Let's Talk About the Blarney Stone

Most people who celebrate St Patrick's Day either know of, or have heard of, the Blarney Stone but few actually know anything about the stone itself or why so many people want to kiss the Blarney Stone. So let's answer all these questions now.

The Blarney Stone is a large block of blue limestone that currently sits in an outer wall of Blarney Castle not far from the city of Cork in Ireland. The Legend of the Blarney Stone started in the 12th Century; however it was never written down until 1584. My guess though, is the legend is about 95% accurate. So take a moment, sit back and read this informative article. Its fun trivia and you will learn something new. 

Scholars tell us the Blarney Stone originally came from the middle east - near the Holy Lands. It was brought to Europe by the knights returning from the crusaders. Now there are two theories regarding why the Blarney Stones was brought to Europe. Some say it is the “Stone of Ezel”; the stone described in the Hebrew Bible as the stone young David hid behind to escape from King Saul. Others say it was the stone Moses struck with his staff in the middle of the dessert to cause water to gush forth so the Israelites could quench their thirst during their exodus from Egypt.

Whichever theory is correct - we know the stone made its way to Scotland where the Scots called it their 'Stone of Destiny'. Then, in an offer of good will the Stone of Destiny was split in half. Half was sent to King Munster in Ireland. King Munster, ruled Ireland from Blarney Castle. King Munster hated the English so he sent five thousand men to Scotland to help the Scots defeat the English at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. 

Now this is really cool. Have you watched the Mel Gibson movie – Braveheart? Well the 5,000 men King Munster sent to Scotland were sent to reenforce the army of Sir Robert the Bruce - the man who betrayed Braveheart in the movie. Anyway with the help of Munster's men Robert the Bruce was able to defeat the English.

To show his gratitude Robert cut the 'Stone of Destiny' in half and sent half to King Munster. Robert then had the stone placed in the walls of Castle Blarney – and it is there in Ireland we can go kiss the Blarney Stone.

Now, legend has it – those who kiss the Blarney Stone are blessed / endowed / or given the gift of Eloquence. Unfortunately kissing the Blarney Stone is no easy task. First a person must climb up 125 irregularly shaped steps to reach the parapet of the castle wall – which is over 100 feet above the ground. Then, once on the parapet the person must lie on his or her back, then twist their spine and extend their neck so their lips can press against the stone. 

So what exactly is Blarney and why do people want it? The young Irish say Blarney is a form of flattery, however; old timer Irish say it is the art of speaking. Blarney they say is much more then flattery; it is flattery sweetened with humor and flavored with spicy wit. 

For almost three hundred years, millions of people have traveled to Castle Blarney in Ireland just to kiss the Blarney Stone. People - rich and poor, young and old, male and female, famous and not-so-famous all - people who want the gift of blarney so they can live their lives to the fullest. 

Unfortunately, thousands of would be kissers fell to their deaths while trying to kiss the Stone because of it location; so in 1928 iron railings were installed to prevent further tragedies. Trained assistants now sit atop the castle's parapet to help hopeful kissers contort their bodies and get in the proper position to kiss the Blarney Stone.

Every summer over a thousand people a day visit Castle Blarney. They stand in line, make the arduous trek up the narrow stairway, lay down on the stone walkway, contort their bodies, stretch their necks and then pucker up – just to kiss the mysterious blue slab of limestone known as the Blarney Stone. 

Amazingly those who have kissed the Blarney Stone say the trip to Ireland was well worth it; all would gladly go through this ordeal again. Each one swears their lives were incredibly transformed after they received the gift of Blarney. 

Fun in the Snow

With the weather so nice today Katie let Spencer and Ben go play in snow behind the barn # 2.  Man did they loved being outside.

Hard to believe but next month - hopefully around March 25th (if the Farmer's Almanac is correct) we will be letting the herd out to pasture.  Boy are they ever ready to go outside and graze.

Annual Labor Day Race - the best event of the year.

This Saturday - September 3rd, 2016 - we will be hosting our 12th Annual tortoise vs. the hare race.  As usual we will be substituting a turtle for the tortoise and a rabbit for the hare. Its amazing how each year this race gets more exciting.

Hope you all have a great Labor Day weekend. 

Ralph & Gabe     

Win a Lucky Rabbits Foot

Here' is your chance to win a "Genuine" Ralph's Rabbit Ranch lucky Rabbit's foot.

Please take a moment to review the "Collective Comments" listed below by people who were likely to have said something about the gourmet rabbits sold on Ralph's Rabbit Ranch.

After reading the 'Likely Collective Comments' listed submit a comment you think is fitting for Ralph's Rabbit Ranch. If we can use your comments we will send you your very own genuine Ralph's Rabbit Ranch Lucking Rabbit foot. This prized objet d'art is believed, by many cultures and societies from around the world, to hold some mystical force that can keep one out of harms way and bring good fortune.

