I Will Order A Stake, Please: Richmond’s Vampire!

The Richmond Vampire (also called locally the Hollywood Vampire) is a recent urban legend from Richmond, Virginia.

Local residents claim that the mausoleum of W. W. Pool (Dated 1913) in Hollywood Cemetery holds the remains of a vampire. Supposedly Pool was run out of England in the 1800s for being a vampire. Oral legends to this effect were circulating by the 1960s. They may be influenced by the architecture of the tomb, which has both Masonic and ancient Egyptian elements, and double Ws looking like fangs. Because this cemetery is adjacent to Virginia Commonwealth University, the story became popular among students, especially from the 1980s onward. It was first mentioned in print in the student newspaper Commonwealth Times in 1976.

Since 2001, the vampire story has been combined with the collapse of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad’s Church Hill Tunnel under Church Hill, a neighborhood of eastern Richmond, Virginia, which buried several workers alive on October 2, 1925. This part of the story showed up online in 2001 and was first reported in print in 2007 in Haunted Richmond: The Shadows of Shockoe.

According to this newer story, the tunneling awakened an ancient evil that lived under Church Hill and brought the tunnel crashing down on the workers. Rescue teams found a unearthly blood-covered creature with jagged teeth and skin hanging from its muscular body crouching over one of the victims. The creature escaped from the cave-in and raced toward the James River. Pursued by a group of men, the creature took refuge in Hollywood Cemetery (2.2 miles away), where it disappeared in a mausoleum built into a hillside bearing the name W. W. Pool.

According to Gregory Maitland, an urban legend and folklore researcher with the paranormal research groups Night Shift and the Virginia Ghosts & Haunting Research Society, the “creature” that escaped the tunnel collapse was actually the 28-year-old railroad fireman, Benjamin F. Mosby (1896-1925), who had been shoveling coal into the firebox of a steam locomotive of a work train with no shirt on when the cave-in occurred and the boiler ruptured. Mosby’s upper body was horribly scalded and several of his teeth were broken before he made his way through the opening of the tunnel. Witnesses reported he was in shock and layers of his skin were hanging from his body. He died later at Grace Hospital and was buried at Hollywood Cemetery.

Rumors of a vampire lurking in the shadows of Hollywood Cemetery have circulated since the 1920s. The mythical figure is described by locals as a ghastly creature — dripping blood and flesh — who slumbers in a tomb on the site’s hallowed grounds.

The urban legend, which had its first known print appearance in The Commonwealth Times, alleges that the vampire escaped during the deadly Church Hill train tunnel collapse of 1925. After the collapse killed and buried several railway workers, the first fanged-creature sighting was reported near bookkeeper William Wortham Pool’s grave.

Mr. Pool is alleged to be a vampire, there seems to be a cult in Richmond that has grown up around him.”

Pool, who resided in Woodland Heights, died from pneumonia at the age of 80 in 1922. His initials, “W.W. Pool,” are engraved into stone; some say the letters resemble a vampire’s fangs. 

Curtis contrasts the eerie subject matter of the local tale with the cemetery’s “peaceful atmosphere,” noting the grounds’ springtime flowers, statues and crosses. According to the article, medical students used to break into the cemetery to steal Pool’s remains. 

Tour guides from Haunts of Richmond, a company that gives walking tours of Richmond’s paranormal past, tell the story of the Richmond vampire in the “Church Hill Chillers” and “Shadows of Shockoe” tours. 

It is said the tale most likely originated in a “game of telephone,” most likely started from a sighting of an injured individual with blood on their face, broken teeth and other injuries after the Church Hill tunnel collapse.

“And that story gets relayed from one person to the next,”  “All of a sudden, you go from an injured individual to there being a vampire.”

Hollywood Cemetery’s long, winding paths wrap around tombstones of various shapes and sizes. The grounds serve as a resting place for many famous Virginians, including author James Branch Cabell and Jefferson Davis, former president of the Confederacy.

The cemetery’s rolling hills also serve as the burial sites of two former U.S. presidents, James Monroe and John Tyler.

The original 1920s tale is more frightening than modern-day depictions of vampires, making it an urban legend that would pass through generations of Richmonders. 

There’s so many ghost stories here in the central Virginia area. Will come and take a Tour?  

The Almanac You May Not Know!  Part Two

Dog Days of Summer:

The “Dog Days” of summer are from July 3 to August 11 each year. They’re usually the hottest and most unbearable days of the season. We often hear about the “Dog Days” of summer, but few know where the expression originated. Some think it’s a reference to the hot, sultry days that are “not fit for a dog.” Others suggest it’s the time of year when the extreme heat drives dogs mad. But where does the term come from? And what does it have to do with dogs? You may be surprised to see is has to do with the stars! Read on.

The phrase is a reference to Sirius, the Dog Star. During the “Dog Days” period, the Sun occupies the same region of the sky as Sirius, the brightest star visible from any part of Earth. Sirius is a part of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog.

In the summer, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun. On July 23rd, specifically, it is in conjunction with the Sun, and because the star is so bright, the ancient Romans believed it actually gave off heat and added to the Sun’s warmth, accounting for the long stretch of sultry weather. They referred to this time as diēs caniculārēs, or “dog days.”

Thus, the term Dog Days of Summer came to mean the 20 days before and 20 days after this alignment of Sirius with the Sun—July 3 to August 11 each year.

 

Summer heat is due to the Earth’s tilt:

While this period usually is the hottest stretch of summer, the heat is not due to any added radiation from Sirius, regardless of its brightness. The heat of summer is simply a direct result of the Earth’s tilt.

During summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the tilt of the Earth causes the Sun’s rays to hit at a more direct angle, and for a longer period of time throughout the day. This means longer, hotter days.

The Dog Days of Summer Explained:

Many people think the phrase “Dog Days of Summer” is an idiom where the words don’t literally mean what they say, but the truth is that when you learn the origins of the term, it was quite literal for them. Technically, people referred to this time of year as the “Days of the Dog Star.”

Ancient Greek and Roman cultures were heavily influenced by astrology and stories of the constellations. They had intricate mythology explaining what they saw in the night sky and used those stories to explain the unexplainable in their lives, including the change of seasons and how it impacted peoples’ behavior. When people noticed a connection between the hottest time of the year and a change in the pattern of Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, they knew it was more than just coincidence. To them, it seemed that when Sirius rose and set with the sun, it was adding warmth to the sky, explaining the extreme heat of this time of year.

