Scout the Ox, July 15th, 2014 Scout gets to graze in the meadow after hauling firewood. |
storybrookeripples: ox and dog blog
Sandy said... Love the pics! In fact, I love this blog! Thanks for sharing and your ox and dog are both very beautiful. October 25, 2011 7:08 PM Vicki said... Thanks for your terrific blog! I love the anatomy diagrams. Scout is handsome and the dog is cute, too; not to mention the lovely family. So much good info, presented beautifully. May 3, 2012 9:01 AM
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
Scout the Ox Gets into Mischief!
Scout the Ox eats the load, clips the gate, and pops a wheelie.
Music: Anon, Medieval Dance Tunes
Source: Musopen
Thursday, June 19, 2014
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.
Music: Mozart, String Quartet No.19 in C major
Source: Musopen
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Scout the Ox Brings in the Wood
We haul firewood on a beautiful October day in northwestern Minnesota. Music: 10 Variations on a Theme by Salieri (1799) Vadim Chaimovich
Das "Air" von Bach: Musical Ox Cart Ride
Orchestral piece, "Air" by Johann Sebastian Bach, played by the USAF Band (The Air Force Strings) on their album "Collage." Photos are of a late summer 2013 ox cart ride in northwestern Minnesota.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Harry the Dog Won't Be Ignored
Harry the Dog persists in getting my daughters attention while she' trying to talk on the cell phone.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
3-year-old Girl Rides Ox Cart: Tric, Trac, Tric, Trac
Granddaughter chatters and sings on summer ox cart ride with her grandfather.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Crazy Dog!
Dogs, cattle and sheep sometimes exhibit this interesting behaviour on cool summer evenings (and cold winter evenings) when it is calm and the sun is going down --- or more often, just after the sun has gone down.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Kissed by an Ox
Scout the Ox tastes the baby's feet.
Music: Greensleeves Performers: Paul Arden-Taylor (descant recorder), Carol Holt (harpsichord) Source: https://musopen.org/music/919/anonymous/greensleeves-to-a-ground/
Summer: Kids, Grass, and Scout the Ox
Two of the grandkids hang out with the ox and dog (and Grandpa) on a summer afternoon.
Music: Stereofloat - Sailing the Aegean Seas from http://audiofarm.org/audiofiles/5
Girl Rescues Baby Sister's Blanket from the Dog
Harry the Dog steals the baby's blanket right out of her arms, but her big sister comes to the rescue.
Music: Stereofloat - Sailing the Aegean Seas from http://audiofarm.org/audiofiles/5
Dog Teases Child: Steals Blanket
Happy Harry the Dog teases our grandchild --- and she takes it in stride. They play a little tug-of-war.
Music: Stereofloat - Sailing the Aegean Seas from http://audiofarm.org/audiofiles/5
Child and Dog Play Ball
Playing is a good bonding time for dogs and children. Being included in the fun and games makes for a happy dog who is safer around children than a dog who has been excluded from family activities. That doesn't mean there might not be minor scratches, bumps or bruises in the rough-and-tumble of play.
Music: Stereofloat - Sailing the Aegean Seas from http://audiofarm.org/audiofiles/5
Dog and Baby Get Reaquainted
When the newest member of our extended family comes home for a visit, Happy Harry the Dog (and Grandpa and Grandma) get reacquainted.
Making sure the dog is included as a part of the family is an important step in keeping everyone safe. A resentful, disgruntled dog who is excluded from the family is much more likely to pose a threat to unsuspecting children.
Music: Stereofloat - Sailing the Aegean Seas from http://audiofarm.org/audiofiles/5
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Face-to-Face with a Working Ox
Scout the Ox poses for the camera while skidding poplar tees. Music: French Suite # 4 by Johann Sebastian Bach. Performer: Felipe Sarros Source: Musopen.org
Friday, August 30, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Smoke Ox
Smoke repels mosquitoes, and cattle are either very quick to catch on to this, or they know it by instinct.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Scout the Ox Savours Beverage Can
Scout the Ox eats an aluminum beverage can....ooops!
Maybe I'll find it in the pasture one day.
Pica behaviour?
