From November 27 to December 2, the Bridge Year Ghana team enjoyed an exciting and activity-filled excursion to the Volta Region, the easternmost section of Ghana. The area is the traditional land of the Ewe people, and we took part in several activities indicative of Ewe culture. It was an incredible opportunity to experience this culture first hand, even if it was a rather cursory exposure.

On the first day, straight off the van en route to the hotel, we took part in a pottery workshop taught by some highly skilled craftswomen in an Ewe village. With uncanny ease and precision, the women created in mere moments pots that appeared almost machine crafted. Needless to say, our efforts were not quite so serenely perfect, but with their aid we all came away with a few pieces of useful pottery.

The following day, we witnessed more skilled craftsmanship in the form of a Kente weaving exposition. Kente is a type of cloth that is distinguished by bright patterns and the way in which it is woven in long, 10 inch wide strips. It is a traditional Ghanaian craft, of which there are two well-established varieties: Ewe Kente and Asante Kente. Starting from the first step of coiling brightly colored cloth on a sequence of spools, we saw the entire process of producing Ewe Kente firsthand.

Eventually, we got to try our hands at the Kente loom, which saw several awkward moments as we struggled to coordinate all of our hands and feet at once into a smooth rhythm to create a pattern in the cloth.We were able to catch this rhythm after a few passes, although we were not nearly as smooth or fast as the expert weavers who were teaching us.

Scattered throughout our visit were drumming and dancing sessions. I had originally wanted to write a separate blog post about the music and dance and my perceptions of it, and perhaps I still will, but I will at least give a description of them here. The traditional dance of the Ewe people is known as Abadja; we have had some previous instruction in it before, but it was on this trip that we really cam into our own with the dance. It can be described somewhat as an opening and closing of the chest or as a “popping” of the shoulders.

It is danced at nearly every Ewe social function, from funerals to weddings to parties, and even on our visit to a traditional shrine we had to get up and get ourselves moving.

The music to accompany this dance is produced entirely by percussion instruments, most importantly a bell that carries a simple beat above the din of the rest of the instruments for the dancers to focus on. A couple of times, we were lucky enough to be beckoned over to the band to play rattles, small drums, or the bell. The complexity of the rhythms and the demanding movements of the dance made it difficult for us to feel that we had really mastered the dance; however, there is no doubt that we improved tremendously over the course of this trip and acquired some level of proficiency in the dance.

On this six day excursion, we were certainly exposed to much traditional Ewe culture through participation in these workshops. There was another aspect of the trip, though, that I found equally enjoyable if not equally culturally relevant. I am referring to the amazing natural beauty that we witnessed during this trip. The Volta Region contains mountains, rivers, waterfalls, a massive lake, and coast, making it abundant in natural beauty. Besides driving through large, inspirational tracts of grassland and forest in our air-conditioned van, we did get to experience some of Volta’s nature directly. On Monday, November 30, we roused ourselves early from an insufficiently long slumber to hike up Afadjato, the tallest mountain in Ghana. Although that sounds extremely impressive, the mountain is only 885 meters high, which is not an incredible elevation to speak of. Despite this, the trail was extremely steep, so that the hike was similar to climbing up large stairs for 45 minutes. When we reached the summit, exhausted, red, and panting but brimming with awe, we absorbed the fantastic view. It was an inspiring moment that did not have as much to do with existing in Ghana as it did existing on the earth where such natural, unspoiled beauty is possible. After receiving mild sunburns (well, at least I did), we hiked back down for a nice lunch and relaxation period.

The following day we visited the beach at Aflao, a town on the border of Ghana and Togo. I took a stroll along the water, impressed by the size of the waves and purity of the water. As I walked back to join my companions, I saw an interesting sight. Looking about 100 meters to sea, I saw a large fishing boat with about 20 men on board. Suddenly, all of the men grabbed a bucket and hurled themselves into the water. Stunned, I just stood and watched as these extremely fit men swam to the beach, supported by their buoyant buckets and body surfing the sizable waves. When they reached the shore, one of them beckoned to me to come join him in the water. When I declined, he asked, “What’s wrong? Can’t you swim?” The only response I could give was, “Not like that I can’t.” I love the ocean and have spent a good deal of time in and around it, but from the look of the current and the waves, I doubted my own abilities to withstand being drawn under and out to sea. In a way, the power of this Ocean, which is technically the same as the one I live next to in the United States, is like so many things I experience in Ghana: they are partly familiar, but they differ in a way that is as awe-inspiring and immeasurable. Walking away from the cool ocean breeze, I was tremendously thankful for my current situation, the people I was with, and the experiences I was having.

The next day, we returned to Accra; I, for one, am refreshed and eager to face the following months. The excursion was a welcome respite from the relative chaos of city life and work; however, it wasn’t just a vacation; it has enriched my visit to Ghana and my appreciation of the visit. It truly was an unforgettable experience.