In ancient Greek, Sirius means “glowing” or “scorcher” so it makes sense that they named this star after the extreme summer heat in the Mediterranean. The myth behind Sirius is that he is the loyal pup of the hunter, Orion. Most novice astronomers are familiar with Orion and can at least identify Orion’s belt in the night sky as three stars forming a straight line.

Ancient Greeks and Romans’ knowledge of constellations was much more intricate, and they envisioned the image of a dog when they connected the stars closest to Sirius, right next to the constellation of Orion. Ancient Romans referred to this constellation containing Sirius as “Canis Major,” which translates to “Greater Dog.” In ancient Rome, this same period of time where the sun and Sirius rose and set together was known as dies caniculares, which translates to “Days of the Dog Star.”

More on Sirius, “The Dog Star”:

In ancient Greek mythology, Sirius is known to be the loyal dog of the hunter, Orion. But the tales of Orion are not very flattering. Orion was known as an excellent hunter; just ask him to find out how absolutely amazing he was. He was a braggart, an alcoholic, and a sexual predator, which got him into all sorts of trouble in the Land of the Gods. He was blinded, banished, and eventually killed.

 

There are multiple versions of the story of how he was killed, including one in which he brags to the goddess Gaia that he could hunt and kill every animal on earth, so she kills him with a giant scorpion who is also immortalized in a constellation. Through it all, Sirius, his loyal canine companion, is by his side. Sirius’s eternal loyalty follows him into the afterlife where he forms the brightest star next to Orion’s constellation. Sirius is forever by Orion’s side despite his major flaws, providing historical proof that we truly do not deserve dogs.

Actually, many cultures around the world have similar myths about the constellation containing Sirius and envisioned a dog or other canine, such as a wolf or coyote, associated with this star. In China, this same star is known as Heavenly Wolf. For the Alaskan Inuit, this star is called Moon Dog. In Cherokee lure, this star is a dog star that guards the entrance to the Milky Way, known as the Path of Souls. Some Pawnee tribes refer to this same star as a trickster, called the Coyote Star.

Modern Interpretations of the Dog Days of Summer:

Over time, as we have lost the direct connection to the explanation of the phrase, people have substituted their own ideas for what is meant by the “Dog Days of Summer.” This includes the idea of sweltering hot days when dogs are more likely to “go mad,” as well as descriptions of a time of the year when dogs laze about because they are too hot to do anything else. While none of these explanations are tied directly to the origins of the phrase, hot summer days do bring unique risks to dogs and require some additional considerations to keep your pup comfortable and safe.

Special Considerations For Your Dog During the Dog Days of Summer

Be mindful of the heat and take measures to prevent heat stroke and other seasonal dangers during this time of year. This includes avoiding exercise with your pup during the hottest times of day and making sure they have a cool place to rest with plenty of water throughout the day. Dogs should never be left alone in an enclosed vehicle, especially on warmer days. Be cautious with brachycephalic breeds, such as French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, Pugs, and Pekingese; they can overheat much more quickly, as well as any dogs with underlying health conditions and dogs who are very young or very old.

Other factors to keep in mind are that this time of year may bring more opportunities for swimming, barbecues, and outdoor celebrations. Be sure pups are always supervised near open water as not all dogs are good swimmers and can fatigue quickly if they cannot get out of the water on their own. Also, keep all the delicious barbecue scraps away from your pup. They can get especially sick from ingesting pointy kabob sticks if they find a little bit of meat still attached, as well as from corn cobs, fruit pits, bones, and foods with ingredients that may be toxic to them.

 

Finally, we all likely know of at least one dog, and maybe a few people, who are terrified of the sound of fireworks. Be sure to create a safe, quiet space for your dog during these kinds of celebrations and consider speaking with your veterinarian about a safe sedative for your pup if they are extremely stressed by these sounds.

While the ancient Greeks may be right that these hot days make dogs pant so hard their tongues look like taffy, summer can be lots of fun for pups with the right precautions. As for the strange behaviors it causes in people, you may want to monitor your horoscope more closely during these Dog Days of Summer.

 

Lammas Day:

Our ancestors celebrated life together with the rhythms of each season. Many of these celebrations were interwoven and connected to nature and Earth’s natural cycles. Lughnasadh or Lammas Day is one of those celebrations.

This observance, traditionally observed on August 1, marked the beginning of the harvest, and especially celebrated the first wheat crop, or that of corn. It derives from the ancient English festival the Gule of August, a pagan dedication of the first fruits that the early English church later converted to Christian usage. On Lammas Day, loaves of bread were baked from the first-ripened grain and brought to the churches to be consecrated. The word “lammas” comes from the Old English hlaf, loaf,” and maesse, “mass” or “feast.” Through the centuries, “loaf-mass” became corrupted in spelling and pronunciation to Lammas. To the Celts, this was Lughnasaid, the feast of the wedding of the Sun god and the Earth goddess, and also a harvest festival. In Ireland, baskets of blueberries are still offered to a sweetheart in commemoration of the original fertility festival. In Scotland, the Lammastide fairs became famous for trial marriages that could be ended without question after a year. Much lore is associated with this day, including this proverb: After Lammas Day, corn ripens as much by night as by day.”

You May wish to celebrate Lughnasadh as a way of honoring nature’s incredible fertile energy at harvest time, and as a way to connect with our natural world on a deeper, more meaningful level. I truly believe that by recognizing and celebrating the little shifts in Earth’s natural rhythms, we can become more attuned to nature and feel more grounded in our everyday lives.

WHAT IS LUGHNASADH/LAMMAS DAY

Lughnasadh, by some cultures known as Lammas Day is typically celebrated on August 1st (or February 1st if you are in the Southern Hemisphere!). However, in Celtic culture, it is celebrated the entire month of August in many cases.

Lughnasadh and Lammas are used interchangeably in modern paganism and spirituality, but their origins may still surprise you. Whichever you choose to recognize, in terms of the wheel of the year, this marks the first of three harvest festivals ending with Samhain on October 31st. It also marks the halfway point between the summer solstice (Litha) and the fall equinox (Mabon).

