Month of November

The name November is believed to be derived  from “Novem”

which is Latin for the number nine. 

In the ancient Roman calendar,

November was the ninth month after March.

As part of the seasonal calendar,

November is the love of the “Snow Moon”

according to Pagan beliefs and the period ascribed

as the Moon of the Falling Leaves by Black Elk.

Birthstones ~ Topaz and Citrine

Flower ~ Chrysanthemum

Noteworthy Days

November 4 ~ Daylight Saving Time in countries of the Northern Hemisphere's

northern latitude ends Sunday evening on this date. Our clocks are to be set back

one hour.  Remember the cliché:   Spring Forward...Fall Back!

November 11 ~ Remembrance Day (also known as “Poppy Day”) or
Armistice Day as a memorial day observed in the Commonwealth countries
since the end of WWI to remember the number of armed forces who have died
in their line of duty. This day commemorates the armistice signed between
the Allies and Germany at Compiegne, France (for the hostilities on the
western front of WWI) taking effect at 11 o’clock in the morning…
                                                           the 11^th hour 
                                                           of the 11^th month of 1918.

The day was specifically dedicated by King George V on the 7^th of November
1919. The red poppy has been a familiar emblem or Remembrance Day due to
the poem, In Flanders Fields.

                       ~ Veterans Day is an official US holiday honouring armed service

veterans.  It is a federal holiday.  (Memorial Day is day of remembering the

men and women who died while serving their countries.)    

November 22 ~ Thanksgiving Day in US is a secular holiday celebrated annually

the fourth Thursday of this month.  The First Thanksgiving was  celebrated by the

Pilgrims to give thanks to God for guiding them safely to the New World.

November Musings

                                                                  November comes

                                                                  And November goes

                                                                  With the last red leaves

                                                                  And the first snows.

                                                                  With night coming early

                                                                  And dawn coming later

                                                                  And ice in the bucket

                                                                  And frost by the gate.

                                                                  The fires burn

                                                                  And the kettle sing

                                                                  And the earth sinks to rest

                                                                  Until next spring.

                                                                 (Elizabeth Coatsworth)

November always seemed to me,

the Norway of the year.

(Emily Dickenson)

If it is true that one of the greatest pleasures of gardening lies in looking forward,

the planting of next year's beds and borders must be one of the most agreeable

occupations in the gardener's calendar.  
 This should make October and November particularly pleasant months, for then
they begin to clear their borders, to cut down those sodden and untidy stalks,
to dig up and increase their plants by moving them to other parts so they will show
to better effect.  People who are not gardeners, always say that the bare beds
of winter are uninteresting...having no beauty. Gardeners know better and take
even a certain pleasure in the neatness of the neatly dug, bare, brown earth. 
For them...the anticipation of a new season.

(Vita Sackville-West)

Merle Baird-Kerr … composed November 1, 2012

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