There is a book I’ve been wanting, The Knitter’s Book of Wool¸ by Clara Parkes. This book is described as the guide to understanding and using wool. Apparently, there are over 200 kinds of wool, which is why I want this particular book. I tend to lean towards wool when picking out skeins to knit with. I’m not the best crafter in the world but I do try!! Once, I’ve read this lovely book, or what I assume to be lovely, I will then move on to Parkes other book, The Knitter’s Book of Yarn. I’m sure this book will open my eyes a bit so that I extend my knitting knowledge and really begin to learn about the little part of this craft that I’ve fallen in love with. Parkes runs the website, the Knitters Review. I’ve only visited this site once or twice to read Parkes bio. I think I haven’t played or fallen in love with the website because of the sites look. It’s boring and a bit all over the place. I expect a knitting website to be gorgeous! Maybe I’ll offer my over critical eye to the founders/contributors of this site.

The Knitter’s Book of Wool is a new book, and as part of the advertising on various craft sites, you are encouraged to find out, “What ewe are you?” I I think the fact that I took the ewe quiz and a what type of knitter are you quiz, means that I’m not just an average knitter. I started knitting about three years ago. I’m not sure why I wanted to learn, but I did. So, I received getting started knitting set from Anthropologie. I enlisted my friend K, for additional help who has been a knitter for many years. I’m sad to say, I’m not on that found the desire to knit from a grandmother or great aunt. We have crafters throughout my family, but not knitters. If, I ever have children this would be a fun hobby to pass along. Knitter has its cool and uncool phases but I think it has a place in traditions.

I can remember has a child one grandmother making quilts, which is something I would love to learn how to do. I will learn to quilt from one of my book club friend’s crazy Aunt. S means crazy in a loving way, the aunt often dyes her hair wild colors and is always a bit off but in that she’s awesome kind of way. S has told her I wanted to learn and she is willing to teach me! This makes me very happy because she’s a professional quilter who just moved to Texas from New York.

I do want to touch on one last note, earlier I said, I took a ‘What type of Knitter are you’ Quiz. Well my results:

You appear to be a Knitting Adventurer. You are through those knitting growing pains and feeling more adventurous. You can follow a standard pattern if it’s not too complicated and know where to go to get help. Maybe you’ve started to experiment with different fibers and you might be eyeing a book with a cool technique you’ve never tried. Perhaps you prefer to stick to other people’s patterns but you are trying to challenge yourself more. Regardless of your preference, you are continually trying to grow as a knitter, and as well you should since your non-knitting friends are probably dropping some serious hints, these days.

~ ~ Hi Everyone ~ ~

CYBER MONDAY (officially renamed the “it’s-monday-and-I’m-stuck-at-work-but-I’m-shopping-hehe“) is here!!! There’s lots of New Releases at HeartStrings Embroidery and they’re at 25% off instead of the usual 20%. Hide in your cubicle, grab a cup of strong java and enjoy shopping today!

Just a few pictures of some of the new designs.  There’s plenty more including redwork, gingerbread guy & gal and the sheep willows!!!  Oh – 2 new FREEBIES!!!

Jesus is the reason for the season

Christmas Sampler

It’s a Charlie Brown of a Christmas Sampler

 New Releases go back to 20% tuesday morning at 9 am EST ~ I hope everyone has a wonderful week ~ Blessings & Hugs, Stephanie

Wie unter Anderem die Energieunternehmen Vattenfall(4,4%) und EWE(sagenhafte 14%) auf Ihren Homepages berichten, wollen diverse Anbieter Ihre Strompreise zum 01.Januar 2010 erhöhen. Als Grund geben beide Anbieter “steigende” beziehungsweise “deutlich höhere Kosten” für erneuerbare Energien an.

Ominös finde ich, dass die Agentur für erneuerbare Energien bereits wesentlich früher eine Studie veröffentlichte, die eindeutig zeigt, dass die Preisanteile für erneuerbare Energien nicht den Hauptteil der Stromkosten ausmachen. Auch wenn dieser Anteil seit 2000 um 0,9% von 0,2 auf 1,1% gestiegen sind, so bleiben nach Adam Riese immer noch mindestens 3,3% Steigerung, die nicht erklärbar sind. Auch der Geschäftsführer des Bundesverbandes erneuerbare Energien, Björn Klusmann, sagt: “Die Erneuerbaren Energien sind nicht die Kostentreiber, wie man an der Preisentwicklung der letzten Jahre sehen kann. Sie haben im Gegenteil einen kostensenkenden Effekt an der Strombörse.”. Damit spricht er ein sehr interessantes Thema an, nämlich die Strombörse.

