#Mr Mouflon

[thecrimsonvalley-creates]

~ Someone will die... ~ Behold some of mine and @nattravn-art's Rusty Lake oc's! Mx Grief, the butcher, Mr Mouflon the cleaner and Miss Foxglove a physiotherapist and general helper for the mental resort of the hotel.

[solottrpgchronicles]

3c. Socialize - Fox Curio's Floating Bookshop

Bookseller: Merry the capybara

Town: Thistledown

Date: 3rd of Bloom

Weather: warm all day

Total customers: 32

Books: 398

Coins: 223

Dear diary,

I'm sneezing even as I write this. What a mess! I can tell Bloom is here, judging by how itchy and watery my eyes are.

Today is the first properly warm day of the new year, and I had the brilliant idea to open all the windows, let the air in, and then open shop.

Let me tell you, helping customers in this state is no easy feat.

First, a group of schoolchildren barged in, touching every book they could put their grubby paws on. Their teacher, a mouflon with salt-and-pepper fur, was doing his very best to wrangle them.

"I'm so sorry, they're just really excited, you see" He apologized; I reassured him it was no trouble at all.

Truth be told, it was a bit of a bother, but I was surprised at how much joy their presence brought me, and how infectious their excitement was; I even gave them a group discount.

They bought a few classics to read during class, as well as fantasy and sci-fi novels, and a few colouring books.

My second customer - the schoolchildren count as a single unit in my mind - ruined my perfectly good mood; a badger in a pristine suit and tie, who walked in as if he owned the place. He shook my paw firmly and introduced himself as none other than the mayor of Thistledown, Mr. Furlorne.

Now, I'm not a big fan of authorities, but mayor Furlorne didn't put any effort into being likeable. He looked around the shop, nodding and stroking his chin. "Certainly a very nice and cozy shop. I trust you have the license and proper paperwork?" He stared at me inquisitively.

I don't. I didn't even know I needed a license. Luckily, my allergies decided to act up right at that moment, sending me into such a sorry state that mayor Furlorne left in a hurry, muttering something about having this conversation when I'm feeling better.

Isn't it strange that he would personally go and inspect businesses though? Maybe it's because this town is so small. Either way, I have to leave as soon as the river thaws; I have no patience for silly bureaucracy.

In the afternoon I met a few more strange characters:

A couple of travelling otters who were actually looking for a hotel

A loquacious seagull who insisted on telling me all about every single book they had ever read

A traveling salesnake called Seerah

Initially I thought Seerah just wanted to sell me stuff; she must have sensed my distrust, because after slithering up to me and introducing herself, she said "I'm looking for a book, but I'm also looking to make new friends. It's not easy, traveling around all the time and having no fixed home. I thought you might understand the feeling."

I found her openness and sincerity to be refreshing, and ended up offering her a cup of sweet chamomile; we talked until it was almost time to close shop.

She bought an anthology of short novels and left me her business card, saying she hopes we'll cross paths again soon. That would be nice.

At that point I was pretty much ready to close shop, when I heard a soft knock at the door. To my surprise, it was a scruffy sparrow, shivering in the rapidly cooling evening air.

"Uh, sorry sir, may I..."

I waved them inside without hesitation.

Kiki the sparrow was happy to warm up in front of my modest fireplace with a glass of warm milk and biscuits.

They're apparently not from around here - I'm sensing a pattern today - they just arrived in Thistledown after having freshly left their nest, and don't know how to even find a place to sleep, let alone a job. I offered to walk with them into town tomorrow and help talk to people; for tonight they can sleep over.

It's difficult to start a life on one's own, I can definitely empathize.

---

Rereading this entry, I realize I complained a lot today, but there were plenty of nice moments. I just find it uncomfortable when people barge in and try to get through my armour.

I suppose all this socializing could be beneficial; even I need people, friendship, community.

I'm still going to sail away when the river thaws, though.

--------------

This is a playthrough of a solo journaling TTRPG called "Fox Curio's Floating Bookshop" by lostwaysclub.

You can check it out on itch.io: https://lostwaysclub.itch.io/floating-bookshop

[boricuacherry-blog]

I have a mouflon sheep. He looks just like a ram. Most people think he is a ram but he isn't. He was also in the circus, he was raised with my llama Louie. His name is Mr. Tibbs. I have an almost six foot boa-constrictor and I take him to the studio. Diana Ross was just here and we were both peeling his skin off, you know, cause he peels like three times a month. I also have two North-American white toed deer - Prince and Princess - and I raised them from the bottle. My favorite animal is probably Louie and Prince and Princess. And I've got several different kinds of birds and stuff like that.

