Weather: On Saint Mary's Day,
sunshine brings much good wine.
If
the sun shines on Mary's day, that is a good token, and especially for wine.
[Heretofore I have entered that last word as
‘wind’ because that is the way I found it, but I do believe the typesetter of
that book made an error; therefore I have changed it to wine. Wind at this time of year is not a good
token, too often taking the form of Category I or higher. Of course, overindulgence in a good wine can make you
feel like you’ve been through a Category 1 or higher.]
Rain
on St. Lawrence is late but good
(August 10)
Rain
on Assumption is also late but good (August 15)
But
if St. Bartholomew rains, slap him! (August 29)
[once
the harvest begins, we need dry weather.
A late rain can mildew the plants in both field and barn]
Farming and Gardening:
When
Mary left us here below,
The
Virgin's Bower begins to blow;
The
Holy Queen of Heaven gives us the first nuts.
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Hail!
Holy Virgin mother, wedded Maid;
Blest
Temple of the Trinity ador’d;
All
Angels’ joy, meek Virtue’s Cypress shade,
Fountain
of clemency, pure Spouse of God,
Lost
pilgrims’ Loadstar on life’s troubled way;
Candle
of heavenly unction, Patience’s Palm
Sweet
light of morning, bright Star of the day,
Lamp
of Devotion, wounded sinners’ Balm.
Chaplet
of graces, Posy of our prayers,
Chastity’s
Cedar, Humility’s fair cell,
Hope’s
constant magnet, solace of our cares,
Vessel
of comfort for Affliction’s dell,
Rose
of sweet heavenly odors, Lily pure,
Beneath
thy foster care we rest secure.
Thomas Forster, Philosophia Musarum, 1845
Here
we are again at the glorious high-summer festival in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Take herbs to be blessed at Mass today, or make an Assumption bouquet of flowers and herbs. And chocolate was discovered today! Huzzah!
Good wine and good chocolate and a beautiful
summer’s day – doesn’t get much better than that.
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Once upon a time, not too long ago, this was an important Feast, a Double of the 1st Class, with a Vigil (with its fast) fore and an Octave aft, and a Plenary indulgence attached. Now it is a Solemnity, with all the accoutrements stripped away that might make Protestants even more nervous than they already are with this further evidence of Catholic Mariolotry (got to keep that ecumenism going!)
Okay, I am being facetious. Over the years, several popes have decided to make things easier (you can say 'dumbing down' if you like - I do) and so instead of a truly awe-inspiring Feast, we now have something from the category, "oh-bother-not-another-holy-day-of-obligation-I-just-went-to-Mass-on-Sunday-I-have-other-things-to-do!". Can't get much easier than that.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Artwork:
“Assumption” from the Hours of Catherine
of Cleves, 15th century. Morgan Library, New York.
