Savvy Sayin's

by Anna Kathryn Lanier

1) A good thing about talking to your horse is he doesn't talk back.

2) When you scalp a man more'n once, you begin to run out of hide.

3) Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from any direction.

4) Too little temptation can lead to virtue.

5) Outlaws and martyrs are greatly improved by death.

6) When you ain't got nothing to lose, try anything.

7) Life is like checkers.  When you reach the top, you can move anywhere you want.

8) Don't complain of getting old. The only alternative is worse.

9) Fear breeds hate.

10) Married men don't like history too close to home.

11) You can't tell how far a frog will jump or a horse will run by the color of his hide.

12) Advice is handy only before trouble comes.

13) Saddle your horse before sassin' the boss.

14) Nothin' gets nothin'

15) Cowboys are paid $30 a month to out-think cows.

From Savvy Sayin's: True Wisdom From the Real West collected by Ken Alstad

Savvy Sayin’s Two

By Anna Kathryn Lanier

No matter how often I remind myself that my blog date is coming up, it seems I am always writing my blog the night (or day) it’s due.  Sure enough, here it is, 11:30 p.m. on Friday, January 13^th and I’m just now writing my blog.  So, it has to be something simple and not requiring a lot of research.  I’ve gone to my shelf of ‘western’ books and found SAVVY SAYIN’S: True Wisdom from The Real West collected by Ken Alstad. (check out my Savvy Sayin’s  here).  The book includes woodcuts by Remington and Russell from the 1800’s.  Sorry that I can include those in this list of sayin’s, which, by the way, don’t come with translations, which some of them need.

·         You can’t measure water with a sieve.
·         Some men can’t live without lonesome.
·         It’s a sure sign of bad luck to bet on the wrong horse.
·         The ignorant hold up trains n’ stages. The intelligent steal ‘em.
·         Teeth and memory weaken with age.
·         Careful is a naked man climbin’ a bobwire fence.
·         Some men never reach a marriageable age.
·         Saddle your horse before sassin’ the boss.
·         Advice is only handy before trouble comes.
·         Cowboys are paid $30 a month to outthink cows.
·         The west is good country for men and dogs, but mighty hard on women and oxen.
·         A full house divided wins no pot.
·         The west is famous for rare and wonderful sights. But the rarest of all is clean socks in a bunkhouse.
·         Love your enemies, but keep your gun oiled.
·         Secrets are better heard than kept.

 Which one is your favorite?  Do you have a sayin’ to share?

Anna Kathryn Lanier
www.aklanier.com annakathrynlanier.blogspot.com