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.

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

29 September - Michaelmas

“On Mount Gargano, the commemoration of the blessed archangel Michael.  This festival is kept in memory of the day, when under his invocation, was consecrated a church, unpretending in its exterior, but endowed with virtue celestial.”

Weather: If Saint Michael brings many acorns, Christmas will cover the fields with snow.  [not a whole lot of acorns this year… dare I hope?]

If Michaelmas day be fair, the sun will shine much in the winter, though the wind at the northeast will frequently reign long and be very sharp.

If Michael's day is quiet and beautiful, it will last for the next four weeks.

If the wind is out of the north on Michael's day, then October will be dry.

On Michaelmas day, the heat leaves us.

A dark Michaelmas, a light Christmas.

St. Michael's rain does not stay long in the sky.

As many days old as the moon is on Michaelmas, so many floods shall we have after. [the moon will be twenty-four days old this year.  That’s quite a number of floods.]

If it rains on Michaelmas, it will rain up to Christmas.

If there is a gentle rain on St. Michael's day, we can expect a mild winter; but if there is thunder, 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.

The winds between 6 a.m and 6 p.m. today foretell the character of the winds in the following year. For example, if the wind during the hour of 8 a.m. is heavy and cold, then March will have heavy weather and cold winds.

The winds between 6 am and 7 am indicate the character of January.

Between 7 am and 8 am, that of February,

Between 8 am and 9 am, that of March,

Between 9 am and 10 am, that of April,

Between 10 am and 11 am, that of May,

Between 11 am and 12 noon, that of June,

Between 12 noon and 1 pm, that of July,

Between 1 pm and 2 pm, that of August,

Between 2 pm and 3 pm, that of September,

Between 3 pm and 4 pm, that of October,

Between 4 pm and 5 pm, that of November,

Between 5 pm and 6 pm, that of December.

[and thank goodness there are only 12 months.]

"If thou wilt see how it will go that year, then take heed of the Oak-Apples about S. Michael's day, for by them you shall know how by them it shall be:

If the Apples of the Oak-trees, when they be cut be within full of spiders, then followeth a naughty year [oooo, that sounds like fun]; 

if the Apples have within them Flies, that betokens a meetly good year; 

if they have Maggots in them, then followeth a good year [and a sudden loss of altitude for the apple];

if there be nothing in them, then followeth a great Dearth; 

if the Apples be many, and early ripe, so shall it be an early Winter, and very much snow shall be afore Christmas, and after that it shall be cold; 

if the inner part or kernel be fair and clear, then shall the Summer be fair, and Corn good also; 

but if they be moist, then shall the Summer also be moist; 

if they be lean, then shall there be a hot and dry Summer."

The Husbandman's Practice, or Prognostication for ever

Traditions: Eat a goose on Michaelmas Day to have money in the coming year.  [One roast goose, coming right up!]  And check the wishbone - a dark one means a severe winter coming; if it is light, winter will be mild.

Indeed, today has long been a general festival and feasting day, with the newly harvested crops taking pride of place in the menu. No manual labor was to be done today (other than, of course, getting the feast ready).  Back in the merry days of King Ethelred, the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday preceding the feast of Saint Michael were ordered to be spent in fasting and penance, including fixing meals as though one was going to eat them, and then giving the whole meal to the poor: “Let every priest with his people go in procession three days barefoot, and let every one’s commons for three days be prepared without anything of flesh, as if themselves were to eat it, both in meat and drink, and let all this be distributed to the poor.  Let every servant be excused from labor these three days [that must have made the servants happy!], that he many the better perform his task, or let him work what he will for himself…” Those who broke the fast were fined according to rank:

A thane or nobleman was fined one hundred and thirty shillings.

A poor freeman was fined thirty pence,

And if “a servant break his fast, let him make satisfaction with his hide”

The money so taken was then to be divided among the poor.  No mention of what was done with the poor servant’s hide.

