LEFT-HANDERS' DAY

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For all my fellow southpaws, cack-handers, gauche and sinister people,

It is International Left-Handers’ Day. 

Huzzah!

Left-handed

Right thinking

It is a day for finding lots of articles explaining who we are.  In one article, I found:

On the one hand:
     We’re more likely to drink (alcohol)           (check)
     We’re more likely to be shy and easily embarrassed         (check) 
     We’re more prone to negative feelings      (check)
     We aren’t likely to get over those negative feelings anytime soon    (definite check)
     We scare easily     (check)
     We’re more likely to be dyslexic  (check)  and ADHD types  (check)
     We’re more likely to be schizophrenic  (we’re not sure)
     We’re more likely to have mood disorders    (check)

On the same hand:
     We are supposedly more artistic.
     We are better at divergent thinking. 
     We are less at risk for ulcers.
     We are more likely to outlast rightie-tighties.   

So say it loud and say it proud – 

Lefties rule,

Righties drool.

 

7 January - St. Distaff's Day

Weather - the weather today indicates the weather of July.

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Happy, healthy, joyous, blessed, prosperous, whatever-floats-yer-boat New Year!

Once again, the women celebrate Saint Distaff's day by going back to work.  The men have a few more days of vacation before Plough Monday.

So, a good day to resume our labors... like blogging... and researching the history of the parish... and genealogy... and, oh yes, earning a living, however meager. (It is so cold here in the Smallest State, that the Widow would much rather hibernate for another two or even three months.)

Google won't let me download images, so you'll just have to imagine a woman with a distaff here.

8 November - Four Crowned Martyrs; Old Fashioned Rocks

Today we honor the patrons of sculptors and stonemasons.

“On the Lavican way, the birthday of the saintly brothers, Severus, Severian, Carpophorus and Victorinus, called the Four Crowned, who were scourged to death with leaded whips, during the reign of the Diocletian.  As their names, known some years afterwards by revelation, could not then be ascertained, it was ordered that their anniversary should be commemorated with the preceding five, under the name of the Four Saints Crowned.  This appellation was retained by the Church, even after their names had been revealed.”

The ‘preceding five’ saints referenced were “Claudius, Nicostratus, Symphorian, Castorius and Simplicius, who were first sent to prison, then scourged with whips set with metal, and as they could not be made to forsake the faith of Christ, Diocletian ordered them to be thrown into the river.”

The Golden Legend calls them “The Four Crowned Martyrs” and says of them: “… And these martyrs knew all the craft of sculpture or of carving, and Diocletian would have constrained them to carve an idol, but they would not entail nor carve it, nor consent to do sacrifice to the idols.  And then by the commandment of Diocletian, they were put into tuns of lead all living, and cast into the sea… And Melchiades, the pope, ordained these four saints to be honored and to be called the four crowned martyrs before that their names were found.  And though their names were afterward found and known, yet for the usage they be always called the four crowned martyrs.”

The Golden Legend also explains that for a long time after their martyrdom, their true names were unknown, so they were honored under the names of the other five martyrs.  It is under these names that they were entered in an Old English Martyrology [Simplicius became a fellow workman].  Here quatuor coronati  is translated as ‘the four victorious men’: “On the eighth day of the month is the martyrdom of the holy martyrs that are called in the books, quatuor coronate, that is the four victorious men, whose names were Claudius, Castorius, Symphorianus, and Nicostratus.  These were four skilful workers in stone at Rome; six hundred and twenty-two workers were there altogether, and no others were equal to them.  Every morning they marked their iron tools with the sign of the cross, and then they were never broken, but they carved each stone as the emperor designed.  One of the workmen was named Simplicius; he believed in God and received baptism, and since he did all that the others did.  Then God granted greater gifts to these five workmen than to the others.  The other workmen then complained of them to the emperor and told him that they were Christians and that they performed their artificial work by sorcery, because they marked their work with the sign of Christ’s Cross.  The emperor was angry and commanded them to be locked up alive in leaden chests and these to be thrown into the water.  After forty-two days, a Christian pulled up the chests with the bodies and placed them in his house, and many miracles since happened through these holy men.”

Subsequent embellishments and research have muddied the waters even further, so that it is not known which group (the four or the five) handled the carving tools (the other group being either government officials or soldiers); even the locations of their executions – Rome and modern Bosnia – are ascribed to one set or the other.  Or perhaps the Quattro Coronati are an entirely different group of martyrs, as proposed by the entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Whatever.  Our ancestors didn’t care.  They honored four (or five) workmen – with or without names – who gave their lives for their faith. In the 15^th century, an English stonemason’s guild entered this in their records:

“Pray we now to God Almighty,

And to His Mother, Mary bright,

That we may keep these articles here

And these points well altogether,

As did those holy martyrs four

That were in this craft of great honor.