-Michael Jackson

[luxmcrae]

Our day at the wildlife park! :D

So, my vixen and I visited the wildlife park again, and once again it was really cool! We were greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Otterton right at the entrance XD

Otters are way too cute, seriously. But we also had deers...

... and wolves! So many of them! <3

Such wonderful creatures, it´s really great to see that parks like this actually try to inform the people about them rather than to spread fear. They have a little exhibit right in the entrance-building where every visitor can learn about them and their importance for a vital forest, it´s really awesome!

Oh, and we also saw:

Wild cats!

Owls!

Boars!

And squirrels that tried to murder us! XD

(No joke, they jumped,ran and flew all over the place XD)

Furthermore fallow deers...

(interesting fact: These are not albinos, this is their natural color, though there also ones who are rather brown)

... and mouflons:

But the very best, the ultimative super best of the day were the LYNXES :D

LOOK AT THIS LITTLE CUTE ADORB!!! And one was directly before us! (Though absolutely unimpressed XD)

So much floof!!! *.* @lynxmuse We eurasian lynxes have big floofy paws as well! ^^

What a beauty! Best daytrip ever! :D 

[flaubrt]

I was tagged by @gaugua, thank you, dear!

Rules: Answer the questions with the first letter of your name, then tag 10 people. If the person who tagged you has the same initial, you must use different answers. You cannot use the same word twice.

What is your name? Maja A four letter word? Moor A boy’s name? Michel Occupation? Mathematician Something you wear? Moccasins  A colour? Mahagony A food? Meatballs   A place? Maui  Something you shout? My God! A movie title? Madame Bovary Something you drink? Macchiato An animal? Mouflon   A type of car? Maserati Title of a song? Mr Magic - Amy WInehouse

I’m tagging: @maryshelley, @attar-of-rose, @wolvenry, @dearorpheus, @fleursdansunchamp, @vitrina, @our-blue-nights, @echymosis and anyone else!

[letssweetsharing-blog]

Top 10 Stunning Castles in Norway to Visit

Sverresborg Castle

Sverre Sigurdsson castle or Sverresborg was a residence and fort which was built in Nidaros, a medieval city built by King Sverre Sigurdsson. The fortification was erected to support the struggle of Sverre Sigurdsson against King Magnus Erlingsson to claim Norway’s throne.

Now the site is the part of an open-air museum, Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum for the Trøndelag region. The location of Sverresborg and defense of the city of Trondheim was based on tree geographical features –

·       ·The city is positioned on the peninsula bordered on the south and east by River Nidelva and by Trondheimsfjord on the north.

·       Located precisely to the south, a glacially carved rock hill rules the city and offers well-fortified site.

·       The neck connecting the mainland and peninsula was a bit narrow and could be fortified with ease.

In the 1182-1183 fall, Sverre started construction of Sverresborg, i.e., one of the earliest fortresses in Norway, to provide more easily defended and secure base to operate and reside from.

The selected location was hard to approach, easily fortified and could be protected easily by a small force.

For the fortification, the stone used was available just 600m away in a quarry which has been used to build the Nidaros cathedral.

Since Archbishop of Nidaros, who had worked with King Magnus, was in exile from 1180 to 1183 in England and stonemasons were available too.

Along with being detached from his men, Sverre moved out to castle and work proceeded instantly in 1183 during Lent.

Egeberg Castle

Egeberg Castle was built by Halfdan Berle, a leading architect, in 1899-1901 for Einar Westeye Egeberg and Birgitte Halvordine.

Einar Westeye Egeberg owned one of the most prominent lumber companies of Oslo, Westye Egeberg & Co. There were seven children of Egeberg couple, and most of them grown up when the family finally shifted to the castle in the year 1901.

Egeberg Castle was the biggest private residence in Oslo at 1600 sq. m. over two floors and a section of the tower. After a century, the castle stood strongly tall around a big park and with an extraordinary view over the harbor and city.

The overall cost of construction was 12 million kronor in the year 1901. The castle was built with quality materials like soapstone and granite.

The architecture was a renaissance from Italy dominated by dignified forms. The ceilings of the interiors were made by stucco workers from Italy. The first floor of the castle had a smoking lounge, vestibule, hall, dining room, bathroom, and dressing rooms. The billiard room was also built in the tower while storage rooms were built in the basement. Mrs. Egeberg had ill health and was paralyzed partially.