In den oberen Stockwerken des Uniriesen in Leipzig wird der Strom gehandelt. Das Problem der Stromkonzerne, so meine Einschätzung, ist, dass sie Strom langfristig, also im Voraus für 2-3 Jahre einkaufen. Das würde erklären, warum der Strompreis seit Anfang des Jahres an der EEX stabil ist. Außerdem erklärt es, warum trotz angeblich drastisch gestiegener Kosten für erneuerbare Energien fast alle Billigstromanbieter ihre Preise stabil halten konnten. Denn – oh Wunder – diese gehören in den allermeisten Fällen wiederum, direkt oder indirekt, den großen Stromriesen. Der Trick an der Sache ist die Masse, in beiderlei Hinsicht: Viele Kunden bedeutet großer Absatz; große Mengen eingekauften Stroms bedeuten saftige Rabatte. Natürlich spielen in die Kalkulation der bunten Kundenfänger noch andere Faktoren.

Was bedeutet die Preiserhöhung für den Endkunden?

Für den Verbraucher bedeutet die neuerliche Erhöhung nur eines: vergleichen und den Markt nutzen. Niemand ist an seinen Stromanbieter gebunden. Auch nicht an den örtlichen Standardversorger(in den meisten Fällen die Stadtwerke).

Wie verläuft ein Anbieterwechsel?

In etlichen Gesprächen mit Verbrauchern habe ich festgestellt, dass sich viele noch vor dem Wechsel des Stromanbieters scheuen. Die Gründe dafür sind vielfältig, meistens aber schnell wegargumentiert. Um die größten Irrtümern aufzuklären, einige Hard Facts zum Stromanbieterwechsel:

• Was muss ich tun, um meinen Stromanbieter zu wechseln?
  Das Einzige, was zum Wechseln benötigt wird, ist die Entscheidung, von wem der neue Strom kommen soll, und die eigene Zählernummer. Den Rest, also die Kündigung und Abwicklung mit dem alten Anbieter übernimmt “der Neue”.
• Sitze ich beim Anbieterwechsel ohne Strom da?
  Nein. Sofern kein vertragswidriges Verhalten des Verbrauchers vorliegt, greift in Deutschland die Pflicht zur Stromversorgung. Der örtliche Versorger ist verpflichtet, Strom zur Verfügung zu stellen.
• Muss beim Stromanbieterwechsel mein Zähler ausgetauscht werden?
  Nein. Strom wird immer bezogen – egal, von wem. Die entscheidene Frage ist nur, wer den Strom abrechnet und das Geld erhält. Der Zähler muss dazu nicht ausgetauscht werden!
• Wie lange dauert ein Wechsel?
  In der Regel dauert der Wechsel zwischen fünf und zehn Wochen. Meiner Erfahrung nach geht es schneller. Sollte aber zehn Wochen nach dem Wechselantrag nichts passiert sein, sollte beim neuen Versorger nachgefragt werden.
• Lohnt sich ein Stromvergleich auch für Gewerbekunden?
  Definitiv. Auch hier lassen sich durchaus stattliche Beträge sparen. Ein Vergleich lohnt sich auch hier.

Achtung beim Neueinzug in eine Wohnung: Wenn möglich, sollte der Wechselantrag(bzw. Neuantrag) bereits vor Einzug in die neue Wohnung gestellt werden. Passiert dies nicht, ist natürlich trotzdem Strom(übrigens auch Gas) verfügbar. Allerdings im Grundtarif des örtlichen Versorgers. Und der ist in den seltensten Fällen der Günstigste.
Es gibt die Möglichkeit, innerhalb einer Frist von sechs Wochen nach dem Einzug einen Wechselantrag zu stellen. Dem muss der Grundversorger zwar nicht zustimmen, aber der Wechsel wird dann zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt durchgeführt. Bis dahin wird der Grundtarif berechnet und in Rechnung gestellt.

Und was fehlt nun noch? Natürlich ein Vergleich. Ét violá.

Quellen: vattenfall.de, ewe.de, www.unendlich-viel-energie.de, de.wikipedia.org

Viele Verbraucher müssen bald deutlich mehr für Strom zahlen: Deutschlands fünftgrößter Versorger EWE verlangt ab Januar im Schnitt 14 Prozent mehr Gebühren. Auch Vattenfall will seine Preise erhöhen. Die Konzerne schieben die Schuld auf die erneuerbaren Energien. mehr…
Stromkonzerne kündigen saftige Preiserhöhung an

EWE macht es, Vattenfall will es, RWE denkt drüber nach. Laut SPON kündigen Stromkonzerne “Stromkonzerne kündigen saftige Preiserhöhung an“. Der Grund: Angeblich sind die erneuerbaren Energien Schuld am Strompreisanstieg. Ein Realitätscheck.

Schauen wir mal die Preise für Grundlaststrom übers Jahr 2010 hinweg an.

Preise für Grundlaststrom

Heute Strom für 2010 zu kaufen ist also billiger als Ende 2005. Man kann argumentieren, dass der Privatverbraucher eher Strom zu Spitzenlastzeiten verbraucht. Hier ist der Preisverlauf für diesen im Jahr 2010.