All blackberries should have been gathered by now, for today the Devil passes his hoof over them (or breathes or spits or pees on them) and scorches them. The legend is that when St. Michael tossed the Devil out of Heaven, the Devil fell to earth and landed in a blackberry bush.  Not comfortable on the best of days, and this was already a bad day for Old Scratch.  In his wrath, he cursed the berries by one of the methods above, so that any still left would be poisonous.  Blackberries only, though.  The other edible berries should be just fine, if the birds haven't beaten you to them.

To bring good luck to your homestead, give to the cows a handful of each different sort of grain that you’ve grown this year in their supper tonight, and scatter some on the ground for the birds.

Love charms: Gather crab-apples, carry them to the loft (an attic will do if you haven't a loft) and form them into the initials of possible suitors.  On Old Michaelmas Day (October 10), see which initials are the most perfect.  These are considered to be the strongest attachments and the best for choice of husbands [and the eleven days gives some enterprising young man or woman the chance to nudge the fates in the desired direction]

And once you've got your man:

St. Michael's chair is on St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall.  Tradition asserts that any woman who sat in this chair would ever after rule her husband [ladies, try suggesting St. Michael's Mount for this year's vacation.  Your husband may counter with Nice or Majorca instead.]

Another superstition regarding St. Michael’s Mount is that there is a magic circle traced on its summit, within which demons which have been exorcised from human bodies lie imprisoned in chains.   The unfortunate person who sets foot within this circle will be compelled to run all night until cockcrow without being able to stop.

Gardening: Michaelmas Daisies are one of the joys of my backyard.  They are wild and grow everywhere - lovely violet-colored flowers bravely standing up to the winds of autumn.

The Michaelmas Daisy, among dead weeds,

Blooms for St. Michael's valorous deeds,

And seems the last of flowers that stood

Until the feast of Simon and Jude...

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WHO IS LIKE GOD?

 

Today is the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel (and in the new calendar, of Saints Gabriel and Raphael, as well).

From Catholic Culture: "... in our Catholic tradition, St. Michael has four duties: (1) To continue to wage battle against Satan and the other fallen angels; (2) To save the souls of the faithful from the power of Satan especially at the hour of death; (3) To protect the People of God, both the Jews of the Old Covenant and the Christians of the New Covenant; and (4) finally to lead the souls of the departed from this life and present them to our Lord for the particular judgment, and at the end of time, for the final judgment."

That's quite a lot of duties.

Saint Michael is the patron and protector of soldiers and law enforcement officers. In his honor, thank your community's finest, if not in person, then with a note to the nearest precinct or a letter to the editor of the local paper.  Another good way to celebrate the day is by a care package and a note of thanks to the troops.  Local associations which provide these will welcome your donations.

Read more about Saint Michael and the traditions for his day (including recipes for Roast Goose, and St. Michael's Bannock) at Fisheaters and at Catholic Culture. [Use the nuts that you cracked on Crack-Nut Sunday in the stuffing]

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle! Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who roam about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

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Artwork:

“St. Michael battling demons”, from The Hours of Catherine of Cleves, 15^th c. Morgan Library, New York.

“St. Michael and other Archangels”, engraving from The Every-day Book and Table Book by William Hone, p. 1327.

“St Michael”, engraving from The Manual of Prayers, 1896.

8 September - Saint Adrian

Weather – As the weather is on the day of Mary’s birth, so it will be for four weeks.

Today is best known as the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It is also the memorial of Saint Adrian of Nicomedia.

 “At Nicomedia, St. Adrian, with twenty-three other martyrs, who ended their martyrdom the 4^th of March by having their limbs crushed, adfter enduring many torments under the emperors Diocletioan and Maximian.  Their remains were carred to Byzantim by the Christians, and buried with due honors.  Afterwards, the body of St. Adrian was taken to Rome on this day, on which his festival is celebrated.”