They were as good masons as on earth shall go,

Gravers and image makers they were also,

For they were workmen of the best

The emperor had them in great liking;

He invoked them an image to make,

That might be worshiped for his sake;

Such idols he had in his day

To turn the people from Christ’s law,

But they were steadfast in Christ’s religion

And to the craft, without denial;

They loved well God and all His doctrines,

And were in His service evermore.

True men they were, in that day,

And lived well in God’s law;

They resolved no idols for to make,

For no good that they might take;

To believe on that idol for their god,

They would not do so, though he were mad,

For they would not forsake their true faith,

And believe on his false religion.

The emperor caused to take them at once

And put them in a deep prison.

The sorer he punished them in that place,

The more joy was to them of Christ’s grace.

Then when he saw no other way,

To death he caused them to go.

Who so will of their life more know,

By the book he may in learn,

In the legend of the saints,

The names of the four crowned ones.

Their feast will be, without denial,

After All Hallows, the eighth day.”

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We can honor the patrons of sculptors and stonemasons with OLD FASHIONED ROCKS:

Heat oven to 350° F.

Grease cookie sheets (enough for 2 – 3 dozen cookies)

Bring ½ cup of water to boiling and pour it over 2 cups of raisins.  Set aside.

Soften ½ cup of butter.

Sift 2-½ cups of flour, then add a teaspoon EACH of baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon, and sift again.

In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with 1-½ cups of firmly packed dark brown sugar.  Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture until light after each addition.

Stir in ½ cup of chopped walnuts, then add the flour mixture and the raisins with the soaking water, and mix well.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheets and bake for about 15 minutes. 

2 November - All Souls' Day; Epitaphs

“Waking, sleeping, eating, drinking, chatt’ring, lying, life went by;

While of dying little thinking, down I dropp’d, and here I lie”

One of the Widow’s favorite pastimes is to wander through cemeteries and read the inscriptions on tombstones (although not at night.  Strange things can be found in cemeteries at night, like idiot kids who think desecrating tombstones is the height of cool).  Nowadays, of course, people don’t have the kind of stones on which one can write much (or knock over); most of the headstones have to be a certain (small) size and laid flat and a little below ground-level to make grounds-keeping easier.  Sigh.

(If this seems to be an odd pastime…. I suppose it is.  Genealogists do this sort of thing, you know.  In fact, should I ever deface my car with bumper-stickers, “I brake for cemeteries” will be first.)

Anyway, funeral art is a fascinating study in itself.  It is interesting to see how the ‘spirit images’ (or angels, or whatever current scholarship calls them now) developed over the years, even turning into portraits of the deceased, then moving away from death’s heads to urns and other classical motifs, then again to religious subjects like sculptures of weeping angels.  If you are interested in such things, check out The Association for Gravestone Studies.

I also enjoy epitaphs.  They are little windows into humanity, some of them quite funny, and I’ve considered what I would like the passerby to read on my own stone.

“Here lies the body of Mrs. Rudd

As bombshells go, she was a dud.”

I suppose, though, that if I am allowed a stone (and not just tossed into Potter’s Field), I should have something more useful like, “Of your charity, please pray for the soul of Mrs. Rudd”. 

Mrs. Rudd’s soul can use the prayers.

On those occasions when Mr. Rudd annoyingly channeled his inner three-year-old, I threatened to put this on his tombstone:

“Here lies my man, and for the best,

Because it gives us both a rest.”

Or

“Here lies the body of Mr. Rudd

Deeply regretted by those who never knew him.”

Or

“Here lies my husband.

Tears cannot bring him back,

Therefore I weep.”

He always countered with:

“Here lies my wife,

Cold as in life.”

(Of your charity, please pray for the soul of Mr. Rudd.)

Besides finding gems in the local cemeteries, I have a little collection of epitaph books. Here are some of my favorites.  Quite often the same epitaph with the same doggerel is found in several books, with only the names and/or locations different, so I’ve left the names and locations out.

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Very common are the ‘memento mori’ messages, those reminding the reader that they too will face death:

“Remember, friend, as you pass by

As you are now, so once was I

As I am now, so you must be

So be prepared to follow me.”

To which one replies:

“To follow you is my intent

But first must know which way you went…”

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“If Heaven be pleased when sinners cease to sin

If Hell be pleased when sinners enter in,

If Earth be pleased when ridded of a knave,

Then all are pleased for __________ ‘s in his grave.”

