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The grey wolf - otherwise known as the timber wolf, white wolf or 'common' wolf - lives in a variety of habitats, from the Arctic tundra and open steppes of Russia, to the mountainous regions and forests of the northern hemisphere. It has a highly organised social structure which enables it to enjoy the maximum cooperation when hunting, communicating, and defending its territory. So successful was it that the grey wolf was once the world's most widespread mammal.
Once widespread throughout North America, Canada, Europe and the Far East, the grey wolf is sadly now only found in large numbers in specific parts of Russia, North America and Eastern Europe. Small numbers also occur in the Abruzzi mountains in Italy.
The main reason for the wolf's continuing decline has been the dramatic reduction of its natural prey. This has largely been replaced by farm stock which is protected by the use of poisons, traps and even guns. It is still shot in Europe despite legal protection.
The final fate of the wolf will depend on whether mankind can allow the animal the co-exist alongside him.
The hierarchy that exists within each pack is maintained by dominant or submissive body posturing, as well as other behavioural patterns such as the communal care of the young.
The size of the pack's territory depends on the availability of prey, but usually covers several hundred square kilometres. The grey wolf is fiercely territorial. It scent marks boundaries and makes its presence known by howling to other members of the pack. Calls may be answered by rival wolf packs.
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The grey wolf lives in a variety of habitats, from the Arctic tundra and open steppes of Russia, to the mountainous regions and forests of the northern hemisphere. It has a highly organised social structure which enables it to enjoy the maximum cooperation when hunting, communicating, and defending its territory.
The size of the pack's territory depends on the availability of prey, but usually covers several hundred square kilometres.
The grey wolf is fiercely territorial. It scent marks boundaries and makes its presence known by howling to other members of the pack. Calls may be answered by rival wolf packs.
What do wolves eat?
Relying chiefly on its hearing and sense of smell to detect prey, the wolf will follow its target all day and night if necessary. It is not particularly fast - the wolf has a top speed of about 45 km per hour, but it does have remarkable powers of endurance which is the key to its hunting success. After a kill, each wolf - starting with high ranking individuals - will eat as much meat as it can. This can sometime be as much as one fifth of its entire body weight! What cannot be consumed is left for scavengers, even though the wolf may have to wait another three or four days before it catches its next meal.
Each member of the pack hunts, except for those too young to join in. These remain at home and wait for food to be brought to them.
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The Snowy Owl is arguably the most iconic of all the owls, and why wouldn't it be. Pristine white plumage and beautifully dark, soulful eyes, no wonder it is the marketeers number one bird for portraying the spirit of Christmas. Ever since its big-screen début in the Harry Potter franchise the mysticism behind the Snowy owl has grown, but let us not forget that this creature is both a genuine force of nature, and a formidable hunter!
The male snowy owl is almost entirely white, with just a few dark flecks on his plumage. The female is more heavily marked, with dark bars on her upper parts, breast and belly. She is also up to one fifth larger, one third heavier and longer claws that the male. This marked difference between the sexes is unique among owls.
What does the snowy owl eat?
In the arctic, the snowy owl feeds mainly on lemming and – to a lesser extent – vole. Elsewhere the snowy owl will eat rabbit, hare and certain birds such as ptarmigan, auk and gull.
Unlike the great majority of owls, the snowy owl rarely hunts during the hours of darkness. Instead, it seeks its prey during the daytime – especially in the twilight of early morning and evening.
After watching from a high perch, the snowy owl glides or hovers over the ground before swooping on to its prey, making the kill with its powerful talons armed with razor-sharp claws.
In the brief Arctic summer, the snowy owl is faced with almost continuous daylight. However, the long Arctic winter brings many hours of darkness and numbing cold, but the owl's superbly insulating plumage keeps it warm.
Food is scarce during the harsh winter months of the far north, and the snowy owl is capable of fasting for up to forty days at a time. It relies heavily on the thick deposit of fat under its skin that it lays down earlier on in the year, and saves energy by moving as little as possible.
For many years the snowy owl has been a visitor – albeit a rare one – to northern Britain as well as other parts of northern Europe, but in 1967 birdwatchers were thrilled to learn that a pair of snowy owls has nested on the island of Fetlar, in the Shetland Islands. Careful protection enabled this pair to breed with great success. Within eight breeding seasons, they hatched a total of 49 eggs of which 23 young survived. Since that time all the birds have left the island.
He may chase after rival males and even grapple with them in mid air. A female snowy owl will also defend territory or a potential mate against the interests of other female snowy owls.
The nest is a hollow in the ground, usually on a ridge or outcrop. Like other owl species, the female snowy owl staggers her egg laying. This ensures that the older, stronger chicks will survive during periods of food shortage, by taking most of the food their parents bring to the nest and even killing and eating their younger and weaker siblings.
The owlets are covered first with thin white down, but soon acquire a second coat of sooty black down.
At 43 to 50 days old, the young birds can fly and by 60 days they will be able to hunt for themselves. Unfortunately many chicks fall prey to predators such as skua birds and arctic foxes.
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Flamingo facts
THE VERMILLION FLYCATCHER - Pyrocephalus rubinus
The black rhino is considered to be the most aggressive species of its family and despite its massive bulk can charge at great speed at an unwary observer. However, it rarely presses home such attacks, preferring instead to browse the low trees of its wooded habitat, or simply to doze in the cool shade.
Black Rhino facts
1. A black rhino can charge at 50 km per hour and is completely capable of killing a human being. It can even cause serious damage to a car.
2. Black rhinos can't see too well, so they sometimes charge objects like trees and rocks, mistaking them as threats. However, the black rhino has a keen sense of smell and hearing. Black rhinos use the bigger of the two horns on their noses as weapons in a fight.
3. The horns of a rhino are made of a substance similar to that of human fingernails, sometimes break off, but they are able to grow back.
4. A female black rhino was once seen wallowing with 6 turtles picking out ticks as they climbed out her body.
5. The oxpecker bird travels regularly on the rhino's back, and provides valuable services. Not only do they pick out ticks, they also screech loudly when humans approach.
6. A black rhino calf follows its mother while she clears a path through dense cover, but a young white rhino is more likely to run on ahead.
7. In several Asian cultures, people believe that a rhino horn provides powerful medicine for a variety of ailments. Other people, who live mainly in northern Africa, use rhino horns to make the handles for special daggers. Since rhino horns fetch high prices, many poachers are willing to break the law and kill these endangered animals.
Where does the black rhino live?
These neighbouring bulls are likely to all meet up at their shared waterhole. In fact these regular users appear to know and tolerate each other, and their collective group – known as a clan – is led by one overall, dominant bull.
These clan members challenge any unknown rhinos that visit the waterhole. Snorting loudly, the clan rhinos paw the ground and may even charge, but rarely make physical contact. The encounter usually ends with one rhino – usually the intruder - moving away.
The black rhino uses scent as a signal, spraying urine along paths and using communal dung-heaps. It scrapes with its hind feet after defecating in order to collect and carry the scent away with it.
What do rhinos eat?
The rhino also pulls up small seedling trees, and takes fruit from both trees and wind fall off the ground. It cannot easily graze, but it can tear up and eat clumps of long grasses.
Since the black rhino needs to drink at least once a day, it will stay within 5km of water. In very dry conditions, the black rhino can dig for water using its forefeet.
The rhino will approach a waterhole using regular, heavily trodden paths which are clearly visible in the surrounding undergrowth.
The black rhino feeds at dawn and dusk, spending most of the core day sleeping or in a mud wallow.
Enemies of the rhino
Believe it or not, but rhino horn handled knives bought by young men in Yemen accounted for the death of 8000 rhinos between 1969 and 1977.
Rhino horn is also powdered for medicinal purposes by the Chinese.
Rhino breeding
In order to try and attract a female rhino – known as a cow, a bull rhino brushes his horn over the ground, charges at bushes, rushes back and forth and frequently sprays urine.
If the bull is successful, and after a gestation period of approximately 15 months, the female will retreat into dense cover in order to give birth. Although the calf can walk when barely 10 minutes old, it could easily be trampled, so the mother keeps it hidden for the next couple of weeks, defending it fiercely from predators.
The black rhino will stop growing when about 7 years old. The female can breed before this, but in the wild she bears just one calf every two to five years.
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Garden Of Eaden animals
Where do Wolves Live?
One of the strangest-looking of all mammals, the duck-billed platypus is the size of a rabbit and has a unique bird-like bill. It is one of only three mammals in the world to lay eggs.
Although it is not threatened in the wild, modern pressures on its freshwater habitat mean that it may need careful protection in the future
Where does the duck-billed platypus live?
The duck-billed platypus is truly amphibious as it is perfectly at home on both land and water. It lives a solitary life except during the breeding season, and is considered to be quite territorial in its need to secure stretches of the river for feeding rights.
It uses its strong, webbed front feet for both swimming and burrowing. When it walks on land, it curls these feet right under its body in order to protect them.
What does the duck-billed platypus eat?
Under the water it closes its eyes, ears and nostrils and uses its broad bill to locate prey. The bill is soft and pliable (not hard like a birds) and is highly sensitive. The platypus sweeps it from side to side as it searches along the bottom of the river. It sometimes remains underwater by wedging itself below a log or in a crevice under a stone.
Down on the river bed, the platypus takes food up into its cheeks. When the cheek pouches are full, the platypus comes up to the surface again. There it discards any sand and stones that it has accidentally picked up and grinds the food between the horny plates it has instead of teeth.
It swims along using its front feet only, and most of its dive lasts between half a minute, and a minute and a half. However, if need be, the duck-billed platypus is capable of staying submerged for longer.
