Today is November 1, or All Saints' Day. It is also known as the Feast of All Saints, the Solemnity of All Saints, All Hallows' Day, and Hallowmas; the day is a Christian festival (originally Catholic) that is celebrated in honor of all of the saints, known and unknown. In New Orleans, Louisiana, it is the annual day to scrub and clean family gravestones and to place, or replant, fresh flowers. It is a day of obligation to the church, family, deceased relatives, and all saints recognized by the church. Extra masses are said in Catholic and Anglican churches.
Christian churches began celebrating the lives and deaths of saints and martyrs in the second century. Initially the calendars of saints and martyrs varied by location, with churches honoring local saints. Gradually feast days became more universal. The first reference to a general feast celebrating all saints occurs in St Ephrem the Syrian (died in 373). St John Chrysostom (died in 407) assigned a day to this feast, the first Sunday after Pentecost, where, in the Eastern Churches, the feast is celebrated to this day.
In the West, this date was probably originally used, but then the feast was moved to 13 May. The current observance, 1 November, probably originates from the time of Pope Gregory III, and was likely first observed in Germany.
The vigil of the Feast (the evening and night before) has grown up in the English speaking countries as a festival in itself, All Hallows Eve, or Hallowe'en. While some Christians refuse to observe the holiday, considering it "pagan," as far as the Church is concerned, the date is simply the eve of All Saints. In fact, many customs of Halloween reflect the Christian belief that on the feast's vigils, we mock evil, because as Christians, it has no real power over us.
Various customs have developed related to Halloween. In the Middle Ages, poor people in the community begged for "soul cakes," and, upon receiving these doughnuts, they would agree to pray for departed souls. This is the root of modern day's Trick or Treat. The custom of masks and costumes developed to mock evil, or, perhaps, confuse the evil spirits by dressing as one of their own.
(And I make a personal note here, that several people have insisted that since the first All Saints Day feast happened in Germany, that All Hallow's Eve can have nothing to do with the pagan festival Samhain. The Church insists that Samhain was an Irish pagan festival, not a Celtic one, and therefore would never have been practiced in Germany. - I think there's a gap in logic there...)
Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Monday, October 31, 2016
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Upcoming....
Tomorrow is Hallowe'en in the Christian world - or All Hallows Eve(ning). We have three metal owls with witches' hats and bat buddies on our balcony, plus a giant spider web (with purple lights on the strands) and a huge orange spider on it, five holographic bats with green eyes, and two strands of black and orange cobwebs that have silver and black spiders crawling up them. We have four jack-o-lantern orange and black bells, and a green, purple, and black spider, hanging from the wreath holder. We have a very large pumpkin outside the door, too. We have a large bag of candy that Beatrice chose to hand out to anyone who comes to our door. No one came last year. Our friend Valerie might bring her daughter by, and Sonia might bring her grandsons over - so we're "kind of" expecting 4 to 6 small children to ring the bell tomorrow night.
And a client's daughter decided she needs to go out and party with her boy friend rather than stay at home and hand out candy tomorrow night, so while Bea stays home, I'll be two miles away with a dog, a young puppy, and two cats. I'll probably take some candy over there, as I know there are usually 20 to 150 kids going through that neighborhood. I'd much rather read quietly than have to answer the bell after calming down the dog and puppy!
Tuesday is All Saints Day, and Wednesday is All Souls Day - or the Day of the Dead (again, in the Christian world)..... My rent is due on Thursday.
Friday and Saturday are the 2017 Breeders Cup Horse races, held this year at Del Mar Racetrack - where the turf meets the surf. Nyquist, the Kentucky Derby winner this year, was expected to run in the Classic on Saturday, but has been scratched due to swelling in one ankle. Several other horses that were thought to be running this year have been retired - but California Chrome looks to run in the Classic again this year, and his owners have announced that he might continue his racing career next year, as well.
Next Tuesday, 8 November, is the national election day in the United States of America. There are seats in our Senate and Congress that will be on the ballot; seats for state representatives; judge approvals; amendments to state, county, and city laws; voting on taxes to be used for specific purposes; and, of course, the really important question for the world at large - who will be elected President of the United States? Hillary Rodham Clinton or Donald John Trump? Or will one of the other 20 parties win? Or a write-in candidate? It's pretty sure that either the Republicans or the Democrats will have the most votes, and not the others - but.... It's still making me very nervous.
I voted, and I know my ballot has been accepted and counted. Beatrice starts working for the Boulder County Elections Office on Tuesday, as a temporary information assistant. She'll be employed six, possibly eight days, answering voters' questions regarding this years ballot - when and where they can turn it in, or where to go to vote, verifying that a ballot was sent, etc.... I've volunteered for one day of getting handed ballots for collection next Monday, at one of the drive-up locations. 'Twill be interesting, I'm sure!
And a client's daughter decided she needs to go out and party with her boy friend rather than stay at home and hand out candy tomorrow night, so while Bea stays home, I'll be two miles away with a dog, a young puppy, and two cats. I'll probably take some candy over there, as I know there are usually 20 to 150 kids going through that neighborhood. I'd much rather read quietly than have to answer the bell after calming down the dog and puppy!
