November and All Saints Day

November - (Lat. novem, nine).

 

It was the ninth month in the ancient Roman calendar, when the year began in March.

The old Dutch name was Slaghtmaand (slaughter-month, the time when the beasts were killed and salted down for winter

use); the old Saxon Wind-monath (wind-month, when the fisherman took their boats ashore, and put aside fishing till the

next spring); it was also called Blot-monath – the same as Slaghtmaand. In the French Republican Calendar it was called

Brumaire (fog-month, 23 October to 21 November). Saxons also called it blot-monath, meaning blood month, because they

killed cattle for Winter store; the name might also have referred to human sacrifice.

 

Frankish name: Herbistmanoth, or harvest (of animals) month. Asatru: Fogmoon. American backwoods: Beaver Moon.

Almost the whole month coincides with the goddess-calendar month of Samhain (pronounced sow-ain), the feminine

personification of the Nove. She is an aspect of the Cailleach (veiled woman).

 

Next was November; he full grown and fat

As fed with lard, and that right well might seeme;

For he had been a fatting hogs of late,

That yet his browes with sweat did reek and steam;

And yet the season was full sharp and breem;

In planting eeke (also) he took no small delight,

Whereon he rode, not easy was to deeme

For it a dreadful centaure was in sight,

The seed of Saturn and fair Nais, Chiron hight.

 

No morn - no noon -

No dawn - no dusk - no proper time of day...

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,

No comfortable feel in any member -

No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,

No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds, -

November!

~Thomas Hood, English poet, 1799-1845

 

If on All Saints’Day the beech nut is dry, we shall have a hard winter; but if the nut be wet and not light,

we may expect a wet winter.

~English traditional proverb

 

If All Saints’ Day will bring out the winter, St Martin’s Day will bring out Indian summer.

~American traditional proverb

 

All Saints Summer lasts three hours, three days or three weeks.

~Traditional English saying

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