nPostednon March 28, 2016
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Inhave already written about “Mule Day”non October 26, the anniversary of the arrival of mules in the UnitednStates.
Inhave already written about “Mule Day”non October 26, the anniversary of the arrival of mules in the UnitednStates. n
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nThisnis another celebration of “all things mule,” a tradition innColumbia, Tennessee, for almost 170 years.
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nIt began as Breeder’s Day,nwhich was a livestock show and mule market held on a single day oncena year. But now it is a week-long festival that includes all sorts ofnshows and competitions.
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nHerenare some of the things Mule Day festival-goers can enjoy:
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nan wagon trainn
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nann arts & crafts and flea market
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nPickin’n and Grinnin’ (music and dancing)
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nclogging
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nan blue grass music fest
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nan pool tournament
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nan liars’ contest
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nan parade
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nan knife auction
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nAnd,nif that doesn’t sound mule-oriented enough:
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njackpotn mule racesn
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nan mule auction
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nan riding mule show
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nlogn loading and pulling competitions
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nan miniature donkey and mule show
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ndrivingn and riding mule shows
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nan gaited mule championship
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nandn more!
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nAndnof course a ton of food! From ham and biscuits to a “Hee-Haw ChilinSupper,” from a pancake breakfast to a bake sale, and loads of foodnbooths.
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nThenbiology of mules
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nYounprobably know that a mule is the offspring of a male donkey and anfemale horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, and they havendifferent numbers of chromosomes. Horses have 64 chromosomes, andndonkeys have 62. Mules end up with 63 chromosomes. Because of thendifferent structure and number of chromosomes, most mules areninfertile – a pair of mules can’t themselves have offspring.
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nChromosomesnare the threadlike organizing “packets” that contain most of thenDNA of an animal (or other organism). A gene is an individual segmentnof DNA, and chromosomes contain many genes packed together. One waynof thinking about it is to say that DNA is in genes, and genes are onnchromosomes.
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nIfna male horse and a female donkey have offspring, it is not called an“mule,” but rather a “hinny.” However, it is easier to breednmules than hinnies.
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nInnnature it would be unusual for two species to breed together. So younmay wonder why people would bother to breed horses and donkeys. Whyndo mules even exist?
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nBecausenmules are considered by many to have the best of both animals. Theynare more patient than horses, more sure-footed, more hardy. They livenlonger than horses and have more endurance for long journeys or heavynloads. They are faster than donkeys, and they are also less stubbornnthan donkeys (although “mulish” is a word we use for a reallynstubborn person…hmm…). Mules tend to be larger and morenintelligent than either of their parents.
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nThisn“best from both” parents is called hybridnvigor.
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nAlsonon this date:
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nAlsonon this date:
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Dyngus Dayn
Dyngus Daynn
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nWhite House Easter Egg Rolln
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nSomething on a Stick Day
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nBarnumnand Bailey Day
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nTeachers’nDay in the Czech Republic and Slovakia
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nWeednAppreciation Day
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nWhat’snin a Name Day
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nRagnarnLodbrok Day in Scandinavia
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nPlannahead:
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nApriln holidays
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