Preise für Spitzenlaststrom in 2010

Aber auch hier das gleiche Bild: Billiger als ende 2005. Warum also Preiserhöhungen? Zwischen den Zeilen gibt SPON die Antwort:

Dem Oldenburger Konzern macht aber auch eine ungünstige Einkaufspolitik zu schaffen. “In dem Strom, den EWE ab 2010 an Privathaushalte verkauft, stecken auch Stromteilmengen, die EWE zu hohen Handelspreisen im Jahr 2008 eingekauft hat”, sagte Haferkamp.

Übersetzt: EWE hat gezockt und verloren. Der Verlust wird jetzt versucht auf den Endkunden abzuwälzen. Jeder EWE-Kunde sollte sich Angebote von anderen Stromanbietern einholen.

The stupid title is due to the slight similarity to that big hit Edwyn Collins had. This is the first time in ages I’ve actually played the drums – using MIDI, I’ve no room for a real kit – and it makes such a difference to the feel of the track I’m going to have to do it every time from now on.

A new work-in-progress from Spookydirt – The stupid title is due to the slight similarity to that big hit Edwyn Collins had. This is the first time in ages I’ve actually played the drums – using MIDI, I’ve no room for a real kit – and it makes such a difference to the feel of the track I’m going to have to do it every time from now on.

Wah2..y most wanted akhir2 ini malah kambing dan domba…..tapi sapi juga…^_^….mendekati Idul Adha niey…^_^

Coba apa beda kambing ma domba??…pilih manna?….iseng aj nginget2 kuliah dulu,…. karena kemaren sempat ngobrol ma seorang teman ttg hewan Qurban..ehh..dy ragu mo nyebutin “domba”…”itu lohhh satu ny selain kambing..y warna bulu ny lebih putih” gitu katanya saat mo bilang “domba”….duhhh temen Q..mo bilang “domba” aj takut salah…..^_^…

Acara contek-menyontek d mulai lagi…coba klik disini

Taxonomy
Secara taxonomy (scientic clasification) domba (sheep) dan kambing (goat) beda species dan genus. Domba (Ovis aries) mempunyai 54 chromosomes, sedangkan kambing (Capra hircus) mempunyai 60 chromosomes. Domba dan kambing jarang saling d kawinkan, fertile sheep-goat hybrids jarang. Hybrid dibuat d laboratorium y disebut chimeras.

Ekor ny
Yg paling mudah d ceritakan tentang beda domba dan kambing dapat dilihat dari ekor ny. Ekor kambing biasanya selalu ke arah atas (kecuali saat sakit, ketakutan, ato saat distress). Ekor domba tergantung kebawah dan sering kali d potong (docked/shortened) untuk alasan kesehatan dan kebersihan.

Tingkah laku saat makan (foraging behaviour)

domba grazing--Katahdin lamb--http://www.sheep101.info/sheepandgoats.html

kambing browsing--Boer x Nubian goats--http://www.sheep101.info/sheepandgoats.html

Tingkah laku
Kambing selalu ingin tau dan bebas, sementara domba lebih tidak ramah dan suka menyendiri. Domba mempunyai instinc berkelompok lebih kuat dan menjadi akan sangat gelisah jika terpisah dari kelompokny. Kambing akan mencari tempat berteduh dengan cepat daripada domba, tidak suka bila kakiny basah dan tidak suka grazing d pegunungan. Domba jantan saat berkelahi akan meloncat kebelakang dan menyerang menubrukkan kepalany. Sedangkan kambing akan menendangkan kaki belakangny dan menyerang dengan menubrukkan kepalany.

Perbedaan secara fisik
Sebagian besar kambing mempunyai bulu y tidak wajar cukur ato d sisir. Sebagian besar domba tumbuh wool dan perlu d cukur secara teratur. Ekor anak domba sering kali perlu d potong, ekor kambing tidak. Domba mempunyai bibir atas y terpisahkan oleh suatu lekukan (distinc philtrum/groove), sedangkan kambing tidak. Kambing jantan mempunyai kelenjar d bawah ekorny, domba mempunyai kelenjar wajah ato kelenjar air mata d bawah mata dan kelenjar kaki ato kelenjar bau d antara jari kakiny. Kambing jantan mengeluarkan bau y nyata sepanjang pada masa pertumbuhan, domba jantan y sudah matang secara sexual hanya sedikit mengeluarkan bau.

Tanduk
Sebagian besar kambing secara alami mempunyai tanduk. Beberapa kambing mempunyai jenggot. Banyak breed domba secara alami tidak mempunyai tanduk (polled/hornless).Beberapa domba mempunyai bulu tengkuk. Tanduk kambing lebih pendek, tegak lurus, dan lebih sedikit lengkungan daripada pada tanduk domba. Tanduk domba cenderung melengkung membentuk lingkaran d sisi kepalany.

