That line comes from John Greenleaf Whittier, who was once considered one of the premier poets of American literature. Raise your hands out there if you remember his name at all…. That’s what I thought. The whole of the quote–found in the OFA– is this : “The Frost Spirit comes! And the quiet lake shall feel…The torpid touch of his glazing breath.” Nobody writes poems like THAT any more…probably just as well.
So, anyway, it’s November. That and six bucks will get you a seat to drink coffee down at the Cellar Door to drink coffee and watch out the Main Street observation window as the snow flies.
We start off with All Saints Day (Once upon a time called All Hallows; that’s where we get “All Hallows E’en” or Evening–Halloween), followed immediately by All Souls Day; not sure how these are differentiated or why, but there you are. Clocks have switched; not sure why this is such trauma for some people, but I like it. Be careful ! politicians are talking about fussing with it again, ; could wind up being worse, not better, whatever they do. Election Day has come and gone (First Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Earliest possible date : November 2.
Latest possible date : November 8. ). Could be crazy. And just wait until next year!. Several minor saints–Martin of Tours, Hugh of Lincoln, Hilda of Whitby, Clement, Andrew–are mentioned this month and we get the Full Beaver Moon on the 27th. Then there’s Sadie Hawkins Day–does anybody remember that one, taken from the old Lil’ Abner comics by Al
Capp? He had wonderful names for the characters in that strip : Moonbeam McSwine, Earthquake McGoon, Joe Bpfkstwqpxkz (or words to that effect), Senator Foghorn P. Leghorn.
The musical was a hoot also.
Thanksgiving recipes are filling all of the “women’s magazines”, mixing with Christmas decor, which has been in Wal-Mart since the Fourth of July, practically. Sometimes I wonder if people actually eat some of the stuff thathat shows up on those–well-illustrated–pages. The idea of a turkey basted with anything green really does not appeal to me, nor does hot sauce in the mashed potatoes. Just picky, I guess.
Veterans’ Day is on November 11, when we honor those who have served in the Armed Forces. The OFA has a quotation shortly after that listing which is, I think, appropriate, no attribution but something that we should think about when offering thanks to those who have served; it goes like this : “Gratitude is the heart’s memory.” Think about that…and in non-November moments too.
