Halloween was born over 2,000 years ago at the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain which was celebrated by the Celts in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. The harvest season was involved. Halloween marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the New Year on November 1st.
The Celts believed on the night of October 31, the boundary between the living and the dead blurred, allowing ghosts and spirits to walk the Earth. In order to ward off the spirits, people wore costumes to hide from the wandering spirits.
Then the Catholic Church got involved. Pope Gregory III declared November 1st All Saints Day – aka All Hallows’ Eve. The day before All Saints Day took on the name All Hallows’ Eve which in due course became known as “Halloween.”
Irish and Scottish immigrants to the U.S. brought with them the aforementioned background. Halloween became part of America!
From this developed customs such as costume wearing and carving jack-o-lanterns.
Jack-o-lanterns were carved from turnips in Europe. In the U.S., turnips faded from use and native American pumpkins substituted. Going door to door grew out of the European tradition of “souling.”
So was born our Halloween!
My Halloween took years before I was permitted to participate. My Mother was born in the old country. She could only see me getting in trouble if I were permitted out the evening of Halloween. I had to wait till I was a senior in high school before she gave me permission.
She was correct. My friends and I had fun that night spraying lighter fluid across roadways and lighting them as a car approached. Fortunately, no accidents occurred.
My best Halloweens were as a father. I enjoyed taking my children out to trick or treat. I would remain on the sidewalk as they knocked on doors. The most fun was when we got home and spread all the goodies they had received on the family room carpet. We gouged ourselves that night and the next day. Their mother quietly disposed of the remaining candies at the end of the second day.
An internet article this morning suggested the best place to trick or treat was in an apartment building. One where you resided preferably. You started at the top floor and worked your way down.
Four days to the mid-term elections. Vote!
There is a contempt about Trump. Everything!
An internet article spelled out the purported Greatest Books of All Time. Number one purportedly “In Search of Lost Time” by Marcel Proust. I am ashamed to say I never heard of it nor read it. Number 2 was Ulysses, which I read in college and recently saw its movie.
Yesterday an enjoyable haircut with Lori. Se has been responsible for my hair for at least 25 years. One problem today however. There is much less to work with.
Followed the haircut with lunch at Denny’s.
Then some minor shopping. Kept me busy running around from Home Depot to Walgreens to Ross’s.
Muhammad Ali: “It’s the reaffirmation of affirmations that lead to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep connection, things begin to happen.”
Panicsville occurred big time this day in 1938. Orson Wells broadcast “The War of the Worlds.” A radio hoax that caused panic and fear in the U.S.
The three drinks people who aged to 100 consumed on a regular basis were purified water, black coffee, and red wine.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar selected a Ronald Reagan quote as “the best of today: “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
I was not aware. Most zippers have “YKK” typed on them. On the pull part of the zipper. The letters stand for “Yoshidie Kogyo Kabushikikaisda.” It is the name of the huge Japanese manufacturing company that produces roughly half the zippers worn world wide.
I checked the zipper on my one and only belt. Sure enough, there it was! The letters YKK!
The “Best City to Drive In” is Scottsdale, Arizona. The Worst” is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
There is a lake no one has ever seen up front and for real. It is Lake Vostok. The Lake is located under 2 1/2 miles of ice in East Antarctica.
Sophie Cunningham , the WNBA basketball star, is under threat of death by at least 20 persons. Authorities have her under watch.
Fran Dixon carves huge pumpkins. She has provided me with pics of three to place in the blog. I can’t get them to switch in. Ergo, they will be a day or two late in posting.
Husband Tom is enjoying Buffalo’s good weather. He is out playing golf and leaving Fran to toil away on the pumpkins alone.
A big morning ahead. Nurse Paige will be visiting me at 9:30 this morning. I have not seen her in two weeks. She has been in Ireland. She is the best. She has done wonders for me!
I hope to visit the Chart Room later today.
Enjoy your day!