These two sabbats are undeniably linked and have been celebrated in many different ways for quite a long time. They share common themes of harvest, luck, prosperity, abundance, gratitude, and success after a job well done.

WHERE DO THEY ORIGINATE?

Evidence of harvest festivals such as these have been traced back through most studied cultures.

In 3100-2686 B.C. the Egyptians welcomed their first harvest with a massive feast.

A thousand years later, from 1600 – 1046 B.C. the great Dynasties of China celebrated their harvest during the first full moon of Autumn. In 1621 (A.D.) the first Thanksgiving was held in what would later become America.

In 1843, Reverend Hawker introduced a thanking of the harvest to the church.

But what happened between 1046 B.C. and 1621 A.D. is crucial to how we celebrate these harvest festivals today. In Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man (as well as some surrounding territories) Lughnasadh was born during this time. The festival first became recognized in commemoration of the God, Lugh (Hence the name). These ancient festivals included matchmaking, harvesting, the trading of goods, and athletic competitions.

While the festival of Lughnasadh is mostly attributed to Lugh. The athletic competitions were attributed to his mother who was said to have died of exhaustion preparing the fields for farming. These athletic competitions became known as the “Taileteann Games,” and could be quite dangerous. Some of the competitions are not unlike what we would see in the Olympics today. Things like long jumping, high jumping, running, spear throwing, hurling, archery, boxing, wrestling, swimming and horse racing, were all quite common.

As we know though, not everyone is an athlete! Non-sporting competitions existed just as well including singing, dancing, poetry and storytelling.

During Lughnasadh, trading and making deals were also prominent activities. These could be political, social, or economical. Local leaders would often meet with farmers to make trade agreements regarding the harvested crop and their livestock. While some were feasting, competing, or dealing, others were visiting holy wells to make offerings of coins and cloth. They would then circle the well in the direction of the sun to gain health, wealth and favor from the gods. Because of these individuals, another name was born for Lughnasadh, “Garland Sunday.” This was because they would often decorate the holy wells with flowers and cloth.

Another common activity at this time was trial marriages! Yes, you heard correctly. In these trial marriages a couple would marry with their hands through a piece of wood. The marriage would last a year and one day, and in the end they could ultimately decide to stay married or to separate with no questions asked!

Most notably, this became a time for bidding farewell to the days of summer. In almost all cultures this became a huge feast that was held amongst both friend and foe!

In Celtic cultures, festivals were a time when weaponry was not allowed. This was a time of peace during these early days of the modern world. Before the great feasts and festivals of Lughnasadh could begin, the first grain was offered up to Lugh. At this time, a bull was also sacrificed. The entire bull would then be eaten.

Lammas became a well favored Christian Holiday, and as stated before, adopted many of the traditions of Lughnasadh like performing arts and feasting.  Over the years, many names have come to form for Lammas and Lughnasadh, and many of them you probably have never heard of!

Garland Sunday

Bilberry Sunday

Mountain Sunday

Reef Sunday

The latter two names are derived for those who survived the climbing of mountains, hills and peaks. Still today, many people make a pilgrimage atop cliffs and mountains on Lughnasadh/Lammas.

 

Cats Night Commence:

Cat Nights begin on August 17. This term harks back to the days when people believed in witches. A rather obscure old Irish legend said that a witch could turn herself into a cat eight times, but on the ninth time (August 17), she couldn’t regain her human form. This bit of folklore also gives us the saying, “A cat has nine lives.” Because August is a yowly time for cats, this may have prompted the speculation about witches on the prowl in the first place. Also, nights continue to get longer. Cats, crepuscular creatures, are nocturnal hunters. Their superior night vision means that the nights belong to them.

On August 17, Cat Nights Begin, harking back to a rather obscure Irish legend concerning witches; this bit of folklore also led to the idea that a cat has nine lives.

The term Cat Nights refers to a rather obscure old Irish legend concerning witches and the belief that a witch could turn herself into a cat eight times, but on the ninth time (August 17), she couldn’t regain her human form, thus remaining a cat forever.

 

This bit of folklore also gives us the saying, “A cat has nine lives.” prompted the speculation about witches on the prowl in the first place.

 

Here’s a poem in honor of Cat Nights:

Cat Nights

By old Irish lore

on the 17th of August

more cats are among us

than ever before.

It is said that witches

can turn into a cat.

But no more than eight switches

as a matter of fact.

On the ninth switch

they cannot regain

their life as a witch.

A cat they must remain.

So if in mid August

you should hear the cats yowl

amongst sounds of the locust

when cats are on the prowl

Then you will know

as lore was told over time

that cats will show

lives as many as nine.

By V. Neumann

 

Harvest Home:

Harvest Home, also called Ingathering, traditional English harvest festival, celebrated from antiquity and surviving to modern times in isolated regions. Participants celebrate the last day of harvest in late September by singing, shouting, and decorating the village with boughs. The cailleac, or last sheaf of corn (grain), which represents the spirit of the field, is made into a harvest doll and drenched with water as a rain charm. This sheaf is saved until spring planting.

The ancient festival also included the symbolic murder of the grain spirit, as well as rites for expelling the devil.

A similar festival was traditionally held in parts of Ireland, Scotland, and northern Europe.

Harvest, the season of the gathering of crops. The word is derived from the Anglo-Saxon haerfest (“autumn”) or the Old High German herbist. Harvest has been a season of rejoicing from the remotest times. The Romans had their Ludi Cereales, or feasts in honour of Ceres. The Druids celebrated their harvest on November 1. In pre-Reformation England, Lammas Day (August 1, Old Style) was observed as the beginning of the harvest festival.

Throughout the world, the harvest of the main cereal crop—typically wheat, corn, or rice—has always been the occasion for celebration. Many harvest-related customs have their origin in the animistic belief in a spirit such as the Corn Mother or Rice Mother, and the semi worship of the last throughout the world, the harvest of the main cereal crop—typically wheat, corn, or rice—has always been the occasion for celebration. Many harvest-related customs have their origin in the animistic belief in a spirit such as the Corn Mother or Rice Mother, and the semi worship of the last sheaf was the great feature of the harvest home.

