Why the Longhorn?

I live in Texas, so longhorns are a common sight.  They are the mascot of a famous university (which will go un-named since my son attends an awesome rival school, Texas Tech University), and thus are represented in burnt orange on everything from trailer hitch-covers to dangly earrings.  Down at the Houston Reliant stadium, home to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, there is a magnificent sculpture of a thundering herd of longhorns.  And every Texas-themed gift shop carries resin and plush versions of these large, bony, animals with the ginormous horns.

Real live longhorns are not hard to find in these parts.  Not far from my house, the Flying D Ranch offers longhorns for sale.  Some folks refer to these iconic bovines as “pasture ornaments”—and when I get a Rancho of my own, I intend to have a longhorn steer as a pasture ornament, along with a few horses.  I have always been a cowgirl at heart.

That’s why I paid for the chance to straddle a longhorn and have my photo snapped (with the Lone Star flag as a backdrop, natch) at last year’s Houston Rodeo.  Not to mention that those steers are HUGE—and I’m not a petite girl.

I have an alter-ego who appears in some of my digital artwork.  Her name is Kactus Kate—she’s rides a longhorn steer and runs the Kactus Kate Cattle Driving Company.  Here’s her business logo:

Kactus Kate's Motto is "Steering the Herd Since 1986", and she is a tough, no-nonsense Trail Boss with awesome skills.  She carries a compass, always has an extra bandanna to share and knows how to yodel.  She’s always welcome to visit me!  Do you have an alter ego?  What is she (or he) like?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

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Artwork:  Kactus Kate, Photosphop sig designed by me; constructed by my son,  circa 2006.