Well, I can’t resist. In my staff role, I continually encourage all to visit the Woodson Art Museum often to discover what surprises await in the galleries and sculpture garden. Those who were here on a recent Friday afternoon, August 30, witnessed a few bonuses.
Cows munching hostas near the Twelfth Street entrance.
I kid you not.
Shari Schroeder, the Museum’s administrative manager and membership coordinator, posted a few photos on her Facebook page along with “You never know what you’ll see when you visit the Museum! All are welcome.”
Comments were peppered with puns.
• “Beyond bull-leaf” – Derek G. Robertson
• “These cows obviously are the ‘cultured’ ones that give us cultured buttermilk.” – Darlene Svacina
Shari answered questions with an update: “These cows ‘escaped’ from their home about three miles from the Museum or should I say ‘Moo-seum’? After about an hour of chewing on the hostas, the owner was found and the cows are now back home where they belong.”
Fun comments continued.
• “Three miles is a long way to wander through town! Girls day out, indeed.” – Sherrie York
• “Looks like a true ‘Woodson Wandering,’ says Don.” – Linda Haney
Good suggestion, Don. Hence, today’s “Woodson Wanderings” blog topic.
It certainly was a surreal sight to see cows peacefully grazing, inches from the Museum that’s situated in a residential neighborhood six blocks from downtown. Although farmland isn’t far, this excursion meant the cows must have meandered amongst many houses, yards, and city streets. Even in Wisconsin, that would’ve been quite a sight to behold.
We’re told this pair had been missing for several days, so no wonder they mooched a meal and then seemed to eagerly traipse aboard their owners’ truck when it arrived for retrieval and their return trip home.
The Museum has hosted unexpected animal visitors before. Years ago, a bear was spotted perched in a tree here. Deer occasionally visit the grounds, and a fawn curled up in the Secret Garden inspired the addition and placement there of Tim Cherry’s 2010 sculpture, Flat Fawn.
This recent bovine pair paved the way – leaving no trace, thankfully, other than a few precariously pruned hostas – for the thousands of visitors who converged just days later for Birds in Art 2019 opening festivities.
Visit soon and often this fall to experience new avian-themed wonders. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even encounter a few surprising visitors.