Duck-billed platypus breeding
The female platypus then digs a long nesting tunnel in the river bank with a birthing chamber at its end. The nesting tunnel is longer than the platypus' home tunnel – it may be as much as 20 metres long!
The female collects grass and leaves and carries them back to the tunnel grasped under her tail. She then constructs a nest within the birthing chamber. There, she will lay two white, soft-shelled eggs which she incubates by holding them snugly between her tail and belly. Each egg is about the size of a large marble.
The hatching period is thought to be variable, but after about 1-2 weeks the eggs will hatch and the young make their way through their mother's fur to a glandular patch where milk is produced.
The youngsters stay within the burrow for 4-5 months, and continue to take their mother milk after they have left the burrow. They are playful, and have been seen to romp around like puppies.
Duck billed platypus facts.
1. The duck-billed platypus has a hollow spur on the back of each of its rear feet. Each spur contains enough poison to kill a dog. The spur may be used in rivalry fights.
2. The platypus is considered to be one of the most primitive of mammals. The only other mammals that lays eggs, like their reptilian ancestors did, are the platypus' only relative – the two echidnas of Australia and New Guinea.
3. When the first species of this mammal was seen in England in the late 1700's, it was thought to be a fake. Scientists assumed that a joker had stitched together a duck's beak and a mammal's body.
4. At around 32 degrees Celsius, the body temperature of the platypus is remarkably low for a mammal.
5. The duck-billed platypus can change its shape very easily. Its body is like a strong tube of muscle and it can easily squeeze through narrow spaces and out of someone's grip.
6. The word platypus also comes from the Greek for 'flat' and 'foot'.
7. The duck-billed platypus can sense prey by means of electrolocation - this is the ability to detect the tiny electric impulses given off by animals when they move.
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Garden Of Eaden animals
Nat-Geo Duck-Billed Platypus
The subject of many myths and hunters' tales, the jaguar is the largest wild cat native to the Americas. It is now extremely rare outside captivity as the result of being hunted for its attractive skin.
Jaguars live in a variety of habitats, from dense jungle and scrub land to reed thickets and shoreline forests. They will even live in open country provided the grass and rocks offer sufficient cover for hunting and a reliable supply of water is available.
Where do jaguars live?
In many countries, rapid expansion of forest clearing to provide pastures for beef cattle and to build new settlements has finished what the hunters began. Jaguars are said to still be common in the upper basin of the Orinoco, Venezuela, but almost everywhere else they are in danger of extinction. In fact there are believed to be less that 200 jaguars left in the whole of Argentina! At this rate, the only flourishing population of jaguars left will be those held by world's zoos.
Jaguars have a reputation for being man-eaters, and there are many hunters' tales of men being followed for mile after mile through the forest by a solitary jaguar, which eventually fades away as silently as it appeared. This suggests that the animal was escorting the men off from its territory. If the jaguar had been hunting them, it would have had plenty of opportunities to attack and kill its intended prey.
The size of the jaguar's territory depends on the availability of food. Where food is plentiful – as you would expect in an area of undisturbed forest – a jaguar should be able to feed itself from a circular area of about 5 km in diameter. Where food is scarcer – perhaps because the forest has been cleared – a jaguar may need a territory of 500 sq km, 30 times larger!
Jaguar breeding
It appears that male and female and female jaguars meet in the wild only to mate. The male leaves as soon as mating is over, and the female brings up the young on her own. She produces between one and four cubs, which are blind at birth and weigh only 700-900 grams each. All-black jaguars are not uncommon. These cubs would have had a spotted father and a black mother.
Two weeks later, the cubs will open their eyes. During the following weeks they begin to explore the world outside of their mothers den until – at about six months old – they begin to accompany her on hunting trips. The cubs will live and hunt with their mother for the first two years of their life, before leaving to find a territory of their own in which to hunt. A jaguar is sexually mature at three years old, but males do not breed until a year later.
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The koala is an arboreal, herbivorous marsupial and one of the most iconic of all the animals native to Australia.
Known as the Australian teddy bear, English-speaking settlers from the late 18th century first called the 'Koala' a koala bear due to its similarity in appearance to true bears. Although taxonomically incorrect, the name koala bear is still in use today - but only outside of Australia. Why? Because the 'bear' part of its name is discouraged because of the inaccuracy in the name.
|What is a koala?
Koalas live in eastern Australia, where the eucalyptus trees they love are most plentiful. In fact, they rarely leave these trees, and their sharp claws and opposable digits easily keep them aloft. Because they get so little energy from their diet of eucalyptus leaves, koalas must limit their energy use so during the day they can sleep up to 18 hours tucked into forks or nooks in the trees.
|Koala baby
Inside the pouch, the baby koala (known as a joey) attaches itself to a nipple to feed on the mother's milk. It will continue to grow inside the pouch for approximately 6 months, then during the last month, the mother will begin to feed it with half digested food passed through her rectum. That's right, during weaning the joey eats poo!
At six months the young joey will periodically leave the pouch and move on to its mother's back where it clings tightly. Three months later, the young koala will be fully grown and able to feed itself. Be that as it may, the young koala will remain with its mother until the next mating season, when it will be driven off by the next male suitor. The young koala will move itself off to another tree and from that point on will live independently until it too becomes sexually mature.
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|Banana plants
There is nothing even close to a specimen banana plant to bring that exotic, tropical feel to your garden. And now, with ever hardy varieties becoming available, the reality of growing a banana all year round - without cold protection - is becoming more of a reality.
How to grow ornamental bananas
|Banana plants
The best cultivar for consideration is the hardy Himalayan bamboo 'Musa sikkimensis', but failing that - as availability is sparse - the next best variety would be Musa basjoo. Both of these varieties can even be left outside to over-winter if given suitable protection from hard frosts.
The closely related Ensete ventricosum (sometimes known as Musa ensete) is also worth a try. Even though it is not as hardy, it is far more ornamental by comparison. However, this variety should not be left to overwinter outside - even with adequate protection - unless you live in the mildest of regions. For the stunning red coloured form choose Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii'.
|Banana plants
The soil will need to be slightly acidic, and well drained - particularly important for overwintering - with a high organic matter content. Your banana plant will also need plenty of water through the growing season including a regular spraying of the foliage, but refrain from doing this during the hottest part of the day to avoid leaf scorching. Bananas are renown for heavy feeding and so a good tip for successful growth is to add plenty of mulch throughout the growing season. It may also be worth adding a couple of doses of 'sulphate of potash', once at the beginning of the growing season with a second during the height of the summer.
|Banana plants
Clearly one of the most defining features of the banana tree - apart from its large and distinctive tropical leaves - are its fruit, and although it is possible for this species to bear fruit in this country - given a long and hot summer - try and resist the urge to eat them as they are in fact inedible.
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MUSA BASJOO - The World's Hardiest Banana
THE DARJEELING BANANA - Musa sikkimensis
THE RED ABYSSINIAN BANANA - Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii'
The Wollemi Pine is one of the world's oldest and rarest plants, and dates back to the time of the dinosaurs. It was discovered, on or about 10 September 1994, by David Noble, a field officer of the Wollemi National Park in Blackheath, in the Blue Mountains.
|The Wollemi pine
The initial suspicion was that it had certain characteristics of the 200-million-year-old family Araucariaceae. Comparison with living and fossilised Araucariaceae proved that it was a member of that family, and it has been placed into a new genus with Agathis and Araucaria. Fossils resembling Wollemia are widespread in Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica, but Wollemia nobilis is the sole living member of its genus.
The last known fossils of the genus date from approximately 2 million years ago. It is has therefore been described as a living fossil, or alternatively, a Lazarus taxon.
What does the Wollemi pine look like?
The tree coppices readily, and most specimens are multi-trunked or appear as clumps of trunks thought to derive from old coppice growth, with some consisting of up to 100 stems of differing sizes.
The branching is unique in that nearly all the side branches never have further branching. After a few years, each branch either terminates in a cone (either male or female) or ceases growth. After this, or when the cone becomes mature, the branch dies. New branches then arise from dormant buds on the main trunk. Rarely, a side branch will turn erect and develop into a secondary trunk, which then bears a new set of side branches.
The seed cones are green, 6–12 cm long and 5–10 cm in diameter, and mature about 18–20 months after wind pollination. They disintegrate at maturity to release the seeds which are small and brown, thin and papery with a wing around the edge to aid wind-dispersal. The male (pollen) cones are slender conic, 5–11 cm long and 1–2 cm broad and reddish-brown in colour and are lower on the tree than the seed cones. Wollemi pine seedlings appear to be slow-growing and mature trees are extremely long-lived; some of the older individuals today are estimated to be between 500 and 1000 years old.
With less than 100 adult trees known to exist in the wild, the Wollemi Pine is now the focus of extensive research to safeguard its survival.
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DAWN REDWOOD - Metasequoia glyptostroboides
HOW TO GROW GINKGO BILOBA - The Maidenhair Tree
HOW TO GROW THE STONE PINE - Pinus picea
LEYLAND CYPRESS - Cupressus × leylandii
THE CANNONBALL TREE - Couroupita guianensis
The Hardy Begonia - Begonia grandis
THE MIMOSA TREE - Acacia dealbata
THE MONKEY PUZZLE TREE - Araucaria araucana
|The Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar - now modern-day San Antonio, Texas.
|President General Antonio López de Santa Anna
Several months previously, Texians had driven all Mexican troops out of Mexican Texas. There was approximately 100 Texians garrisoned at the Alamo at this point in time. However, the Texian force grew slightly with the arrival of reinforcements led by eventual Alamo co-commanders James Bowie and William B. Travis.