The personification of the crops left its mark upon the harvest customs of Europe. In western Russia, for example, the figure made out of the last sheaf of corn was called the “bastard,” and a boy was wrapped up in it. The woman who bound this sheaf represented the “corn mother,” and an elaborate simulation of childbirth took place, the boy in the sheaf squalling like a newborn child and, on his liberation, being wrapped in swaddling bands. In England, too, there were vestiges of sympathetic magic. In Northumberland an image formed of a wheat sheaf and dressed in a white frock and coloured ribbons was hoisted on a pole. This was the “kern baby,” or harvest queen, and was set up in a prominent place during the harvest supper. In Scotland, the last sheaf, if cut before Hallowmas (the Feast of All Saints), was called the “maiden,” and the youngest girl in the field was allowed to cut it.

Among harvest customs, among the most interesting are harvest cries. The ceremony of the Devonshire reapers, for example, was in the main a continuation of pre-Christian traditions. After the wheat had been cut, the harvest hands would pick a bundle of the best ears, which they called “the neck.” They would then stand in a ring, in the centre of which was an old man holding the neck. At his signal, they would all take off their hats and utter in a prolonged cry “The neck!” three times, raising themselves upright with their hats held above their heads. Then they would cry “Wee yen! Way yen!” or “We haven!” On a still evening in autumn, “crying the neck” had a dramatic effect when heard at a distance.

 

St Luke’s Little Summer:

turning a gorgeous color. It’s a good time for a brief vacation or visit to a park. In Venice, Italy, they say: “San Luca, El ton va te la zuca” (Pumpkins go stale on St Luke’s Day), but here in North America, pumpkins are enjoying their finest hour. Saint Luke is the patron saint of physicians and surgeons so it seems only fitting that the good doctor give us these calm days. In olden days, St. Luke’s Day did not receive as much attention in the secular world as St. John’s Day (June 24) and Michaelmas (September 29), so it was to keep from being forgotten that St. Luke presented us with some golden days to cherish before the coming of winter, or so the story goes. Some folks call this Indian Summer, but that officially occurs between November 11 and November 20.Lovely, summerlike days that occur around October 18 are called Saint Luke’s Little Summer in honor of the saint’s feast day. Around this time, Saint Luke’s feast day, there is a period brief period of calm, dry weather. Of course, it’s difficult to generalize today across the vast continent of North America, but the temperature is usually mild and the leaf colors are.

 

Indian Summer Meaning: What is an Indian Summer or Second Summer?

he term “Indian Summer” has been around for centuries. What is an Indian Summer or Second Summer? Where did this term originate and what is its meaning today? Learn more.

For over two centuries, The Old Farmer’s Almanac has gone by the adage:  “If All Saints’ (November 1) brings out winter, St. Martin’s brings out Indian summer.”

“Indian Summer” is not the best terminology, given the history of the term “Indian” in North America. The weather phenomenon is probably best described using the term that Europeans and British still use: St. Martin’s Summer. This references St. Martin’s Day—November 11—which is the official start of these unusually late warm spells. Another popular term used by the American Meteorological Society is “Second Summer,” which is indeed appropriately descriptive.

n England, Shakespeare used the expression “All Halloween Summer.” Other old terms include the unfortunate “Old Wives’ Summer” and, poetically, “Halcyon Days.”

 

Definition of Indian Summer, Second Summer:

Here are several criteria for this weather phenomenon, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

It’s a period of abnormally warm weather occurring in late autumn between St. Martin’s Day (November 11) and November 20 with generally clear skies, sunny but hazy days, and cool nights.

The time of occurrence is important: It occurs after at least one good killing frost but also be before first snowfall; preferably a substantial period of normally cool weather must precede this warm spell.

As well as being warm, the atmosphere is hazy or smoky, there is no wind, the barometer is standing high, and the nights are clear and chilly.

A moving, cool, shallow polar air mass is converting into a deep, warm, stagnant anticyclone (high pressure) system, which has the effect of causing the haze and large swing in temperature between day and night.

Given above criteria, this weather phenomenon does not occur every year and it occurs more than once some years.

“I am enabled to say, however, that the characteristics of the season, when it appears in all its glory, are a mild and genial temperature, gentle southwestern breezes, unusual brightness of the sun, extreme brilliancy of the moon, a clear, blue sky; sometimes half hidden by a veil of gray haze; daybreaks redder than the splotch on the blackbird’s wing, and sunsets laden with golden fleeces, the wooded valleys aglow with the fires of richly tinted leaves, still clinging to the listless limbs, or lying where they have fallen….” Author Unknown

What is the Origin of Indian Summer?

So where did this term come from? The origin is not certain, but dates back as far back as 1778 in Letters From an American Farmer by the French-American soldier turned farmer Michel-Guillaume-Jean de Crèvecoeur:

“Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares it to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon to follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of smoke and mildness, called the Indian Summer.”

There are many theories. Here are a few of the more plausible ones:

 

Some say it comes from the Narragansett people located in what is now the northeastern United States, who believed that the condition was caused by a warm wind sent from the court of their southwestern god, Cautantowwit (“great spirit”).

Another theory is that Native Americans would routinely use this brief period of warm fall weather as an opportunity to increase winter stores. November is the time to get one’s last harvest in before winter truly shows its head, so a short period of warm weather would be of note around this time.

A third theory suggests that early American settlers mistook the sight of sun rays through the hazy autumn air for Native American campfires, resulting in the name “Indian summer.”

Indian Pudding Recipe 1700’s:

Celebrate November with a delicious, cozy pudding made with native corn! Indian Pudding is a warm baked custard that uses cornmeal, milk, molasses, and cinnamon. The origin of Indian Pudding dates back to the 1700s; it was said to be a favorite dish of Founding Father John Adams! It’s essentially a version of British “Hasty Pudding” (which was made by boiling wheat flour in water or milk until it thickened into a pudding), but in the New World, the Native Americans made cornmeal, which early settlers referred to as “Indian flour.”

the ‘halcyon days’ of December hark back to the kingfisher

This shy little bird is linked to many bizarre beliefs about the weather

Halcyon Days: Kingfisher Bird

The ancients called them the “halcyon days” – a period of fine, settled weather, lasting roughly seven days, which began sometime in the first half of December. During this time, it was said that the kingfisher (also known as the halcyon) would lay its eggs on the surface of the sea.

