Hickory Dickory Dock the mouse ran up the clock, when the clock struck one the mouse ran down and the cow jumped over the moon.
One might wonder if I am delusional or just quite possibly slightly off my rocker. Where as some might agree with this theory and others occasionally think I’m not to far away, there is a simple and logical explanation behind the lyrics.
Always being one to tend towards the more philosophical side of life, driving gives me a time to unwind and ponder new ideas, reflecting upon conversations and interactions I have had with people. So how does this relate to a mouse, a clock and ultimately a cow jumping over a moon? Well the answer is actually quite simple.
As I dropped down off of Santiam Pass onto the High Desert, the brilliant, golden, half-moon was lighting the clear winter sky like a beacon stearing me home. Although one might be struck by the true grandeur of this moment, my thoughts pulled me back to the many beautiful full and oversized moons I have seen over the past few years while driving home from sheep events.
Counting the beautiful moons that I have witnessed reminded me of the big bright white full moons that always seemed to stay with me while returning from judging the Ellensburg shows, the dreamscape moons I have seen while returning from other fairs or even the largest and brightest moon I think I have ever witnessed in my life the night I drove home from the 107 *F day of judging Yamhill County Fair a couple of years ago. It was on that night as I was driving over Santiam Pass at Midnight that it was perfectly aligned with the corridor of trees to make me almost eairily feel as if I was close enough to drive up and touch it.
To top off the big beautiful moon tonight I was surprised to see the clock on the dashboard strike one as pulled into the driveway and my two sleepy co-pilots awoke to express their awe at the moon and stumble in the house for a few more hours of slumber. For me it is a reminder of the many moons I have seen while meditating over the future of our Oregon sheep industry and how blessed I am to be a part of such a wonderful family of people!
Maybe we could rephrase the nursery rhyme to say, “Hickory, Dickory Dock the mouse ran up the clock, the clock struck one and the mouse ran down and the “lamb” jumped over the moon.” I’m sure there might be a few of the cattlemen and dairy boys that wouldn’t agree with the change, but in my mind it sounds best.
Oregon Sheep Connection 