On February 23, approximately 1,500 Mexican troops marched into San Antonio de Béxar as the first step in a campaign to re-take Texas.
For the next 12 days the two armies engaged in several skirmishes but these had resulted in minimal casualties. Aware that his garrison could not withstand an attack by such a large force, Travis wrote multiple letters pleading for more men and supplies:
Commandancy of the Alamo— Bejar, Fby. 24th 1836— To the People of Texas & all Americans in the world— Fellow citizens & compatriots— I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna—I have sustained a continual Bombardment cannonade for 24 hours have not lost a man — The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken—I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, our flag still waves proudly from the walls — I shall never surrender or retreat Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid,
Unfortunately fewer than 100 reinforcements arrived.
In the early morning hours of March 6, the Mexican Army began their advance on the Alamo. After repulsing two attacks, the Texians were unable to fend off a third attack. As Mexican soldiers scaled the walls, most of the Texian soldiers withdrew into interior buildings. Defenders unable to reach these points were slain by the Mexican cavalry as they attempted to escape.
Within Mexico, the battle has often been overshadowed by events from the Mexican–American War of 1846–48. In 19th-century Texas, the Alamo complex gradually became known as a battle site rather than a former mission. The Texas Legislature purchased the land and buildings in the early part of the 20th century and designated the Alamo chapel as an official Texas State Shrine. The Alamo is now considered to be the most popular tourist site in Texas".
The truth about the Alamo
Films about this famous battle, such as John Wayne's "The Alamo," have taught us that Davy Crockett went down fighting and that everybody in the old mission was killed during the 13-day-long siege by the Mexicans. These films also depicted the men as sacrificial lambs who believed that their deaths were inevitable and unavoidable.
Unfortunately, most of these 'facts' are more myth than reality. For instance, the men defending the Alamo were not nobly suicidal. Though obviously valiant in their stand, they were actually fighting with the belief that reinforcements were on the way to help them defend the old mission.
It also is false that there were no survivals. Although most of the Texians defending the Alamo on March 6, 1836 were killed, approximately 20 people did survive the siege, including women, children and a slave belonging to William B. Travis. In addition, a previously untranslated diary written by Jose Enrique de la Pena, senior Mexican officer at the battle revealed that Crockett and six other survivors had actually surrendered. According to this account, they were were executed afterwards by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, and subsequently were found dead outside of the fort!
In addition, there is one more fact that most of these films have managed to gloss over – the Alamo was not strictly a white Texan or Mexican fight. A third group, the Tejanos, who were Mexicans that lived in Texas, was also fighting alongside Davy Crockett and the others on that March day. So 'Remember the Alamo,' but try to remember the facts about it correctly next time.
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COWBOYS AND LAWMEN: Who was Wyatt Earp?
AMERICAN REVOLUTION: The Truth behind the Boston Tea Party
The great African Hippopotamus is one of the most iconic of all the African land animals and second in weight only to the elephant.
They are found in western, central, eastern and southern Africa with the highest concentration in the Rift Valley of east and central Africa.
They are ideally adapted to the deep rivers and grassy feeding grounds that form its habitat, spending up to eighteen hours a day in water to keep its body temperature constant and to support its huge frame.
What do hippos do?
Younger males stay in small bachelor groups, and woe betide them is they dare to approach the nursing females. The dominant male uses its greater bulk and long teeth to deter any impudent intruders.
A dominant male is able to defend his territory in this way for up to ten years until finally, a fierce fight with a rival eventually ends his rule. These fights for dominance can even result in death!
Having proved that he is the dominant challenger, the rival then takes his place as the new dominant male in that territory.
Should dominant males meet at the edges of their boundaries, they will turn back to back and defecate, spreading their dung far and wide using their short, flat tails like cricket bats.
Hippo breeding
Within five minutes of giving birth the calf is able to swim and walk. The mother will suckle her young for about 8 months, although the baby will stay with her for several years.
A female is often seen with several young behind her, the youngest will be closest to her while the oldest will be at the end of the line.
Hippopotamus facts
1. Hippos jaws can open to 150 degrees wide.
2. Up to 45% of hippos die in their first year.
3. The term 'sweating blood' come from the hippo's ability to secret a pink fluid from glands beneath the skin.
4. A hippo is not able to survive for long on dry land as it loses water through its skin much faster than other land animals.
5. A hippo can stay underwater for up to 5 minutes and will often walk along the bottom of lakes.
6. Terrapins, birds, and even young crocodiles are often seen to be basking on the backs of hippos.
7. The name 'hippopotamus' comes from the ancient Greek for 'river horse'.
8. The hippo can easily outrun a human, and have been clocked at 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances.
9. The skin of the hippopotamus is 6 in (15 cm) thick.
10. When in combat, male hippos use their incisors to block each others attacks, and their lower canines to inflict damage. Luckily, hippos rarely kill each other, even in territorial challenges.
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Widespread throughout the northern states of North America – including Canada and Alaska, the moose also occurs in Europe and Asia where it is known as the elk. It is the largest of all living deer with the tallest specimens standing as high as 2.3 metres.
With the onset of winter, the moose will move onto higher ground to shelter in mixed forests of birch and pine. The harsh conditions can prevent it finding enough to eat, even though the moose will take sustenance from the trees at this time. In areas where there is plenty of food over the winter, moose may form a small group comprising of a male, a few females and their young. The temporary group combine forces to paw at the snow, exposing grasses and twigs to eat.
A weaken moose runs the risk of being attacked by wolves and other predators. While a healthy moose can defend itself, by the end of winter a starving moose is no match for hungry hunters.
Moose Facts
1. During the moose's breeding season, hunters often imitate the call of a female moose.
2. Julius Caesar how the moose was once widespread in Germany!
3. Male moose have been known to attack railway trains, mistaking the siren for the call of a rival bull
4. A moose can run at speeds of up to 56 km/hour. It is also an excellent swimmer, able to hold it breath underwater for up to a minute and able to sustain a speed of 6 miles per hour (10 km/h).
5. In Siberia, the moose has been domesticated. Not only does it provide meat and milk, it also acts as a 'work horse' on farms.
6. The moose has poor vision, but acute senses of smell and hearing.
7. As female moose get older, they are more likely to give birth to twins.
8. The name "moose" comes from the Algonquin Indian term and means "twig eater".
9. Only mature bull moose have antlers, which can be as long as 4 to 5 feet across.
10. It is illegal, and very dangerous, to feed a moose. This is because moose that are used to being fed by humans often become aggressive when they come across a person has no food to offer, and may well attack them.
11. You can identify when a moose might attack if the long hairs on its hump are raised and it's ears laid back. A moose may also lick its lips.
What do moose eat?
During the summer, the moose feeds on vegetation growing in and around water, often wading in up to its shoulders when feeding. It will also eat underwater plants, submerging its head to get at the roots and stems.
When the lakes and marshes are frozen over during the winter, the moose will turn its attention to eating berries, twigs and branches. It will also strip the bark from trees and paw through the snow to get at hidden ground vegetation.
Because of its large size, a moose will need to consume nearly 20kg of food every day in order to survive. Unfortunately, due to the harsh conditions in which the moose has evolved to live in, many end up starving in winter.
A bull will compete for one female at a time, but he mates with a number in turn. Older males drive younger males away, while serious rivals of equal size fight as a test of strength. Males may sustain bad injuries in these contests, and then can become easy prey to wolves and bears.
The female moose – known as a cow – will give birth to one or two young in the late spring, the bull having long since returned to his solitary existence. She will wean the calves when they are five months old, although they will stay with her until she gives birth again the following year. At this point she may force them to leave her, but they will often rejoin her when she and her new young begin to move again. They eventually disperse to establish ranges of their own.
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We are lucky in this country because even though we are an island nation we have in fact 27 different species of native bumble bee to our credit! A fantastic diversity and something we should cherish and be proud of. Unfortunately with the introduction of intensive farming after the Second World War about 95% of natural flower rich pasture land was lost to us as it was turned over to crops. As a result of this, native bumble bee populations are on the decline and two of our native bees species have already become extinct.
You only need two things to attract native bumble bees into the garden. The first is a reasonable selection of nectar-rich plants that will provide fuel and nutrition throughout their active season. This is important as bumble bees tend to have quite small territories and won't fly to far from the nests in order to find nectar. The second is a suitable habitat in which to build their nests. Unlike honey bees, most bumble bees live in nests under the ground which are normally only used for that year, but they need a particular type of soil and position.
While they are drinking the nectar the bees are busy scribbling away with their legs, scraping away at the pollen on the anthers. Using specialised 'comb like' hairs on their legs they deposit the pollen into basket like structures on their hind legs.
It's the pollen that is the major 'pay off' here as it is used as a high protein food source for the adult bees and more importantly it is used for feeding (along with honey) to the juvenile larvae.
Research has shown that queen bees also prefer some kind of shelter and support structure around the nest, so try positioning your soil sounds around established tree roots or by the base of a sturdy wall. The most important thing for your new bumblebee nest is that it is kept dry at all times. The risk of accidental flooding carries the very real threat of death for both the adult bees and their larvae.
Bumble bees are generally separated into two groups. The first is those bees with short tongues while the second group holds those bees with long tongues. While short tongued bees are more 'generalist' feeders and able to make a living off of most flowering plants, the long tongued bees are far more more specialist and it is this group of bees that are predominantly at risk and are currently suffering population declines. However, with front and back gardens accounting for approximately 1 million hectares in this country, even a small change in the type of plants that we grow could have an enormous effect on re-building dwindling bee populations.
