This week we are looking at the world’s largest horse breeds with the Shire horse often considered the largest horse breed. It is a British breed known for its impressive size and strength, with some individuals reaching heights of 18 to 21 hands. The largest Shire on record, Sampson (later Mammoth), stood at 21.5 hands. They usually black, bay, or grey.
This horse originated in England and are known for their large size and powerful build. They can weigh up to 2,200 pounds and stand up to 18 hands tall. Historically used for pulling heavy carts and ploughing fields.
They are now used for horse riding, show events, as well as still being used for work in some areas. They are known for their gentle and calm temperament.
The Shire breed have held world records for both the largest and tallest horse.
They are primarily found in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the United States. While the breed originated in England, they have been exported and bred in other countries as well.
In addition to the Shire, other large horse breeds include the Clydesdale which is another British draft horse breed, known for its size and strength, and often used in parades and horse shows. Clydesdale horses are found in several countries around the world, most notably in their native Scotland, Oklahoma State University, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States.
They were also exported to other countries like Russia and South America. Today, the breed is particularly popular in Australia, where it’s known as “the breed that built Australia”.
Then there is the Belgian Draft Horse, known for its large size and strong build, used for farm work and heavy hauling. They are primarily found in Belgium, where they originated, and the United States, particularly the American Brabant. The breed is also found in other parts of Europe and North America.
This week we going back to North American counties, there are 23 countries in North America, each with its own history and culture.
This week’s country is Cuba.
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba, Isla de la Juventud, and 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the northern Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean meet.
The capital is Havana it has Spanish colonial architecture in its 16th-cecntury Old Havana core which includes the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, a fort and maritime museum. The National Capitol Building is an iconic 1920s landmark. Also in Old Havana is the baroque Catedral de San Cristóbal and Plaza Vieja, whose buildings reflect the city’s vibrant architectural mix.
The population is around 11 million and the language is Spanish.
In Cuba, religion is a vibrant and diverse aspect of culture, with Catholicism being the largest single religious group. While the government has a history of promoting atheism, today, religion thrives with a mix of Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, Afro-Cuban religions like Santería, and other syncretic practices.
The Cuban peso also known as moneda nacional, is the official currency of Cuba. The Cuban peso historically circulated at par with the Spanish-American silver dollar from the 16th to 19th centuries, and then at par with the U.S. dollar from 1881 to 1959. one and the country now has a single-currency economy. Until 1st January 2021, Cuba had spent nearly 20 years living and working with 2 currencies, the CUP ( Cuban Peso ) and the CUC ( Cuban Convertible Peso )
.
The Cuban flag, officially called the Bandera nacional de Cuba, features five alternating horizontal stripes of navy blue and white, with a red triangle at the hoist (the side with the pole) bearing a white five-pointed star in its centre. This design reflects Cuba’s history, particularly its struggle for independence and the unification of its regions. The flag was officially adopted on May 20, 1902.
Symbolism of the Colours:
Blue: Represents the country’s maritime location and the ideals of its people.
Red: Symbolizes the blood spilled by those who fought for Cuban independence.
White: Represents the purity of the revolutionary cause.
Cuba is constitutionally defined as a single party Marxist–Leninist socialist republic with semi-presidential powers.
iguel Díaz-Canel. Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (Latin American Spanish: [miˈɣel ˈdi.as kaˈnel]; born 20 April 1960) is a Cuban politician and engineer. He has served as the 8th first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba since 2021 and as the 17th president of Cuba since 2019.
The current Constitution of Cuba was adopted in 2019 after a public referendum, and it is considered the last socialist-inspired constitution with Soviet influence. The 2019 constitution aims to become a “normative constitution,” ensuring direct application of its principles, a challenge given Cuba’s history of weak legal culture. The constitution emphasizes socialism, communism, and the exploitation of man by man, while also promoting environmental protection and responding to climate change.
I slept all night; I woke once to pee and then when the alarm went off. The day started off cool and warmed up.
Didn’t do much today, same can be said for Tim he sat around watching telly all day but nothing wrong with a lazy Sunday.
Steps:3,555
I slept all night; didn’t wake at all till the alarm went off, Tim has work he should be home around 2.30pm.
Yet again I ordered the wrong ink for my printer, I am so annoyed with myself. When I mentioned it to Tim, he said maybe I shouldn’t order it in future and let him do it, this I think I might do.
Tim received a parcel it contained 2 bottles of lavender talcum powder, which he didn’t order. I really like the powder so it will not go to waste.
It has been another warm day.
Steps: 8,319
I slept all night again, woke once to pee, this morning I woke to the sound of rain, it is supposed to rain on and off all day.