Ada lagi perbedaan lain antara domba dan kambing, coba klik disini

Reproduksi
Domba betina (ewe) mempunyai siklus estrus 17 hari, sedangkan pada kambing betina (doe) siklus estrus ny 21 hari. Kambing lebih mudah penangananny pada AI (Artificially Inseminate/ breed) daripada domba. Bentuk anatomi cervix domba lebih rumit y membuat proses AI sangat sulit. Domba menampakkan beberapa tanda y bisa d lihat saat estrus, kambing jantan (buck) mengeluarkan bau menyengat selama musim kawin, pada domba jantan (ram) tidak. Pada beberapa breed, kambing lebih prolific daripada domba.

Nutrisi
Domba cenderung untuk tumbuh lebih cepat daripada kambing, apapun pakan y d konsumsi. Domba lebih efisien menggunakan pakan. Pakan bijian kurang menguntungkan untuk kambing. Kambing menyimpan lemak d sekitar organ internal sebelum menyimpanny sebagai external fat. Domba menyimpan sebagai external fat sebelum menyimpanny sebagai internal fat. Beberapa domba berbulu tebal menyimpan lemak ny d sekitar organ2 ny, mirip y terjadi pada kambing. Domba mempunyai toleransi y rendah untuk kelebihan unsur copper dalam pakan, walo level toxic tergantung keberadaan mineral lain pada pakan (Molybednum dan Sulfur). Sangat beresiko untuk membiarkan domba grazing d padang rumput y d beri pupuk kotoran ayam ato kotoran babi.

Penyakit
Kambing cenderung rentan terkena cacing daripada domba, karena kehidupan asliny dan tingkah laku browsing ny. Pada domba ada penyakit hanya ada pada domba yaitu “floppy kid syndrome”.

Dominansi sosial
Berdasar tingakah lakunya yang dominan, kambing biasany akan lebih menguasai domba, terutama jika kambing mempunyai tanduk. Namun, saat kambing jantan dan domba jantan dipelihara bersama, domba jantan akan lebih berkuasa.

Nah..nah..mo pilih manna?..^_^…..monggo..monggo…

Thanks to:

http://www.sheep101.info/sheepandgoats.html
http://www.sheep101.info/sheepandgoats2.htm

Well, I’m full.  My schedule, that is.  I haven’t been inside a wrestling ring in about three weeks.  Working on my fourth.  I feel great, by the way – but the question still remains.  When will I step back into the squared circle?

Hmm… What a question, huh?  Seems like an easy answer.  At least a few days ago, it seemed pretty easy.  I had an opening on November 28th, which was going to be filled by EWE’s Thanksgiving Throwdown.  But since then, it has been brought to my attention that Thanksgiving itself is that very weekend.  I will be out of town with family that weekend.  How obvious?  And how did I not think about that?

Well, that certainly throws a wrench in things, now doesn’t it?  Speaking of throwing plans off schedule… Think of how badly this mis-scheduling is messing with EWE’s programming.  Good lord, they’ve stuck by me thru it all and I can’t even commit to attending their shows.  It isn’t out of spite, at all.  There aren’t any hard feelings because of my scheduling conflicts, either.  The higher-ups within EWE know of my plans and completely understand them.

So, what now?  What about the EWE Championship I currently hold?  When will I be back in the ring?  What’s the story, Five Starr?

I can hear you all asking yourselves, right now!  And I’m going to answer you all, right now!

I’m in talks with EWE, right now, to find a solution.  So, it’s either looking like a mid-December return… Or I just forfeit the Championship.  There aren’t any other choices, really.

My return to the ring will definitely be the first week of December.  All of this training… All of this scheduling… All of this hard work culminates on the first week of December.  Root for me, folks this is it!

Until then, you can find me at the DeSoto Civic Center for Riverkings hockey.  I’m at every home game.  Come say hello.

( New picture from a photo shoot with Dennis Copeland! )

It’s that time of year again.  Hockey calls shotgun and wrestling takes the back seat.  Well, let me rephrase that… local wrestling takes the back seat.  How do I feel about it?  I’m actually psyched!

The approach that I’ve taken the last year or so is simple.  Work towards big events.  Train towards the events that have the grandest opportunity.  Not necessarily money-wise.  But certainly long-term, big time event-wise.  I am training towards those big opportunities and trying to make the best of them.

So, now it’s that time of year where the Riverkings take over my priority, as far as bookings are concerned.  It’s time to rest my body a little bit from all the wear and tear.  It’s time to put a major focus on my training.  I’m never where I want to be or need to be – training-wise.  I must stay in the best shape possible.  And being less sore and less banged-up will help me get in the gym and bust out some very good workouts.  Plus, it’s always good to just take a little time away from the ring and focus on other vehicles for my success.

