What Would Jimmy Do?

Yesterday’s topic discussed how some people believe a rabbit’s foot can bring you good luck. But there are a lot of “good luck charms” and some of them don’t seem to make much sense. But they’ve all earned their place in the “lucky” category for various reasons.

In the past I’ve mentioned our Friend Anne. She has a horseshoe over the inside of her front door. I’ve never asked her about it, but it’s there for luck. We’ve all had good luck charms in our lives — I remember having a rabbit’s foot (like we talked about yesterday) on a key chain when I was a kid and believed that it brought me good luck. People have four-leaf clovers, lucky pennies, lucky shirts, etc. Your don’t see them so much anymore (maybe because horses aren’t as common as they once were) but when I was growing up, it was commonplace to see a horseshoe somewhere in or on the house. 

So how did horseshoes become a lucky charm? Like a lot of these things, no one really knows for sure but one of the more popular theories is that horseshoes became synonymous with luck when St. Dustan, the patron saint of blacksmiths in the Catholic Church, tricked the devil. The story goes something like this….
When a man came into Dustan’s blacksmith shop asking to be shod in horseshoes, he realized that the request was unusual, and then saw that his customer had a cloven foot — he was shoeing the devil himself. Dustan, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury, tortured the devil with hot irons and nails until the devil promised that neither he nor any of his demons would enter a building protected by a horseshoe. 

The basic metal makeup of horseshoes contributed to it becoming a lucky charm. Most of the early horseshoes were made of iron, which is a durable metal but is also thought to have mystical powers — it has magnetic properties and runs abundantly through human bodies. Witches were said to be so fearful of the iron-made horseshoes that they decided to take flight on broomsticks instead of riding on horses for transportation. 

Even the number of nail holes made the horseshoe lucky. Seven holes were made in the shoe to hold it in place on the hoof. It just so happens that seven is one of the luckiest numbers on earth, because it appears so often in nature. There are seven days in a week, seven seas, seven continents, seven colors in a rainbow, etc. 

Most all the horseshoes I’ve seen hung over doorways are hung with the open area up — like the letter “U.” But apparently some people think it should be hung with the opening facing down. Hanging a horseshoe “heels up” means it keeps all the good luck from running out of the shoe. Hanging it “heels down” means it flows good luck down on everyone who walks underneath it. I guess they both make sense, so if I can find some horseshoes, maybe I’ll hang two — one each way…. couldn’t hurt.
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On June 4, 1951, the Cleveland Indians played the New York Yankees — in Cleveland. The Indians were major underdogs. In fact, the Indians prospects were so dismal that the Plain Dealerr distributed lucky rabbits’ feet to the Indian fans. The Indians won 8 – 2!! Was it the rabbits’ feet that did it? What’s with those rabbits’ feet, and why are they lucky?
There is an old superstition that on the first day of the month, if your first words that day are “rabbit rabbit,” you’ll have good luck for the rest of the month. 

There’s no clear answer as to how rabbits became associated with good-luck superstitions, but rabbits and their wild cousin, the hare, have been associated with the favorable aspects of spring, renewal, and fertility since pagan times. In the Middle Ages, hares were associated with magical witches who were said to be able to change themselves into rabbits.

Despite its association with witchery, the rabbit was still considered a lucky animal because of its many offspring and its burrowing habits. People feared what was buried under the Earth, so they admired the rabbit’s ability to live underground and still survive.

Eventually, the legends surrounding rabbits including fertility, the ability to survive evil and magical powers became associated with “luck” — specifically, in the left hind foot of a rabbit. Of course I guess rabbits have a different view of that….
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I know, a few days ago we celebrated “President’s Day,” but officially the day that we celebrated was not President’s Day, but Washington’s Birthday.

Neither Congress nor the President has ever stipulated that the name of the holiday observed as Washington’s Birthday be changed to President’s Day. And — Congress has never declared a national holiday that is binding in all states. Each state has the freedom to determine its own legal holidays. 

Historically, Americans began celebrating George Washington’s Birthday just months after his death — long before Congress declared it a federal holiday. It wasn’t until 1879, under President Rutherford B. Hayes, that Washington’s Birthday became a legal holiday, to be observed on his birthday, February 22. Today, George Washington’s Birthday is one of only eleven permanent federal holidays established by Congress. One of the great traditions that has been followed for decades has been the reading by a U.S. senator of George Washington’s Farewell Address in legislative session. That remains an annual event to this day.