The phrase, and the concept behind it, originated in ancient Greece, but during the Renaissance was popularised by several writers, including the poet Michael Drayton, who wrote of “the halcyon, whom the sea obeys…” and Shakespeare, where the halcyon features in a speech by Henry VI.

Later, during the last decade of the 19th century, the American poet Walt Whitman wrote of “the brooding and blissful halcyon days!” in his poem Leaves of Grass.

Since then, the phrase “halcyon days” has been adopted into day-to-day language, usually referring to a period of calm, usually in the distant past, rather than necessarily being anything to do with the weather.

There are other strange weather beliefs related to the kingfisher, too. The most bizarre is the idea, dating from Tudor times, that if you hang a dead kingfisher up by its neck, the body will rotate to show the direction from which the wind is coming. There is no evidence that it actually does so; nor does this seem especially useful!

Halcyon Days, which have come to mean any time of happiness and contentment, are actually the 14 days around the winter solstice. According to Greek legend, the halcyon, or kingfisher, built its floating nest around the 14th of December, during which time the gods calmed the seas for the nesting and hatching time.

Where did “Halcyon Days” come from? The bird’s name derives from a myth recorded by Ovid. According to the story, Aeolus, the ruler of the winds, had a daughter named Alcyone, who was married to Ceyx, the king of Thessaly. It’s a longer story but let’s just say that it ends tragically with Ceyx drowning at sea. Grieving Alcyone was about to throw herself into the sea to join her beloved husband. But the gods took pity on the pair, transforming them into halcyons, with the power to still the stormy seas for 14 days near the time of the winter solstice while they hatched their young. (For this reason, mariners credit the kingfisher, or “alcyon bird,” with the power to calm storms and raging seas.)

The “Halcyon Days” usually end by early January. Today, the phrase “Halcyon Days” has come to mean a sense of peace or tranquility. People often use the phrase halcyon days to refer idyllically to a calmer, more peaceful time in their past. It’s also a fitting phrase for the peaceful, joyful spirit of the Christmas holidays today.

 

More accurate are the lines from the 17th-century poet Robert Wild, who wrote, “The peaceful kingfishers are met together about the decks, and prophesy calm weather”. Kingfishers are notoriously shy birds, and so are perhaps easier to see during calm, clear weather – hence the connection between bird and weather forecasting.

 

Beware the Pogonip

The word pogonip is a meteorological term used to describe 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 in December. According to Indian tradition, breathing the fog is injurious to the lungs.

Every year around the week before Christmas, the Old Farmer’s Almanac warns its readers to avoid a weather phenomenon called “pogonip,” an icy winter fog that was evident in parts of Highland County Tuesday morning as droplets of water vapor clung to objects overnight and froze, giving them a shimmering glow at sunrise — and while the almanac says the fog can be dangerous, a local doctor says it amounts to nothing more than a pretty sight.

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 the fog is injurious to the lungs.

What is also injurious – to lawns, trees, and shrubs, is the lack of snow cover and moisture, especially south and west exposures. Remember, during these conditions check at least once per month in the winter. You will need to hook up your watering hose, apply a sufficient amount of water, use a deep root watering device if necessary, and you must unhook and store the hose when finished. Do not leave the hose attached to the spigot. This may seem like a lot of work, but the time and effort will make for a healthier landscape in the spring.

Some other December pointers:

• Poinsettias perform best in bright, cool locations away from drafts.
• Keep the reservoir in your Christmas tree stand full at all times. Place a couple of

fishing bobbers or brightly colored ping pong balls in the stand so you can monitor the

water level with ease. Think of the tree as a large cut flower which will continue to pull

water up through its trunk.

• Used Christmas tree greens make good mulch to replenish mulch that may have blown

away during the season. Wreaths can be placed directly over perennials and roses.

• Consult the local birding society or wild bird store for the proper care of the birds in

your area.

• Keep an eye out for fruit flies congregating around overripe fruit.
• Indian meal moth adults are most common in homes during the early winter season.

 

So there you have it!  The very common days taken for granted as folklore but still are on the Almanacs radar. 

 

 

 

 

The Almanac You May Not Know!  Part One

Ember Days:

The name is derived from the Latin quattuor tempora, meaning “Four Times” or “Four Seasons.” The specific themes for each Ember Week of the year are as follows:

Spring: the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after Ash Wednesday, to give thanks for the rebirth of nature and for the gift of light (usually flowers are offered at this time).

Summer: Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after Pentecost, to give thanks for the wheat crop.

Fall: the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the Feast of the Holy Cross (September 14), to give thanks for the grape harvest.

Winter: the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the Feast of St. Lucy (December 13), during the third week of Advent, to give thanks for the olive crop.

As with much folklore, this is grounded in some common sense since the beginning of the four seasons cue the changes in weather as well as a shift in how we keep harmony with the Earth and respect our stewardship of the Earth, our “garden of Eden.”

 

Plough Monday:

The first Monday after Epiphany was the day for the menfolk to return to work after the holidays — although no work was actually done on this day. Dressed in clean white smocks decorated with ribbons, the men dragged a plow (plough) through the village and collected money for the “plow light” that was kept burning in the church all year. Often men from several farms joined together to pull the plow through all their villages. They sang and danced their way from village to village to the accompaniment of music. In the evening, each farmer provided a Plough Monday supper for his workers, with plentiful beef and ale for all.

The day traditionally saw the resumption of work after the Christmas period in some areas, particularly in northern England and East England. The customs observed on Plough Monday varied by region, but a common feature to a lesser or greater extent was for a plough to be hauled from house to house in a procession, collecting money. They were often accompanied by musicians, an old woman or a boy dressed as an old woman, called the “Bessy,” and a man in the role of the “fool.” ‘Plough Pudding’ is a boiled suet pudding, containing meat and onions. It is from Norfolk and is eaten on Plough Monday.

It wouldn’t be a ploughman’s lunch without something pickled: gherkins, pickled onions, and a strong chutney, like Branston pickle or ploughman’s pickle are must-haves. Round off your meal with a nice crusty white or whole grain bread to build your sandwich, and slather on soft butter and Coleman’s mustard.  I have seen this lunch entrée in several English Restaurants and Pubs over the years,  It is called a Ploughman’s Lunch.

Ploughman’s Song: Here is a version from about 1800.