With that being said, I will still be wrestling locally – namely Ripley, TN.  Heck, I’m the EWE Heavyweight Champion… I have to be there to defend the belt.  But if you do not see me around from time to time, I’m sure there’s a hockey game going on.  I really do enjoy the hockey experience, as it gives me something other than beating my body around the ring.

Look out folks, there’s a ton of other stuff going on with me right now, as well.  There’s talk of commercials.  There’s talk of bigger wrestling opportunities.  There’s writing opportunities coming up (more on that tomorrow!)  And just to give you a hint on what the future holds for good ole Dustin Starr – I’m not only gearing back up for a competition-quality workout regimen… I’m also setting my future up for a big move.

And no… I’m not talking about, to quote Corey Maclin, “A BIG MOOOOVE!!“

Ah to see the ram going about his flock, swaggering amongst the fifty or so females that all belong to him, a pincacle of manliness. Well I guess that’s a bit far from the truth as he’s more like a docile sloth, chewing on the grass and more interested in the grub than making a dash for the nearest female. Until one comes into heat.

Still, I think his masculinity is quite important to him deep down and that’s why I can hear him screaming ‘not in front of the ladies’ as I pick him up (or try at least) and pin him down on his rump whilst the females look on .

Fair dues to our ram (or one of); he’s a quiet creature who does what he’s told (having been spoilt with cake since we had him) and he does his job well. Last of he fertilised no less than thirty females in one week. The flock was almost finished in that week alone.

Today we change his crayon (not that of the crayola kind; somehow I couldn’t picture him in nursery school drawing pictures of trees and houses. “What’s that you’ve drawn?” “It’s a human miss.”). No, these are crayon markers we attach to the chest so when he mounts the female we can see who’s going to have a lamb and who hasn’t. And that’s the reason why I’m currently holding down a very heavy sixty or seventy kilo ram.

Once we bought three rams and did such a task, attaching a crayon to ech. These were pedigree, the finest of the fine, recently bought to impregnate the flock. However, these were also three very confused rams. As they were eager to please and more than a slight bit impatient, we had decided to put them into the fields with the ewes the day after buying. We expected that they would complete the job ahead in no time and placed them in a small meadow for the night, ready to release them and let them spring fourth in the morning. Imagine the shock when dawn’s early light brought us the sight of three rams each with a mark on their rump.

Had we bought three gay rams? Did they prefer to were spandex trousers and decorate themselves with a earring in the left ear? Or perhaps they painted their hooves red and put a little eye liner on to impress the other rams…

Thankfully they had just been, enthusiastic, some would say too enthusiastic, and they set about their real task straight away.

Phew.

TKS (Things kids say) will be a regular feature on my blog.  I won’t be stating this again, but let me just say here at the first installment that I’m well aware my kids aren’t the only ones messing up their words and saying quirky things about dating and God, as evidenced by all the forwards I get.

Setting the scene: Parker and I “reading” an animal board book with Greta.  He loves animals, but books with only pictures and no words aren’t what he typically wants read as a 5 year old when baby sister isn’t present.  So I’m “spicing it up” by inserting whatever random animal facts I can think of.

Mama: Do you know what a mama sheep is called?

Parker: No.

Mama:  Ewe.

Parker (quizzically):  Parker?  [As in, "Pretty sure that's a weird name for a mama sheep, Mama, but that's what you just said, didn't you?"]

A big THANK YOU goes out to Brittany from Ripley, TN for turning in all the newest photos! Awesome job! If you keep up the good work, you could very well become Five Starr’s personal photographer!

Seriously, thank you so much. If anyone else has photos that I may be able to post on this site, please feel free to send them over. I appreciate every picture I can get because I typically do not have a photographer in-house. Unfortunate, but true.

Check them out by clicking the photo to the left or just take a look to your right at the FIVE STARR PHOTOS section!

I did a little research online as I was writing my post about getting the ewes bred. From that time spent surfing, I’ve discovered that there is no special name given to a ewe who has either never had a lamb or who is expecting or has just had her first lamb — at least no name that’s widely known and used.

I thought there might be a special term for these young, inexperienced ewes, because in cattle, these are called “heifers” while the more experience mamas are simply called “cows.”

My father- and brother-in-law often refer to the “heifers” or “first-calf heifers,” and these cows are handled differently when they are bred. At our ranch the heifers are generally artificially inseminated with the bull’s “seed” rather than allowed to be bred naturally by the pasture bulls.

The AI-ing is done to increase the likelihood that the heifers will be successfully bred, to shorten the calving season (they all calve closer together when they are all bred on the same day), and to control by exactly which bull they are bred. It’s generally not a good idea to use a bull that has a history of throwing larger birth weights on a heifer. Heifers must also be more closely watched when they are calving as they are at an increased risk of having trouble during delivery.

But enough about cattle. The things is, other than the AI-ing things, first-lamb ewes have many of the same potential issues as heifers. So I wonder why do cattle have a special designation for this situation and sheep don’t?