I know I talk about George’s birthday and President’s Day every year and if you didn’t know the story before, you certainly would by reading this blog — I realize I seem to be harping on George sort of “losing” his birthday, but it just seems kind of unfair that it gets “lumped” with others, and primarily just to give us all another three-day weekend.

But today is George’s real birthday — well, kind of, at least. I’ve also talked about this before, but it’s still a bit confusing….
To recap — although the federal holiday is held on a Monday (the third Monday of February,) George Washington’s birthday is observed on February 22.
Now to complicate matters, Washington was actually born on February 11 in 1731. Here’s how this all played out….
George Washington was originally born when the Julian calendar was in use. During Washington’s lifetime, people in Great Britain and America switched the official calendar system from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar (most of Europe had already made the switch in 1582.)

As a result of this calendar reform, people born before 1752 were told to add 11 days to their birth dates. Those born between January 1 and March 25, as Washington was, also had to add one year to be in sync with the new calendar. 
By the time Washington became president in 1789, he celebrated his birthday on February 22 and listed his year of birth as 1732.

Needless to say, poor George Washington has had his birthday jerked around enough. Let the other presidents have their day and give February 22 — or maybe February 11 — back to George.
Happy two hundred and ninety first (?) birthday to my friend George.
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Boy, talk about being one busy day — besides being Washington’s birthday and Ash Wednesday, it’s also National Margarita Day. Today’s the day we pay tribute and honor the margarita.

How did the first margarita come into existence? It’s a question we all have. There are many theories, legends and stories as to how margaritas came about.
One theory or legend about their origin began in 1934 in Mexico City when a bartender named Willie claimed to be the inventor. That story was later countered by Carlos “Danny” Herrera who boasted that he developed the drink at his restaurant in Tijuana in 1938.
In 1948, the margarita became popular after Dallas socialite Margarita Sames introduced the drink for her surprised party guests — one of whom, Tommy Hilton, later added the drink to the bar menu at his hotels.
And then singer Jimmy Buffet made the margarita even more famous with his mega-hit Margaritaville…an ode to the famous cocktail.

The reason there’s salt on the rim of the margarita glass isn’t just decoration or garnish — the purpose is is to bring out the sweetness of the drink. The salt intensifies the aromas and flavors of the margarita. 
The world’s largest margarita was mixed in Las Vegas. The drink was 8500 gallons. It was served in a 17-foot tall tank and took 300 hours to create. It was called a “Lucky Rita” and was made to celebrate the Flamingo Hotel’s casino opening.
The most expensive margarita cost $1200. It was created in Manhattan at the 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar and Penthouse Lounge. The ingredients used were super high-end, with the tequila costing $180 a bottle. The ice was made of $450 bottles of Rogederer Cristal Champagne. The margarita was eventually poured into a Ralph Lauren hand blown Hungarian Crystal glass. The glass could be taken home, afterward. Half the money was donated to charity.
On Valentine’s Day in 2015, the Iron Cactus in Austin, Texas offered a $30,000 margarita that came with a very expensive pair of diamond earrings. It was set up by the bar’s “romance” expert.
At the Texas State Fair, a margarita was served up “fried.” A funnel cake was run through a margarita mixer, fried, and later soaked in a margarita again, and all of this was served with whipped cream and in a salt-rimmed glass. 

National Margarita Day was founded by Todd McCalla because he believed that there was a need “to spread his love for margaritas around the world.”
There is a national saying for National Margarita Day — “One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.”

I’m not sure how National Margareta Day plays out this year, falling on Ash Wednesday. I guess you have to give up something besides Tequila for Lent…..
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The practice of marking worshippers’ foreheads with ashes in the  shape of a cross is one of Christianity’s most visible rituals. Ash Wednesday is important because it marks the start of the Lenten period leading up to Easter, when Christians believe Jesus was resurrected. The ashes symbolize both death and repentance.

The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are meant to represent dust. When receiving ashes on their foreheads, parishioners hear the words, “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This is a  reference to what God says to Adam when exiling him from the Garden of Eden.On Ash Wednesday, the saying is a reminder to be humble in the face of mortality.

The history of Ash Wednesday is less than 1000 years old. It’s never mentioned in the Bible, but there is a verse in the Book of Daniel that links fasting to ashes, and some scholars believe this is the origin of the Lenten practice. Ash Wednesday didn’t gain mainstream popularity with Christians in the U.S. until the 1970s.

