Cowboy Slang. It's a Thing.

I grew up surrounded by VERY Southern relatives - and a lot of that Southern/Texas slang and saying were just part of my every-day life. I thought most people talked that way - and I don't just mean the accent. 

I asked my grandmother once how she was doing, and she said, "Finer than hair on a bullfrog." 

I've also heard things like "Happier than a hornytoad." (They're lizards, for those who have never seen them.) 

"He's all hat and no cattle." (Someone who talks a big game, but can't back it up.)

I absolutely love the visual-style-slang. I found a great book in a Tombstone gift shop when I visited a few years ago, aptly called "Cowboy Slang" by Edgar R. "Frosty" Potter. And yes. I totally stole his nickname for the main character in my new western. 

Here are some fine examples from his book:

"As peaceful as a thumb in a baby's mouth."
"As polite as a preacher a talkin' to the devil."
"As handsome as a new stake-rope on a thirty-dollar pony."
"As chipper as a couple of jaybirds."
"So green he didn't savvy cow unless it was served up in a stew."
"As dirty as a flop-eared hound."
"Bright and clean as a new mirror."
"Shiverin' like a lizard lookin' for a hot rock."


It's SO fun to play with phrases like this and alter them so they fit my story. Those who've read Silver Dollar Duke should know that 95% of the fun terms I have Dannie use, I made up myself!
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I'd love to know if you have any colorful/visual phrases like this in your vocabulary! 
Make sure you grab your copy of Copper for the Countess soon! It's on pre-order - and I expect to release it in September! It's with my editor right now. Yay!