God Speed the Plow

Though the wealthy and great Live in splendor and state I envy them not, I declare it

For I grow my own hams

My own ewes, my own lambs

And I shear my own fleece and I wear it

By plowing and sowing

By reaping and mowing

All nature provides me with plenty

With a cellar well stored

And a bountiful board

And my garden affords every dainty

For here I am king I can dance, drink and sing

Let no one approach as a stranger I’ll hunt when it’s quiet

Come on, let us try it

Dull thinking drives anyone crazy

I have lawns, I have bowers

I have fruits, I have flowers

And the lark is my morning alarmer So all farmers now

Here’s God Speed the Plow

Long life and success to the farmer.

 

Although not mentioned are any of the headaches farmers have always had to contend with – the vagaries of the season, physically demanding work, increasing costs and decreasing prices – it does sum up very nicely the feeling of independence and satisfying productivity that is at the heart of every farmer.  And is a plea for prosperity.

The poem is often sung and again there are many tunes it can be sung to, some traditional and those origins are lost in time as the tunes are altered and used with other lyrics. My favourite is modern by Stackridge which is instrumental. But close your eyes are you are there in the fields working to bring the harvest in, hot and in need of a cider!

 

Distaff Day

The day after Epiphany (January 6) was traditionally the one on which women went back to work after the 12-day Christmas celebration. A distaff is the wooden rod (staff) that holds the flax or wool on a spinning wheel. The term distaff came to refer to both women’s work and the female branch (distaff side) of the family. As is often the case, it’s hard to go back to work after the holidays and not much got done! The women’s husbands would mischievously try to set fire to the flax on their wives’ distaffs, while the women, lying in wait, would retaliate with humor by dousing them with buckets of water. The English poet Robert Herrick wrote: If the maids a-spinning goe Burn their flax and fire their tow. Bring the pails of water then Let the maids bewash the men.

 

Three Chilly Saints Day:

May 11, 12, and 13 are the feast days of Saints Mamertus, Pancras, and Gervais. These three are known as the Three Chilly Saints not because they were cold during their lifetimes, but because these days are traditionally the coldest of the month. English and French folklore (and later American) held that these days would bring a late frost. In Germany, they were called the Icemanner, or Icemen Days, and people believed it was never safe to plant until the Icemen were gone. Another bit of folklore claimed, “Who shears his sheep before St. Gervatius’s Day loves more his wool than his sheep.”

Who Are The Three Ice Men?

Perhaps you’ve heard the old proverb that warns not to plant until after the “Three Ice Men” have passed, but do you know who these mysterious Ice Men are?

Remembering that the last frost of the year generally falls around the feast of Servatius was a useful marker for pre-modern farmers.

More “Chilly Saints” Lore

In some regions, the lore goes on to note that rain will fall on Feast of St. Sophia, marking the beginning of planting season. For this reason, May 15 is referred to as “Zimna Zoska,” or “Cold Sophia” in Poland.

One point of interest is that this bit of lore dates back to before the creation of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, at which time most days of the year shifted somewhat. While the feasts of the Three Chilly Saints are still celebrated from May 11-13 on our calendar, these days used to fall a little later in the astronomical year: May 19-22.

 

Mid-Summers Day

If summer solstice marks the first day of summer, why is “Midsummer” just a few days later?

 

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When And What Is Midsummer?

Midsummer celebrations garland.

If summer solstice marks the first day of summer, why is “Midsummer” just a few days later? Learn the origins of this special holiday and discover fun Midsummer celebrations for your friends and family!

 

Origins Of Mid-Summer And St. John’s Day:

Midsummer celebrates the joy of long, warm days spent outside in the summertime. It’s held near the summer solstice—the first day of summer and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere—and is believed to be a period of good fortune and fertility. It’s especially beloved in Scandinavia, where the sky stays light into the night. In Sweden (Midsommar) and Finland (Juhannus) are even national holidays.

These days though, Midsummer celebrations are more revelrous than religious, a time to gather with friends and family outdoors for eating, drinking, and merry-making.

Many Midsummer rituals and superstitions have ancient origins (in Finland, it’s thought the holiday may have been meant to keep the thunder and rain god Ukko happy, thus ensuring a bountiful harvest). Midsummer’s Eve also frequently coincides with St. John’s Eve, a night of festivities before the Feast Day of St. John, a Catholic holiday marking the nativity of St. John the Baptist on June 24.

 

Folklore And Celebrations

Because summer is a great time for a party, Midsummer has long been a time of revelry. The early Catholic church capitalized on this by creating the Feast of St. John the Baptist on June 24, six months before Christmas, to coincide with Midsummer (according to the Gospel of Luke, John the Baptist was born six months before his cousin, Jesus, which is why this is a fixed date on the 24th). Many of the traditional festivities associated with St. John’s feast day were held the night before, on June 23, or St. John’s Eve.

Perhaps more than any other day of the year, except Christmas, St. John’s Eve is full of lore. Throughout the world, this night has traditionally been celebrated by lighting massive bonfires, accompanied by music, singing, and dancing. In fact, in Ireland, St. John’s Eve is still known as “Bonfire Night,” and its history stretches back even further than Catholicism in Ireland. At one time, Bonfire Night honored Ãine, the Celtic goddess of love and fertility.

St. John’s Eve bonfires were believed to have magical, protective qualities, and many rituals sprang up around them.

Jumping through the fire was said to bring good luck. Farmers walked in circles around their sheep, carrying torches lit from the bonfire. In certain areas of Ireland, some people still believe that…

If you hold a pebble in your hand while circling a Midsummer bonfire, any wish will be granted. Simply whisper the wish before casting the stone into the fire.

Others believed that the ashes from a Midsummer bonfire would ensure fertility for their crops. Common practices included mixing the ashes with the seeds while planting or spreading them over the fields.

 

Faerie Activity?

Not surprisingly, given the wealth of other lore surrounding the day, the ancient Celts also believed St. John’s Eve was a prime day for faerie activity, second only to Halloween. Anyone who wanted to see one of the wee folk would gather fern spores at the stroke of midnight and rub it onto their eyelids. One had to be careful, though, because the crafty faeries often led unwary humans astray, getting them utterly lost, even in familiar territory. This condition was known as being “pixie-led,” and could be safeguarded against by turning your clothing inside out or carrying a small a few leaves of rue, a strong-smelling evergreen, in your pocket.