Not all Christians observe Ash Wednesday — the day is probably most closely associated with Catholicism, but there are many Christian sects that recognize it, including Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and even some Baptists. There are also Christians that refrain from Ash Wednesday celebrations — Mormons, Evangelicals, and Pentecostal Christians are some of the denominations that don’t take part in the holy day.

I ‘ve mentioned this in past years, but a lot of parishes have started offering “ashes to go” on Ash Wednesday. In some places, priests and pastors will station themselves in public places, like street corners, parking lots or metro stops and administer ashes to whoever asks to receive them. You don’t need to be a church leader to administer ashes. Some churches give parishioners the option to take packets of ashes home with them to apply to family members or loved ones who couldn’t make it to church.

There are rules about what you can eat on Ash Wednesday because it’s a day of fasting…. it’s interesting that McDonald’s sells more Filet-o-fish sandwiches on Ash Wednesday than any other day of the year.
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Mardi Gras is a 300-plus-year-old holiday — one of the longest, most widely celebrated holidays across the world, bringing together countries with vastly different cultures and backgrounds to celebrate in their own unique ways. 

Better known as “Carnival” in much of the world, countries like Belgium and France use the holiday as a celebration to welcome spring with symbolic flowers and seasonal fruits. Other countries stay true to their respective cultures and throw massive parties in the name of the holiday.

Mardi Gras is more than just a day, it’s an entire season. The Mardi Gras season technically begins on the Christian holiday of January 6, known as Epiphany, or “Three Kings Day” or “The Twelfth Day” and ends on Fat Tuesday.

The biggest Mardi Gras celebration I’ve ever been to is in New Orleans. Elaborate, colorful ladders have lined the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras parades for years. The tradition caters to the younger audience attending Mardi Gras for pure entertainment. Since kids are usually too short to catch the parade from ground level, the ladders are equipped with a small ledge at the top, making for the best seat in the house.

Mardi Gras concludes on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent. For 40 days, Christians voluntarily abstain from a number of vices and privileges as a symbol of sacrifice. So Mardi Gras is considered the last chance to participate in absolute gluttony and indulge in the variety of foods unique to the Carnival celebration.

Masks are a tradition at Mardi Gras — they were first implemented as a way of evading social constraints and stereotypes to provide Carnival goers the freedom to be whomever they want to be and socialize with whomever they wish. That tradition has held strong and added to the excitement of the celebration over the years and all Carnival goers are encouraged to wear a mask on Fat Tuesday. Float riders are required — by law — to wear masks throughout the parade.

To officially end Carnival celebrations, New Orleans police officers on foot and on horseback move through the crowds on Bourbon Street at Midnight — usually accompanied by the Mayor.
So happy Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Pancake Day, or whatever you call it — just  a few more hours ‘till the party ends.
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President’s Day is celebrated every year on the third Monday of February. It’s a day to remember all the presidents in American history — today’s the day to honor them for their work in making America the great country it is today.

After the death of George Washington in 1799, his birthday was unofficially celebrated as a day of remembrance called Washington Day. Throughout the 1800s, people used this day to honor our first president and the legacy he left. In 1832, a resolution permitted the internment of George Washington’s body in the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. The Washington Monument was erected in 1848.

It wasn’t until the 1870s that Steven Wallace Dorsey proposed that Washington’s birthday should become a national federal holiday — President Rutherford B. Hayes signed it into law, and it joined the four existing bank holidays that had been previously approved.

Because of Abraham Lincoln’s legacy and since his birthday was on February 12, very near Washington’s birthday, it was proposed that Washington Day should become President’s Day to celebrate both men — but the idea was rejected by Congress. 

In the late 1960s Senator Robert McClory of Illinois concocted a plan to move key bank holidays to Mondays to increase the number of  of three-day weekends for workers. His plan became known as the Uniform Monday’s Act. The idea was that it would increase productivity and decrease employee absenteeism. Of course, the labor unions agreed with the idea. 

In 1971, Ricard M. Nixon signed the executive order to pass the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which shifted Washington’s Birthday, Columbus Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans’ Day to Monday. The date of “Washington Day”  landed in the middle of Lincoln’s and Washington’s birthdays, so it became known President’s Day. Since then, President’s Day has become a common term, honoring all presidents.