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“Here lies _____________

Who died fighting for a lady’s honor

(She wanted to keep it.)”

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I painted this on one of the ‘tombstones’ used for decorating our yard at Hallowe’en:

“He called Mr. Rudd a liar!”

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For a talkative person:

“Stranger, tread lightly over this wonder

If he opens his mouth, we’ll all go under.”

And an argumentative person:

“Tread lightly over her mouldering form

Or else you’ll raise another storm.”

And a drinker:

“Here lies _________________

Died sober.

Lord, Thy wonders never cease.”

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“Here lies _________________

Who shot it out with four horse-thieves

And killed three of them.”

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“Here lies the body of ____________, who departed this life suddenly by a cow kicking him.  Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

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Epitaph for a beloved Army mule, when the Army still had four-legged mules:

“In memory of Maggie, who in her time kicked two colonels, four majors, ten captains, twenty-four lieutenants, forty-two sergeants, 432 other ranks, and one Mills Bomb.”

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Here endeth the first batch of favorite epitaphs.

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Artwork

Master of Mary of Burgundy, 15^th century.  Illuminated page from the “Office of the Dead”, in the Hours of Engelbert of Nassau.

1 November - All Saints' Day

Weather:  If All Saints' Day will bring out the winter, Saint Martin's Day (11 November) will bring out Indian Summer (and vice versa)

All Saints’ Day has a little summer of three days. When it is warm at this time of year, it is called “All Saints’ Rest”.

If on All Saints’ Day the beechnut be found dry, we shall have a hard winter; but if the nut be wet and not light, we may expect a wet winter.

As on November 1^st, so is the winter to come.

Well, in the Smallest State, it was warm and rather tropical.  High winds and heavy seas, but warm with a few showers.  I doubt the winter to come will resemble it in the least.

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Read more about All Saints’ Day here.

So you think that because Hallowe’en is over, the scary stuff is gone for the year, right?  Au contraire, children!  All Hallows Eve is just the beginning.  Tonight (All Souls Eve) at midnight, anyone visiting the cemetery will see the dead leading a procession of those who are to die in the coming year.

And for those of you who don’t fancy a midnight ramble in the nearest bone-orchard, here is a poem by George MacDonald – verra Scottish, but you should get the flavor of it, even if some of the words are unintelligible.   The title is “Halloween”, but as you can see by the second verse, it takes place “on the night between Saints and Souls, when the bodiless go about…”  Take a warning from Janet and if you open the doors, put the chairs against the wall.

“Sweep up the flure, Janet;
Put on anither peat.
It's a lown and a starry nicht, Janet,
And nowther cauld nor weet.

It's the nicht atween the Sancts and Souls
Whan the bodiless gang aboot;
And it's open hoose we keep the nicht
For ony that may be oot.

Set the cheirs back to the wa', Janet;
Mak ready for quaiet fowk.
Hae a'thing as clean as a windin-sheet:
They comena ilka ook.

There's a spale upo' the flure, Janet,
And there's a rowan-berry!
Sweep them intil the fire, Janet,
Or they'll neither come nor tarry.

Syne set open the outer dure-
Wide open for wha kens wha?
As ye come ben to your bed, Janet,
Set baith dures to the wa'.

She set the cheirs back to the wa',
But ane that was o' the birk;
She sweepit the flure, but left the spale-
A lang spale o' the aik.

The nicht was lown; the stars sae still
War glintin doon the sky;
The souls crap oot o' their mooly graves,
A' dank wi' lyin by.

They faund the dure wide to the wa',
And the peats blawn rosy reid:
They war shuneless feet gaed in and oot,
Nor clampit as they gaed.

The mither she keekit but the hoose,
Saw what she ill could say;
Quakin she slidit doon by Janet,
And gaspin a whilie she lay.

There's are o' them sittin afore the fire!
Ye wudna hearken to me!
Janet, ye left a cheir by the fire,
Whaur I tauld ye nae cheir suld be!

Janet she smilit in her minnie's face:
She had brunt the roden reid,
But she left aneth the birken cheir
The spale frae a coffin-lid!

Saft she rase and gaed but the hoose,
And ilka dure did steik.
Three hours gaed by, and her minnie heard
Sound o' the deid nor quick.

Whan the gray cock crew, she heard on the flure
The fa' o' shuneless feet;
Whan the rud cock crew, she heard the dure,
And a sough o' win' and weet.

Whan the goud cock crew, Janet cam back;
Her face it was gray o' ble;
Wi' starin een, at her mither's side
She lay doon like a bairn to dee.

