In my family when anyone saw cows lying down they would say "It is going to rain." My wife from Minnesotta thought it was nonsense and just a family myth. At the time we lived in West Virginia. Now, 30 years later, we live in NC. Recently my wife and I and a friend of hers from the Pennsylvania Dutch country were driving back from Surf City NC and as we passed a heard of prone cows my wife teasingly said "the cows are lying down." To which her friend replied "It is going to rain." We were both astonished! I have e-mailed people all over the place and the only people who seem to know the expression are from Pennsylvania. Since my Grandfather was also from the Pennsylvania Dutch country, I wonder if that is the exclusive source of the expression. Any one have any ideas on this?