Since it’s now President’s Day and not Washington’s Birthday….
There are 3 universities named after George Washington.
There are 5 national parks named after Roosevelt.
President William Henry Harrison passed away 32 days after becoming president.
President James Madison was only 5 ft., 4 in. tall, making him the shortest president ever.
President Teddy Roosevelt took office at the age of 42 — making him the youngest to hold that office.
Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on July 4th, 1826, which was the 40th anniversary of the approval of the Declaration of Independence.
George Washington was the only president to be unanimously elected by all of the state representatives. 

Out country was founded on the idea that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is meant for all people. Today’s a good day to decide that it’s up to all of us to make sure it happens.
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There’s a lot of special days in the month of February, but today is one of my favorites — it’s National Drink Wine Day! It’s celebrated every year on February 18.

National Drink Wine Day was started to celebrate the love of wine. Drinking wine not only leads to great times with friends, but there at at least 8 possible benefits from drinking one or two four-ounce glasses of wine a day. I found this on the Internet, so it must be true….
• Longevity (wine drinkers have a 34 percent lower mortality rate than beer or spirit drinkers)
• Reduces Heart-Attack Risk (moderate drinkers suffering from high blood pressure are 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack than nondrinkers)
• Lowers Risk of Heart Disease (red-wine tannins contain procyanidins, which protect against heart disease)
• Reduces Risk of Type 2 Diabetes (moderate drinkers have 30 percent less risk than nondrinkers of developing Type 2 Diabetes)
• Lowers Risk of Stroke (the possibility of suffering a blood clot-related stroke drops by about 50 percent in people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol)
• Cuts Risk of Cataracts (moderate drinkers are 32 percent less likely to get cataracts than nondrinkers; those who consume wine are 43 percent less likely to develop cataracts than those drinking mainly beer)
• Cuts Risk of Colon Cancer (moderate consumption of wine (especially red) cuts the risk of colon cancer by 45 percent)
• Slows Brain Decline (brain function declines at a markedly faster rate in nondrinkers than in moderate drinkers)

There are 8 types of red wines: Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, Malbec, Pinot noir, Zinfandel, Sangiovese and Barbera.
There are 7 types of white wines: Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Semillion, Moscato, Pinot grigio, Gewürztraminer, and Riesling. 

Claire cooks with wine — sometimes she even adds it to the food.
So how to celebrate this day should be obvious, but sometimes the best way to celebrate National Drink Wine Day is to just kick back and relax with a glass of your favorite wine.
A good day starts with good coffee and ends with good wine.
So raise a glass and cheers to National Drink Wine Day!
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The word “bard” came up the other day — I’d remembered hearing the term, especially associated with Shakespeare. But I looked it up to be sure it really meant what I thought it did. Here’s the dictionary definition:
(formerly) a person who composed and recited epic or heroic poems, often while playing the harp, lyre, or the like.
one of an ancient Celtic order of composers and reciters of poetry. 
I’d have to mark myself correct as to knowing what a bard is, but that got me to thinking…. 

For most of human history, storytellers passed everything there was to know from one generation to the next — “out loud.” Rhyme and rhythm made things easier to remember, so the stories were usually told in poems and songs.
During the Middle Ages in Europe, singing storytellers were the keepers of information. In 13th century Ireland, these storytellers were called “bards.”  The really good ones got to sit next to the king in his court. Then along came the troubadours — singers who wandered around the countryside, telling stories in the form of ballads. That’s the way the everyday news got passed along, too. 

So this gets me to what I actually wanted to write about today….
Because of these bards, troubadours, storytellers, etc., when people first started to read, most of them couldn’t understand the words unless they said them out loud. Since they’d been “listening” to all this information, when they started to read, it was usually out loud and to each other — just like stories had always been told. 

These new readers needed to hear the words as well as see them. My extensive research on the subject found out that it was probably into the 15th century before people got the hang of reading silently. 
After people started to read, the default assumption was if you were reading around other people, you’d read aloud and share it. Today, our default assumption is we’ll read it silently and keep it to ourselves. 

That strange new trend of reading to yourself obviously drew some criticism — some skeptics thought  it attracted daydreamers and the “sin of idleness.” And even worse, it let people learn and reflect without religious guidance or censure.

I think it’s lucky people learned to read to themselves — can you imagine what the library would be like if they hadn’t?
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