It is a cool day, Tim and Sam went to cash in Sam’s cans. Tim also got rid of all the Coles bags.
It fined up enough for Tim to do a few things out the back or just sit in the sun listening to the radio. He also made a few phone calls to who I don’t know but I don’t need to know.
Tim advertised the printer ink I bought by mistake on Facebook marketplace, so hopefully I will be able to sell it and recover some of my money.
Steps: 6,549
I slept all night again, didn’t wake at all, I am getting use to this sleeping all night.
Sue took me to the doctors so I could have my flu shot, also had a vaccine for pneumonia. As we were getting in the car Sue saw some woman waving at her, it turned out to be Jeannie who is down this way for a doctor’s appointment but was early so decided to swing by my doctor’s surgery to see me and Sue. She gave me a reusable shopping bag that folds up into its own bag that has my name on it. I love it.
Before I left this morning, I told Tim the washing machine only had 20-minutes to go, he said he would hang it out. When I got home, he had forgotten about the laundry, so I had to see to that, also had to vacuum and tidy the kitchen.
Tim wanted to go to the Eastern Tiger for lunch I had him ring first and they said they could fit us in at 1pm, which was later then Tim expected so we didn’t go.
Steps: 7,001
After restless start, had to get up and us the Powerfit for 20 minutes, but after returning to bed I settled fast and sleep through to the alarm.
Tim had to be at work by 4am he finished at 8.30am, he then took the car to the auto-electrician to fit a light bar to the front of the car, but the fella reckoned it was booked in for next Thursday. Tim was able to play him the recorded phone call where he said he would see him this morning at 9am. The guy then said he didn’t know why he said that.
It has rained on and off during the day.
Had a good day even though I had a headache on and off and a runny nose on and off that I put down to my flu shot.
Steps:6,860
Another good night it is a cool morning but should heat up.
Kath rang and asked me if I had her school reports, but I don’t even but I stilled pulled out everything from the dining table seats. I could not find them.
By midday I had changed into shorts due to how warm it is.
Sue received a lovely voice message from Sandy. Also, she had a good talk to Kirsty who was operated on yesterday and although she talked it down it turns out it was a big operation. She had to have the bicep tendon in her arm repaired. She had damaged her shoulder while at work last year. Sue has told her if she needs her mum to go and help her, she will find the money to get a flight there.
I walked up and checked the mail; my postal vote forms came I will fill them in and send them off over the weekend.
Steps:4,680
Up and showered ready for the day, yes, I had another good night. It is another cool morning but should warm up, we are looking at a 27C day at the moment it is only 12C
Tim and I went to Coles (supermarket) to get a few things after returning home I have been working on the laptop and he is outside working on the yard.
Blain and Ta’lia came down to show us their new tattoos
By lunch time it had reached 27C again, thankfully with both front and back doors open there was a nice cool breeze so no need for air con.
Good morning, all today I am doing my first Caturday post starting with this photo of my sister Sue’s cat Archie. This photo was taken when Sue adopted him back on the 24-12-2024. Over the next few weeks we will see how he has grown and I will also post photos of my daughter’s cat Luca
Hi everyone, it is Friday afternoon, and I just realised I didn’t post yesterday or today, on Wednesday I had a flu shot as well as a pneumonia shot, and I haven’t been sick I just haven’t really been 100%.
I hope I will be more with it tomorrow and will be able to spend some time working on next week’s blog posts.
This week we will look at the capital of the state of Queensland, Brisbane.
The town is on the Brisbane River it has a population of around 2,568,170, making it the third most populous city in Australia, after Sydney and Melbourne.
The first European to explore the Brisbane area was Lieutenant Matthew Flinders in 1799, during his circumnavigation of Australia. However, it wasn’t until 1823 that the area began to be considered for a settlement. That year, a group of shipwrecked timber getters, including John Oxley, discovered the Brisbane River.
The traditional name for Brisbane, used by the Turrbal and Yuggera people, is Meanjin. It was first known as Edenglassie, but later changed to Brisbane in 1834 after Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, the then-Governor of New South Wales.
The Turrbal people are considered the original inhabitants of the Brisbane area, and their traditional name for the region is Meanjin, which means “the place of the blue water lilies”. They have been custodians of the land for thousands of years.
Brisbane is known for its laid-back atmosphere, vibrant urban life, and beautiful natural surroundings, particularly its river and access to beaches and islands. It’s also a significant cultural and culinary hub, offering a wide array of dining experiences, and a diverse range of attractions, including the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and the Queensland Cultural Centre.
Brisbane has been chosen to host the 2032 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Games are scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8, 2032 for the Olympics and from August 24 to September 5, 2032 for the Paralympics. Brisbane will be a co-host city, along with the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.