It seems that there’s a pretty big buzz making its way thru the Mid-South wrestling world.  Elite Wrestling Entertainment out of Ripley, TN canceled their regularly scheduled wrestling show resulting in the fact that fans did not show up for the event.  Pretty amazing, huh?  I’ve never seen anything like this happen in Ripley, TN.  It has always been a show / event that’s very well attended.  I never saw this coming, for sure.

I had just hopped on the interstate at approximately 7:30 when I received the text.  Shocked, I called and was given the news just before I reached the “far enough” point in my trip.  Without much questioning, I turned and went home.

What’s going on in that town?

Crowds fluctuate up and down all of the time.  Here recently, it has been far worse.  I’m not sure what the problems are resulting from, but management better figure it out pretty quickly.  If they don’t, they won’t have a show.  The fans will stop coming altogether… Err, at least the ones that HAVE been coming.

This bruises my ego worse than anything.  I’m the EWE Champion.  A show gets canceled because of lack of attendance while I’m on top?  That’s not something you’d like to hear.  But the fact of the matter is this – my heat was passed along to Derrick King at Super Summer Showdown a few weeks back.  Now, I’m not trying to stir up trouble… You know that’s no what I do.  I’m also not trying to pass blame.  But the fact is, the “ball” was taken out of my court at Super Summer Showdown and handed to DK.

What happened to the game from there?  Well, you’re reading all about it, right here.  Shows are being canceled and the future of he company is in jeopardy.   Maybe, just maybe… Taking the ball out of the hands of a guy who just made appearances on RAW and ECW wasn’t the right thing to do.

But what do I know?  I’m not in the office.  I merely a wrestler doing what I’m asked to do.

Your thoughts?

snow receding, summer looming

It is a lovely trip into work every morning, I see some beautiful sights – ever changing sights, Mother Nature showing off her beautiful colours in the changing of the seasons. The snow on the mountains is slowly, day by day, starting to recede.

I also see other things. Lambing season is in full swing and over the last month while driving to work and home I have noticed an unusually large amount of ewes with twins or triplets. I am not sure if this is consistent with the rest of the country or whether it is only a regional phenomenon this year. It has been a better winter in Canterbury, alot milder in temperature than the last couple of years and although there was a fair amount of rain there was no snow on the ground.

The problem (other than the ownership of course) with the farmers having ewes that  produce more lambs is that sometimes a ewe cannot feed three babies. The first reason is that a majority of sheep breeds only have two functional teats (some breeds have more) and another reason is that if the ewe is lactating early in the season she will lose body weight and condition. Ewes rearing twins and triplets cannot consume sufficient nutrients to prevent this weight loss early on in the season. With triplets their growth can be uneven and inconsistent with their siblings as they have to battle for the teats, competition for the available milk supply  – and the farmer wouldn’t want that, the uneven growth I mean – he wants big fat lambs. The ewes with triplets can also have an increased risk of teat damage.

Of course the farmer wants highly productive sheep, those that lamb frequently, produce multiple lambs that grow rapidly and are capable of re-breeding after having the existing lambs weaned from their mothers at an earlier time than is natural. But with triplets from ewes with only two functional teats the fight begins and the farmer wins, theft of one of the babies.

wee fella

This little sweetie is only 10-hours old at the time of this photo and because he was one of three that his mum went through labour and gave birth to he was deemed (or doomed?) surplus to requirements, “would have died anyway”. This is not a definite, he may have died, but then again he might not have. But because he, like many are unfortunate enough to be born into slavery, farmers find someone to buy them – yes ‘buy’ like a commodity, and he could just as well have been bought by someone who wanted him fattened up a bit and had his carcass on a dinner plate. He is special in his own right. Do farmers care about what would happen to this little fella or others like him? No way, compassion is something that is not thought of in the sheep industry, only profits. Supplement feeding for the ewe could have avoided the separation of mother and baby entirely and minimized weight loss in the ewe. Well, actually, abolition of farming sheep would have avoided it entirely.

I am always deeply saddened and feel like a part of myself is dying inside with the exploitation of so many sentient beings, not a day goes by that I don’t think of the atrocities and suffering that human beings inflict on just about every other species including our own – and today my thoughts go out to those that lost their loved ones in 2001 .

When people have lamb for dinner they do not consciously make the connection between the carcass on the end of their fork and the lamb leaping around with the other lambs in the paddock, they do not think of them as living, vital, alive beings, they close their minds to the lambs being loaded into a truck heading for the slaughterhouse, they do not think of the terror that these babies feel, the loss that their mothers’ feel – these babies that have no choice – the innocents – they should not be farmed for fashion or dinner plate and do not go with knitting needles, mint and kumara.

