October First!

October, a time of beauty, a time when the earth is starting to slowly settle down, inspiring in us a desire to seek it's colorful, comforting, peacful charm. Let October seduce you with its abundant charm. Robert Frost put it so well when he said of October, "Beguile us in the way you know." "Release one leaf at the break of day; At noon release another leaf; one from our trees, one far away." So as this complex spinning world grows more bewildering, drink in deep this "beguiling month" and enjoy its boundless beauty in joyful simplicities of life.

Above all, may we take the time to thank and reflect appreciatively, meditate deeply, on the one who provided this all, our Father and life giver Jehovah God.

As the custom is, Raven's delight is to learn how each month received its name, October will be no different.

October is the tenth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with a length of 31 days. The eighth month in the old Roman calendar, October retained its name (from the Latin "octo" meaning "eight") after July and August, after Julius and Augustus Caesar respectively, when the calendar was originally created by the Romans.

The first frost usually happens in October in the North Temperate Zone. Leaves change to their brilliant colors, and begin to fall, making the ground a beautiful haven of color. The farmers have to finish harvesting of the crops, but winter isn't here yet. The cold won't stay. In fact, we will still have warm days ahead.

Most birds have left for the south by the first frost, but the sparrows love the weather. They are seed eaters, and eat many weed seeds that would otherwise damage the next field crops.

Farmers bring in the last of the fall crops and either store or ship them to other parts of the world. In some parts, apples and grapes are still on the trees and vines. Many apples are harvested at the end of October.

Football usually dominates the scene in October. Hockey also begins it's season in October. And, the World Series will steal some of the spotlight from other sports.

I will include with this blog some cute October poems, that help us visualize this glorious month.

OCTOBER QUOTE

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came;
The ashes, oaks, and maples,
And those of every name.

"October's the month
When the smallest breeze
Gives us a shower
Of autumn leaves.
Bonfires and pumpkins,
Leaves sailing down -
October is red
And golden and brown."

Oh suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour October's bright blue weather."

Because it is such a beautiful poem, I will print Robert Frosts poem in it's entirety.

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
one from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes' sake,
if the were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost--
For the grapes' sake along the all.

I must end this blog for now! I will return with some delightful fall activities. Your comments are welcomed. Until then....

This is Raven-as the crow flies!