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THE PANDA ANT - Euspinolia militaris
The Mexican jumping bean is a peculiar phenomenon to Mexico. However, if you are in Mexico and wish to observe/purchase some Mexican jumping beans, asking the locals for 'Mexican jumping beans' will result only in blank faces. And don't think that you should be asking for 'Jumping Beans' as you are already in Mexico and will not need to differentiate them as such - because more blank faces will ensue. Why? Because Mexican jumping beans are known as Frijoles saltarines in Mexico! So now you know.
What are Mexican jumping beans?
Physically, Mexican jumping beans resemble small beans, tan to brown in colour. They are a seed pod through which the larva of a small moth has chewed (Cydia deshaisiana). The bean "jumps" because, when it gets in a hot place, the larva snaps its body hoping to roll to a cooler place. The beans are from a shrub often referred to as the jumping bean.
The larva may live for months inside the bean with varying periods of dormancy. If the larva has adequate conditions of moisture and temperature, it will live long enough to go into a pupal stage. Normally, in the spring, the moth will force its way out of the seed through a round "trap door", leaving behind the pupal casing. The small, silver and gray-colored moth will live for only a few days.
The larvae jump as a survival measure in order to protect themselves from heat, which can cause them to dry out. The heat from the sun stimulates them to jump, even in cool temperatures. Leaving the beans in the sun for extended periods, however, will dehydrate and kill them.
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Once called 'goober peas' in the United States, peanuts are a very popular snack food. They are most often eaten roasted on their own, as opposed to many other nuts that are used more in cooking. They are easily shelled by hand, which adds to their appeal.
However, peanuts do not look like most regular nuts - and there is a good reason for that. This is because peanuts are fairly unique in the nut world, as they grow underground and - unlike most other nut varieties - are not produced by large trees.
How to grow peanuts
While you can have some good success by planting peanuts bought at the grocery store - raw ones, not roasted, you will do far better by purchasing proper seed peanuts from a good plant retailer. Purchased peanut seed should still be in their shells, but you will have to shell them immediately before planting or they may dry out to a point where they will not germinate.
Given their long growing season, you may want to get your peanut plants started early indoors. Use paper or peat pots as can reduce root shock when it comes to transplanting. You will need pots that are 3-4 inches in diameter so if you can't find biodegradable pots at this size them use plastic instead.
Start your seeds 3 or 4 weeks before you expect your last frost date. Using a good quality compost such as John Innes 'Seed and Potting' , plant 2 or 3 seeds in each pot, and covered them with 2 inches of compost soil. Keep them well watered, but don't have the compost waterlogged as this will damage the juvenile root system.
Once the peanut seeds begin to germinate, remove the weakest leaving just one strong peanut plant per pot. Your peanuts or seedlings should be planted outside into their final position once there is no more threat of frost.
Planting peanuts outside
As it grows, your peanut plant will produce runners, and each one will eventually grow a peanut at the end underground. These runners start out as the above-ground flowers. So once you see the plant's flower starting to wilt and bend down, do not pick them off. That's where the next generation of peanuts will be produced. Those downward growing stems are commonly known as "pegs"
When you see your plants starting to grow their pegs, lightly dig around the plants in order to loosen up the soil. The peg needs to grow down underground so you don't want it blocked by stones or compacted soil.
Once your plant has set down its pegs, do not cultivate or weed to roughly around the plant or you could accidentally pull up or break off a runner. Mulching can help keep the weeds down, but do not add mulch until the pegs have moved down into the soil.
You will want to water your plants frequently, but avoid giving them too much water at once. Fertilizing is fine though not really necessary. Use a low-nitrogen formula or you will end up with very bushy plants and no peanuts. When the plants begin to flower, a treatment with a calcium-rich fertilizer can help with nut formation.
Growing peanuts in containers
Peanuts can be grown to harvest in containers, but you need to allow for extra surface space for the pegs to be put down by the plant. Your peanuts should be in pots no smaller than 20 inches across and at least a foot deep. You can only have one plant per pot.
Keep your plants well-watered but take care not to let the roots get waterlogged. It is important that your containers are well drained.
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Desk Accessories
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text: The Reserve-o-Meter was a tool used in presentations given by Clarence Nelson and James Hammill. From the August 6, 1993 presentation entitled Monetary Policy, Fiscal Policy and the Economy: What are Policy Goals and how does Policy Work, the Reserve-o-Meter is described as "an analog computer by which you can study the leverage or reserve-to-deposit multiplier for any bank." Included here are front and back images of the Reserve-o-Meter, the full presentation text and accompanying slides.


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Clark County Museum
1830 South Boulder Highway
Henderson NV 89002
Phone: 702-455-7955
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/parks/Pages/clark-county-museum.aspx
Hours: 9am-4:30pm daily (Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day)
Admission: $1.00/ youth (3-17 years old), $2.00/Adult (18-54 years old), and $1.00/Senior (55 or older)
The Clark County Museum is a function of Clark County Parks and Recreation, which is accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. The museum is a 30-acre site that features a modern exhibit hall with a timeline exhibit about southern Nevada from pre-historic to modern times and a collection of restored historic buildings that depict daily life from different decades in Las Vegas, Boulder City, Henderson and Goldfield. Points of interest include, Heritage Street which is a unique collection of historic homes, restored to recreate the lifestyles of important periods in local history. Revisit the news at a replicated 1900s newspaper print shops. Railroad buffs will enjoy touring the 1932 Boulder City Depot and see a real 1918 Union Pacific steam engine and walk through an old-time Crummy, (railroad talk for caboose). Enter a mining exhibit filled with mineral specimens, wander through a resurrected ghost town and a half-mile nature trail... visit a pueblo of the ancient ones. No matter what your age, the Clark County Museum is a place where you can explore the rich and colorful history of Southern Nevada.
The Anna Robert Parks Exhibit Hall takes the museum visitors through a historical journey from the Ice Age to Age of Entertainment. The timeline chronicles the history and culture of the ancient Pueblo and more recent Paiute, the first Anglo pioneers and their daily lives, early town-sites and land auction camps, mining technology and the gaming and entertainment heritage of Las Vegas. The Heritage Gallery changing exhibits feature art and artifacts in their historical context. Heritage Street homes offer doorways into past decades, from the 1910s to the 1970s. The Boulder City depot and collection of railroad cars recall the railroad heritage of southern Nevada, while the arrested decay along the Ghost Town and Mining Trail offers a perspective on life in the hot and arid Southwest environment.


text:
World Cup Portugal Montalegre 2012 task 2
Task Number:
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Task Map Viewer is an application offered by John Stevenson
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We have a task for today. The task is a 56.2km Race to Goal over a zig-zag course to the south.
LiveTracking can be found at www.livetrack24.com/tasks/552
The live leaderboard will be at www.fastretrieve.com/worldcup/download
And the Live Retrieve Map is at www.fastretrieve.com/worldcup/mapping
Times are now confirmed - the window opens at 14:15 and the start is at 15:15 - the task end time is 20:00
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ShopHamont Sticker
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Designed and printed by small business owners in Hamilton, ON
ShopHamont is an online collective for people who love to shop locally and sustainably.
Each maker/vendor we work with makes high quality, ethical products in Canada.
We all believe in making the world a better place by changing our consumption habits.
Thanks for shopping with us!
Every product on ShopHamont comes directly from where it is made - pretty cool right?
Logistically, it can get pretty uncool though. We encourage our vendors to ship with sustainable and recyclable materials and ship in bulk. If you need a specific item by a certain date, please request it in the order notes. Delivery dates are not guaranteed.
Each maker/vendor has their own shipping carriers and costs, to read their specific policy navigate to their store page in the top navigation or click on the brand name at the top of the product page to see the policy details. At checkout the shipping costs from each vendor will calculate to a total shipping cost that is split between vendors. If you have questions about shipping, ask the team!


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[Page 288]
By Chaim Pelech
The children's aktion that the Nazi German beasts perpetrated in Turka was cruel in the full sense of the word. The bizarre grabbing of children from the streets, homes and hiding places was so sly as to be unparalleled.
The murderers rode around on automobiles and snatched the children as they were playing. They tossed them into the autos as if they were stones and beat their heads. One automobile drove from the Lakicz and found children playing near Aharon Leib Weicher's house. They snatched Shua Ajchenbaum's girl by the legs and tossed her into the auto. An outcry arose, and the child's mother came out running, and wanted to take back her girl. The Germans shot the mother on the spot. The grandmother, the mother's mother came out and began to shout, Murderers, why did you shoot my daughter?! They shot the grandmother. The outcry and panic on the street were indescribable. Fear enveloped the entire town. The despair of the mothers and fathers reached the highest degree.
At the same time, the German police and their assistants went from house to house. They snatched the children who were hiding in the houses and drove them to a designated place where they shot them.
A young woman, Esther Weiss, the daughter of Avraham Weiss, went to the Olica near Avrahamche Langenauer's place, with her child in her hand. Two S. S. men approached and violently ripped the child from her hands. She held her child tight, and did not let him be taken from her hand. The S. S. men shot the mother, grabbed him by the legs, banged his head against the wall, and tossed him dead onto the sidewalk
When I was in Sambor in 1945, a Jew from Turka told me a shuddering story that took place in his home during the children's aktion. They drove Chaim Feiler, the son of Shlomo Feiler the butcher, to the designated place. The child cried and sobbed so strongly that it would rend the hearts of sticks. As they were going through the Olica, the boy threw himself onto the earth and screamed: I do not want to go, you are going to shoot me. I want to live. I don't want you to shoot me. I do not want to go. Let me be. I want to flee to my hiding place
The man related further: This went on for a long time until they calmed the child. Then he was taken weeping to the designated place, where they immediately shot him
I sat on the bench as I heard this. I felt as if my body was burning on fire, and I felt as if I myself had been hauled out of that house. I ran through the streets of Sambor as if I had been poisoned. I was broken and wounded.