As another year winds its way down, another Super Summer Showdown is upon us.  Saturday night in Ripley, TN Elite Wrestling Entertainment puts on one of their biggest shows of the year – SUPER SUMMER SHOWDOWN!  If you plan to attend only one independent wrestling show all year long, this should be the one!

I’ve discussed this with friends and family… I’ve been waiting on the night for a long, long time.  Stan Lee and I will step inside the squared circle one more time to settle all of our differences once and for all.  I’ve held the upper-hand on Stan for quite some time and now it’s all coming to a head.  I’ve told everyone many, many times… and I’ve told Stan Lee himself – he’s the best athlete I’ve ever been in the ring with.

This weekend, I promise a Five Starr Classic.

News coming from EliteWrestlingEntertainment.com concerning the location and time for Super Summer Showdown is posted below.  Check it out because I’ve given some of you some false information. 

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT from ELITEWRESTLINGENTERTAINMENT.COM:

Due to the possibility of bad weather on the date of Super Summer Showdown, we are moving the show back to the EWE arena. Safety is a number 1 concern when it comes to our fans, as well as our staff. The show will still be free for all who attend and will still start at 7:00PM, but seats are available on a first come first served basis and seats may not be available at bell time. Thank you for being loyal EWE fans and we look forward to seeing everyone at Super Summer Showdown!

I was really looking forward to performing in the park.  My friends at the Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce better be there, as well!  If you’re a Dustin Starr fan… if you’re a Stan Lee fan… or if you’re just a wrestling fan – you better be there!  I’d say that if you live within 100 miles of Ripley, TN – you better be there!

One last thing I have to say about wrestling Stan Lee… I always seem to be in the ring with him when something BIG happens.  Heed those words…

See you at Super Summer Showdown!

If you reside in the Washington Metropolitan Area you should check out The Volta Club.  As stated on their website, the Volta Club aims to bring together all people from Ghana, Togo and Benin for a united Ewe Community in the Washington Metropolitan Area.  The organization uses focused programs of activities and technology in the promotion of the cultural heritage of people from Volta Region, Ghana, Togo and Benin in the Diaspora.  They host a variety of events during the year and offer many networking and resource opportunities for all their members.

To find more information about the Volta Club, or for a list of upcoming events, please visit their website www.voltaclub.org.

I love language, especially the English language.  While it can be difficult to learn, I find it rich in rewards.  My favourite reward is the playfulness it can inspire.

Other cultures also like to play with their languages.  The Japanese have a poetic style known as “haiku”.  This short, structure poem form requires three lines with specific syllable counts (five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables).  For example:

Haiku poetry
Quite deceptively simple
Syllables fight back

Local accents can add (or delete) syllables, so I find myself counting on my fingers as I slowly say the words.

Many share love of the haiku.  Let me introduce you to my favourite: Haiku Ewe.  The brainchild of Big Al, the Gal, Haiku Ewe describes her life and activities using only the haiku form.  I think she and her creator are brilliant.

Check them out if you have a chance:  www.haikuewe.com or www.gocomics.com/haikuewe.

Upon returning from the ring on Saturday night, the mood was that of satisfaction.  Fans happy.  Boss happy.  Boys happy.  Everyone safe and sound.  Well, with the exception of a nice busted lips embarked on EWE number one contender Stan Lee.  And yes, that was courtesy of a Five Starr drop kick.  The locker room was abuzz with the sounds of “thank you’s” and handshakes, until everything started to settle down a bit.

As I dripped with sweat and rested in my seat, I peered up to my surroundings.  I saw a future TNA Superstar standing nearby raving about what he had just seen.  Then, I got a glimpse of the best worker – HANDS DOWN – in the Mid-South.  A father figure to a young, fifteen year-old, up-and-comer breaking into the business ten years ago.

What more could you ask for in a locker room?

Well, here goes.  Walking thru the doorwaywith pay-off’s in hand, I see the best athlete I’ve ever been in the ring with.  Still not enough?  Standing before me with a subtle smile of admiration and love – I see my future.  A future that I’ve been waiting all my life for.  A future tha tI can be proud of.  A future that can and will be proud of me.

Who’s afraid of what has yet to come?  Not me.  Not by any stretch of the imagination.  My future awaits with open arms, sunshine beaming and an endless trail of happiness.  I really do believe it.  It will take time, however.  But one day I will catch that dream and keep it forever.  Let me tell you, it’s a beautiful dream, indeed.

There’s many meanings to the stories you read, here.  Pick YOUR story.  Believe it.  And run with it.  I’m sure there’s no wrong message.  It is what you make of it.  And I’ve decided to make mine as good as I possibly can.  Steps are being taken, as I write this blog.

Actually, strides are being made.  I’m currently at 2.1 miles ran.  Sister Hazel jams in the background, as I contemplate where I am, where I wanna be and how I’m going to get there.

I will get there.  I will reach the goal in life.  I will reach all of my professional goals.  And I will root for you all to do the very same.

Please don’t be afraid…