A lift was installed at NOK 25000. An open Minerva car like the one of the royal family in Norway was owned for Mrs. Egeberg in 1912 to go on a drive with chauffeur, but she died in the year 1930.

Akershus Castle

Akershus Castle or Akershus Fortress is a medieval castle built for protection and to offer the royal home for Oslo, Norway. The castle has been used as a prison, military base and government offices. Exactly when the castle was built is still now known, but it was expected to be made by King Haakon V around the late 1290s.

Tønsberg has been replaced among the two most prominent castles in Norway in that period. It was built in response to the nobleman of Norway, Sarpsborg’s Earl Alv Erlingsson attacked Oslo earlier in 1287. After the attack, it became clear that the existing defenses of the city were not that effective, and a stronger defense was in need. In written sources, the castle is mentioned in 1300 for the first time in a King Haakon’s letter from him to a church-based in Oslo.

However, it is not cleared in the letter how far the castle’s construction had been going on by then. The fortress has seen all the sieges but survived, especially by Swedish forces, including ones by Charles XII in the year 1716.

Austrått

Austrått Manor or Austrått is a manor based in Ørland municipality of Trøndelag, Norway. Austrått has served as the residence for several noblemen, officials, and noblewomen since the 10th century who played an important role in the history of Norway.

Austrått can also be mentioned as Østeraat, Østråt, Austaat, Østeraad, and Austråt. As it is positioned today, the manor’s layout is attributed to Ove Bjelke, a chancellor for whom it was built around 1656. In 1916, the manor house was burned down, and it was restored in 1961.

Previously, the manor house belonged to a larger property, but it is now an independent land from the manor house. The state of Norway owns manor house, owned by Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustri museum, Trondheim. From June to August, the manor house is open for public.

The term “Austrått” is believed to be derived from old Norse terms used to define east direction which could be eastbound or the eastern property.

Fritzøehus

Fritzøehus is a manor house and private estate positioned in Larvik. The estate has been related to several Treschow family members traditionally. It was designed by Jacob Wilhelm Nordan and built-in 1863-1865 for Michael Treschow.

The manor house was stretched in the years 1885-89 and 1897-1898. It includes 75 rooms in total floor area with 21 basement rooms, so it has become the largest private residence in the country.

Located in Fritzøehus park, Fritzøehus is a designated conservation place built to preserve the expanded beech forests as well as unique landscape. There is also fir, walnut, and spruce trees in the park spread over 1700 acres. The park was built in the 1860s in the English style.

There is a water fountain in the courtyard and a bear’s sculpture by Anne Grimdalen. The park has a collection of mouflon and fallow deer in the Mediterranean.

Oscarshall

It is a Maison de Plaisance in Frognerkilen on Bygdoy, a small fjord in Oslo of Norway. The palace was built on 1852 by Johan Henrik Nebelong, a Danish architect on commission from Queen Joséphine and King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway. The castle was opened to the public as the museum by King Oscar II in 1881.

With surrounding park and secondary building, the palace is known to be among the best epitome of neo-Gothic style in Norway and is among the most prominent embodiments of the nation in National Romantic style, and it was known in Norway.

The interior was built and entirely designed by the artisans and artists belong to Norway. The dining hall’s walls are designed well with paintings by Adolph Tidemand and Joachim Frich, and the furniture and decoration in the drawing-room showcase the styles of old Guildhall in Norway.

Oscarshall has gone through complete restoration and renovation from 2005 to 2009 and has brought furniture and colors back to the previous style since 1859. Oscarshall was open to the public after renovation.

During summers, the palace is finally open for guided tours. The Queen Josephine Gallery was opened by Queen Sonja in 2013 on the Oscarshall grounds. The featured prints and graphic prints are exhibited in the gallery by Her Majesty during the first season.

Gamlehaugen

Gamlehaugen is a mansion located in Bergen and residential home of Norwegian Royal Family. It has history dated far back to the Middle Ages, and the list of last owners includes most of the richest men in Bergen.

The Norwegian state has owned the castle today, and Christian Michelsen is the latest private owner and a shipping and politician magnate who became the first PM of Norway after the closure of union between Norway and Sweden. Michelsen started building this building where he lived the rest of his life in Gamlehaugen.

In 1925, Michelsen died, and his closest colleagues and friends started fund-raising on a national level which brought enough amount of money to enable a state to own the property.

English park was also opened the same year to the public and ground floor of the house was opened two years later as a museum. It has been the residence of the Norwegian Royal Family in Bergen since the year 1927.

