2021....The "Oxen-ated" Year!

[Meanderer]

 

[Meanderer]

 

[Meanderer]

Snow Oxen on the Roof of the World

 

[Meanderer]

 

[Meanderer]

The Oxen​

By Thomas Hardy

Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
“Now they are all on their knees,”
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.

We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.

So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
“Come; see the oxen kneel,

“In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know,”
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so.

(A note about the words in ‘The Oxen’: a ‘barton’ is a farm building, and a ‘coomb’ is a small valley.)

 

[Meanderer]

This is Alex Trebek’s Spirit Animal​

Or whatever the kids say these days.

When asked why the musk ox is his favorite, Alex responded, “Musk oxen are family oriented, and I like that. When in danger, they form a protective circle with the males facing outward, and the cows and calves in the center. There are very few predators brave enough to attack this formation. Besides that, I like the way their furry coats wave in the breeze when they are running.”

 

[Aunt Bea]

 

[Aunt Bea]

 

[Meanderer]

Oxen in New England​

"Prior to the Civil war, oxen were the draft animals of choice for pioneers and farmers in New England. Oxen moved slowly and steadily and were less likely to break equipment. They could work on uneven and wet ground. Oxen consumed native, coarse grasses and were economical to feed and raise, and could be eaten when their usefulness was over."

"Their first task was to clear land by pulling stumps and moving rocks, working in the mud and snow common in the area. They then were used for plowing and harrowing fields, logging, building and maintaining roads and clearing those roads of snow in the Winter. They could even pull covered bridges and set them into place."

"By 1890 horses replaced oxen on most New England farms. Oxen could not compete on volume or efficiency. Horses could haul logs out of the woods and return on their own to the work site. With roads in place and money available to buy horses, fewer farms maintained oxen."

 

[Meanderer]

Wolves Subdued with Difficulty​

William B. Moor, whose death ocurred in 1900, was the most noted ox teamster in the Kennebec region. - His Wolf Story (NOTE: Surname also spelled MOORE)

"I was driving a team for Moses Chamberlain on the Chase Stream township. We were hauling a mile and a half back of the camp. It so happened that I was very late for my last load one night, so much so that it was dark when I got into the woods. I had to cross a small pond and take my timber on the back side of a ridge that made alongside of the pond".

"When I got into the woods the men had all gone to the camp except the sled tender and chopper who loaded my team. The men had a tow path where they went across and struck my logging road. This path was no more than forty rods. While I had to go around the pond three-fourths of a mile. They offered to go around with me but I said "no, I could go just as well alone," so they took the towpath and, as I supposed, went to the camp. It was now pitch dark but I drove around the ridge and across the pond".

"As my leaders entered on the other side of the pond, a pack of wolves set up their howls not three rods ahead in the road, and a more frightful noise I never heard. All I could see was their eyes that looked like balls of fire. It frightened my oxen so much that my leaders came back to me and it was with difficulty that I stopped them".


"Hardly knowing what to do, I made up my mind to unhitch my oxen and let them take care of themselves, and I would climb a tree. There was a limby spruce standing near the road and I knew that I could climb it very readily. Just at that time I heard sounds behind me on the pond and feared more wolves were coming. The second time I knew the sounds were men shouting. I answered and told them to hurry. The men had heard the wolves and were hurrying with all their might knowing that I must be in danger".

"I straightened my team and went ahead. With great effort, by shouting and swinging our axes we succeeded in driving the wolves out of the road. The two men kept them there till I drove through. Then we all got on to the load and if ever a team went fast with a load it was mine. Those devils followed us within twenty rods of the camp, growling, snarling, fighting and howling the whole distance, sometimes biting the ends of the logs on which we sat".

 

[Meanderer]

 

[Meanderer]

Ox and Dog Interspecies Play; Toy or Tool?​

"In the first half of the video the ox and dog play with a section of garden hose; the dog then switches to using the hose to poke at the ox, at which time the ox attempts to take the hose away from the dog. It's all in good fun; the ox and dog are companion animals and best of friends".

 

[Mr. Ed]

Ox Year	Zodiac Years Calendar	Five Elements of Ox
1925	January 24, 1925 – February 12, 1926	Wood Ox
1937	February 11, 1937 – January 31, 1938	Fire Ox
1949	January 29, 1949 – February 16, 1950	Earth Ox
1961	February 15, 1961 – February 4, 1962	Metal Ox
1973	February 3, 1973 – January 22, 1974	Water Ox
1985	February 19, 1985 – February 8, 1986	Wood Ox
1997	February 7, 1997 – January 27, 1998	Fire Ox
2009	January 26, 2009 – February 13, 2010	Earth Ox
2021	February 12, 2021 – January 31, 2022	Metal Ox

The Oxes' Personality: Diligent, Dependable...​

Having an honest nature, Oxes are known for diligence, dependability, strength and determination. These reflect traditional conservative characteristics.