Her white lips hadna a word to lat fa'
Mair nor the soulless deid;
Seven lang days and nights she lay,
And never a word she said.

Syne suddent, as oot o' a sleep, she brade,
Smilin richt winsumly;
And she spak, but her word it was far and strayit,
Like a whisper come ower the sea.

And never again did they hear her lauch,
Nor ever a tear doun ran;
But a smile aye flittit aboot her face
Like the mune on a water wan.

And ilka nicht atween Sancts and Souls
She laid the dures to the wa',
Blew up the fire, and set the cheir,
And loot the spale doon fa'.

And at midnicht she gaed but the hoose
Aye steekin dure and dure.
Whan the goud cock crew, quaiet as a moose
She cam creepin ower the flure.

Mair wan grew her face, and her smile mair sweet
Quhill the seventh Halloweve:
Her mother she heard the shuneless feet,
Said-She'll be ben belyve!

She camna ben. Her minnie rase-
For fear she 'maist cudna stan;
She grippit the wa', and but she gaed,
For the goud cock lang had crawn.

There sat Janet upo' the birk cheir,
White as the day did daw;
But her smile was a sunglint left on the sea
Whan the sun himsel is awa.”

Found in The Poetical Works of George MacDonald, 2 Volumes (1893)

NOVEMBER

"This name signifies the ninth month, which position it occupied in the ten-month calendar ascribed to Romulus.  The name was retained when two additional months were added.  The Emperor Tiberius was born in this month.  Hence the Senate wished to give it his name, following the precedent set by Augustus, but he declined the honor, saying, “What will you do, conscript fathers, when you have thirteen Caesars?"

“It was the Windmonath or Wind Month, of the Saxons, who knew it also as Blotmonath, for this was the month when cattle, pigs, and sheep were slaughtered and preserved for the winter's meals.”  Now begin the days of salting, smoking, and pickling the larger cuts of meat, while the scrapings go into sausages and head-cheese.

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,

No comfortable feel in any member, 

No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,

No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds - 

November.

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Astronomy for November   

Fall Back!  Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 AM on Sunday, the 3^rd, for those who follow it.  Put your clocks back one hour before you go to bed Saturday night [and gain an hour of sleep, if you don’t have animals whose stomach clocks take priority over your alarm clock.]

The full moon on the 17^th is the Full Beaver Moon (also known as the Full Frost Moon). 

A total eclipse of the sun on the 3^rd.  Visible from Africa.  Eastern North Americans can see the tail-end at sunrise.

Meteor Showers   

The South Taurid Meteor Shower  peaks after midnight on November 4th and 5th.  There won’t be any moonlight to mar the enjoyment, so even though this isn’t one of the larger showers, bundle up and go watch.

The waxing half moon rises between 1 and 2 pm and sets after midnight on November 11^th and after 1 am on the 12^th, the peak time of the North Taurid Meteor Shower , so wait for the moon to set before you bundle up again and go outside.  Take a thermos of hot cider with you.

This year is a bust for the Leonid Meteor Shower.  The moon is at full on the 17^th, and will drown out all but the brightest shooting stars during the peak on November 16 – 17.

See EarthSky's Meteor Shower Guide for a list of upcoming showers.

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November is dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. 

EWTN has a novena for them and for us.  It takes nine days (nov = nine), so I start on the 1st, start over again on the 10th, and again on the 19th, making the entire month one of prayer. On the 28th, I triple the prayers, so that that the nine prayers are again said on the final three days.

And if that is too much, try to find time each day to say Saint Gertrude's Prayer:

"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."

 Liturgical Celebrations

All Saints                             1 November

All Souls                              2 November

St. Martin de Porres             3 November

St. Charles Borromeo          4 November

Dedication of St. John Lateran (Lateran Basilica)  9 November

St. Martin of Tours             11 November

St. Josephat                         12 November

St. Francis Xavier Cabrini  13 November

St. Albert the Great             14 November

St. Margaret of Scotland     16 November

St. Gertrude                         16 November

St Rose Philppine Duchesne  18 November

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary  21 November

St. Cecilia                             22 November

St Clement                            23 November

St. Columban                         23 November

Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro  23 November

Christ the King                      24 November (new calendar)

St Catherine of Alexandria    25 November

St, Andrew, Apostle              30 November

Novenas for November

Holy Souls in Purgatory  .......... continues from 24 October

Saint Martin de Porres .............. continues from 25 October

Saint Hilda …………………… begins 8 November

Christ the King ........................   begins 15 November

The Miraculous Medal ………. begins 18 November

Saint Francis Xavier  …………  begins 24 November

Saint Nicholas ………………..  begins 27 November

The Immaculate Conception …. begins 29 November

Advent Novena .......................... begins 30 November

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Dull November brings the blast

Then the leaves are whirling fast. 