My only child Avrahamele was shot during that same aktion
|The main street (Legjonow) The Olica
[Page 290]
Told by David Binder
A. Chava
We were about 150 Jews of Turka working in the Blic quarry at that time. During one of the last large aktions, they took us too from work and placed us the transport wagons to be dispatched to the camps. Before that, we again had to stand at roll call, as was fitting for the Germans, as they incited a large hunting dog against us. Blic's wife was also killed during that roll call.
In one of the wagons I met my sister, who had been captured in the aktion and hauled here. She was very worried and told me that she had been captured as she left her house to arrange some matter. Before she went out, she placed her daughter Chava into a hiding place and locked her from the outside. Now, when they are taking her to the death camp, what would be with Chava?… She will suffocate there!
In the meantime, it became clear that more people were captured than were required by the quota. The director of the quarry appeared immediately and brought back from the wagons many Jews who were workers at the quarry. I was among them.
Parting from my sister was distressing. It was the parting of a brother and sister sentenced to death - one of them on an earlier date and the other a bit later… When I left the wagon, I immediately began to think about freeing Chava from her prison. Somehow, I succeeded in getting to my sister's house and freeing her, but my sister, of course, was not able to know that her daughter had been saved…
However, with this, the Chava's adventures had not ended. Difficult days lay ahead for her.
Her father and other Jews of Turka were sitting in a bunker that had been dug for them in Simunka. A gentile informed on them to the Germans for a kilo of sugar and a liter of vodka. The Germans arrived, but during the liquidation and the killing, Chava, who had also been in the bunker disappeared. She arrived barefoot and tattered to some farmer at the edge of the village, and remained there. I found out about this when I was already wandering in the forests of the area, along with other Jews of Turka. I immediately offered her assistance and food. Chava survived… She succeeded in making aliya to the Land of Israel after the liberation.
[Page 291]
B. Parents Kill their Children
When we, the last Jewish workers of the quarry, realized that our hope of remaining alive was in vain, we decided to go out to the forests. We found a place for a bunker behind the Jawoda sawmill. However, after our first attempt, we found that it was not all that fitting. We still worked in the quarry while six of our people dug the bunker. Every evening, about 20 of us transferred wheat and food to prepare for life in the bunker.
Among us was a certain family from Turka who also wanted to go to the forest. However, they had a three year old daughter… At first, they gave her over to a gentile, but for some reason, the gentile quickly returned her. The decision of the parents was frightful: With the active assistance of a friend of the family, they suffocated the girl! It happened that in the first German attack on our bunker to which we fled, after Turka had been declared Judenrein, this third friend was the first to be killed…
C. In the Forests of Opolinik
Life in the forests was difficult and unbearable. Having no other choice, we lived from robbery. We would attack farmers who collaborated with the Germans - and thus we succeeded in surviving as our numbers continually dwindled…
Once, we were told about such a collaborator in a certain village. We attacked him and stole everything that we could: property and clothing. After some time we found out that we had made an error in the address: this had been a gentile that was good to the Jews. Mendel Zeifert and his wife were hiding there. We then gathered together all of the items that we had stolen, including those that we had already distributed to some people, and returned them to the gentile. On that opportunity, we also met the Zeifert family there, and the joy was very great.
The Germans and their collaborators gave us no rest. We were frequently hunted. Once, the Germans attacked us. The person on guard kept the Germans at bay for a long time. He paid with his life, but it was possible for the entire group to escape and disperse.
[Page 292]
Two daughters of the Weicher family, one eight and the other ten, were in the group. One of the girls did not have enough time to put something on her feet, and she ran barefoot in the snow and ice for an entire day. The girl got sick, and the pains in her feet were unbearable. We decided to go to the village and place her in one of the houses until she would recover. We knocked on one of the houses, and found an elderly woman there. We commanded her: Behold, the girl is sick. Her feet froze. We are leaving her with you and you must do everything you can to cure her. After a short time, we will return to fetch her…
Ten days later, we went to check on her. We were five people, including her uncle Anshel Weicher. The woman told us that despite all her efforts, she did not succeed in curing her. If we have god in our hearts, we must kill the girl, for her suffering is unbearable.
We answered her that we must consult with the entire group in the forest. The forest decided to kill the girl. The five aforementioned people were designated to carry out the act. Several days later, we returned to the woman in the village, and saw a miracle - the sick girl had recovered! A few weeks later, the girl returned to the forest.
In 1949, five years after the liberation, I visited my friend in the city of Wroclaw in Poland. When I entered his place of business, I saw a young girl who smiled at me and did not stop. I asked her, Who are you? She responded, The girl who was sentenced to death… She was already 17 years old.
[Page 293]
by Moshe Hager and Genia Liberman of Netanya
This was the second year that we were hiding in a bunker in the Sianki Forest near Turka. A gentile who had been a childhood friend brought us potatoes and a piece of barley bread twice a week.
One day the gentile, may he be remembered in a positive way, appeared and told us that a cross-border smuggler came to him and asked if he knows of any hidden Jews who are interested in crossing the border to Hungary - in exchange for a proper fee, of course.
W agreed to take a risk, and we went with the smuggler through the forests for eight days until we came to the city of Uzhgorod on the Hungarian border. This was the eve of Rosh Hashanah. A Hungarian Jew agreed to take us by train to Budapest in return for a payment. We did not know the language of the country, and they were searching for refugees along the way.
A search was conducted by the Hungarian police along the way, and we were caught without documents. We were removed from the train and returned to the Polish border, where we were given over to the Gestapo in Sianki. There were 19 other Jews with us who had been caught on that train. All were later shot by the iniquitous hand.
The Germans imprisoned us in a cellar and sent for the Ukrainians to dig a communal grave for us. Indeed, fate mocked us, for that same Ukrainian had worked in the fields of my father Yosef Heger. Now he was digging a grave for us with a faithful hand.
They brought us to the grave toward evening. This was on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. We all stood in a line around the grave, and our hearts were heavy: was this our Day of Judgment? The judgment against us was so harsh - and we were still so young… We were ordered to strip down to our shirts, and we were placed in a line. By chance, we were standing at the end of the line, and each of us was saying to the next one that he wanted to die first, so that he would not see the death of the other. However, as quick as lightning, we decided - to escape! Not in order to save ourselves and survive - for we did not hope for this - but rather to take the bullet from the back, without waiting for it with alert eyes, without seeing how we would be shot and fall.
[Page 294]
We decided to run, each of us in a different direction. The destination was the forest, which was very close. We heard shots from behind. We heard the blood-curdling sound of dogs sent after us: to be torn apart by hunting dogs was worse than being shot with a bullet!
The forest drew nearer. We reached it and continued to run. The Germans were afraid of entering the forest out of fear of hidden partisans. Then a miracle occurred! It cannot be believed if we tell it - the barking of the dogs stopped. Perhaps they lost our trace. In any case, this remains a puzzle for us to this day.
We continued to run without knowing to where. Fear quieted any thought. Thus did we wander about the forest for a week, hungry and thirsty, wandering without a path or a road. Our sole objective was to reach the gentile who had at one time dug the bunker for us.
This was the month of September, as has been noted. The cold froze our bones, but we continued to survive. It is difficult to explain this with logic. We reached the home of the gentile on the eighth day. He was very afraid to take us in, for news of our escape had echoed throughout the entire region. Searches for us were being conducted with great diligence.
The gentile gave us digging tools, and we dug a new bunker in the forest with our meager energy. There, we sat hungry and frozen until the Russians liberated us.
After tribulations and wandering, we succeeded in reaching resting place and inheritance. We arrived in Israel on the even of the War of Independence. How great was our joy when we found our four-year-old daughter, whom we had sent to Hungary!
A son was born to us who bore the name of his grandfather. Who would have imagined that we would yet merit to play with his pleasant grandchild on our laps!
Indeed, many are the thoughts in the heart of man, but the desires of G-d will be fulfilled!
[Page 295]
by Michael Heisler
The War Began
It was the autumn of 1939. The small war between Poland and Germany, lasting a few days in total, spread throughout the entire land, and to our small corner as well. At that time, I was living temporarily in Turka. Young people, Jews and gentiles, quickly took leave of their families and went to their military posts. Many never returned. I was one of the lucky ones who had a blue military slip and who did not have to enlist in the military. I remained at home.
The first bombardment caused a panic in the town. The shops quickly hid their merchandise in the cellars and there was a shortage of food. The Jewish youth in the city organized a self-defense organization to protect against the eventual attack of Ukrainian nationalists. Some Jews, I and my family among them, fled to relatives and friends in the neighboring villages. There, the panic was no less than in the city… The gentiles had already begun to gnash their teeth and sharpen their knives for the Jews. It seemed like the Germans would come in slowly but surely and slaughter us all. The hours were numbered, and the tension grew.
Great was the joy when, instead of the Germans, the first patrols of the Soviet Army were seen… Jews calmed down and began anew to live and work. There were indeed a few unacceptable deeds perpetrated by the Soviets, such as deporting people to Siberia and nationalizing businesses - but this was quickly finished. Great tragedies did not take place in our region. It was the opposite,
[Page 296]
the Soviets related better to the Jews than to the gentiles, and placed greater trust in them.
However, people had predictions that this was only temporary, and that it would not remain this way. Something gave them a bad felling that something would take place, and it would be bad.
