(Above, from 5/8/2021: Me fiddling with Blue’s legs in an attempt to set them correctly. I’m something of a novice at this, so I was unfortunately neglecting the first rule of cattle showmanship: ‘peer at the judge as much as possible‘.)
5/2/2021: Today began in the low 70s and proceeded to warm to the mid 80s. Humidity was quite high, and there was a heavy afternoon shower.
Dawn of 5/2/2021. These red pointed formations on the underside of this grape-vine’s leaf are galls made by the plant in response to a midge adequately named “grape tube gallmaker” or Ampelomyia viticola. The adult midge is apparently microscopic in size, yet in spite of this, bears the programming to burrow into grapeleaves in such a manner that it causes the leaves to form these galls which act as protective housing for the larvae within. 
More progress on lands surrounding the ‘Cook house. 
A mini-morning project: adding cables to the underside of these shelves to act as clothes lines (or noodle-hanging lines). 
The first classic ‘afternoon storm’ front of 2021. A heavy bout of rain soon followed this sight. 
A late-afternoon harvest of: kale, summer squash, jewels of Opar, and a couple enormous Misato Rose Radishes (I harvested these after collecting plenty of seed pods which are now drying.) 
A closer look at the size of those radishes. 
Blue walk of 5/2/2021. 
The late afternoon’s light caused the corner of the sunflower lot to display an impeccable corner. 
Dinner of 5/2/2021: leftover pizza, watermelon, and a plenitude of freshly harvested garden greens.
5/3/2021: This day began in the mid 60s and proceeded to warm into the high 80s. The air was quite humid, but no rain fell.
Dawn of 5/3/2021. 
A delectable lunch of sushi procured, as ever, from Ocala Square’s Sushi Bistro. 
The recently trimmed Blue enjoying a grassy repast on the late afternoon of 5/3/2021. 
Dinner: An ‘all local’ fare consisting of Master Blend Blue cubed steaks, Jacob-garden-grown summer squash, Eduardo’s hydroponic lettuce, and Nickel’s watermelon for dessert.
5/4/2021: Today began in the mid-60s and proceeded to warm to the low-90s. Fortunately, humidity has not yet reached summer levels.
Dawn of 5/4/2021: Morning was the most humid part of the day as can be seen by the slight haze in this picture. 
One of this morning’s projects was to save a young pecan tree from being pulled down by jasmine vines. This image was taken after it had been ‘shorn’. The upper limbs are a tad bedraggled and bent, but now that they are unfettered, will likely straighten. 
Storm clouds approaching from the west. 
After venturing to Rural King to procure supplies, I returned home, walked Blue, and then made myself a quick albeit nutritious repast of egg & kale salad along with some watermelon to the side.
Sidenote: On Hannah’s sending me the message that ‘we are 100% going to the show on Saturday‘, I decided it was high time to procure some supplies. This was followed by a quick trip to Rural King where I procured: jeans (for showing), nubuck boots, a show-stick, and a fan to help keep Blue (or people) cool during waiting periods.
5/5/2021: This day began in the high 60s and proceeded to warm to the high 80s. It was partly clouded, but there was no rain.
Dawn of 5/5/2021. 
Lunch today: A Master Blend Wagyner Blue cubed steak smothered in cucumber-tomato-onion salad and served along with grilled summer squash and cold watermelon. Delightfully satiating and refreshing. 
Midafternoon of 5/5/2021. Verdant pasture beneath azure firmament. 
Dinner of 5/5/2021: A meal at Mesa de Notte of Ocala. My main course for this evening was sea bass filet served atop a pile of linguine noodles dressed in a alfredo-like sauce. The roasted vegetable relish atop the fish was especially delectable. 
Dessert Special: Cannoli cake. A cake composed of a crumbled up regular cannoli and sporting a cannolini on top. The presentation was classy, and the flavor was rich.
5/6/2021: This day began in the low 70s and proceeded to warm to the mid 80s. A brief rainstorm occurred midday when I was outside grilling cubed steaks.
Dawn of 5/6/2021. Sunbeams shine down in the distance, and my Uncle Wag can be seen putting out feed in the old central barn. 
Lunched today: A repeat of yesterday’s delectable cubed-steak & cucumber salad lunch. The only difference is that Madre prepared the salad instead of Padre. All very tasty. 
Mushrooms emerging once more at the dead hackberry stump at the central beef pasture’s southern side. 