Weather for November 

Based on the 12 Days of Christmas: Clear skies and very cold. 

Based on the first 12 Days of January: Overcast and cool. 

Based on the Ember Days:  Bright, clear, warm.

[Perhaps a little of each?]

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Weather Lore for November: 

If the latter end of October and the beginning of November be for the most part warm and rainy, then January and February are likely to be frosty and cold. [A pretty safe bet, no matter what the weather of October and November]

And vice versa:

If October and November are cold, then the following January and February will be mild and dry.

If the robin becomes more familiar than usual at the fall of the year, a severe winter may be expected [I have a couple who sit outside the window and complain that I haven’t filled the feeders.  Is that familiar enough?]

Ice in November brings mud in December.

If there's ice in November that will bear a duck, there will be nothing at Christmas but mud and muck.

Flowers in bloom late in autumn indicate a bad winter [even if the bad winter won’t show up until the following year]

As in November, so the following March.

A heavy November snow will last until April.

Thunder in November, a fertile year to come.

A wet November, a plentiful year.

11/1 - If All Saints' Day will bring out the winter, Saint Martin's Day will bring out Indian Summer (and vice versa)

         All Saints’ Day has a little summer of three days. When it is warm at this time of year, it is called “All Saints’ Rest”.

         If on All Saints’ Day the beechnut be found dry, we shall have a hard winter; but if the nut be wet and not light, we may expect a wet winter.

         As on November 1^st, so is the winter.

11/4 – If it storms on the first Sunday of the month, it will storm every Sunday.

11/10 – The weather on Martinmas Eve is supposed to indicate the weather for the winter, and where the wind is, there it will be for the coming winter.

            If there is a frost before Martinmas, the winter will be mild.

11/11 – Around St. Martin’s day, we can expect some warm weather.  This is called St. Martin’s Summer.

                                   However,

            At St. Martin’s Day, winter is on his way.

            If ducks do slide at Martintide, at Christmas they will swim;

            If ducks do swim at Martintide, at Christmas they will slide.

            If the geese stand on ice, they will walk in mud at Christmas.

            If Martinmas is fair, dry, and cold, the cold in winter will not last long.

           If the wind is in the south-west at Martinmas, it remains there until after Christmas (Candlemas for the optimists), and we shall have a mild winter up to then and no snow to speak of.

           Wind north-west at Martinmas, severe winter to come.

           If the leaves of the trees and grape vines do not fall before Martin’s Day, a cold winter may be expected.

           If this day be fair, the next winter will bring but little rain and snow along with it; but if the first half of the day be clear and the other half cloudy, the beginning of winter will accordingly be fair, but its end and spring will turn out rigorous and disagreeable.

11/21 - As November 21st, so is the winter.

11/25 - As at Catherine foul or fair, so will be next February.

             Also

            As on Saint Catherine, so will be the New Year.

            If there is snow on St. Catherine’s day, winter will be hard.

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November take flail,

Let no more ships sail.

 

Farming and Gardening for November

"The business of the garden this month is principally in preparing manure, making all clean and neat, and defending plants against the coming frosts."

Thunder in November, a fertile year to come.

A wet November, a plentiful year.

When in November the water rises, it will show itself the whole winter.

11/1 - Set trees at Allhallowtide, and command them to prosper; Set them after Candlemas, and entreat them to grow.

           If the weather holds clear on the first of November, sow the last of your wheat for the year.

           Begin making cider today

11/5 – Tulips should be planted today.  In fact, if the weather holds, and you have not already done so, now is a good time to dig up, separate, and replant any spring-flowering bulbs – tulips, daffodils, narcissus, hyacinths, etc.

11/9 – Plant raspberry canes today.

The 1817 Almanac advises the gardener: "If the season proves mild, you may continue to prune Apple Trees, be they Standards, Wall Fruit, or Espaliers; but you should not prune them later, lest Rains and Frosts should hurt the Trees, when the Wounds are fresh.”

“Trench your Ground, by laying it up in Ridges to mellow.  Set Crab-Tree Stocks to graft on; continue to plant Suckers and Cuttings of Gooseberries, Currants and Raspberries; make Hot-beds for Asparagus; fell Coppices, and lop Trees, plant Timber and Fruit-Trees, if the Weather be open."

Cassell’s Illustrated Almanac 1871 for November

Flowers —Plant hyacinths early in the month, and tulips should also be in the first week, if possible. Climbing plants and flowering shrubs may now be obtained and planted. Take up dahlias; watch any plants you may have in pits, giving them light and air freely on the few milder days of the month, and carefully covering them again as soon as the sun goes down.

