Mamertus, Pancras, and Gervais were three early Christian saints. Because their feast days, on May 11, 12, and 13, respectively, are traditionally cold, they have come to be known as the Three Chilly Saints. An old French saying translates to: “St. Mamertus, St. Pancras, and St. Gervais do not pass without a frost.”
Midsummer Day (June 24): To the farmer, this day is the midpoint of the growing season, halfway between planting and harvest. (Midsummer Eve is an occasion for festivity and celebrates fertility.) The Anglican church considered it a “Quarter Day,” one of the four major divisions of the liturgical year. It also marks the feast day of St. John the Baptist.
Cornscateous Air (July): First used by early almanac makers, this term signifies warm, damp air. Though it signals ideal climatic conditions for growing corn, it poses a danger to those affected by asthma and other respiratory problems.
Dog Days (July 3-August 11): These 40 days are traditionally the year’s hottest and unhealthiest. They once coincided with the year’s heliacal (at sunrise) rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. Ancient folks thought that the “combined heat” of Sirius and the Sun caused summer’s swelter.
Lammas Day (August 1): Derived from the Old English hlaf maesse, meaning “loaf mass,” Lammas Day marked the beginning of the harvest. Traditionally, loaves of bread were baked from the first-ripened grain and brought to the churches to be consecrated. Eventually, “loaf mass” became “Lammas.” In Scotland, Lammastide fairs became famous as the time when trial marriages could be made. These marriages could end after a year with no strings attached.
Cat Nights Begin (August 17): This term harks back to the days when people believed in witches. An Irish legend says that a witch could turn into a cat and regain herself eight times, but on the ninth time (August 17), she couldn’t change back, hence the saying: “A cat has nine lives.” Because August is a “yowly” time for cats, this may have initially prompted the speculation about witches on the prowl.
Harvest Home (September): In Europe and Britain, the conclusion of the harvest each autumn was marked by festivals of fun, feasting, and thanksgiving known as “Harvest Home.” It was also a time to hold elections, pay workers, and collect rents. These festivals usually took place around the autumnal equinox. Certain groups in the United States, particularly the Pennsylvania Dutch, have kept the tradition alive.
St. Luke’s Little Summer (October): This is a spell of warm weather that occurs on or near St. Luke’s feast day (October 18) and is sometimes called Indian summer.
Indian Summer (November): A period of warm weather following a cold spell or a hard frost, Indian summer can occur between St. Martin’s Day (November 11) and November 20. Although there are differing dates for its occurrence, for more than 200 years the Almanac has adhered to the saying “If All Saints’ (November 1) brings out winter, St. Martin’s brings out Indian summer.” The term may have come from early Native Americans, some of whom believed that the condition was caused by a warm wind sent from the court of their southwestern god, Cautantowwit.
Halcyon Days (December): This refers to about 2 weeks of calm weather that often follow the blustery winds of autumn’s end. Ancient Greeks and Romans experienced this weather around the time of the winter solstice, when the halcyon, or kingfisher, was brooding in a nest floating on the sea. The bird was said to have charmed the wind and waves so that the waters were especially calm during this period.
Beware the Pogonip (December): The word
pogonip
refers to an uncommon occurrence—frozen fog. The word was coined by Native Americans to describe the frozen fogs of fine ice needles that occur in the mountain valleys of the western United States and Canada. According to their tradition, breathing
Midsummer Day (June 24): To the farmer, this day is the midpoint of the growing season, halfway between planting and harvest. (Midsummer Eve is an occasion for festivity and celebrates fertility.) The Anglican church considered it a “Quarter Day,” one of the four major divisions of the liturgical year. It also marks the feast day of St. John the Baptist.
Cornscateous Air (July): First used by early almanac makers, this term signifies warm, damp air. Though it signals ideal climatic conditions for growing corn, it poses a danger to those affected by asthma and other respiratory problems.
Dog Days (July 3-August 11): These 40 days are traditionally the year’s hottest and unhealthiest. They once coincided with the year’s heliacal (at sunrise) rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. Ancient folks thought that the “combined heat” of Sirius and the Sun caused summer’s swelter.
Lammas Day (August 1): Derived from the Old English hlaf maesse, meaning “loaf mass,” Lammas Day marked the beginning of the harvest. Traditionally, loaves of bread were baked from the first-ripened grain and brought to the churches to be consecrated. Eventually, “loaf mass” became “Lammas.” In Scotland, Lammastide fairs became famous as the time when trial marriages could be made. These marriages could end after a year with no strings attached.
Cat Nights Begin (August 17): This term harks back to the days when people believed in witches. An Irish legend says that a witch could turn into a cat and regain herself eight times, but on the ninth time (August 17), she couldn’t change back, hence the saying: “A cat has nine lives.” Because August is a “yowly” time for cats, this may have initially prompted the speculation about witches on the prowl.
Harvest Home (September): In Europe and Britain, the conclusion of the harvest each autumn was marked by festivals of fun, feasting, and thanksgiving known as “Harvest Home.” It was also a time to hold elections, pay workers, and collect rents. These festivals usually took place around the autumnal equinox. Certain groups in the United States, particularly the Pennsylvania Dutch, have kept the tradition alive.
St. Luke’s Little Summer (October): This is a spell of warm weather that occurs on or near St. Luke’s feast day (October 18) and is sometimes called Indian summer.
Indian Summer (November): A period of warm weather following a cold spell or a hard frost, Indian summer can occur between St. Martin’s Day (November 11) and November 20. Although there are differing dates for its occurrence, for more than 200 years the Almanac has adhered to the saying “If All Saints’ (November 1) brings out winter, St. Martin’s brings out Indian summer.” The term may have come from early Native Americans, some of whom believed that the condition was caused by a warm wind sent from the court of their southwestern god, Cautantowwit.
Halcyon Days (December): This refers to about 2 weeks of calm weather that often follow the blustery winds of autumn’s end. Ancient Greeks and Romans experienced this weather around the time of the winter solstice, when the halcyon, or kingfisher, was brooding in a nest floating on the sea. The bird was said to have charmed the wind and waves so that the waters were especially calm during this period.
Beware the Pogonip (December): The word
pogonip
refers to an uncommon occurrence—frozen fog. The word was coined by Native Americans to describe the frozen fogs of fine ice needles that occur in the mountain valleys of the western United States and Canada. According to their tradition, breathing
Similar Books