 

Midsummer’s Eve is “Herb Evening”

Midsummer’s Eve is also known as Herb Evening. Legend says that this is the best night for gathering magical herbs. Supposedly, a special plant blooms only on this night, and the person who picks it can understand the language of the trees. Other Swedish legends and traditions include placing flowers under your pillow before bed, which will cause you to dream about the one you will marry.

Whether or not you go hunting for faeries to mark the feast of St. John, though, be sure to get outside and have an enjoyable summer!

 

8 Midsummer Traditions To Make Your Own!

1) Build A Bonfire

Bonfires are lit on Midsummer’s Eve to ward off witches and evil spirits and warm up late-night revelers. Build your own (even a small campfire will do) as a way to keep bad luck at bay.

2) Embrace Flower Power

Flower crowns are an essential part of any Midsummer ensemble and symbolize love, rebirth, and fertility. According to Midsummer lore, placing seven different kinds of wildflowers beneath your pillow on Midsummer Eve means you’ll dream of your true love (be sure to pick them in silence for the magic to work).

Speaking of love, there’s even an old Swedish proverb which says, “Midsummer Night is not long, but it sets many cradles rocking” because there’s often an uptick of babies born in March, nine months after Midsummer celebrations.

3) Hoist A Midsummer Pole

Dancing and singing around a Midsummer pole is believed to have been a tradition since the Middle Ages, and is an especially fun one to try at home. Unlike a maypole, which is typically a single pole wrapped with ribbons, a Swedish Midsummer pole (midsommarstång) is usually cross-shaped with loops on each end of the horizontal bar and decorated with flowers and plants.

You can raise your own using wooden poles from the hardware store or tree branches and attaching greenery with twine. Or, simply pick a tree in your yard to decorate and dance around. A typical Swedish tune is the Små grodorna (“The Little Frogs”), sung while hopping around the Midsummer pole.

4) Decorate Your Home With Flowers

Plants take on magical qualities during Midsummer, and it’s believed bringing the outside in by decorating homes with flowers and garlands of greenery is a way to bring good health to everyone who lives there. Flowers from Midsummer can be dried to preserve their powers, then used in a bath over the holiday season as a way to ensure health throughout the dark days of winter.

5) Go For A Walk Through The Dew

Another health-related legend states that walking barefoot through dewy grass at dawn on Midsummer will keep illness away for the year.

6) Feast With Friends And Family

Food is central to Midsummer celebrations, with the Swedish smörgåsbord including dishes like pickled herring, smoked salmon, and meatballs. Boiled potatoes with dill and fresh, cream-covered strawberries are also staples.

7) Play Lawn Games

Midsummer parties are outdoor affairs, and lawn games are often part of the entertainment. In Scandinavia, skittles games where wooden blocks are bowled over by batons (like Kubb in Sweden or Mölkky in Finland) are popular options. Feel free to use the croquet, bocce, or corn hole sets in your garage though—the most important thing is to get guests of all ages involved and playing together.

8) Drink, Toast, And Sing

Imbibing is definitely part of Midsummer celebrations, and plenty of beer, cider, and aquavit (a Scandinavian liquor) are consumed during a celebration. In Sweden, songs or snapsvisor accompany drinks—the Spiritmuseum in Stockholm has compiled a collection of songs translated to English perfect for at-home celebrations. One of the most well-known is Helen Går (“The Whole Goes Down”), a toast sung before taking your first drink.

 

Cornscateous Air is Everywhere:

For most of us, some days begin at a sprint. It might be 10 a.m. before we stop in our tracks and realize we haven’t deeply exhaled yet.

The tension of the world today is likely differs from that of 1792, when Robert B. Thomas published the first “Farmer’s Almanac” in Boston. It’s still around. The 227th edition of “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” hit newsstands recently. (Thomas added the word “Old” in 1832.) He promised then that his quirky calendar-based periodical would be “useful, with a pleasant degree of humor.”

It’s good to know that people in 18th-century America needed a little humor. Heaven knows we need it now in polarized, always-online 21st-century America. The almanac offers a reminder that the natural world exists around the clock, too, and it’s worth noticing. An increasing number of people are doing just that, from farm-to-table-minded millennials to health-conscious retirees and outdoorsy types.

 

Ask the Old Farmer’s Almanac: What’s that cornscateous air?

Answer: Well, as you might guess, it has to do with corn. The old almanac makers dreamed it up, we figure, and used it to signify a time in July when the air is damp and warm, which the farmers considered ideal for growing corn, but which could also pose a serious health threat to old-timers (or others) suffering from asthma, pneumonia or other respiratory ills. Those old-timers were valued work force come husking time, you understand, when every good hand was needed. Our 1805 Old Farmer’s Almanac advised: “If you make a husking, keep an old man between every two boys, else your husking will turn out a loafing. In a husking there is some fun and frolic, but on the whole, it hardly pays the way; for they will not husk clean, since many go more for the sport than to do real work.”

If you’re looking for things to do with corn, try roasting it in its husk over a beach fire or on the grill. You can store corn unhusked (husks still on) in the refrigerator for about two days, but the sooner you eat it, the better it will taste. Right off the stalks is about right. As Garrison Keillor put it, “Sex is good, but not as good as fresh, sweet corn.”

Ask the Old Farmer’s Almanac: Has it ever really rained for 40 days commencing on St. Swithin’s Day?

“In some cases, folks are rediscovering the natural environment they live in,” said “Old Farmer’s Almanac” editor Janice Stillman, speaking by phone this month from Massachusetts.

To guide readers through that rediscovery, the almanac aims to be “refreshing, apolitical,” Stillman added.

Gardens generally fall into the “refreshing, apolitical” category. Those plots of earth tend to be our closest connection to nature. Any gardener will attest that their hobby involves more than just sticking seeds into the dirt and applying water. Productive gardens require healthy soil. The almanac provides the ideal analysis — the “underwear soil test,” and the fall — with all of the tomatoes and sweet corn harvested — is a good time for it.