Judging of all likely comments received will take place on Monday, August 18th at 1pm here at Ralph's Rabbit Ranch in pristine Lugerville, Wisconsin. 

Up to 25 lucky Ralph's Rabbit feet will be awarded and mailed out to the winners. Authors of winning entries will be contacted via Face Book message to confirm an appropriate mailing address. All lucky rabbit's feet awarded will be mailed out via the US Postal Service utilizing 'First Class' mail service.

Sorry only one submission per person will be allowed.

Below are the rules for all likely comment submissions:

1) All submissions must be in English

2) Photo's and artwork will not be allowed

3) The use of profanity is not permitted and will automatically disqualify the entry

4) 'Likely comments' should reflect the statement or thoughts of likely well known public figures, celebrities or historical characters either real or animated. For example it could be conjectured that Tony the Tiger is likely to have said -" Ralph's Rabbits ... There Great" or Elmer Fudd could be conjectured to have said "Walphs Wabbits are Waskley Wabbits"

5) Points will be awarded for originality and creativity

6) Bonus points will be awarded for "Likely comments" postulated by federal lawmakers and foreign heads of state - China and North Korea excluded of course.

Reminder: Ralph's Rabbit Ranch along with its subsidiaries and affiliate holding interests reserves the right to share any entry submitted on Face Book or use in other print medias.

Good luck and we hope you win.

Ralph

Read the notice below:

Ralph’s Rabbit Ranch® 

… The Pride of Wisconsin Ranching

Featuring - Gabe’s Gourmet Rabbits®

Homegrown and free range - our barley and alfalfa fed, koshered gourmet rabbits are raised exclusively for discriminating diners with exquisite taste.

Collective comments 'likely shared' regarding Gabe’s Gourmet Rabbits®

Living in D.C. we’ve forgotten how great Wisconsin rabbit taste. Thanks Ralph for an incredible meal.
Tommy Thompson – former Governor of Wisconsin

The best part about shooting a film in Wisconsin was enjoying delicious burgers brought over daily from Ralph’s ranch.
Johnny Deep – Actor … While filming Public Enemies

You don’t have to be a Master Chef to prepare an elegant and gourmet meal for your family with Ralph’s rabbits.
Gordon Ramsey – 16 Star Michelin Chef

Ralph, your sautéed rabbit loins and red cabbage are definitely worthy of an Oscar! I give you two thumbs up.
Julie Roberts – Pretty Woman

If Ralph’s Rabbit Ranch were located in Chicago we would be larger than L.A. and New York City.
Richard M. Daley – former Mayor of Chicago

My visit to Ralph’s Rabbit Ranch was the best adventure I ever had. You guys are great!
Pee Wee Herman – Entertainer and Television Personality Extraordinaire

Seen animals from all over the world but am now convinced gourmet rabbits come only from Wisconsin north of the picket wire. .
Jack Hanna – Director of the Cincinnati Zoo & TV Personality

Gabe’s Gourmet Rabbits® Now shipped anywhere in the US or Europe next day air -fresh or frozen for your discreet dining pleasure.

Fruit and Vegetable Trivia # 1

Here at the Ralph's ranch we're always looking for new and improved foods that we can blend in to our feed that we give  our herd. Recently, while reading a horticulturist magazine I came across some interesting, if not down right, bizarre facts.

Here are some interesting little factoids you may find of interest. 


All watermelons have an even number of stripes on their outer rinds.  Its true check it out. 

Each ear of corn always has an even number of rows of kernels. 

All stalks of wheat have an even number of grains.

Every orange has an even number of segments when you cut it in half.

Now here is the kicker - "every bunch of bananas" - has on its lowest row an even number of bananas.  Its amazing as bananas grown the number of bananas on each row decreases "by one" on each succeeding row. So as you look at every bunch of bananas hanging in a tree there is an even row and an odd row with every bunch of bananas.

If you find information of this nature interesting let us know and we will post more for you. Likewise, if you do not find this kind of trivia of interest let us know as well and we will stop. 

Thanks 

Ralph

Rabbits - Coctails & Taxes. Something to think about

In a small rural community ten boys graduated from High School and went to work at a local rabbit ranch. As luck would have it each boy qualified for a different job. Their jobs ranged from Rabbit Feeders to Sales & Marketing and each boy was paid a different wage rate.  

The years flew bye yet their friendship and loyalty to the rabbit ranch remained strong. When the boys turned 21 they began to meet at a local bar for cocktails on Thursday nights. After leaving the ranch they’d sip their drips, talk about the old HS football team, how their families were doing and how their work was going at the rabbit ranch. When the night came to an end their bar tab was generally $100.