Vegetables —A sowing of early beans may now be made, at a depth of about two inches, and when they rise they must be well protected with litter. Clear away all decayed leaves from your young crops, and keep the ground well cleaned between the plants. Cover over the crowns of rhubarb and seakale with dry dung, sand, or some similar material.

Fruit —The pruning and transplanting of fruit trees should now be completed. Newly-planted trees of a tender kind should be well protected against frost, and fruit trees on walls may now be freely pruned, and their training attended to.

… Mushrooms and the Fungus race,

That grow as Allhallowtide takes place.   (Nov 1)

Soon the evergreen Laurel alone is seen,

When Catherine crowns all learned men.    (Nov 25)

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Health Advice for November 

"The best Physic this Month is good Exercise, warm Clothes, and wholesome Diet.  But if any Distemper afflict you, finish your Physic this Month, and so rest till March."

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Artwork:

November. Limbourg frères. Grandes Heures of Jean, Duc de Berry, Fifteenth century.

The calendar pages of the Grandes Heures carried more religious symbolism than that of the more famous Très Riches Heures.  Each month was dedicated to a part of the Apostles Creed, with the relevant prophecy from the Old Testament and scripture from the New Testament. November is dedicated to the article of the Creed which says “…I believe in… the resurrection of the body…”.  Here we see (left to right) Saint Paul instructing Philemon and his companions from Corinthians 15:51: “…we shall all indeed rise again…”.  Above the gates of the New Jerusalem, Our Lady holds a banner depicting the Hand of God returning the soul of a righteous man to his body [the artists have finally caught up].  Beneath the arc of heaven, Sagittarius, the Archer, astrological symbol of November, fires an arrow at the trees whose leaves are dying and falling off.

“All Souls”, woodcut from a Dutch copy of The Golden Legend, 1489.

November. Limbourg frères. Grandes Heures of Jean, Duc de Berry, Fifteenth century.

Depicted at the bottom of the calendar pages in the Grandes Heures is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament by the articles of the Apostles Creed.  In each, a prophet (cloaked to show the obscurity of prophecy) takes a stone out of the building representing the Old Law and offers it to an apostle, who, by raising the cloak ‘uncovers’ the prophecy with an article of faith.  Here, the cupolas of the citadel of the Old Law have fallen and the walls have been breached, while before it the Prophet Ezekiel stands holding a banderole with the words “…I… will bring you out of your sepulchers, my people…” (Ezekiel 37:12).  St. Thaddeus the Apostle presents the relevant part of the Apostle’s Creed, “…the resurrection of the body…”

November – Group Around a Fire. Engraving based on an 11^th century manuscript. William Walsh, Curiosities of Popular Customs (1898), p. 755

OCTOBER

"This month was so named because it was the eighth month in the primitive Roman calendar ascribed to Romulus.  It became the tenth month in the calendar as revised by Numa, who added January and February, but it retained its original name, the more readily, perhaps, because it once more became the tenth month when the year commenced, as it did in early Christendom, with March.  Julius Caesar in his revision of the calendar gave it thirty days, which number was changed to thirty-one by Augustus.  As was the ease with September, many Roman Emperors sought to change its name in their own honor.  It was successively Germanicus, Antoninus, Tacitus, and Herculeus, the latter a surname of the Emperor Commodus.  But none of these names clung.  The Roman Senate had no better luck when they renamed it Faustinus, in honor of Faustina, wife of Antoninus.

The Anglo-Saxons called October Winterfylleth, a name which indicated that winter approached with the full moon of the month.  In old almanacs the sport of hawking is adopted as emblematical of this which was accounted the last month of autumn."  William Shepard Walsh, Curiosities of Popular Customs, p. 762 (1898).

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Astronomy for October:

The full moon this month, on the 18th, is the Hunter's Moon. As farmers could bring in their crops into the evening hours with the aid of the Harvest Moon last month, so hunters are given extra hours to fill their game bags this month.

Two meteor showers this month:

The Draconids, which peak this year on or around the 7th.  The waxing moon sets around 9:30 so these falling stars should be easy to see in the evening.  If it isn’t too cold, I like to fire up the grill for a last barbecue and enjoy the show (well bundled-up, of course), even if there isn’t much of a show.

The Orionids return around the 21st . The waning moon will probably be too bright to see much of the Orionids, but look south in the predawn hours.

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October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary.

