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| Grape picking time! |
"The name comes from the Latin septimus, "seventh," because under the ten-month calendar, and afterwards under the reckoning which made March the beginning of the year, September was the seventh month. After July and August (originally Quintilis, "fifth," and Sextilis, "sixth") had been so named in honor of Julius Caesar and Augustus, several Roman Emperors sought to give their names to September, but in this case the innovation did not survive. Julius Caesar gave September thirty-one days in his revision of the calendar, but it was subsequently reduced to thirty days by Augustus, who changed the length of all the months after August in order to give his titular month the same length as July."
"The Saxons called September Gerstmonath, or Barley-Month, this crop, from which their favorite beverage was brewed, being then gathered. It is still called Herbstmonat, or Harvest Month, in Switzerland. The harvest-moon comes in this month, being the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox. For several evenings the moon rises near sunset, thus enabling the harvesters to extend their day's work." William Shepard Walsh, Curiosities of Popular Customs, p. 873 (1898).
Marry in September's shine
Your living will be rich and fine.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Astronomy for September: The full moon this month, on the 12th, is known as the Harvest Moon.
The Autumnal Equinox takes place at 5:05 am on September 23rd.
Ember Days: September 21, 23, and 24
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Weather for September
Based on the 12 Days of Christmas: Foggy and drizzly, still warm.Based on the first 12 days of January: Warm to begin with, then colder.
Based on the Ember Days: Overcast with some showers, and very warm.
So 'warm' seems to be the watchword this month.
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Weather Lore for September
September blow soft,
Til the fruit's in the loft.
As September, so the coming March.
When September has been rainy, the following May is generally dry; and when May is dry, the following September is apt to be wet.
A wet September means drought for next summer, famine, and no crops.
and
Heavy September rains bring drought.
on the other hand
Rain in September is good for the farmer, but poison to the vine-growers.
and
September rain is good for crops and vines and much liked by the farmer.[I think it depends on how much and how heavy the rain]
If the storms of September clear off warm, all the storms of the following winter will be warm.
If a cold spell occurs in September and passes without a frost, there will be no frost until the same time in October.
Thunder in September indicates a good crop of grain and fruit for the next year.
9/1 - Fair on September 1st, fair for the month
9/6 - As the weather is on the 6th, so it will be for the next four weeks.
9/8 - As the weather is n the day of Mary's birth, so it will be for four weeks.
9/9 - If it is fine on St. Gorgonius' day, it will continue fine for forty days.
If it rains on St. Gorgonius' day, there will be much bad weather in October.
9/14 - No rain on Holy Cross, no rain for six weeks.
If dry be the buck's horn on Holyrood morn,
'Tis worth a kist [chest] of gold;
But if wet be seen ere Holyrood e'en,
Bad harvest is foretold.
If the hart and the hind meet dry and part dry on Rood Day fair,
For six weeks, of rain there'll be nae mair [no more].
There are generally three consecutive windy days about the middle of September.
9/15 - September 15th is fine six years out of seven.
9/19 - If on September 19th, there is a storm from the south, a mild winter may be expected.
[If on September 19th, there is a storm from the south, it is liable to be a hurricane]
9/20-22 - September 20, 21, and 22 rule the weather for October, November, and December.
9/21 - St. Matthew's day bright and clear
Brings good wine in the next year.
St. Matthew
Brings the cold dew.
On St. Matthee,
Shut up the bee.
After St. Matthew you will not see many fine days.
A south wind on September 21st indicates that the rest of autumn will be warm.
9/22 - If there is clear weather on St. Maurice's day, heavy winds will rage in the following winter.
9/23 - The first three days of any season rule the weather for that season.
As the wind and weather at the equinoxes, so will they be for the next three months.
If the weather is quiet for the week before the autumn equinox and the week after, the temperature will continue higher than usual into the winter.
As the equinoctial storms clear, so will all storms clear for the next six months.
Winds that blow in the daytime near the equinox generally hush towards evening.
9/29 - On Michaelmas day, the heat leaves us.
If St. Michael brings many acorns, Christmas will cover the fields with snow.
A dark Michaelmas, a light Christmas.
If it rains on Michaelmas, it will rain up to Christmas.
As many days old as the moon is on Michaelmas day, so many floods shall we have after.
If Michaelmas day be fair, the sun will shine much in the winter, though the wind at the north-east will frequently reign long and be very sharp.
If there is a gentle rain on St. Michael's day, we can expect a mild winter; but if there is a thunderstorm, the winter will have heavy winds.
If it does not rain on St. Michael and St. Gallus (October 16), a dry Spring is indicated for the next year.
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Gardening:
September rain is good for the crops.
9/1 - St. Giles finishes the walnuts.
9/14 - it was traditional to go nutting today. Also, the passion-flower is said to bloom around this time. The flower is said to present a resemblance to the cross, the nails, and the crown of thorns, used at the Crucifixion.
9/29 - Pick your blackberries before Michaelmas. The Devil passes his hoof over them (or something nastier) and scorches them today.
The 1816 Almanac advises the farmer to "Plant Liquorice Roots about two Feet asunder, in rather moist Earth. Set Artichokes, and sow Seeds for Winter Herbs. Sow Wheat and Rye. Cut Quicks towards the End of the Month. Plant Evergreens. Sow Parsnips and Carrots in a free open Air, and rather moist Soil. Remove and set Slips of Flowers. Set Rows of Strawberries and Barberries. Gather Fruits as they ripen, on a dry Day, and lay them up carefully. Prepare Ground for planting."
Artwork: "September" from The Tres Riches Heures of Jean, Duc de Berri, c. 1440.
