a small RANT, if you will

In article , "Shillelagh" wrote:

"The Jonathan Lady" wrote in message
...
Hope you have the same nice weather we are having here, sun is shining
and
the spring flowers are bloming

Els
Instead of sun we are getting a pretty snowfall with big fluffy flakes.
It
will be a long time before we see spring flowers.
Jan in MN

Els, I'm jealous of your weather. Jan, we are getting the fluffy snowfall
too. We've had a weather warning for west of us, and I'm not sure we'll get
it here. I'll have to keep an eye on it. It was very windy last night. ;P

Shelagh

Shelagh and Jan, I am sorry you guys have still to cope with the cold
weather, although Shelagh, I was told by my brother in law, who lives in
Calgary, that they had a very mild winter so far. As a matter of fact I
think that they had grass fires, because it was that dry this winter. I
will send some warm weather you way.

Els

Hi Mirjam:

Yes, I believe here in Canada when someone says "Americans" we automatically
think of someone from the USA. And, I'm assuming that it's that way
throughout most of the world.

take care

Donna from Ontario, Canada




"Mirjam Bruck-Cohen" wrote in message
...
When one says Americans , here and both in Europe , one means the
people of the USA ,,,, than we know of South Americans and of
Canadians ,,,, mirjam [from Asia ]

I was giving this some thought a while back, and really, using American
could technically cover anyone in both North and South America. For a
while, I felt it was presumptuous of US people to call themselves
Americans, but now I think it's just an easier way to identify. I am
curious though, as to how people in other countries refer to people
from the United States. When you hear "Americans", do you assume that
would be people in the US?


BB

"Els van Dam" wrote in message
...
In article , "Shillelagh"
wrote:

Shelagh and Jan, I am sorry you guys have still to cope with the cold
weather, although Shelagh, I was told by my brother in law, who lives in
Calgary, that they had a very mild winter so far. As a matter of fact I
think that they had grass fires, because it was that dry this winter. I
will send some warm weather you way.

Els

Thanks for the sympathy but I don't really have any complaints about our
weather as it has been mild. We had the warmest January on record and I
think Shelagh said the same. It has been closer to normal this month but
not bad so far. If we were to see signs of spring this early, I would
actually be concerned about such a drastic change in the weather.

--
Jan in MN

"The Jonathan Lady" wrote in message
...

Thanks for the sympathy but I don't really have any complaints about our
weather as it has been mild. We had the warmest January on record and I
think Shelagh said the same. It has been closer to normal this month but
not bad so far. If we were to see signs of spring this early, I would
actually be concerned about such a drastic change in the weather.

--
Jan in MN

What she said (grin). No real complaints here. It's snowing today and
windy again, but only -10°C.... hee, hee - the Olympics start today!
Can't wait to see the figure skating, women's hockey, speed skating and
curling!!! Yeah!!!!! All the while, knitting of course.

Shelagh

"Els van Dam" wrote in message
...

In the circles I travel, and that includes my family in Holland, Americans
are the people who live in the United States. Canadians live in Canada,
and Mexicans live in Mexico. I think that here (Canada) we may use the
word "North America" when we talk about the continent as a whole, or about
weather patterns that cover large trackts etc. I have often notice when I
travel in the States, to visit our son, that Americans tend to sort of
include Canada as America. Letters I receive from the States often miss
stating that I live in Canada. There is a huge difference though,
certainly seen from this side of the border...LOL

Els

Yeah, and it usually seems it's when Canada wins some sporting event - as if
it was an American win, not Canadian. As that idiot Tucker Carlson says
about Canada "they are invisible". heh, heh.

Shelagh

"Shillelagh" wrote in message ...

"The Jonathan Lady" wrote in message
...

Thanks for the sympathy but I don't really have any complaints about our
weather as it has been mild. We had the warmest January on record and I
think Shelagh said the same. It has been closer to normal this month but
not bad so far. If we were to see signs of spring this early, I would
actually be concerned about such a drastic change in the weather.

--
Jan in MN

What she said (grin). No real complaints here. It's snowing today and
windy again, but only -10°C.... hee, hee - the Olympics start today!
Can't wait to see the figure skating, women's hockey, speed skating and
curling!!! Yeah!!!!! All the while, knitting of course.

Shelagh

We're having *very* fine snow here today, and it doesn't really seem to be
sticking either. However, we have a HUGE bump of frozen snow and ice at the
end of our laneway where the snowplow cleared the streets and blocked up the
end of the laneway. Unfortunately Matthew wasn't home until after dark, so
the temperature had dropped enough to freeze it solid by then. He did go
out with the shovel (steel rim on the edge of it) and tried to break it up
to move it.... but to no avail. So now I have to go very slowly backing
out, so that I don't scrap (or worse, knock off) the tailpipe once the back
wheels drop over that bump of ice. Hopefully the temperature will get a
little midler on the weekend so Matthew can try to move the bump of ice.

