Cattle Call

2 min read3 days ago

Lois’s version

Last night as I lay in bed, I found myself listening to old country and western music, thinking of all the hours spent watching Little House on the Prairie, listening to old tapes, and watching family videos. Partaking in all of that listening at 4:00 and in the morning, you wake up overwhelmed with emotions and humming the familiar tune of “What a Wonderful Savior.”

Whoo-ooh-ooh-doo-di-di
Whoo-ooh-ooh-oop-doo-doo
Whoo-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Yod-el-od-el-lo-ti-de
The cattle are prowlin’, the coyotes are howlin’
Way out where the dogies bawl
Where spurs are a-jinglin’, a cowgirl is singin’
This lonesome cattle call
Whoo-ooh-ooh-doo-di-di
Whoo-ooh-ooh-oop-doo-doo
Whoo-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Yod-el-od-el-lo-ti-de
She rides in the sun ’til her day’s work is done
And she gathers her darlings meaning Grandchildren each fall
Ooh-ooh-ooh-doo-di-di
Singin’ her cattle call
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For hours, she would tend to her grandbabies, friend
When the night winds blow up a squall
Her heart is a feather in all kinds of weather
She sings her cattle call
Whoo-ooh-ooh-doo-di-di
Whoo-ooh-ooh-oop-doo-doo
Whoo-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Yod-el-od-el-lo-ti-de
She’s weathered and wise, with love in her eyes
And she sings with a soft western drawl
Ooh-ooh-ooh-doo-di-di
Singing her cattle call
Ooh-ooh-ooh-doo-di-di
Whoo-ooh-ooh-oop-doo-doo
Whoo-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Yod-el-od-el-lo-ti-de

Instead of being torn between two lovers, the song just keeps playing. In my mind, torn between two memories just keeps playing. Is this normal, and am I normal? For those who didn’t know, Gram yodeled a lot or at-least tried to. She loved each and everyone of us.