Fly your flag! It’s time to honor our nation’s veterans.
Originally, called Armistace Day, Veterans day is the day to honor those who have served in the military.
It is observed on November 11th of each year because that date is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistace that ended World War I. It was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor the veterans of all wars.
If you’re wondering about my grammar, Veterans Day is officially written without the apostrophe.
Did you now that the Mayflower Compact was signed on November 11, 1620? There was a small group of Americans who lobbied to have the holiday renamed Mayflower Day to honor that occasion.
I hope you fly your flag to honor U.S. veterans! Sonja
It’s time to cast a vote for the country. If you’re not eligible to vote, please encourage those in your life who can. If you are, please send in your mail-in ballot or go to the polls.
It’s so important for every eligible citizen to cast a vote. Here in Arizona, we are voting on important city issues, plus filling soon-to-be-vacant offices at the local level.
National elections are always held on the first Tuesday of the month–the first Tuesday that follows a Monday. So, if Tuesday is the first day of the month, then the elections are held the following week.
Congress decided on that day in 1845, specifically for presidential elections. November was an ideal time of the year since the harvest season was ending. This made it easier for people who lived in the country and worked farms to get to a polling station and cast their votes.
Every state in the union is holding elections today to select public officials and decide on legislation.
First Landing of Columbus on the Shores of the New World; painting by Dióscoro Puebla (1862)
I hope you have a chance to enjoy the origins of this federal holiday. Columbus Day is meant to commemorate the voyage of Christopher Columbus to America. This day was first celebrated on the 300th anniversary of his landing, on October 12, 1792, by New York’s Columbian Order, also known as the Society of St. Tammany. It became a federal holiday in 1937.
You may prefer to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This holiday is also called First Peoples’ Day, National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or Native American Day. Celebrated on the second Monday in October, this day directly opposes Columbus Day to commemorate the histories and cultures of the Native American people.
Some Italian-Americans observe Columbus Day as a celebration of their heritage. Since Columbus hailed from Italy. He searched for a faster route to the Far East by crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and instead landed in the New World. His first trip comprised of three ships, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. When he and his crew arrived after a three-month voyage, they initiated the Columbian Exchange. This program introduced plants, animals, culture, settlers, and technology to the New World, but also brought invasive species and communicable diseases to the region.
It is because of these and other negative associations with Columbus’ arrival that eleven states celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day rather than Columbus Day. Wisconsin became the latest state to observe this day, formally recognizing the day on Tuesday of last week.
Whichever day you observe, I hope you enjoy the day and what it represents to you. Sonja
From the time the sun sets tonight until the first stars tomorrow, the world’s Jewish and Samaritan populations will celebrate Yom Kippur. Considered the holiest of days in Judaism, Yom Kippur is also known as the Day of Atonement.
For approximately 25 hours, those who observe this holy day will fast, observe intensive prayer, and refrain from work. Yom Kippur comes about a week after Rosh Hashanah, which is the Jewish New Year.
The week prior to Yom Kippur is knows as the Ten Days of Repentance. Those of the faith make special additions to their prayers and are very careful with their mitzvah observations.
There is also a custom to request and receive some honey cake. This ensures that the coming year will be sweet. Two celebratory meals precede sunset on the first day and the children are given a Priestley Prayer. Special candles are also lit prior to the holiday as observers prepare for five prayer services.
Once Yom Kippur has ended, plans are made for the next holiday. Sukkot begins in just five days and a sukkah must be constructed. This is a temporary tent-like structure meant to symbolize what the Israelites used during their 40-year wandering through the desert.
This is my favorite season! I love it when the weather turns cooler and the leaves start to turn colors. My ideal place is sitting high on a mountain in a copse of aspen trees that are turning colors.
When I was growing up, I lived high up in the mountains amongst the pine trees. I loved to lay on my back on the soft pine needles and look up at the towering trees. The smell of the pine needles would surround me and the sound of the wind rushing through the boughs was so peaceful.
I think you can see my love of the mountains, trees, and lakes in my writing. That’s the terrain around Revlin, where the palace of Carlow is located in the Kingdom of Carlow. There’s a wonderful lake with a waterfall and trees that grow nearly to the water’s edge. Too bad the awful Red Caps live on the other side of the southern border.
Anyway, back to autumn! Go outside and hike in the mountains. Be safe and look for the changing leaves. They’ll be everywhere!
Today is Grandparents Day!!! Do you live near your grandparents? I didn’t for most of my life but luckily was able to travel to see my maternal grandparents. They lived in Germany, Bavaria to be more precise, and I loved going to their house. Every hour my sister and I would run halfway down the stairs to watch the Cuckoo clock chime and for the tiny bird to come out and give its call. It was so much fun!
My Oma used featherbeds and my sister and I would leap high onto the mattress and sink into the thick and soft featherbed. The ticking would engulf us and we would laugh and laugh and laugh.
My sister and I shared a bedroom on the ground floor with our twin beds lining the wall around the corner like an ‘L’. It made for an easy time talking until late into the night–much to the chagrin of our Mom. We would always scratch each other’s backs and it was a strategic campaign to be the last one to have a back scratch since we usually fell asleep. The last one was able to stay asleep while the ‘scratcher’ had to stay awake and then crawl into her own bed. My sister usually won and was the first scratcher.
The house also had an amazing attic that my Oma used as a sewing room. During rainstorms, we would open the dormer windows and watch the rain fall over the valley below us. We would also listen to the clanging church bells that echoed through the valley and traveled up to where we were on the mountainside. My sister would also sing-along to the ‘Sound of Music’ soundtrack and act out the songs (we had the entire movie memorized!). I spent many hours playing Captain VonTrapp.
I would love to hear your memories of time with your grandparents (or grandparent stand-ins)!