Between the recent rains and emerging warmth, spring green is in full effect. 
A unique way for a tree to split and fall (mostly). 
Jacobhouse garden on the dusk of 5/6/2021. 
Experimental sausage / onion / cheddar quiche. This time I cooked it in a glass dish, and I discovered it could have gone for 1 hour at 350 F instead of 50 minutes. The quiche is being rectified as I write this description.
5/7/2021: Today’s pictures are limited due to internet connectivity problems and because I wanted to get to bed a tad early in preparation for attending my second cow show… this time as an exhibitor!
One of my morning tasks was to pull out Blue’s health certificate to ensure it was printed in color. 
Lunch of 5/7/2021: Master Blend Wagyner Blue Chuck steak, and a delectable side-salad produced by Padre. 
Mid-afternoon mushrooms beneath the hackberry tree in the southernmost portion of the central beef pasture. 
The day’s final major event was to wash Blue very well. I was not particularly effecient, but after about 35 minutes, Blue’s white portions were pristine and she was smelling quite fragrant (in a good way) due to the special equine-and-human shampoo that I used.
5/8/2021: Today began with lows in the 50s and reached highs in the low 80s. It was a fine day for the Blue Debut*. Below, there is a slideshow followed by videos that were captured throughout show day.
Morning of 5/9/2021; This image was taken shortly after we had completed the 1.5 hour journey to Silver Sands Bridle Club, weighed the ‘participants’ (Blue was 770 lbs… 5 lbs away from her tag number), set up the tarp-shade-canopy, and put out feed & water. 
Hannah rinsing her heifer, Charlotte, after teaching me a more efficient washing method than I utilized for Blue. Instead of making sud-water in a bucket like I did, she recommended applying shampoo directly to the cow and rubbing it in with a scrub-brush. The result was a far more effective lather and greater coverage. 
Blue reposing; this was shortly before I retied her halter (for more slack) so she could lay more comfortably. 
There are three primary rules for a beginner in cattle showmanship: Keep eyes on the judge as much as possible, keep the bovine’s head up, and ‘set the legs’. Setting the legs consists of positioning the bovine’s legs in such a manner that the judge is granted an adequate view of animal’s belly while also allowing the creature to retain a natural stance. 
Aside from Blue’s acting up for just a moment, this was the simplest portion of the exhibition because Blue likes to stand in ‘square stance’ (the desired stance for the side-by-side line up). 
Me fiddling with Blue’s legs in an attempt to set them correctly. I’m something of a novice at this, so I was unfortunately neglecting the first rule of ‘peering at the judge as much as possible’. 
After packing everything, everyone, and every creature up, cleaning up the grounds where we had resided, and in my case, switching into more comfortable travel garb, we set out homeward. It was a long albeit relaxing journey. This is a picture of sunflowers in the late-afternoon which I took during the ensuing evening’s ride-around.
*The Blue Debut was not invented by me; it was a superb title coined by Carolyn.
Final Note: On Saturday, 5/8/2021, I rose from bed at 3:50 AM to don completely unfamiliar garments and walk Blue into a show ring in front of a sizeable audience and judge.
About two months ago, if I had seen this statement, I would either not have believed it or wondered ‘what in the world is future-Jacob doing?’ As a reply to the latter question, I would state that I am expanding my boundaries in an atypical fashion.
Despite the discomfort often associated with expanding one’s boundaries, I do have a small anecdote of why it is such a beneficial and positive practice. When we (Padre, Madre, and I) were on the way to the airport during our Mexico trip and on the way back from that same airport, I decided to drive both ways. This was not a pleasant experience, and I could have easily had someone else drive, but because I did the driving, I was well-prepared for the early morning jaunt to Deland this week, and not only that, I was able to compare it to the Orlando Airport drive and say to myself, ‘Hey, this is actually a lot easier than last time.’
So, when it comes to this week’s events – the cattle show and all the preparations entailed – I cannot help but believe that it will not only provide me with memories that will last me for the rest of my life, it will help me in the future… and quite possibly in ways that I do not expect.
For the purpose of preservation, I would like to write my gratitude once again for the three individuals who made my attending my first cattle show not only a possibility but also a thoroughly enjoyable reality: Hannah, her mother Carolyn, and her father Daniel. Padre and Madre’s continued support is also very much appreciated, and I would thank Blue as well, but I’m afraid she would not understand the language. I’ll feed her some leaves instead.
That was a great post, much appreciated from this guy’s perspective.