The red building stable is located next to the road. Originally it was located around the house of caretaker demolished in 1986 when the rock was blasted right away and made space for the main street’s widening. There is an unused root cellar located west of the stable.

On the other side of the compound, there is a greenhouse built further west and is being used by janitorial crew these days.

A larger greenhouse may have existed when the greenhouse is small at some point during the moment when Michelsen ruled Gamlehaugen.

Find the complete guide to Gamhlehaugen

Båhus Fortress

Located along the earlier Norwegian-Swedish border, Bohus Fortress can be accessed northeast from Hisingen where Gota River is split into two different branches.

The river forms a moat naturally around it at the nearby area from a 40m high cliff. The Bohus Fortress started to be built in 1308 under the King of Norway, Haakon V Magnuson during the years 1299 to 1319.

The construction of Norwegian castles was also begun by Hakon V at Akershus and Vardøhus from a comprehensive defensive policy. When Bohuslan was the territory of Norway and served as a significant defense for Norway against Sweden, it was the strong part of Bohuslan from 1308 till 1658.

It was decided that the unused fortress must be demolished at the end of the 18th century.

The crews started demolishing the fort for two months when money allocated had run out. And the houses were built by the residents of Kungalv using fortress’s dressed stone. But you can still see most of the fortress, along with a huge northern tower named Fars Hatt.

The fortress serves as a museum since 2015 and is open during summers.

Steinvikholm Castle

Located on Skatval peninsula, Steinvikholm Castle is one of the best castles in Norway. It is an island fortress located on Skatval peninsula in Nord-Trøndelag County near Stjørdal. It took seven years to build, i.e., from 1525 to 1532, by the last Roman Catholic Archbishop of Norway, Olav Engelbrektsson.

It was the powerful fort of its time and the largest in the Middle Age in Norway.

Around half of the land has been occupied on the hilly island. Since the reason doesn’t have spring, the freshwater was available only on the mainland.

There was a wooden bridge, the only way to the island along with the boat. Even though the design of the castle was common in 1525 across Europe, the medieval layout of the castle was being obsolete due to the enhanced firepower of the siege from the cannons and gunpowder.

Tønsberg Fortress

Tønsberg fortress was a medieval castle and fortress in Tønsberg, which was protected for more than 300 years by the fort. It consists of Castrum Tunsbergis ruins, the largest castle in Norway in the 13th century, built by King Sverre’s grandson, King Hakon IV.

It is usually known to have been the oldest town in Norway and one of the oldest fortified locations recorded in the country. It was believed to be founded before Battle of Hafrsfjord fought under which Norway was united on the rule of Harald I of Norway.

[josephkitchen0]

Hair Sheep Breeds – The Right Choice for You?

Hair sheep breeds are growing in popularity as consumers look for economical ways to raise homestead meat animals. Hair breeds have many positive traits that make them an ideal animal for small farms, homesteads, and of course, larger commercial farms. If you have space to corral a few sheep, you can fill the freezer with a healthy alternative to beef and chicken.

History tells us our present-day sheep are derived from the wild Mouflon sheep, among others, that grew coarse hair with a downy undercoat. (Icelandic sheep grow a double coat.) As wild sheep were domesticated, breeding for increased wool came into practice.

Ten percent of sheep breeds are hair breeds but ninety percent of these, are found in tropical areas. Hair sheep breeds such as the Barbados Blackbelly and St.Croix are largely found in these tropical areas of the world. Since these breeds are so adaptable, when found in colder climates, the hair sheep adapt by growing a thicker undercoat.

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Why Own Hair Sheep

There are three main reasons to raise hair sheep.

Lack of wool.

Resistance to disease and parasites.

A high rate of reproduction.

No wool to deal with makes perfect economic sense. When you’re raising sheep for meat, the wool is a by-product. You have to pay to have it sheared once a year. When the price of raw wool fleece is below the cost of shearing the animal, this is not cost effective. Hair sheep breeds simply shed their hair covering and fleecy undercoat when the weather warms.

Since today’s hair sheep breeds are developed from hardy ancestors, they are considered easy keepers because they have a natural resistance to disease and parasites. They also do well eating the vegetation that other species reject. Feed conversion is good since these sheep fatten easily on less than ideal pasture and forage. Feeding these breeds too much grain can result in an overabundance of internal fat.

Katahdin lamb on Faerie Springs Farm.