This week we are looking at horses, the horse is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature, Eohippus, into the large, single-toed animal of today. Horses are a diverse species with more than 400 different breeds.
Humans first domesticated horses close to 4,000 years ago. In the centuries since then, we have used breeding to evolve horses that serve different purposes. Some breeds developed to be strong enough to carry heavy burdens.
It’s estimated that there are around 60 million horses worldwide, both wild and domesticated. This includes a wide variety of breeds, with some countries having more diverse populations than others. While exact figures are difficult to determine, horses are found in many countries across the globe.
Horses can be found in virtually every country on Earth, both in domestic care and as feral or wild populations. While exact numbers are difficult to determine, there are an estimated 60 million horses globally, both domesticated and wild. This widespread distribution reflects the horse’s adaptability and its historical importance to human societies.
Depending on breed, management and environment, the modern domestic horse has a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. Uncommonly, a few animals live into their 40s and, occasionally, beyond. The oldest verifiable record was “Old Billy”, a 19th-century horse that lived to the age of 62.
In simple terms, horses eat grass and hay or haylage, but salt, concentrates and fruits or vegetables can also enhance their diets, depending on the required work regime and available feed.
The gestation period for a horse is 340 days on average, or about 11 months. Some mares may give birth earlier or later, particularly if they are a maiden (this is their first pregnancy), or if there are health.
While horses can conceive twins, it’s extremely rare and carries significant risks for both the mare and the foals. Twin pregnancies are often managed by reducing the pregnancy to a single A mare can typically have between 16 and 20 foals in her lifetime, with most mares giving birth to only one foal at a time.
A male horse is generally called a stallion. If the male horse is castrated, it’s called a gelding. A young male horse is known as a colt.
A female horse is called a mare. Specifically, a mare is an adult female horse, while a female horse under four years old is called a filly.
They have a natural ability to swim and are often found in water, especially when they can’t avoid it. Horses swim using a paddle-like motion, similar to their trot, and they can learn to swim easily. While they can swim, they cannot swim underwater and need to keep their heads above water.
Horse height is measured in “hands,” where one hand is equal to 4 inches. This is typically done by measuring the height of the horse’s withers, the highest point on their back between the shoulder blades.
Next week I will cover the largest and the smallest horses.
This week I am doing a little more about England with information such as, England’s national animal which is the lion.
In the Middle Ages there were lions kept at the Towel of London as part of a menagerie.
English medieval warrior rulers with a reputation for bravery attracted the nickname “the Lion”: the most famous being Richard 1 aka Richard the Lionhearthed.
Lions are frequently depicted on shields they also appear in sculpture, at sites of national importance. The lion is used as a symbol of English sporting teams, such as their national sporting teams.
The national tree is the oak tree, specifically the English oak, it represents strength and endurance. In 1651 during the battle of Worcester King Charles 11 hid in an oak tree before making it safely into exile.
The national flower is the rose, a Tudor rose is officially used, it signifies the unification of the warring parties of during the War of the Roses under the Tudor dynasty, the red rose represented the House of Lancaster, and the white rose the House of York.
England doesn’t have a single official national dish, however there are some foods mostly connected to the country such as roast beef with Yorkshire pudding which has its roots dating back to the 18th century. The ballad “The Roast Beef of Old England” from 1731 highlights the dish’s cultural significance.
Other dishes would be fish and chips, toad in the hold and bangers and mash.
Toad in the hole is a traditional British dish consisting of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter, usually served with onion gravy and vegetables. Historically, the dish has also been prepared using other meats, such as rump steak and lamb’s kidney.
Bangers and mash are sausages, and mash is a traditional British dish consisting of sausages and mashed potato. The dish is usually served with onion gravy but may also include fried onions and peas.
England’s national drink is tea. While gin is also a strong contender, particularly in the south, tea’s widespread consumption across all social classes.
Many people say that England has two national sports being Association football (commonly known as soccer), as well as Cricket, which is often considered the national summer sport.
Also, England is known for being the home of some amazing authors such as William Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens to name a few.
There are two versions of the banknotes in circulation. One version featuring a portrait of King Charles III and one version featuring a portrait of Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. There are four denominations of the banknotes in circulation: £5, £10, £20 and £50. The £1 & £2 notes have been converted to coins during the 1980’s and 1990’s.
In England, women gained the right to vote in a phased approach. The Representation of the People Act of 1918 granted women over 30 the vote, provided they also met certain property qualifications. However, full equality with men was achieved in 1928 with the Equal Franchise Act of 1928, which lowered the voting age for women to 21.