Adrian stands tall in the company of military saints and is especially venerated in northern Europe – Germany, northern France, and the Low Countries.  He is commemorated on 4 March, his death day, and 8 September, the day of the translation of his relics.

According to the story (as embellished by The Golden Legend), Adrian was a young man of 28, newly wed (to a closet Christian, if only he knew!), with a home in Nicomedia and a great career ahead of him in the employ of Emperor Galerius Maximian.  One of his jobs as a member of the Praetorian Guards was to supervise the execution of those poor souls convicted of being Christians.  One day, as he oversaw the torture of thirty-three of the wretches, the sight of their devotion and perseverance made him ask what they expected to get out of all this?  To which they answered with a verse from 1 Corinthians: “…That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him.”

 

This operated so powerfully on the young man that he converted on the spot.  Stepping into the midst of the broken bodies, he declared that he too was a Christian.

As you might guess, the emperor was annoyed.  This time, when the guards left the jail cell, Adrian didn’t go with them.

Wife Natalie, however, was overjoyed.  She ran to the prison to cheer her husband on his martyrdom journey.  After kissing his chains and reminding him to keep his mind on the glory of heaven, she went home and waited to hear what day he would be executed.

Adrian found out what day, and by dint of bribing his old jailhouse friends, was allowed to go home and give the good news to his wife.  She, not knowing that he had left pledges of money against his return to jail, immediately jumped to the conclusion that he had reneged on his conversion.  Well really!  Barring the door against him, she said, “God forbid that I speak to the mouth of him that denied his Lord!”  God didn’t forbid, and she certainly told her husband what she thought of him, calling him a wretch and a coward and a felon, not to mention a Judas!  And what about her? Married to a felon!  For a little while, she thought she was going to be the wife of a martyr, but now she would be reproached as the wife of a renegade!  And if he tried to enter the house, she would kill herself, and then he would be sorry! And blah, blah, blah…

When Adrian could get a word in edgewise, he explained to her just how it was, whereupon she was all smiles again, and returned to the jail with him to continue her ministry of cheerful fortitude.  Once the emperor found out that women were comforting the prisoners, he forbade them to continue, but he was no match for Natalie!  She shaved her head and put on men’s clothes and continued to visit the prison.

After torturing Adrian and the other 33, the emperor decided to make an end of them (but not too quickly).  He decreed that their limbs should be broken and struck off on an anvil.  And so it was.  Second to last of Adrian’s body parts to be removed were his hands – once that was done, the executioner struck off his head with a sword.  Natalie secretly took one of her late husband’s hands and kept it on her night-table.  The rest of the 34 bodies were hidden until they could be taken to Constantinople, where they stayed until the persecutions ended and it was safe to translate the relics to Rome.

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Adrian is a patron of soldiers, jailers, and executioners, and was invoked against plague.  Several 19^th century sources claimed that he was also the patron of Flemish brewers, but I can’t find any corroboration of that.  Doesn’t matter.  Can’t have too many saints protecting the suds.

I suppose, as he is a military saint, the proper meal for today would be C-Rats – I think they are called MREs now (“Meal, Ready-to-Eat”).  They are still sold in the Commissary, but I don’t think a walk down memory lane – at least that particular memory – is in order here. (C-rats and a beer – now that’s military!)

There are also those perennial mess-hall favorites – SOS (Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast) and Bug Juice (something liquid from a powder, usually greenish).

By the way, Roman soldiers ate pretty good.

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Today would be a good day to thank a soldier, sailor, airman, marine, or coast guardsman for putting their lives on the line.  Check out Soldiers' Angels to adopt a serviceperson or a veteran.  The Angels do good work, collecting and posting letters and care packages, and they can always use another pair of willing hands or a donation.

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Artwork:  “Saint Adrian” from The Hours of Catherine of Cleves, 15^th century. Morgan Library, New York.  He’s holding the sword and the anvil – instruments of his martyrdom.