Sunday, February 22, 2015

Year of the Domestic Ruminant

February 19th was the Chinese or Lunar New year and the start of the year 4713. The Chinese also have 12 astrological or zodiac symbols, one for each year in the cycle but they are all animals and if you are born in that year it is believed that you will have the characteristics of that animal. I was born in the year of the Ox and therefore should be calm, patient and dependable. If only ^_~ The animals are:

  • Rat
  • Ox
  • Tiger
  • Rabbit
  • Dragon
  • Snake
  • Horse
  • Sheep
  • Monkey
  • Rooster
  • Dog
  • Pig

    This is the year of the sheep. But also the goat. Basically the year of the domestic even toed ungulate. Sheep and goats are nothing alike as far as I can tell. However sheep are not as nice as they look and goats are obviously not evil. So perhaps being born in the year of the sheep/goat means you will be a perfectly pleasant person. Or you will have a split personality!
    Mali - Sheep Herder


    This is the only stamp I could find showing any kind of domestic ungulate. Obviously since I live in South Africa I have plenty showing wild antelopes.

    This stamp came in a packet marked Pan Africa but most of the stamps were from Malta, which is in Europe. There were also a few stamps from the Maldives and Macau (both in Asia) as well as Mexico, Martinique and Montserrat (all in the Americas). In the whole packet there were 5 stamps from Africa! It was one of those very delightfully quirky things that happen occasionally.

    It is very common here in South Africa to have a young boy looking after goats and cattle. Or rather you see the goats and cattle wandering all over the road (even in busy urbanised areas) and no boy at all.

    Check out Sunday Stamps to see more.


    Sunday Stamps
  • 10 comments:

    1. Fantastic stamp - I'm glad it was in your not-so-Africa packet.

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    2. This is a very good contribution to the Sunday Stamps' theme today. Thanks for sharing!

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    3. well, 'domestic even toed ungulate', I hadn't thought of that explanation for the sheep/goat issue!
      This is a neat stamp. I'm so glad you joined us again. The themes are listed on the sidebar. I'm hoping to give everyone a good month's notice of upcoming themes. Next week is 'faces' and the week after will be 'trains and trams'.

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    4. It's a beautiful stamp, thank you for sharing!

      The packet better would have been named 'M', anyway it's interesting that all countries' names started with this letter.

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    5. That is a peaceful scene. As a fellow Ox not all are the same, I just recently learned that the type of Ox also depends on the time of day you were born.

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    6. I was also born under the year of the Ox.I wish both of us a properous year for the year of the sheep. :)

      Willa @ Postage Journal
      Sunday Stamp#93: Lunar Year

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      1. Thanks Willa. I wish great things for you too!

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    7. The first stamp from Mali that I have seen.

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      1. Bob, I have published a stamp from Mali here:
        http://vachequiritpostalproject.blogspot.com/2014/05/mali.html
        Maybe you like to see it.

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