FREE NEWSLETTER
Go to main Forum page »
I was out for a walk along the coast when I stumbled upon a surreal sight: two luxury coaches wedged tight in a remote parking lot, and forty or so people clustered together, singing to a field of cows. To say I was taken aback would be an understatement.
I paused by a picnic bench to listen as they enthusiastically worked their way through a couple of tunes, until a voice called out that it was time to move on. As they filed past me toward the coaches, I caught the eye of a friendly-looking couple and asked a simple question: “Why are you in the middle of nowhere, singing to a herd of cows?”
They laughed, and the gentleman replied, “Why not? We’re a choir from New York, made up of retirees, singing our way around Ireland.” His friend jumped in—first to point out that he might be from New York, but she was definitely from New Jersey, and second, that if they couldn’t come to Ireland and sing to a field of cows, what was the point of being retired?
I wished them a good trip as they boarded. The coaches pulled away, and I waved goodbye, getting a flurry of happy hands in return. Quiet returned to the viewpoint. I sat there a while, alone with the cattle, turning her answer over in my mind. Fair point, I thought, maybe that’s a great way to think about retirement. Set the financial side on autopilot and get on with following your dreams: even if that happens to include flying across the Atlantic Ocean to serenade a herd of Irish bovines.
I shouldered my backpack and walked on—recently retired myself, following my own small dream of a coastal walk on a midweek morning.
I know cows do love music. A few decades ago I was given a tour of a 500-cow dairy farm that had all the modern conveniences, including scales that weighed the milk produced by each cow. Music played throughout the mostly mechanical milking process and the workers had come to know what kind of music seemed correlated with higher production. Classical, as I recall, not country. Don’t know how the cows feel about a choir of retired New Yorkers singing to them, but I hope they listened politely if they didn’t applaud 😊
Linda, the nice lady who insisted she was from New Jersey rather than New York did make the observation that two of the cows lay down during the performance: she took that as a hopeful sign of bovine approval. 😁
I agree with the lady from NJ.
What a great idea. Count me in on singing to the livestock; maybe they won’t mind my horrible voice.
“By the light, of the silvery mooooooooooooooon”
Count me in for the Humble Dollar Chorus!
Dan, please don’t sing…the poor farmer would be wondering why his herd was producing curdled milk.
LOL, you have no idea!
Mark, my choir and I will be singing our way around Ireland next June. We’ll be performing in cathedrals and meetinghouses (and no doubt a pub or two), not cow fields, but hey, anywhere you can find an audience, right?
Mike, when I learned that the choir was from the US, you immediately came to mind. I remembered you were planning a trip over to Ireland, and for a fleeting second, I actually wondered if it might be your group—my memory of the exact dates you mentioned was hazy at best, so I couldn’t rule it out!
Mark, Reading this was a great way to start my day with my first cup of coffee. You made my day!
Dunn, it’s always great to hear my amateur efforts give someone a smile 😁
Nice perspective Mark.
We spent most of June on the Moray Coast. We broke up our usual routine of coastal walks with an inland walk, and came across a small herd of cows that lined up at the fence to say hello. I thought they were angling for a snack, but maybe they were hoping for a tune.
Michael, maybe word has spread in the cow world that Americans like singing to them! 😊 I’ve walked a section of the coast in that part of the world, a stretch near Cullen. It’s absolutely stunning and reminds me of the North Coast of Ireland.
Mark, what do you carry in your backpack?
V, It really depends on the hike. For a short coastal walk, I carry a small 20-litre daypack containing little more than a lightweight Gore-Tex jacket, water, energy bars, a basic first-aid kit, and a survival sheet. If I’m heading into the mountains, I step up to a 45-litre pack to accommodate full all-weather gear, a bivvy bag, an insulation mat, an Esbit stove, dehydrated food, a compass, and maps. Finally, if there’s a possibility of staying overnight, I’ll also pack a lightweight tent and sleeping bag in a 60 liter backpack.
And why Mark, I have always suspected I am woefully unprepared for the hurricanes in my neck of the woods. And I retired six years ago. 😊
V, you should always as the Boy Scouts say “Be Prepared” when you hike, and never hike alone. Every year in the spring and fall here in NH there are reports of hikers who hike Mount Washington (the highest peak east of the Mississippi at just under 6,300 feet with just sneakers and maybe a water bottle. They then get caught in a blizzard even though it may be 70 degrees at the base, and have to be rescued. The state has a legal right to charge for the rescue. Unfortunately some probably never see a bill because they didn’t survive.
This was great, Mark. You always seem to stumble into the most serendipitous and fun situations. I am glad you write about them here. This cheered me up today, thanks. Chris
Chris, I’m always on the lookout for article ideas, I think it makes me hyper aware of my surroundings and everyday interactions…or as you say, maybe it’s just Irish serendipity.
I completely agree with your suggestion to put the financial aspects of retirement on autopilot and get on with enjoying life.
Jack, one of the best things I implemented after retiring was organising a regular deposit into my checking account. No worries and no need to think about anything.
Love this post. Maybe I too need to get out there and “sing”!
Doug, I’m sure you can find some livestock without jumping on a plane!
Mark, I can find dairy cows at a dairy farm just a mile up the road, but alas I’m pretty sure they have no interest in my singing Bruce Springsteen tunes to them, so I shall pass.
PS: That is unless they are interested in producing buttermilk or cottage cheese.
As for me, I’m worried about the cows. 🐄😉