The first woman to have a seat in parliament was Nancy Astor (Viscountess Astor), after a by-election, in December 1919. She was elected as a Conservative for the Plymouth Sutton constituency after her husband, Waldorf Astor, the former MP, was elevated to the peerage.
The English coat of arms, featuring three golden lions on a red field, dates back to the late 12th century, around 1198. While there are earlier uses of lions in English heraldry, the specific design of three lions passant-guardant was introduced by King Richard I and is the one that became established as the Royal Arms of England.
The coat of arms of England, part of the wider Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, features three lions passant (walking) on a field of gold, representing the English royal lineage. This design, often described as “three lions on a field of gold,” has been a consistent symbol of England since its adoption by King Richard I in the 12th century. The lions, initially a single lion on a shield, were later expanded to three by his successor, King John, and have remained a defining feature of the English coat of arms ever since.
At the center of the arms is a quartered shield, depicting the three passant guardant lions of England in the first and fourth quarters, the rampant lion and double tressure flory-counterflory of Scotland in the second quarter, and a harp for Ireland in the third quarter.
Well I guess I will wrap this up hope people found the post interesting.
I had another good night sleeping straight through although I woke with a runny nose and have a headache again. Also, up earlier than normal as the clocks changed and I was awake, only 20-minutes earlier so that’s ok.
The bird Tim was fussing over last night died this morning which is sad.
It is another hot day, and I am having a rough arvo, my left hearing aid keeps falling out which is annoying.
7,129
I slept well in fact at 4am I was getting up as I thought it was 5am, although when I realised my mistake, I got back into bed for another hour.
Tim home for a couple of hours, he got a stern talking to about an accident he had a work a week ago, damaged the bus and something on the street. He still has his job though; he was sure he would get the sack over it.
I have had another bad afternoon with the uncontrollable movement of my body. Did a video and shared it on Facebook so others can see what I have to cope with some days.
I turned the air con on around 1.15pm for a few hours as I was hot and didn’t want to deal with the heat.
Steps: 7,899
I woke up with a headache which is annoying it is a nice cool morning. I used a small, long-life milk to make my porridge this morning.
This morning Sam was picked up by a different driver in a different van, not sure if Joel is off sick or what.
I have felt ok for most of the day did the usual housework.
Sue rang she had a phone call from the hearing aid people who told her my appointment is for 12.30 tomorrow, I don’t know why I would make it for that time I don’t like appointments after midday. Sue managed to change the time till 8.45 instead.
This afternoon I am aching all over and feel extremely tired, I will be in bed by 7.30pm.
Steps:8,692
I woke up tired and my legs will not stop moving making it difficult to stand.
Sue and I went to the hearing aid place, me to have a check I all was good with my hearing aids. Sue had her hearing checked and yes, she needs hearing aids and thankfully she doesn’t need to pay as she is on a pension.
The difficulty with my legs went away by 9am.
After the hearing place we went to Coles so I could get a few things.
By 3pm I was extremely tied again, so tied I found concentrating on stuff almost impossible. I will be having another very early night.
Steps:7,399
I slept all night, and I am doing pretty good this morning, I am going to try and have an hour nap each day from midday to 1pm and see if that helps prevent the extreme tiredness I am feeling of an arvo.
I did have an hour nap, and it did help I am still very tired but not as bad as the last few days.
I did manage to write a few letters today.
The nap has helped I am tried this evening but not so much that I am falling asleep at 6pm.
Steps:6,988
I slept all night, and I am doing pretty good this morning, I had to wait till after Tim left for work to have a shower.
Received a wonderful text message from Sandy last night played it this morning and got all chocked up.
I had to ring Sue this morning as she wasn’t replying to my messages, she phone had restrictions on it as she hadn’t paid her bill yet. She went and spoke to someone about it, telling them she will pay it on the 17th but really needed to be able to receive messages as she was my carer, so they removed the restrictions.
We then went to her doctor’s appointment she has to see someone about her eyes as she needs three health professionals in order to get a care plan.
After that we went to the cemetery, Sue liked what I wrote and left on the headstone. She said I should send a copy of it to the other siblings.
Steps: 6,668
IT’S BEEN 4YRS TODAY SINCE MUM PASSED
I slept all night; I woke at 5.12am wondering where my phone was as it wasn’t next to the bed. I had left t in the lounge-room last night.
Tim and I went over to Lake Fair, I did some shopping while
Tim cashed in some bottles.
It has been a warm day, Tim did some more work in the back
yard and has started thinking about stuff he wants to do out
Hi everyone, I was somewhat slack with posting last week but I should do better this coming week here are some links to posts done over at Random Stuff recently.
Jo-AnneRamplings 