We also used to receive news from the Jewish refugees who had already fled from the Germans. They all gave testimony that the time of a greater catastrophe was nearing. Even the Soviets themselves believed that a war with the Germans was inevitable, and was approaching with quick steps. They acted upon this with deeds, such as building fortresses and bunkers.
A few days before the German-Soviet conflict, the Soviets mobilized all of the Jewish youth to military service. The elderly, women, and children were almost all that remained. This time as well, as before, I had luck and I was not mobilized. At that time, I was on a mission to Lemberg.
The German-Soviet Conflict
On June 22, 1941, the day of the German assault on the Soviets, I was caught in Lemberg. I can never forget that day. I will never forget the terrorized faces of the helpless women, as they were running through the Lemberg streets with their children, not knowing what to do. I understood that everything was hopeless - there was no means of salvation. I felt a longing for my wife and children. My conscience bothered me greatly: why did I leave them all alone. I decided to reunite with them at any price.
I Go Home By Foot
I barely stopped at the destroyed railway station. I quickly turned in the direction of Sambor, and
[Page 297]
set out by foot. A stone was lifted from my heart - I was going home and I would see them soon. I wanted to fight the Germans; I wanted to slaughter them, tear them, bite them. I would not let my children be killed! I was speaking to myself, asking questions and answering them myself…
Thus did I go the entire way, which lasted for three days and three nights, until I arrived at the Turka Mountain, on the way to Jawor, right near the Turka cemetery. From there, I saw all of Turka. It broke my heart - for I knew very well the misfortune that lay ahead for the poor town. I was greatly comforted that I was already in the town, and from there, it was a few kilometers to my home village. I had a strong desire to turn aside, here in the cemetery, to my mother, who had been laying here for a few decades already. I was here, and I wanted to pay my respects, perhaps for the last time.
I knew the way very well, and fell onto the grave, weeping. I told her everything, speaking from my heart - about the great danger that was hanging over us, about my children and my wife, who was already in her final months of pregnancy with our third child. Everything, everything I told her, as if she was standing before me alive…
I could barely go through the streets of the city. They were full of Soviet soldiers with tanks and cannons. Jews were running to and fro in a disorderly fashion, afraid and desperate, not knowing what to do. I did not stop or talk to anyone. Along the way, I met a few local Ukrainians. I greeted them and asked them what was happening in the village. They did not answer me, but rather smiled from under their visors and waved their finger over their neck, making the sign of a slaughterer slaughtering…
To Escape or to Remain?…
It was not long before I reached my home. The children were very happy to see me. My wife was pale and sorrowful. I understood her sadness very well: A pregnant woman at that time had what to be sad about. I calmed her.
[Page 298]
I knew that you would come back, that you would not leave us alone and helpless, she said to me. Look here, she pointed with her finger, I have already packed some items and some food to take with us on the journey. I was only waiting for you.
What do you mean? I asked her with curiosity.
I mean, that we must escape from her quickly, she said. Have you not heard what my sister said when she escaped her from Krakow, barely with her life? Have you not heard what the Germans are doing with the Jews?! I do not want to wait willingly for death; if death wishes to claim us as victims, it will not be so easy, it will have to torment us, to pursue us…
We will travel to another village, to my brother - I said. There, the Ukrainians are a bit better than here, more friendly. They lived well with my parents and my brothers for so many years. There, we even had partnerships in fields with them. You will see that they will receive us well.
Do not trust the haters! she said. They are awaiting the moment when the Germans will arrive. Then, they will finish up with the Jews and steal their belongings.
The door opened and my wife's sister entered. She was an unmarried girl. I heard their debate - she turned to me and said -If you would have seen what my eyes have seen, what the Germans have done with the Jews of Krakow, you would not tarry for one moment. Go rest a bit, for you must be tired from the journey. Do not worry, I am also going with you, and we three adults will not fail!
In he meantime, my wife went out to all the neighbors and told them to escape.
Where should we escape, they shrugged their shoulders. They will go through quickly. Fool, you do not remember, a year and a half ago
[Page 299]
how great the fear was when the Germans were about to enter? - And there was peace. Aside from the few people who were killed in Turka under Petrikov, no more bad things took place. In the same way, it will be peaceful again. The Germans intend only for the Communists - what do they have to do with us?…
In the meantime, I woke up from my sleep, and saw how people were gathering and setting out on the way outside. On the road, I meant a Russian officer whom I knew. I asked him what was going on. Not good, he answered. We are retreating from the entire region with all the Russian officers. We are setting out very early tomorrow morning… He told me this last piece of information as a secret, so that nobody would hear…
I barely slept the entire night. I prepared the wagon, made a booth like the Gypsies, and hitched up the horses. In the meantime, my wife and her sister prepared the children and loaded the packages. Not far from my house I saw a few young Ukrainians whispering to each other. They were already waiting, like dogs, to bite…
We Escape…
We set out. Along the way, we joined up with the entire company of Soviet officers and teachers. Several other Jewish families joined us, including Leib Teichman of Nyszny Wysocko, Yosef Shindler of Jablonow, the two brothers-in-law Berl Heger and Yaakov Feldman - all with their families. There also was Avrahamche Feljor of Nyszny Wysocko and his sister, Shmuel Zisha Furmans and his two children: all with horses and wagons. These were the few families of the entire Turka region who succeeded in escaping at the lat minute. Everyone else remained behind.
We really did not know where we were going, but we traveled in the direction of all the travelers. Tanks, cannons, various military formations and civilians were also traveling. The way was full of
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debris. This was not a normal journey, but rather a haunted journey. We were very chagrined… Indeed, we were civilians fleeing - but we were unprotected people with wives and children on the wagons. However, they?! The mighty Russian Army?! Where is their honor, are they not ashamed?!…
Our group, particularly the Jews, stuck together and took care of each other so that nobody would be left behind on the way. If something broke in somebody's wagon, everyone would help fix it, and then we would continue on. We rested during the day and traveled on at night. My wife traveled the entire way as a woman of valor. She never complained. She took care of the children, and from time to time, she let me rest a bit and drove the horses herself.
In Russia
We traveled in this manner for approximately four weeks, until we reached the old Russian border at the Zbrucz River. When we were on Russian territory, the Soviets pointed everyone in their direction to their homes, but we Jews remained alone without a leader… After a brief conference, we decided to abandon the horses and wagons, and continue on the journey by train.
When I unloaded my packages and children from the wagon, I noted a heavy package that I had not yet seen. My wife had taken along my tallis and tefillin, a prayer book and a few other books. I did not want the German and Ukrainian gangs to have something to mock, she said.
Soon, a large transport of transport wagons arrived, which were full of Jewish and non-Jewish refugees. The transport did not even stop at the station, but continued on. As it was traveling, we threw all the children of our group
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onto all the wagons, and we jumped on. Many of our packages were left behind in the station, including my tallis and tefillin. We were happy to have our children.
As we were traveling, we collected our children onto one wagon. We traveled on and on until we mixed in to the large sea of Jewish refugees fro various countries - Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian, Austrian, Bessarabian and Ukrainian Jews. We all shared in the bitter lot of the refugees.
On August 11, 1941, we received congratulations in the city of Stalingrad. My wife gave birth to a daughter. This was also at the time of the beginning of our tragic wandering through Russia.
In Besieged Stalingrad
After a short rest in a kolkhoz [collective farm] in the Stalingrad region, when the Germans were beginning their terrible offensive against Stalingrad, I was already no longer together with my family. The Soviets mobilized massive forces and sent them to defend the large city with its hazardous factories. Some went into the army with weapons, and others dug fortifications and performed other strategic work under the supervision of military officers and supervisors. I was involved in such a group.
It was already late autumn. Aside from the difficult normal work and terrible hunger, the Russian cold froze my half-naked bones. People died of hunger and cold more than on the fronts.
The Family in a Foreign Place, in Great Danger
My family was far, in a foreign place and in great danger. The enemy was approaching them. This time, they were in greater danger than four months previously, when we fled from our home. At that time, it was still warm outside, and now it was cold and
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we had a young child. Who knew if there would be familiar people who would organize and help with the escape? My head was splitting with thoughts: I could not relax. I wanted to run to them, but I was 300 kilometers away. What could one do? - I thought. It was better to die at home together with everybody, than here in the Stalingrad steppes…
After a difficult internal struggle, I decided to run, run. Perhaps this time, like the previous time, I would succeed in coming to them at the right time and to help them escape. I indeed succeeded, and I achieved my objective. After wandering for several days, I met them on the way to the railway station… In my life, I will never forget the moment of our meeting! I later found out that the escape was organized by Chana Furman, Shmuel Zishe's daughter from Borinya - who was only an 18-year old girl! She knocked on all the doors of the local authorities, asking that they help her evacuate the few families. The local authorities fulfilled her request. She herself did not leave the place until everyone had set out. She traveled on the last vehicle, together with us.
It was cold outside. It was raining and snowing. We sat in a deserted railway station, waiting hours for a train. The wagons were filled with war equipment, and all the trains were going in one direction - to Stalingrad. None of them wanted to take us on, especially with young children in diapers.
After begging profusely, a Soviet officer had mercy upon us and permitted us to occupy a small place in his loaded, open platform. Thus did we travel. To protect ourselves from the snow and wind, I made a booth out of pieces of lumber, and covered it with twigs and straw. We all gathered inside. In this way, we were able to nestle together and warm our children. At that time, the oldest was six years old, and the youngest was three months.
A normal journey to Stalingrad would have taken a few hours. We traveled for four weeks. We wanted to cross the Volga through Stalingrad.