A Linear Rosary

Liturgical Celebrations

St.Therese of the Child Jesus          1 October

Holy Guardian Angels                    2 October

St. Francis of Assisi                        4 October

First Friday                                     4 October

First Saturday                                  5 October

Our Lady of the Rosary                  7 October

St. Denis of Paris                            9 October

St. Teresa of Jesus                        15 October

St. Hedwig                                    16 October

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque        16 October

St. Ignatius of Antioch                 17 October

St. Luke, Evangelist                     18 October

St. Isaac Jogues & Companions   19 October

St. Ursula                                      21 October

St. John of Capistrano                  23 October

St. Raphael, Archangel                 24 October (traditional)

St. Anthony Mary Claret              24 October

Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles     28 October

Vigil of All Saints                        31 October

Novenas for October             You can find these novenas here

Saint Therese of the Child Jesus   continues from 22 September

Holy Guardian Angels                    continues from 23 September

Saint Francis of Assisi           continues from 25 September

Saint Faustina Kowalska       continues from 26 September

Our Lady of the Rosary         continues from 28 September

Our Lady of Good Remedy   continues from 29 September

Saint Gerard Majella             begins on 7 October

Canadian Martyrs                  begins on 10 October (in USA)

Saint Raphael, Archangel      begins 15 October

Saint Anthony Mary Claret   begins 15 October

Christ the King                      begins 18 October (traditional)

Saint Jude                              begins 19 October

Holy Souls in purgatory        begins 24 October

Saint Martin de Porres           begins 25 October

Since October is Respect Life Month, consider praying these novenas:

For the unborn

St. Gianna Molla

Of course, at the rate we are going maybe we should try the novena for impossible requests.

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A good October and a good blast,

To blow the hog acorn and mast.

Weather for October

Based on the 12 Days of Christmas: Cloudy and cold.

Based on the first 12 days of January: Overcast and warm.

Based on the Ember Days: Beautiful!  Bright, warm, clear.

I wonder which weather we’ll see most of…

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Weather Lore for October

There are always nineteen fine days in October [Optimists and those who stretch the definition of 'fine' say twenty-one days].

If October is warm and fine, a sharp winter can be expected.

If the latter end of October and the beginning of November be for the most part warm and rainy, then January and February are likely to be frosty and cold. [Likely? LIKELY? Trust me, January and February will be frosty and cold, no matter what.]

On the other hand

If October and November are cold, then the following January and February will be mild and dry.

A warm October, a cold February (and vice versa).

As the weather in October, so will it be the next March.

Much rain in October, much wind in December.

Thunder in October signifies great winds and a dearth of corn.

If there is thunder in October, expect uncertain and changeable weather during the winter.

For every fog in October, there will be a snow in winter; heavy or light accordingly, as the fog is heavy or light.

Full moon in October without frost, no frost until the full moon in November.

If October brings heavy frosts and winds, then will January and February be mild.

Much frost and snow in October betokens mild weather in winter.

If it freezes and snows in October, January will bring mild weather, but if instead there is thunder and lightning, the weather of January will be as changeable as April.

If the first snow falls on moist, soft earth, it indicates a small harvest in the following year, but if it falls on hard, frozen ground, there will be a plentiful harvest.

If, during the fall of leaves in October, many of them wither on the boughs and hang there, it betokens a frosty winter and much snow.

Ice in October that will bear up a duck, foretells a winter as wet as muck.

When birds and badgers are fat in October, expect a cold winter.

If the deer’s coat is gray in October, there will be a severe winter.

10/1 – On the feast of Saint Mary, expect the first frosts (this is from Russia, but some of us in the western hemisphere can expect the first frosts about now as well)

10/2 – If the leaves fall upon Saint Leodegarius Day, then will the next year be productive.

10/9 - A hard winter follows a fine St. Denis.

Where the wind lies on St. Denis, there it will rest for three quarters of the year.

10/14 - If St. Calixtus' day be dry and windy, the winter will be wet, but if it be rainy and still, the harvest will be good.

10/16 - If it is fine on St. Gall's day, it will be fine up to Christmas.

On St. Gall’s day, expect a late summer (Indian summer)

A dry St. Gall’s day betokens a dry summer.

10/18 - St. Luke's Little Summer.  In northern Italy, it is called Saint Teresa’s summer, as it falls near the feast of Saint Teresa of Avila (October 15).  In Germany, for the same reason, it is called the summer of Saint Gall (October 16); in Sweden, Saint Bridget’s summer (October 8), and in France, the summer of Saint Denis (October 9).

On St. Luke’s day, the thunder goes away.

10/21 – St. Ursula brings in winter (or at least the preliminary chills)

10/28 - St. Simon and St. Jude, almost certain to be rainy.

