Texas"!

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  14. That spooky cow is so interesting. I can see why you want it. I enjoyed reading about what various areas of the country like to display. I don't know if in Canada we have that inclination. If so I haven't noticed.
    I used to have a lovely grotto with a statue of Mary in it. It was lit up and I woke up one Saturday morning to see two idiots carrying it off. I was so angry but there wasn't much I could do.

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    1. I know sin is sin but to steal a shrine should get someone several more years in Purgatory, at least. How awful! Here some of the shrines have wrought iron cages around them...sad.

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  15. I have a friend with a concrete goose (Ohio) and I am guilty of buying it clothes.
    I have small concrete animals on my steps, a Pig and Lambie. There was Tod the Toad in with them for thirty years, but he became a pile of concrete early this year and received an appropriate farewell.

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    1. Oh Joanne, still waters run deep with you. I would NEVER have guessed you'd buy clothes for a concrete goose. I remember when poor Tod disintegrated...toadally kaput...but he was unfrogettable...

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  16. You should call the place with the cow to see if they would be willing to part with it. I feel so left out, I don't have any of the above oddities :-) I do have a garden bench and an obelisk but that's about it.

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    1. The obelisk sounds very intriguing! I will try to get that cow. But the owners have a sign that says "Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again."

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  17. First off, I did a little catching up...your onion pups & duck post. I'm not sure I'd agree with YOU going to seed tho.
    Living in Tucson, I remember seeing many shrines. Around here it's mostly eclectic yard art... mainly cement garden statues of different subjects/objects-even pink flamingos that don't even exist in this part of USA. A deer would be nice.

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    1. That's right, there were many shrines in Tucson, too. Especially South Tucson. A lot of blue.

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  18. We have a wonderful statue of a Welsh Black bull, which Wales is famous for. He stands near the River Wye, by the main car park in Builth Wells.

    When I was living in Carmarthenshire, Merlin (and carvings of him in wood) were de rigour. He apparently lived in a cave on Merlin's Hill just outside of the town.

    Milton Keynes is famous for its concrete cows - but not in a good way! Then we have the Angel of the North "oop North" in Gateshead. I can't think of any more right now.

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    1. I must see those! Especially the Merlins! And these cows!

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  19. Oh and around Wales you will often see shiny steel (for some reason) monuments of the Llewellyns, including our last Welsh Prince Llewellyn who died very nearby.

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  20. What a cool cow! Here along the river anchors of all sizes are the rage. Also lighthouses. Janice

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    1. River anchors. I had never even thought of such a thing. Of course, ships must have anchors...why didn't I realize that before? The things to be learned from blogging!!!

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