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On the other side of the Volga, there was still free traffic in the large, wide expanse of Russia, to Siberia, to Kovkhoz, to the Far East, and also to the Middle East. Together with the entire stream of refugees, we entered Stalingrad and waited for a possibility of crossing the Volga.
The Besieged City
Stalingrad was full of refugees. Tramways and cars could not go through… People pushed, tore through, and even fought for a corner where they would be able to protect themselves from the harsh wind and snow. Many were frozen, and squeezed themselves together.
After a few weeks of terrible suffering, and order was issued by the supreme authorities that the entire population, including the refugees, would be evacuated. For that purpose, the regime enlisted ships and small boats on the Volga. There was terrible chaos as the ships were loaded… the voices and warnings, the running and shoving - everything looked like a sinking ship full of people in the middle of the sea… Entire families were scattered in this admixture. Our intimate group, which had held together the entire time, was also separated there. We never saw each other or met up again.
After long and difficult months of wandering with various means of transportation, my family and I reached Central Asia, directly below the Himalayan Mountains. There, we met many families from Poland who had traveled there some time previously from Poland via the Soviet Union.
There, we felt secure and out of danger. We remained there until the summer of 1944.
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by Esther Brand of Kiryat Bialik
Righteous Gentiles have a place in the World To Come (Tosafot Sanhedrin, 13)
A great deal has been written about the Holocaust as well as about the anti-Semitic population that helped the Nazis carry out their plots. On the other hand, not much has yet been written about the righteous gentiles who often endangered their lives to save a Jewish soul. As one of the survivors of the Holocaust, I believe that I have not fulfilled my obligation if I fail to write in the pages of this book about one Polish family in whose warm home I found refuge during the days of the Holocaust.
It was November 1942. The winter was in its full strength. The cold penetrated the bones, as was usual in my native city of Turka. On Rynek Street, one could meet Ukrainian villagers next to their winter sleighs who came to sell the produce of their land, such as potatoes, rye flour, and other such items - all in small quantities. At times, one could notice a Jew wearing the Star of David patch, exchanging words with a villager, turning from side to side to see that there was no German around. In general, the exchange ended without results, for the farmer demanded astronomical prices in terms of clothing, kitchen utensils, and the like for a kilo of potatoes. The Jews who remained after the aktions were very few in number, about 500, broken in soul and lacking of means. A Jew who failed to wear the patch would be punished with death. Despite this, I endangered myself and sometimes went on the streets without the patch. My Aryan appearance helped me. However, as I was walking on the street that time, I was overtaken by fear for some reason and I wore my patch on my arm. I approached one of the farmers and asked him if he would like to purchase kitchen utensils from me in exchange for food. The farmer agreed, and followed me to my house. I showed him all types of pots and dishes. He looked at them, but instead of asking for their price, he invited me… to accompany him, for he was willing to hide me until the end of the war. He said, I saw announcements that you must be prepared to go to the Sambor Ghetto. We have no children at home, and we want to perform a good deed in this world and save a young soul from extermination. His offer enticed me
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greatly. I told this to my mother, who of course agreed. We agreed to meet next to the Cygalnia (brickyard). I was to dress like one of the Ukrainians, to set out on my way and stop the sleigh in which he would be sitting, and ask the driver to take me to Wysocko-Wyszna.
It is easy to imagine how difficult it was to part from my home and my family. Indeed, we knew that there was no hope of surviving in Turka, and there was no ray of light for salvation, but we still wanted to remain together. We wept, wailed and comforted each other. We said in our hearts that G-d only knows if we will see each other again. My younger brother Shlomo of blessed memory, who was ten years old at the time, asked and begged to join me. He was only comforted after I explained to him that he was the only male in the family, and he must protect everybody. Accompanied by my friend Henya Schreiber, who lived with us after the death of her family, I left our home and set out on the journey. We had to cross the river, with the fear of the Germans who used to wander over the bridge. The road led us to the meeting place. From afar, I saw the approaching sleigh. I signaled it to stop by raising my hand, and asked the sleigh driver to take me to Wysocko-Wyszna in return for payment. The Ukrainian acceded to my request. I sat down and glanced back to my friend Henya, who had set out in the direction of the house to inform my mother of my departure.
We sat in the sleigh: a Ukrainian police captain who was the sleigh owner, the Pole in whose house I was to remain for the remainder of the war, and an elderly Ukrainian woman. The woman explained while weeping that the Volksdeutchen had conduced a search in her house and taken all of the belongings that she had purchased from Jews. The Pole told me the same thing, and I found out that all of the kitchen utensils and blankets that my mother had given him had been confiscated by the Volksdeutchen. Along the way, the Ukrainian wanted to talk to me in German, boasting that he had succeeded in learning the language during the course of his job. I pretended to not understand even one word, and he translated the discussion into Ukrainian for me. To me, the entire matter seemed like a joke suffused with pain.
We passed near the Ukrainian police in the village of Borinya; however, nobody came out to greet us. We reached Wysocko-Nyszny, and even then they did not stop us. We were all surprised. The Ukrainian captain explained that the police had found a Jewess a few days ago in this place who had been hiding in a coffin that was being transported by a villager. The villager was cruelly beaten and then turned over to the Ukrainian police. Of course, the villager also
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received his punishment. The captain said, It is interesting that now, when there is no Jewess with us, they are not conducting a search. Everyone burst out laughing. They laughed and joked. I also laughed with my voice, but inside I was weeping bitterly, in accordance with the words of the prophet, My soul weeps in the hidden recesses. I thought about how downtrodden our people were, how we had become an object of mockery and derision - were our sins really to great to bear?! Sadness overtook me and a spirit of depression fell upon me, but I quickly recovered and continued to laugh… I recalled the words of the wisest of men, There is a time to weep and a time to laugh[1]. We continued to travel on, as we were chatting and laughing.
Suddenly, I felt a light kick from the foot of the Pole. I understood that this was where I was supposed to get off… I paid the Ukrainian four zloty and got off. The Pole also got off and politely offered to accompany me because of the darkness. I agreed and after a tiring half-hour walk in the deep snow, we arrived at his house. This was a typical village house. His parents and three sisters lived in one part of the house - and they did not know about my arrival and my presence in the house until the liberation! He and his wife lived in the second section. When they saw me, his wife expressed her joy and welcomed me warmly. She served me supper and made my bed. This was my first night in this house in which I spent close to two years.
|The sawmill near the Stryj River
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The next day, which was a Friday, the Pole, whom I had started to call Mr. Wlodomierz, joined his Volksdeutche neighbor, and they both set out for Turka. I gave him a letter for my mother, in which I describe my success. Among other things, I asked her to give him belongings that they were not going to take with them to the ghetto, and to try to convince him to take my sister along as well. This was one day before the transfer of all the Jews of Turka and the region to the Sambor Ghetto. The villagers knew about this, and therefore they all came to the city in order to purchase anything that the Jews had. Indeed, Mr. Wlodomierz returned late at night with a chest full of all types of items - but he did not bring my sister. In his words, he was afraid of the Volksdeutche. The next day, Saturday November 28, 1942, corresponding to 21 Tevet, 5703, all of the Jews of the villages were deported to the ghetto. I stood next to the window for hours looking outside. I saw Jews - men, women and children from the villages - walking with suitcases, packages and sacks. Some wept, and others were just sad. From time to time, they peered backward, as if to cast a final glance at their houses in which they and their ancestors had lived - and who knew if they would see them again. I then thought about my family and was sad that we were not together and that we could not comfort each other.
I spent my first week in the village in a closed room. Then, I entered the hiding place and remained there for the entire winter. The hiding place was a crate with a double bottom. There were potatoes on top, and I slept on the bottom. I was not able to sit. I only left my hiding place once a day, for a half hour at midnight, in order to attend to my needs and breathe fresh air. Mr. Wlodomierz and his wife Maria called this crate, The Ark of Moses. Frequently in the evenings, neighbors gathered in our house and discussed various issues. I heard conversations about the advance or retreat of the army, about the conquest of cities, about the capture of Jews, about Jewish partisans in the forest, and about everything that was taking place in the world. I paid attention to all of these conversations, and listened quietly without moving. Once, I heard a light knock on the window and I realized from the discussion that somebody was asking for food. The next day Maria told me that a young Jewish girl from the Fejler family of Turka was hiding with her father in the forest. She would come to her window from time to time to request some food. Of course, she was never sent away empty handed.
I lay in this crate until the spring. They had to liquidate the crate when the stock of potatoes ran out, in order to avoid arousing suspicion. Mr. Wlodomierz, who supported himself by building ovens, dismantled the old oven and built a new one with a hiding place for me. Now,
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it was more comfortable for me. I was able to sit, embroider, write and read. This hiding place was also less suspicious than the previous one. Thus passed days and nights, that merged into weeks, and the weeks into months - until June 1944. The German Army suffered defeats in all places and retreated from the fronts. The Bandera gangs attacked the villagers, burning, pillaging their property, and spreading ruin and destruction in every place that they passed through. Fear and trepidation fell upon the residents of Komarniki.
One day, my savior decided to remove me from my hiding place for my safety. They transferred me to a field and put me in a haystack. I remained in the haystack for three months. They would visit me daily and bring me food. At night, I was overcome with fear of the rain, thunder, and barking dogs. Once, Germans came to get some hay. They went straight for my haystack, but Mr. Wlodomierz, who was working in the field at that time, directed them to another haystack, explaining that this particular haystack had rotted from the rain. One night in the month of October, they brought me back to their house and hid me in the attic. However, I remained there for only one night - the Soviet Army arrived the next morning!