There is oft times a tempest on St. Jude.

Winter comes on the day of St. Simon and St. Jude.

If it doesn’t rain on SS. Simon and Jude, it won’t rain until Saint Cecilia’s day (Nov 22)

 10/31 – Where the wind rises on the eve of All Saints, there it will rise for three quarters of the year following.

And just in case it comes early…

The date that the first snow falls on is the number of snows we can expect this winter.

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Farming and Gardening for October:

Dry your barley in October,

Or you'll always be sober.  [Barley being necessary for malt, and malt being necessary for beer and whiskey, not paying attention to this admonition could mean a year spent drinking Adam’s Ale, aka water.]

In October, dung your field,

And your land its wealth shall yield.

If the first snow falls on moist, soft earth, it indicates a small harvest next year; but if upon hard, frozen soil, expect a good harvest.

10/16 – After St. Gall, keep your cow in the stall.

The 1817 Almanac advises the farmer to "Transplant your brown Dutch and common Lettuces upon warm Borders, to abide the Winter; sow all Sort of Sallad Herbs upon decayed Hot Beds, such as Lettuce, Cresses, Radish, Mustard, and Spinach.  Earth up Celery, Chardoons, and the Stems of Broccoli Plants to protect them from the Frost."

"Make Plantations of the Suckers of Gooseberries, Currants, and Raspberries.  Cut Artichokes with long Stalks, which you may preserve in the House, by setting them in Sand."

"Continue to sow Wheat, set up your Barley Land, sow Masts for Coppices or Hedge-Rows; plant Quicksets and plash Hedges; and plant all Sorts of Forest-Trees that shed their Leaves."

Cassell’s Illustrated Almanac 1871 for October

Flowers — Clear away all unnecessary growth from the garden, potting all plants requiring protection, and getting the ground generally clear, that it may be turned well over before the winter sets in. The exposure of the soil to the depth of a spade or more, in the frost or snow of winter, will purify the ground and make it productive.

Vegetables — Autumn-sown lettuce and cabbage will now require transplanting. Take up carrots and parsnips when the tops have turned yellow; and continue to earth up celery and to dig potatoes. Turn over all vacant spaces, and prepare for the next crops.

Fruit — Currant and gooseberry bushes may now be transplanted, and they should be carefully pruned, all cross branches being cut away. If propagation is desired, lay some of the strongest shoots. Put a coating of lime round about the stems, to protect the bushes from caterpillars.

Health Advice for October:

"Avoid being out late at Nights, or in foggy Weather; for a Cold now got may continue the whole Winter."

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Artwork:

October. Limbourg frères. Grandes Heures of Jean, Duc de Berry, Fifteenth century.

The calendar pages of the Grandes Heures carried more religious symbolism than that of the more famous Très Riches Heures.  Each month was dedicated to a part of the Apostles Creed, with the relevant prophecy from the Old Testament and scripture from the New Testament. October is dedicated to the article of the Creed which says “…I believe…in the remission (forgiveness) of sins…”.  Here we see (left to right) Saint Paul instructing Titus and his companions from Colossians 1:14: “…we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins…”.  Above the gates of the New Jerusalem, from whence issues an odd depiction of Scorpio, the Scorpion, astrological symbol of October, Our Lady holds a banner with a Montjoie to represent the Church and Communion of Saints [once again, the artists are behind by a month, and will be for the rest of the year].  Beneath the arc of heaven where the sun continues its decline, a herd of pigs or wild boars fatten on the fallen mast (acorns)..

“Adoration of the Magi” from The Hours of Catherine of Cleves, 15^th c. 

The border of this page is formed by Catherine’s roaary of red beads (coral?), pearls, and gold elements.  This kind of rosary is known as “linear”, of which you can learn more here.

October. Limbourg frères. Grandes Heures of Jean, Duc de Berry, Fifteenth century.

Depicted at the bottom of the calendar pages in the Grandes Heures is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament by the articles of the Apostles Creed.  In each, a prophet (cloaked to show the obscurity of prophecy) takes a stone out of the building representing the Old Law and offers it to an apostle, who, by raising the cloak ‘uncovers’ the prophecy with an article of faith.  Here, the Prophet Malachi holds a banderole with the words “…he will put away our iniquities...”  (Micah 7:19), while behind him, the towers of the Old Law have crumbled; meanwhile St. Simon the Apostle (whose feast with St. Jude is the 28^th of this month) presents the relevant part of the Apostle’s Creed, “…the remission of sins…”

Hawking. Engraving based on an 11^th century manuscript. William Walsh, Curiosities of Popular Customs (1898), p. 762