Scout the Ox Pulling Cart |
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Swampin' with Scout the Ox
Things get a little dicey when we take a shortcut across the river bottom.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Bella Adores Harry-the-Dog
Harry-the-Dog, and Bella, with Scout-the-Ox. |
We did some dog sitting for Oliver the Standard Poodle in the previous post and for Bella who is a young Australian /German Shepherd cross. Both dogs belong to one of my daughters, and her family. Harry-the-Dog likes it when they come to visit. See Bella's puppy picture here.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Carriage Dog
Standard Poodle: Carriage Dog |
My daughters Standard Poodle seems to have it in his blood to follow the cart wheel, behaviour you'd expect from a Dalmatian (known to be carriage dogs). It's not chasing behaviour but contented following. He is so different than Harry the Dog who is way out front exploring the countryside.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Ox-on Alert
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Big. . . .but not that Big!
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Ox Meets Hidebehind (Fearsome Critter of the Deep Woods)
Harry the Dog gets too far ahead and Scout the Ox meets face-to-face with a Hidebehind, fearsome critter of the deep woods. Scout loses his usual cool, acts like a horse, and gets himself in a pickle.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Ox-n-Fire: Controlled Burn
Scout the Ox reacts to the grass fire. After the sun sets, the rising humidity puts the fire out.
Fire and Mice: Hot Dog!
Harry the Dog thinks grass fires make good mouse hunting. He gets a little too close to the fire but never seems to notice.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Single Ox Plowing With Walking Plow and Forecart, 1921 Photograph
Single Ox Plowing With Walking Plow and Forecart, 1921 Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA |
Single Ox Plowing With Walking Plow and Forecart, 1921 Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA |
Monday, May 13, 2013
Scout the Ox Helping Prepare Tree Cuttings --- Herd-Mates?
What cattle do when they are not eating is hang-out together. When I have a portable project to work on I use the opportunity to give Scout the Ox some "herd" time. It helps makes for a happy ox. Here I'm preparing willow tree cuttings for planting, with Scout looking over my shoulder.
Just as dogs are pack animals, cattle are herd animals. A healthy dog and a healthy cow both like a small circle of family and friends. When we people, by the use of fences, barns and kennels, take that away from them, I think it our due to provide some substitute. Scout's herd mates consist of me and Harry the Dog. As unlikely as two predators keeping company with a prey animal is, by my estimation, he seems quite happy with the arrangement. As a qualifier, I might add that these are two highly domesticated animals, I wouldn't expect this to work with say --- a wolf and a white tailed deer, though, I am aware of dogs being kept with lions. A further qualifier: I don't favor wild animals being kept.
Just as dogs are pack animals, cattle are herd animals. A healthy dog and a healthy cow both like a small circle of family and friends. When we people, by the use of fences, barns and kennels, take that away from them, I think it our due to provide some substitute. Scout's herd mates consist of me and Harry the Dog. As unlikely as two predators keeping company with a prey animal is, by my estimation, he seems quite happy with the arrangement. As a qualifier, I might add that these are two highly domesticated animals, I wouldn't expect this to work with say --- a wolf and a white tailed deer, though, I am aware of dogs being kept with lions. A further qualifier: I don't favor wild animals being kept.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Dog Escapes Pasture He Shares With Ox
Harry the Dog is not built for jumping or digging, but for a while now he has been showing up, on occasion, outside the pasture fence. I walked the fence line in the deep snow, looking for tracks that would tell me where he was getting out, but found none. One day watching from the house I saw him climb over the hay feeder. So I set up the camera, tempted him with his deer skin, and waited. It didn't take long before I got this video.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Oxen Powered Paddlewheelers Used by Romans in Maritime Battles
15th century illustration of 4th or 5th century oxen powered paddlewheeler. |
Oxen powered paddle-wheelers were apparently more than just a concept. Following is the translation of a quote from De Rebus Bellciis, an anonymous 4th or 5th century (A.D.) writing.
“. . . .oxen, yoked in pairs to capstans, turn wheels attached to the sides of the ship; paddles, projecting above the circumference or curved surface of the wheels, beating the water with their strokes like oar-blades as the wheels revolve, work with an amazing and ingenious effect, their action producing rapid motion. . . .”
The Roman Army is said to have used the oxen powered paddlewheelers on the Mediterranean Sea. The paddle wheels were used in combination with sails. Because of the ship's heavy weight, and it's increased speed over short distances, the Romans had an advantage over the enemy. By overtaking the enemy they were able to smash their lighter sailing ships with the sturdy bows of the oxen powered paddlewheelers.