They all knew there was a significant difference in their pay so they came up with a plan they thought would be best for all to pay their bar tab. The first four boys (the lowest paid of the ten) were allowed to pay nothing. The fifth boy was asked to pay $1.00 while the sixth boy was asked to contribute $3. The seventh agreed to lay down $7 and the eighth boy tossed in $12. The ninth gladly kicked in $18 and the tenth boy (the one with the highest paying job) coughed up the remaining $59.

They used this arrangement every Thursday until one week when the bar owner threw the boys a curve. He walked over to their table and handed them the bill and he said: “You boys are such wonderful customers; you have been coming here for over two years every Thursday having a good time. I am going to reduce your bar tab by $20. From now on when you boys come in on Thursday’s you will only have to pay $80 not the regular $100.00.

The boys were delighted with the owners new offer and they quickly agreed to still continue to use a sliding scale to pay their new bar tab. As before the better paid friends agreed to put in a bigger share to pay the tab; however they were not sure how to divide up the $20 reduction?  

They still felt the first four should not have to pay anything; but if they divided the $20 savings offered by the owner by six that would mean a $3.33 savings per boy.  If they subtracted $3.33 from each of their current shares, the fifth and sixth boy would both wind up receiving money for their night of drinking and that just didn’t seem right.  

Seeing the dilemma the boys were in the bar owner suggested perhaps they should use the same system Washington DC uses to compute income taxes. The boys thought about it and agreed to give it a try; they let the bar owner calculate their new reduced shares based on the federal income tax system.

Under the new reduced pay system the fifth boy like the first four, would pay nothing (a 100% savings). The sixth boy would now only have to pay $2 instead of $3 (a 33% saving). The seventh boy would now pay only $5 instead of $7 (a 28% saving) and the eighth boy would now be required to pay $9 instead of $12 (a 25% saving). Finally, the ninth boy would be required to contribute $14 instead of $18 (a 22% saving) and the tenth boy – the highest paid boy at the ranch - would only pay $49 instead of $59 (a 16% saving).

Proud of his comprise solution, the bar owner was certain the boys were all better off now than before.  

Using the new system the boys paid their $80.00 bar tab then left the bar. Once outside they began to re-think the new pay plan. “I only got one dollar out of the $20 savings,” declared the sixth boy!” and then he pointed to the tenth boy and said” but he got a $10 savings!” 

“That’s right,” exclaimed the fifth man. “I only saved one dollar too and it isn’t fair that he gets ten times more of a benefit than me!” “That’s true!” shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back, when I only got $2? I guess my Dad was right, the wealthiest always get all the breaks!”

Just then the first four boys who paid nothing stepped forward and said “what the heck are you guys complaining about? Look at us; we didn’t get any savings at all from the $20.00 reduction. This new system sucks - we are the ones who are being exploited!”

The nine boys were now all so worked up and irate with the new system that they surrounded the tenth boy and beat him up and left him bleeding in the street as they walked home. The next week, after leaving work at the rabbit ranch ,the nine boys met at the bar for their weekly night out; however the tenth boy never did show up.  The nine boys who went out still had their drinks and conversations without him.

Just like always towards the end of the night the bar owner came over to their table and handed them the bar tab. The nine boys quickly realized that they did not have enough money between them to cover even half the bill.

And that, boys and girls is the problem we will face every time someone comes up with an idea to make our federal income tax system fairer. Some people will always be unhappy with the changes. Regardless of who proposes reductions the wealthy will always be the ones to receive the greatest reduction.

So the next time someone suggests we tax the wealthier workers at the rabbit ranch more just because they have better paying jobs keep in mind they might not show up on Thursday night anymore. In fact, they might just start going to a bar overseas on Thursdays where there is a friendlier atmosphere and they believe they are treated better.

Rabbit Fact # 8 Rabbit History

Humans have consumed rabbits as a source of high quality meat as far back as 1500BC.

Rabbit Fact # 5

A typcial rabbit litter can range in size from as few as 4 kits up to 12 kits.

(Yes, kits are what baby rabbits are referred to.  They are not officially bunnies as most people think)   

Rabbit Fact # 3

Rabbits are generally most active at dawn and dusk.

Rabbit Fact # 2

Did you know that a 4 lb rabbit will drink as much water as a 20 lb dog in one day?

Anybody Have Any Jackalope Stories They Want to Share?

We are looking for Jackalope stories from our readers.

If you have any stories or interesting facts about the Jackalope you want to share please let us know.

Either post a comment or email us at

ralphsrabbitranch@gmail.com

Rabbit Fact # 1

Rabbits are not Hares, however they are closely related.

The primary but not the only difference is that Hares have fur when they are born plus their eyes are open.  Rabbits on the other hand are born blind and have no fur.

Jackrabbits are Hare - not Rabbits.

If you have a Rabbit Fact please post a comment and let us know.