Tuesday is All Saints Day, and Wednesday is All Souls Day - or the Day of the Dead (again, in the Christian world)..... My rent is due on Thursday.
Friday and Saturday are the 2017 Breeders Cup Horse races, held this year at Del Mar Racetrack - where the turf meets the surf. Nyquist, the Kentucky Derby winner this year, was expected to run in the Classic on Saturday, but has been scratched due to swelling in one ankle. Several other horses that were thought to be running this year have been retired - but California Chrome looks to run in the Classic again this year, and his owners have announced that he might continue his racing career next year, as well.
Next Tuesday, 8 November, is the national election day in the United States of America. There are seats in our Senate and Congress that will be on the ballot; seats for state representatives; judge approvals; amendments to state, county, and city laws; voting on taxes to be used for specific purposes; and, of course, the really important question for the world at large - who will be elected President of the United States? Hillary Rodham Clinton or Donald John Trump? Or will one of the other 20 parties win? Or a write-in candidate? It's pretty sure that either the Republicans or the Democrats will have the most votes, and not the others - but.... It's still making me very nervous.
I voted, and I know my ballot has been accepted and counted. Beatrice starts working for the Boulder County Elections Office on Tuesday, as a temporary information assistant. She'll be employed six, possibly eight days, answering voters' questions regarding this years ballot - when and where they can turn it in, or where to go to vote, verifying that a ballot was sent, etc.... I've volunteered for one day of getting handed ballots for collection next Monday, at one of the drive-up locations. 'Twill be interesting, I'm sure!
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
This and That
Blue skies, a humidity level of 70%, sunshine, and a nice brisk 49 degrees (F) greeted me this morning. We've had several days of gloomy grey skies, with occasional light rain, and one hail shower. Since it's now October, we have our apartment door and balcony decorated for Halloween. Beatrice is getting used to the demands of my cats, and Nedi is playing the "poor pathetic, unloved kitty" to the hilt with her. Lovey is getting upset with me, at the moment, because she is bound and determined to sit on the keyboard, and I keep blocking her.
South Carolina is still undergoing flooding rain. On "my" islands, the Virginia Department of Transportation closed the 175 causeway between Chincoteague and the mainland for several hours on Sunday afternoon, but it was opened for traffic again Sunday evening. Due to high fall tides and the northeaster, there was some normal flooding on both Chincoteague and Assateague. The usual low-lying areas were under water and the normally high and dry areas stayed that way (other than the rain). On Chincoteague there was minimal damage - but, on Assateague, the parking lots and the beach areas were flooded. There are wash-outs and sand where there wasn't before. The ponies and other wildlife had no unusual problems with the storm - they have weathered hundreds of them. Someone posted a photo of Maddox Blvd/Beach Road from the Hurricane Sandy (2012) flooding on Facebook, and a lot of folks thought it was a current photo.... It wasn't, and the water did not rise that high with this little ol' nor'easter.
Back in Boulder, Rosie has an acupuncture appointment this morning, so I'll be walking her about 1 this afternoon. The Dalai Lama has canceled his visit to Boulder due to ill health. Jane Goodall visited last week and enjoined the 8,700 people in the auditorium to educate other folks about the world's wildlife, and to "Save the prairie dogs!" Naropa, the Buddhist University here, had just applied for a permit to exterminate all the black-tailed prairie dogs living on the campus...
I'll be taking care of Finn and Maggie May this up-coming weekend, then I'll be at Lynn's for 6 nights, home for 2, then back at Lynn's for another 4 nights. Thank goodness the kids love their Auntie Bea! And she and I spoil them rotten!
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Dreamer's Faith is still missing. This weanling filly was stolen from the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's Carnival Grounds corral on September 6 or 7, 2015. There is a reward offered for information leading to her return and the arrest of the thieves. Please keep your eyes and ears open for news about this red paint pony with a 15 freeze brand on her left hip.
South Carolina is still undergoing flooding rain. On "my" islands, the Virginia Department of Transportation closed the 175 causeway between Chincoteague and the mainland for several hours on Sunday afternoon, but it was opened for traffic again Sunday evening. Due to high fall tides and the northeaster, there was some normal flooding on both Chincoteague and Assateague. The usual low-lying areas were under water and the normally high and dry areas stayed that way (other than the rain). On Chincoteague there was minimal damage - but, on Assateague, the parking lots and the beach areas were flooded. There are wash-outs and sand where there wasn't before. The ponies and other wildlife had no unusual problems with the storm - they have weathered hundreds of them. Someone posted a photo of Maddox Blvd/Beach Road from the Hurricane Sandy (2012) flooding on Facebook, and a lot of folks thought it was a current photo.... It wasn't, and the water did not rise that high with this little ol' nor'easter.