The paddlewheelers must have been larger than the fanciful one illustrated above. The oxen would have needed room to get their footing and to travel efficiently around the capstans. The vertical shafted capstans turned whatever machinery was used to transfer the work to the horizontal shafted wheels.
One can imagine the advantage of oxen powered ships if the winds were calm, and the enemies sails were hanging limp.
Oxen consume a lot of hay and fresh water, so the ships must have operated close to home. Large haystacks and water-tanks on board ships would have hampered progress on the open sea.
The Chinese are said to have had a similar invention.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Team of Oxen Battle the Tide in 'The Golden Days'
Vol. XIII—No. 51 November 12, 1892. |
Excerpt from
Matt and Natt's Venture
By Wm. Pendleton Chipman
On examining the heap of seaweed, he became convinced that by loading heavily he could carry what remained in two loads.
He therefore pitched away until in his judgment half of the heap was upon the cart. It made a big load, but the oxen were stout, and, bending their necks to the yoke, they, at Matt’s command, started slowly off. As he approached the narrow roadway, he noticed the tide had gained rapidly and was now sweeping over it with considerable force and depth.
Jumping upon the tongue of the cart, he urged his oxen through the tossing waves. To his consternation, the water came well up around the patient animals’ backs, and had he not quickly scrambled to the top of his load he would have been thoroughly drenched.
The cattle, however, raised their noses high as possible and plunged bravely through the flood, soon emerging on the other side with their load unharmed.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
White on White: Oxen and Apple Blossoms
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Snow on the Ground, Spring in the Air
An oxcart ride in Eden Township, Polk County, Minnesota, set to Nature's of Winter music by ChuckBerglund, lyrics, Winter Glow by Emily Richards.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Snow and Ice: Grooming After the Storm
Helping Scout the Ox stay warm by removing the snow and ice in his coat, with a curry-comb.
Preventing Accidental Learning of Undesirable Behaviors
A psychology primer.
The concept of accidental learning illustrated by Scout the Ox. Preventing undesirable behavior is the key to eliminating the natural reinforcement that would result in accidental learning. Prevention requires seeing in advance what may happen next.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Ox and Dog: Snow Friends
Scout the Ox and Happy-Harry the Dog spend a lot of their day just hanging out, passing time. They keep each other company as seen in this video on a snowy day.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Melancholy Ox-Cart Journey
Winter ox-carting near Trail, Minnesota. Includes Trail Hills, round barn, and the small town of Trail.
Free Desktop Background: Wide Screen Monitor Ox and Round Barn Trail Hills, Trail, Minnesota |
Free Desktop Background: Standard Monitor Ox and Round Barn Trail Hills, Trail, Minnesota |
Monday, February 18, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
Audio: Squeaky Cold Snow
When we lived on the coast in Oregon, for a time, I missed the sound of squeaky, cold snow. So here's an audio of the sound, for all the unfortunate folks who live in warmer climes! ;-)
Monday, February 11, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
A Job for the Dog
Happy Harry, a.k.a. Harry-the-Dog, destroyed a lot of dropped gloves and tool handles before I tried to change his bad-boy behavior into good. I started trading a little cat food, or a bit of rawhide chew, for dropped gloves. He quickly learned that some items were more useful for exchange than others. When he finds a glove or a soft handled tool he'll bring it near me and tease me with it until I come up with the proper currency. No currency, no deal!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
History Link: World's Largest Oxen
Worlds Largest Oxen: Mt. Katahdin and Granger Combined weight 9800 pounds (avg. 4900 pounds each) Mr. A.S. Rand, breeder Stetson, Maine Photo taken August 24, 1930 |
Interesting history and more photos of the worlds largest oxen in 1930, Creambrook Farm, Stetson, Maine
Click HereMaine Memory Network
Flatbed Work: Scout the Ox
Scout the Ox pulls a flatbed trailer for work around the farm. Notice, at about the middle of the video, I have tied one rein to the trailer to prevent Scout from walking off with the dog.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Snapshot in the Dark
Recently, I bedded the ox and the dogs stall with shredded paper that happened to be bright-colored pink, orange, and green. I thought to get a flash picture of Harry sleeping in his gaudy nest. In the dark I quietly approached and opened the top half of the stall door and fired off this shot. Harry met me at the door and this picture resulted.
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