Other than that, no complaints about our weather either... although, I won't
be too upset when spring does arrive. I like it warm... to be able to sit
in the foyer with the windows open, and of course when it gets warm enough,
to be able to get in the pool to cool off. ;o)

Gemini

My Grandfather was a Kansas rancher. Using his credit, my Mother bought and
herded a flock of 500 ewes that paid for her colledge education. Later, when
I was a kid in Wyoming, there were still vast flocks of sheep tended by
Basque shepards. My Mother was collecting stories about sheep in Wyoming
history, so we went up to visit those shepards, and my Mother would help the
shepards with their chores so they would have time to tell her their
stories. They had dogs and horses, but there was not a fence or barn or
house for 20 miles. Most of those Basques still lived out of horse drawn
wagons.

Sure, my Mother taught me to shear a sheep by myself with hand shears. I
mean, sheep are not as strong as bison. But, those Basques could do it
really fast. The thing abut sheep is that there are enough sheep in a flock,
that one gets to practice shearing until you get really good.

One scene burned in my memory is heaps of fresh cut "Rocky Moutain oysters"
(sheep's testicles) piled on fresh sheep skins in the cool moutain air -
with flys buzzing, and the dust from 10,000 sheep everywhere. Boiled,
those oysters became our dinner that night. I got stern instructions to
look like I was really enjoying dinner because the shepards did not get much
meat and we were VERY lucky that they were sharing their big feast of the
year with us.

It has been 28 years since I last worked sheep. Could I still shear sheep
by myself? Maybe. But it would not be pretty, and after a dozen lambs, I
would know that it was a very long day. heh, heh, heh!

Aaron

"Els van Dam" wrote in message
...
In article ,
wrote:

Sure! Look at the tapes of his debates and speeches from when he was
running
for Gov. of Texas. In the first debate he spoke well, and fell in the
polls.
About that time, he hired Rove and within a month his diction had
changed
and he stopped in the middle of his sentences. By the next debate, he
spoke
"'Meric'n" and won the election.

A year ago GWB gave a speech at a economic summit in Europe. He used
lots of
big words, and sung them like Gilbert and Sullivan lyrics. I'm sure
that
speech was written by Greenspan's people, rather than the regular White
House speech writers, which accounted for the difference in language,
but he
spoke it perfectly.

All the world is a stage, and I would consider GWB to be the greatest
actor
on that stage, playing the greatest role since Eliza Doolittle in My
Fair
Lady.

My mother taught me to shear a sheep without getting kicked when I was
still
in grade school.
Aaron


OK who is going to be shorn here.......Aaren......LOL

When I shore a sheep some one was always standing close by to make shure
the sheep would not get up and run away. I did try to shove my foot under
her shoulder but, might not have had the right touch........LOL If I get
my website up and running I will post some pictures of that great event.
I was in training for a sheep to shawl event in 1979......

els

LOL Being a town girl (only ever stayed at a farm friend's house a couple
of times), and never having to sheer a sheep, as I was reading your story
and reached the part where the "Fresh cut Rocky Mountain oysters (sheep's
testicles) piled on fresh sheep skins"... I had visions of those poor sheep
losing those parts to slipped sheers while someone was sheering them too
quickly. LOL Sorry... weird imagination at work.

Gem


wrote in message
. com...
My Grandfather was a Kansas rancher. Using his credit, my Mother bought
and
herded a flock of 500 ewes that paid for her colledge education. Later,
when
I was a kid in Wyoming, there were still vast flocks of sheep tended by
Basque shepards. My Mother was collecting stories about sheep in Wyoming
history, so we went up to visit those shepards, and my Mother would help
the
shepards with their chores so they would have time to tell her their
stories. They had dogs and horses, but there was not a fence or barn or
house for 20 miles. Most of those Basques still lived out of horse drawn
wagons.

Sure, my Mother taught me to shear a sheep by myself with hand shears. I
mean, sheep are not as strong as bison. But, those Basques could do it
really fast. The thing abut sheep is that there are enough sheep in a
flock,
that one gets to practice shearing until you get really good.

One scene burned in my memory is heaps of fresh cut "Rocky Moutain
oysters"
(sheep's testicles) piled on fresh sheep skins in the cool moutain air -
with flys buzzing, and the dust from 10,000 sheep everywhere. Boiled,
those oysters became our dinner that night. I got stern instructions to
look like I was really enjoying dinner because the shepards did not get
much
meat and we were VERY lucky that they were sharing their big feast of the
year with us.

It has been 28 years since I last worked sheep. Could I still shear sheep
by myself? Maybe. But it would not be pretty, and after a dozen lambs, I
would know that it was a very long day. heh, heh, heh!

Aaron

"Els van Dam" wrote in message
...
In article ,
wrote:

Sure! Look at the tapes of his debates and speeches from when he was
running
for Gov. of Texas. In the first debate he spoke well, and fell in the
polls.
About that time, he hired Rove and within a month his diction had
changed
and he stopped in the middle of his sentences. By the next debate, he
spoke
"'Meric'n" and won the election.

A year ago GWB gave a speech at a economic summit in Europe. He used
lots of
big words, and sung them like Gilbert and Sullivan lyrics. I'm sure
that
speech was written by Greenspan's people, rather than the regular White
House speech writers, which accounted for the difference in language,
but he
spoke it perfectly.