Women Oxes are traditional, faithful wives, who attach great importance to their children's education.

For male oxes, they are strongly patriotic, have ideals and ambitions for life, and attach importance to family and work.

Having great patience and a desire to make progress, Oxes can achieve their goals by consistent effort. They are not much influenced by others or the environment, but persist in doing things according to their ideals and capabilities.

Before taking any action, Oxes will have a definite plan with detailed steps, to which they apply their strong faith and physical strength. As a result, people of the Ox zodiac sign often enjoy great success.

Oxes are weakest in their communication skills. They are not good at communicating with others, and even think it is not worthwhile to exchange ideas with others. They are stubborn and stick to their own ways.

 

[Meanderer]

Oxen Experiences (link)​

by: Jacob LeGrand Hammon

 

[Meanderer]

Why was Paul Bunyan's ox called "Blue"? (link)

"Well, in Greek mythology, the titan Helios owned cattle - named the “Cattle of Helios”, or the “Oxen of the Sun”, these cattle were located on the mythical island of Thrinacia".

"Thus, Paul’s ox is clearly not blue due to its color, but instead due to its connections to Greek mythology and cheese".

 

[Meanderer]

The Heifer and the Ox - Aesop's Fables

"A Heifer saw an Ox hard at work harnessed to a plow, and tormented him with reflections on his unhappy fate in being compelled to labor. Shortly afterwards, at the harvest festival, the owner released the Ox from his yoke, but bound the Heifer with cords and led him away to the altar to be slain in honor of the occasion. The Ox saw what was being done, and said with a smile to the Heifer: “For this you were allowed to live in idleness, because you were presently to be sacrificed.”

 

[Meanderer]

Scout the Ox and Harry the Dog, Summer 2011​

"The dog days of summer. Scout the Ox and Harry the Dog are both 22 months of age. Scout is an Ayrshire steer being trained as an ox. Harry's a Newfoundland/Pit Bull cross dog. Scout and Harry are companion animals to each other".

Autumn Ox Hauling Firewood with a Sled​

"Video of Scout the Ox bringing in the firewood on a colorful but blustery fall day --- ending in a rain shower. Good demonstration of a single ox yoke and evener at work".

 

[Meanderer]

'Dumb As An Ox': Think Again ​

Five Facts About Oxen:

Rob Collins, President of the Midwest Ox Drovers Association, secures the yoke before untying the oxen from the post.

1. Cattle and oxen are the same species. Collins says oxen are just cattle that have been trained.
2. Oxen are smart. Collins says the expression ‘dumb as an ox’ couldn’t be further from the truth. He says oxen are as least as smart as dogs. They can remember individual people and places.
3. They're heavy. Milking Shorthorns - the breed of most oxen at Tillers International - can weigh as much as one ton, Collins says.
4. They’re easy to train. Collins says you can start training oxen as young as a few days old.
5. They’re cheap…for livestock. Collins says to hitch up oxen to a cart, most of what you need is just a chain and a yoke—a wooden harness for the oxen. He says at Tillers you can make a yoke yourself. Horse equipment on the other hand—harnesses, saddles, and bridles—can really add up.
6. Healthier than a horse. Collins says horses are a lot more susceptible to tropical diseases than oxen are—that’s why they work better in places like Africa.

 

[squatting dog]

Not much finer than an old fashioned Oxen pull at a New England county fair.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Oxen used to attend about as many parties as our Thanksgiving turkeys do today.

This fine fellow was on his way to Queen Victoria's 1887 Golden Jubilee celebration in Skipton.

 

[jujube]

Oxen were the preference for the wagon trains heading west. Heartier than horses, they weren't as fast but they lasted longer. They didn't need fresh grass or as much water and they were less likely to break legs stepping in gopher holes.

One interesting thing about an ox.....if something is too hard for them to pull, they'll simply refuse to take another step. A horse, if goaded, will try until its heart gives out. Oxen are too smart for that nonsense.

 

[RadishRose]

Why was Paul Bunyan's ox called "Blue"? (link)

"Well, in Greek mythology, the titan Helios owned cattle - named the “Cattle of Helios”, or the “Oxen of the Sun”, these cattle were located on the mythical island of Thrinacia".

"Thus, Paul’s ox is clearly not blue due to its color, but instead due to its connections to Greek mythology and cheese".

I thought the ox's name was Babe.

 

[Meanderer]

I thought the ox's name was Babe.

It's name was "Babe the Blue Ox".

 

[Meanderer]

Roasting the ox, at Buckingham. Buckinghamshire - 1844 ​

 

[Meanderer]

"On Snow Shoes, 1899" by Caspar Whitney