  In many cases, farmers are adding hair sheep to pastures with cattle to maximize efficiency and for parasite control. Sheep and cattle have different grazing needs and preferences, and the sheep will clean up the growth that doesn’t appeal to the cows.

Unlike meat goats, hair sheep are resistant to many of the parasites shed by cattle. They require less worming medications as a general rule. Quite a few meat producers are finding better success with the hair breeds of meat sheep than with meat goats.

An interesting study was done that showed the parasite resistance was higher in the purebred hair sheep over the crossbred shedding sheep. No difference was noted between the purebred breeds of hair sheep. The Katahdins in the study had a consistently less barber pole worm infestation rate compared to the Dorper and Dorset crosses. In addition, there is almost no incidence of flystrike with hair sheep breeds.

The reproductive rate of true hair sheep is excellent. Twinning is common and triplets and quadruplets are not rare. The hair sheep breeds lamb easily in the pasture and the lambs gain weight rapidly and develop to maturity quickly. A caution when breeding is to choose the right size ram for the ewe. Some hair breed rams are long-bodied which can create a lengthy birthing scenario for the ewe. Choosing breeding stock with this in mind can avoid this problem.

Some breeders have been working on crosses between traditional wool meat breeds and hair sheep breeds. The Dorper is a good example of this interbreeding. The Dorper grows more wool but self-sheds annually. Some are calling these shedding sheep.

A Growing Commodity

Sales of sheep meat and sheep breeding stock are on the rise in the United States and Canada. There is a growing market demand for high-quality, naturally-fed lamb. While hair breeds comprise a small percentage of the number of sheep in North America, this is changing as sustainability becomes a bigger issue for landowners. They are best raised on pasture and finishing these breeds on feedlots can lead to less desirable meat products as the ethnic market prefers a leaner lamb.

Fine Quality Leather from Hair Sheep Breeds

Another good product from hair sheep is leather. The leather from hair sheep grain is finer than the leather from wool breeds and brings in a larger amount of money.

Breeds of True Hair Sheep

Barbados Blackbelly

Arguments exist concerning the exact origin of the Barbados Blackbelly — evidence is shown for both Africa or Barbados.  Four Barbados Blackbelly sheep arrived in the United States in 1904. Future importations to university breeding flocks led to the development of the American Blackbelly sheep breed. This ancient breed has thrived in warm climates, continued to produce twins and good carcass weights.

St.Croix

The St. Croix breed is descended from the original West African hair sheep although some believe they are a cross breed of Criollo and Wiltshire White sheep. With a high rate of multiple births and a gentle temperament, this is a good choice for people looking to start a hair sheep business, particularly in warm climates.

Blackhead Persian

Very tolerant of the humid hot conditions in the Carribean and Somolia, Blackhead Persians have a white body and black head. They also have a fat rump, short legs, and a compact body. The lambing rate is not as high as other hair breeds.

More Recent Cross Bred Hair Sheep

Katahdin

The Katahdin breed was developed in the United States by Michael Piel. Beginning in the mid-1950s, Piel imported three St.Croix sheep. They were called Africans at the time. He experimented with breeding them to meat breeds, finally reaching a point, in the 1970s, where he named the breed, Katahdins after a nearby mountain in his home state of Maine. Unfortunately, Mr. Piel did not live long enough to see his breed reach having a registry and breed standards. Katahdins are medium size, hardy, low-maintenance, and have a high-quality carcass weight.

Katahdin

Dorper

The Dorper is a mutton breed of hair sheep developed in the 1930s. The breed was created by crossing Dorset and Blackheaded Persian sheep. The Dorper has a high rate of lambing and is tolerant of the arid conditions it was developed for in South Africa.

Royal White (Dorper x St.Croix)

St. Croix Sheep have been used to develop other breeds such as the Royal White. Crossing with the Dorper led to this larger hair breed. Royal Whites are more recent in the hair sheep scene and development is still ongoing.

Hair Sheep Future Outlook

As hair sheep breeds become more popular, it will be important for breeders to ensure the future integrity of the breeds. Carefully breeding only the best stock will ensure that the extreme hardiness and good mothering ability remain. Often, when a new breed or type is rising in popularity, careful breeding can fall to the wayside in the haste to have stock to sell. Culling the genetic faults and only keeping the best rams for breeding will ensure a good future for any new hair sheep breeds.

Hair Sheep Breeds – The Right Choice for You? was originally posted by All About Chickens

[mindiaphotography]

MR. Mouflon -------------------------- @mindiaofficial