Back in Boulder, Rosie has an acupuncture appointment this morning, so I'll be walking her about 1 this afternoon. The Dalai Lama has canceled his visit to Boulder due to ill health. Jane Goodall visited last week and enjoined the 8,700 people in the auditorium to educate other folks about the world's wildlife, and to "Save the prairie dogs!" Naropa, the Buddhist University here, had just applied for a permit to exterminate all the black-tailed prairie dogs living on the campus...
I'll be taking care of Finn and Maggie May this up-coming weekend, then I'll be at Lynn's for 6 nights, home for 2, then back at Lynn's for another 4 nights. Thank goodness the kids love their Auntie Bea! And she and I spoil them rotten!
***************************************
Dreamer's Faith is still missing. This weanling filly was stolen from the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's Carnival Grounds corral on September 6 or 7, 2015. There is a reward offered for information leading to her return and the arrest of the thieves. Please keep your eyes and ears open for news about this red paint pony with a 15 freeze brand on her left hip.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Happy All Hallows Eve!
From dark until dawn tonight all the beasties, ghouls, ghosts and things that go bump in the night roam the earth. Today is also the birthday of Ethel Waters, John Keats, Christopher Columbus, Jane Pauley, Dale Evans, Juliette Gordon Lowe, Michael Landon, Peter Jackson, John Candy and Michael Collins - quite a selection of celebrities. Evolving from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain, modern Halloween has become less about literal ghosts and ghouls and more about costumes and candy. The Celts used the day to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter; they also believed that this transition between the seasons was a bridge to the world of the dead. Over the millenia the holiday has transitioned from a somber pagan ritual to a day of merriment, costumes, parades and sweet treats for all.
Today is also the beginning of the two days of the Breeders Cup. Today and tomorrow, the best horses in the world of thoroughbred racing will compete in 13 races with purses totaling $24.5 million. Four races will be held today at Santa Anita with a total worth of $5 million. See my previous blogs for my thoughts on each of the races.
Today is also the beginning of the two days of the Breeders Cup. Today and tomorrow, the best horses in the world of thoroughbred racing will compete in 13 races with purses totaling $24.5 million. Four races will be held today at Santa Anita with a total worth of $5 million. See my previous blogs for my thoughts on each of the races.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Hallowe'en
Don't forget to keep at least one fire burning well during all of the darkness tonight - that will keep the evil spirits from taking your soul back with them when they return to their nether world at dawn...
Something truly frightening (above)
... And a laugh...
Having black fur, skin, scales or feathers does not make something evil or wicked - only humans project their feelings in this way.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Back to ... Normal? (I Never Am...)
Happy Halloween! It's already the end of October and the Breeders Cup races start Friday! I've been so tied up with seeing what Sandy was doing to the East Coast, that I haven't even looked at the race schedule for Friday and Saturday - let alone see who is actually running. I'll have to do a quick study tonight and tomorrow, so I can list my picks in the blog again. Sometimes I really hit it big with my bets, and sometimes I really stink.... But that's horse racing, with so many elements and variables that change second by second.... Friday, six of the races will be run: the Juvenile Sprint, the Marathon (at 1 and 3/4 miles), the Juvenile Fillies Turf, the Juvenile Fillies, the Filly and Mare Turf, and the Ladies Classic. I still think that it's sexist to run almost all of the female races on Friday, with the male races on Saturday. Of course, the girls are considered the fairer sex, and carry 3 pounds less than the boys when they supposedly race on equal terms. The first two races that will run on Friday are open to either sex; the rest are female only. On Saturday, of the nine races to be run, one is for females only, two are for 2-year-old boys, and the other six races can have either gender entered. I'll let you know my picks for Friday's races tomorrow, and my picks for Saturday's races on Friday - plus I'll report how my choices ran...
As I live in a wide open college town, my kits are under curfew until noon on November 1. Their curfew started at 5 p.m. yesterday. I really am not that worried about them - both kits do not like strangers. But, one never knows. Lovey, being a brown tabby, is OK, I think; but Nedi, being all black with light green eyes, might be a victim, if he's trapped. So they are inside, and I have special treats and toys to make up for them being "under house arrest."
A lot of folks are dressed in costumes today - one of the female cashiers is dressed as Superman; and I've had the Mad Hatter pass me, along with several pirates, ghosts, zombies, and witches. I've walked Rosie and Remy, and have come back home to collapse for the rest of the day. Remy has a new walking harness - it's made by Blue Dog, and is called a "Help Em Up" harness. it goes on in two parts and clips together over his lower back. There are grips at the shoulders and the hips, so up can pull up and help support the dog's weight if it's having difficulty walking or standing. It's nicely padded, and has all sorts of adjustable belts. If you see it lying on the floor, it looks like a tremendous monster. I can put both pieces on Remy and have him ready to walk in less than 2 minutes. I like this harness!
Chincoteague and Assateague are getting back to normal - and I want to thank Kenny Evans for letting me know that the ponies were OK as soon as he heard the news about it. My hat is off to you, Kenny! Many thanks for thinking of me, and those who read this blog!
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