All the world is a stage, and I would consider GWB to be the greatest
actor
on that stage, playing the greatest role since Eliza Doolittle in My
Fair
Lady.

My mother taught me to shear a sheep without getting kicked when I was
still
in grade school.
Aaron


OK who is going to be shorn here.......Aaren......LOL

When I shore a sheep some one was always standing close by to make shure
the sheep would not get up and run away. I did try to shove my foot
under
her shoulder but, might not have had the right touch........LOL If I get
my website up and running I will post some pictures of that great event.
I was in training for a sheep to shawl event in 1979......

els

Clipping and castration were two different processes - but, both done while
in the same camp at about the same time. You are very right about the
sheers being sharp enough to take body parts off sheep or man (i.e.,
fingers!) Between the blood, flies, and dust, it was nasty. These days we
do not let kids see that kind of stuff.

Heck, these days we do not even let sheep see that kind of stuff any more.

Aaron


"MRH" mthecarpenterATxcelcoDOTonDOTca wrote in message
...
LOL Being a town girl (only ever stayed at a farm friend's house a couple
of times), and never having to sheer a sheep, as I was reading your story
and reached the part where the "Fresh cut Rocky Mountain oysters (sheep's
testicles) piled on fresh sheep skins"... I had visions of those poor
sheep
losing those parts to slipped sheers while someone was sheering them too
quickly. LOL Sorry... weird imagination at work.

Gem


wrote in message
. com...
My Grandfather was a Kansas rancher. Using his credit, my Mother bought
and
herded a flock of 500 ewes that paid for her colledge education. Later,
when
I was a kid in Wyoming, there were still vast flocks of sheep tended by
Basque shepards. My Mother was collecting stories about sheep in
Wyoming
history, so we went up to visit those shepards, and my Mother would help
the
shepards with their chores so they would have time to tell her their
stories. They had dogs and horses, but there was not a fence or barn or
house for 20 miles. Most of those Basques still lived out of horse
drawn
wagons.

Sure, my Mother taught me to shear a sheep by myself with hand shears. I
mean, sheep are not as strong as bison. But, those Basques could do it
really fast. The thing abut sheep is that there are enough sheep in a
flock,
that one gets to practice shearing until you get really good.

One scene burned in my memory is heaps of fresh cut "Rocky Moutain
oysters"
(sheep's testicles) piled on fresh sheep skins in the cool moutain air -
with flys buzzing, and the dust from 10,000 sheep everywhere. Boiled,
those oysters became our dinner that night. I got stern instructions to
look like I was really enjoying dinner because the shepards did not get
much
meat and we were VERY lucky that they were sharing their big feast of
the
year with us.

It has been 28 years since I last worked sheep. Could I still shear
sheep
by myself? Maybe. But it would not be pretty, and after a dozen lambs,
I
would know that it was a very long day. heh, heh, heh!

Aaron

"Els van Dam" wrote in message
...
In article ,
wrote:

Sure! Look at the tapes of his debates and speeches from when he was
running
for Gov. of Texas. In the first debate he spoke well, and fell in the
polls.
About that time, he hired Rove and within a month his diction had
changed
and he stopped in the middle of his sentences. By the next debate,
he
spoke
"'Meric'n" and won the election.

A year ago GWB gave a speech at a economic summit in Europe. He used
lots of
big words, and sung them like Gilbert and Sullivan lyrics. I'm sure
that
speech was written by Greenspan's people, rather than the regular
White
House speech writers, which accounted for the difference in language,
but he
spoke it perfectly.

All the world is a stage, and I would consider GWB to be the greatest
actor
on that stage, playing the greatest role since Eliza Doolittle in My
Fair
Lady.

My mother taught me to shear a sheep without getting kicked when I
was
still
in grade school.
Aaron


OK who is going to be shorn here.......Aaren......LOL

When I shore a sheep some one was always standing close by to make
shure
the sheep would not get up and run away. I did try to shove my foot
under
her shoulder but, might not have had the right touch........LOL If I
get
my website up and running I will post some pictures of that great
event.
I was in training for a sheep to shawl event in 1979......

els

In article , "Shillelagh" wrote:

"The Jonathan Lady" wrote in message
...

Thanks for the sympathy but I don't really have any complaints about our
weather as it has been mild. We had the warmest January on record and I
think Shelagh said the same. It has been closer to normal this month but
not bad so far. If we were to see signs of spring this early, I would
actually be concerned about such a drastic change in the weather.

--
Jan in MN

What she said (grin). No real complaints here. It's snowing today and
windy again, but only -10°C.... hee, hee - the Olympics start today!
Can't wait to see the figure skating, women's hockey, speed skating and
curling!!! Yeah!!!!! All the while, knitting of course.

Shelagh

Well go for it when you like the snow and the below zero weather......I
used to love it as well, but that was then and this is now. We went for a
nice walk this afternoon, sun shining, flowers out and bulbs all out
shining one and other.....(grinning)

Els