My saviors did not want to reveal to the village residents that they had been hiding a Jewish girl. They only told this to their relatives who lived in the other part of the house. When they came to see me, the looked at me as if I had fallen from another planet. They did not believe the sight of their eyes. The next morning Mr. Wlodomierz took a loaf of bread and a bottle of milk, and we set out on the road leading to Turka. We walked on foot for eight kilometers and arrived in the city. It was difficult to recognize the city of Turka. It looked as it had suffered a bombardment. We did not find even one intact Jewish home. Not only had they removed the windows from the Jewish homes, but also the ceilings and floors. There were also homes without any remnant. We did not find even one intact room in our home, the Kleist home in which five families had lived previously and which consisted of approximately 20 rooms. We wandered through the streets of Turka, and I recalled Turka from before the Holocaust… streets that had bustled with Jews, tradesmen, merchants, wealthy people, poor people, and members of the middle class; coffeehouses and other such places. All that was left from all of these was a heap of ruins, without any Jewish remnant. I was very depressed that we did not find my family. I thought, was it possible that I remained alone in the world?! I was overcome with despair. I was encouraged somewhat when I met a few people who had just returned from the forests. These included the Bruner family, David Binder, Moshe Meiner, Moshe Kirszner with his brother Yosef, Tova Pesi and Moshe Shreiber, Shalom Erdman, Hillel Erdman,
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Avraham Liberhart, Chaya Goldreich and her mother, Esther Shein, Shaul Kleist, Ben-Zion Bronanka and his brother, the Ringel family who had come from Sambor, the Kris family and others.
A few weeks passed before I succeeded in setting myself up with work. In the meantime, I received assistance from Wlodomierz and Maria Komarnicki, in whose merit I had survived.
I express my gratitude to them.
|Myckowicz Street
Translator's Footnote:
[Page 310]
by Y. M. Zeifert of Los Angeles
|We are lying beneath the hay in the attic of the stable, hiding
From the Hitlerist murderers and from death;
From one morning to the next, we wait for the liberation,
To redeem us from tribulations and need.
As we count the days and nights in this manner
The month of November has already passed,
It does not want to remain quiet for long
Near me, my child tells of his dream:
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|And when she wakes up in the morning,
She said that in her imagination -
She heard joyous voices outside,
As the woman householder, our gentile, came up
And said, The war is over,
The confusion has ended,
You can come out of your hiding place now -
Hitler has suffered his downfall…
My child, would it be that your dream would come true,
December 7, 1943
[Page 312]
by Dr. M. Dvorzhitzki
Remember the Holocaust of the Jewish people, remember the loss and bitterness. It should be for you a sign and a lesson for generation after generation.
May this memory accompany you always - when you walk on the way, when you lie down, and when you arise.
May the memory of brethren who are no longer here be bound to you forever.
Let the memory be on your flesh, your blood, and your bones.
Gnash your teeth and remember; as you eat your bread - remember; as you drink your water - remember; if you hear a song - remember; as the sun comes out - remember; as night falls - remember; on a holiday and festival - certainly remember.
If you build a house, leave a part unfinished so the destruction of the House of Israel will be before you always.
If you plough a field, set up a mound of stones - as a witness memorial to our brethren, who were never brought to a Jewish burial.
When you lead your child to the wedding canopy, bring to the forefront of your joy the memory of the children who will never be brought to the wedding canopy.
Let them be as one: the living and the dead; the victim and the survivor; those who went on their journey and are no longer, and those who remained alive.
Hear, oh member of the Nation of Israel, the voice calling to you from the depths; do not be silent, do not be silent!
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text:
On Valentine's Day -- or any day -- love can be ageless.
It ignores the failing eyesight. The hearing that isn't as sharp. The slowing steps. Bones that break more easily.
Just ask Steve and Vicki Wrubel.
Handsome at 103, he may not hear a question that's asked of him. Vicki, 102, still attractive with her polished fingernails and styled hair, doesn't get around like she once did.
It doesn't matter. Their love hasn't faltered, even after more than 83 years of marriage. They're always together and likely to be found holding hands, making up for the time lost when Vicki broke her hip and was in a nursing home away from him. He now stays close by protecting her as they adjust to living at Angelica's Place assisted living in Romeo. They lived in Holiday, Fla., since 1978, but relocated this month to be close to relatives.
Watch a report on the Valentine's Day couple during today's News at Noon.
When Vicki fell and was injured, Steve tried to lift her and "messed up my back. But other than that, we're doing OK." He only stopped driving at age 101.
The Wrubels, who met at St. John Catholic Church in Ubly, north of Detroit, married Sept. 28, 1929. After the wedding, family and friends returned to Vicki's parents' farm where they danced on the floor of a granary.
There was no honeymoon. The newlyweds moved to Flint while Steve worked for General Motors. But weeks after their wedding when the stock market collapsed and he was laid off, they moved back to the family farm.
"We didn't have any money, but at least we could eat," Steve said.
Steve eventually was called back to GM and stayed 38 years, before retiring in quality control. "I looked for the defects (in cars) on the (assembly) line," he said.
Vicki worked occasionally, but was primarily a homemaker. The Wrubels had no children. "We didn't question that," Steve said. "God has a plan." Vicki was one of seven daughters, Steve had 11 siblings, so there is no shortage of nieces and nephews and their offspring.
The couple were active socially, dressing up and going dancing often, and family members say they both know their way around a deck of cards, especially when it came to pinochle. He enjoys baseball and maybe will become a Detroit Tigers fan, but after all those years in Florida, he tends to pull for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Vicki still calls Steve "my man" and "my valentine" and today will be holding hands with him as usual, and celebrating being perhaps the country's longest married living couple.


text:
Activity Overview
Team-focused activity requiring a high level of communication, leadership, followership, and team skills
- build skills of teamwork, leadership, and communication
- create agreed-upon team values and/or a code of behavior to ensure team effectiveness
- enhance camaraderie and team spirit
Group Size
8 or more members of an intact work group, in subgroups of 8 to 15
Time Required
25 minutes or longer, depending on the depth of the debriefing
- 100-foot nylon rope, tied together into a loop
- Flip chart and markers
Physical Setting
A space large enough for participants to create a large circle, with nothing in the way. If there are several subgroups doing the activity at the same time, you will need space for each subgroup to be able to form a large circle, with plenty of room between subgroups. (This activity works well in an outdoor setting.)
Facilitating Risk Rating
1) Introduce the activity by explaining that teams are most effective when all the members agree on their roles, values, and operating principles (code of behavior). Explain that this activity is designed to help team members examine how they function together as a team and establish their own operating principles.
2) If there are a lot of team members, divide the group into subgroups of eight to fifteen. Ask each subgroup to form a big circle, with enough distance between subgroups to allow discussion and movement without interference.
3) Once subgroups are organized into their circles, lay a 100-foot rope circle in the center of each subgroup. Instruct the team members to pick up the rope so everyone is holding it and it creates a circle the same size as the group.
4) Instruct the group that, from this point on, no one may let go of the rope, nor may anyone change places on the rope with anyone else. People may slide their hands along the rope as they move, but they may not let go of the rope.
5) The goal is to use the rope to create a 5-pointed star with lines intersecting. Emphasize that the star must have the lines intersecting. Remind them they are to use the entire rope to create their stars. Post a sketch like the one shown below on a flip chart to demonstrate what you mean.
6) Allow the groups to create their stars, observing the team dynamics. Be sure they do not let go of the rope or change where they are on the rope. As they move to create the star, they can simply slide their hands along the rope.
7) When a group feels they have achieved the goal, instruct them to lay the rope down on the ground, so they can step away and see their results.
8) Celebrate success or talk about the reasons why they were not successful, and then encourage them to make another attempt.
9) To debrief and use this activity for a more intense discussion, use the following questions:
- What kinds of things happened as you went through this activity?
- What were the benefits of the activity for you as an individual? As a team?
- What was the most difficult thing in this activity? Why was it difficult?
- What surprised you as you went through the activity?
- How did leadership emerge during the activity? Did you see it change as you progressed through the activity?
- What did you learn from the way you accomplished this task that relates to the way you work together as a team on the job?
- As you look at the star, imagine the five points stand for the five most important values (or codes of behavior) you want to embrace as a team. What do the points represent?
10) Lead the teams to brainstorm, prioritize, and select their five top values or five operating principles.
- Increasing levels of difficulty could be added to change the dynamic of this activity. For example, half the team could be blindfolded; only certain individuals could be allowed to speak; a time limit could be introduced; groups could be required to trade some team members with another group halfway through the activity. Any difficulty factor that is added must have a relevant debriefing to go with it (e.g., if members are switched during the activity, you could debrief by talking about change and its impact on productivity as well as team camaraderie and functioning).
- During the debriefing, you can focus the five points on something different. For example, they could represent the five critical roles for team effectiveness; the five largest competitors and how to deal with them; the five beliefs the team stands for, etc.
- Instead of focusing on the points of the star, your debriefing could focus on the intersecting lines, as a representation of how different team members communicate and relate with one another to create the whole picture. This is particularly useful with a team whose members work in different locations.
An excerpt from The 2011 Pfeiffer Annual: Consulting edited by Elaine Biech. Copyright ©2011 Pfeiffer. All Rights Reserved.
Cher Holton, Ph.D., president of The Holton Consulting Group, Inc., is an impact consultant focusing on bringing harmony to life with customers, among team members, and in life. A Certified Speaking Professional and Certified Management Consultant, she also is author of several books, including The Manager's Short Course to a Long Career, Living at the Speed of Life: Staying in Control in a World Gone Bonkers!, and Crackerjack Choices: 200 of the Best Choices You Will Ever Make.