It’s simple. A gardener buries a new pair of clean, all-cotton, undyed, white men’s underwear in the ground. (The almanac instructions do not include any witty comments if a neighbor spots you doing this.) Leave the undies buried for two months. Dig them up and inspect the remains. Their degree of deterioration indicates the levels of worms, fungi, bacteria and organisms. If just the elastic waistband is left, you’ve got some dandy garden dirt. If they’re intact, your patch of soil has likely been depleted, so pick a new spot. (I’d suggest discarding the shorts, too.)

Just because winter is approaching doesn’t mean gardening must cease. September, specifically the 15th through the 27th, presents the optimum time to plant late-season radishes. Now, for me, a few radishes go a long way, but if you’re an aficionado of this sharp-flavored root vegetable, this is a shovel-ready crop for west-central Indiana in autumn, according to the almanac’s time-tested “planting by the moon’s phases” chart. Such below-ground veggies do best when planted during a waxing moon, when nighttime skies are darkest. (Plant in the daylight, though.)

Gardens aren’t the only escape hatch nature gives humans. On any fair-weather afternoon, Hauteans like to pack sandwiches, chips, sodas and a blanket for a picnic at Deming, Collett, Fairbanks or the nearest neighborhood park. They should skip July outings.  That’s when the almanac says “cornscateous air is everywhere.” I know what you’re thinking: Why would anyone pack a picnic lunch without potato salad? Some may also wonder what cornscateousmeans.

The almanac’s early editors used the term to describe July days of damp, warm air — perfect for growing corn, but risky for sufferers of asthma and respiratory ailments. Even if you’re not afflicted with those illnesses, schedule your picnic for July 21. It’s a Sunday, after all.

Or so says the almanac’s legendarily mysterious weather predictions. Its “secret formula” involves a mix of Thomas’ fascination with sunspot activity, natural signs such as the color of woolly worms and modern technology. Stillman, said confidently, “I don’t see any true snowstorms in the forecast.”

Then she added, “That doesn’t mean there won’t be any.”

“Useful, with a pleasant degree of humor” indeed.

 

This is the end of Part One.  Stay tune for Part 2.

Let Me Tell You All A Story About A Man Named Doc!

Let me tell you a story about a man name Doc!  I love the Wild West legends and my favorite is the notorious Doc Holliday!  He had a bad rap to say the least!  But what I love about him is he was a southern gentleman!  

John Henry Holliday (August 14, 1851 – November 8, 1887), better known as Doc Holliday, was an American gambler, gunfighter, and dentist. A close friend and associate of lawman Wyatt Earp, Holliday is best known for his role in the events leading up to and following the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. He developed a reputation as having killed more than a dozen men in various altercations, but modern researchers have concluded that, contrary to popular myth-making, Holliday killed only one to three men. Holliday’s colorful life and character have been depicted in many books and portrayed by well-known actors in numerous movies and television series. My favorite actor to portray him was Val Kilmer.  It is said he did the best pretrial of Doc and even lost 30 pounds to play the part! 

At age 21, Holliday earned a degree in dentistry from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery. He set up practice in Griffin, Georgia, but he was soon diagnosed with tuberculosis, the same disease that had claimed his mother when he was 15 and his sister before his birth, having acquired it while tending to his mother’s needs while she was still in the contagious phase of the illness. Hoping the climate in the American Southwest would ease his symptoms, he moved to that region and became a gambler, a reputable profession in Arizona in that day.  Over the next few years, he reportedly had several confrontations. He saved Wyatt Earp, a famous lawman, and gambler, while in Texas. Afterward, they became friends. In 1879, he joined Earp in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and then rode with him to Prescott, Arizona, and then Tombstone. While in Tombstone, local members of the outlaw Cochise County Cowboys repeatedly threatened him and spread rumors that he had robbed a stagecoach. On October 26, 1881, Holliday was deputized by Tombstone city marshal Virgil Earp. The lawmen attempted to disarm five members of the Cowboys near the O.K. Corral on the west side of town, which resulted in the famous shootout.

Following the Tombstone shootout, Virgil Earp was maimed by hidden assailants while Morgan Earp was murdered. Unable to obtain justice in the courts, Wyatt Earp took matters into his own hands. As the recently appointed deputy U.S. marshal, Earp formally deputized Holliday, among others. As a federal posse, they pursued the outlaw Cowboys they believed were responsible. They found Frank Stilwell lying in wait as Virgil boarded a train for California and Wyatt Earp killed him. The local sheriff issued a warrant for the arrest of five members of the federal posse, including Holliday. The federal posse killed three other Cowboys during late March and early April 1882, before they rode to the New Mexico Territory. Wyatt Earp learned of an extradition request for Holliday and arranged for Colorado Governor Frederick Walker Pitkin to deny Holliday’s extradition. Holliday spent the few remaining years of his life in Colorado. He died of tuberculosis in his bed at the Hotel Glenwood at age 36.

Education:

Holliday was born in Griffin, Georgia, to Henry Burroughs Holliday and Alice Jane (McKey) Holliday. He was of English and Scottish ancestry.  His father served in the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War (as a major in the 27th Georgia Infantry).[7] When the Mexican–American War ended, Henry brought home an adopted son named Francisco. Holliday was baptized at the First Presbyterian Church of Griffin in 1852.  In 1864, his family moved to Valdosta, Georgia,[8] where his father would be elected mayor and his mother would die of tuberculosis on September 16, 1866. The same disease killed his adopted brother. Three months after his wife’s death, his father married Rachel Martin.

Holliday attended the Valdosta Institute, where he received a classical education in rhetoric, grammar, mathematics, history, and languages—principally Latin, but some French and Ancient Greek.

In 1870, 19-year-old Holliday left home for Philadelphia. On March 1, 1872, at age 20, he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery (now part of the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Dental Medicine).  Holliday graduated five months before his 21st birthday, so the school held his degree until he turned 21, the minimum age required to practice dentistry.

Career:

Holliday moved to St. Louis, Missouri, so he could work as an assistant for his classmate, A. Jameson Fuches, Jr.  Less than four months later, at the end of July, he relocated to Atlanta, where he joined a dental practice. He lived with his uncle and his family so he could begin to build up his dental practice. A few weeks before Holliday’s birthday, dentist Arthur C. Ford advertised in the Atlanta papers that Holliday would substitute for him while Ford was attending dental meetings.

Diagnosis of tuberculosis:

Shortly after beginning his dental practice, Holliday was diagnosed with tuberculosis.  He was given only a few months to live, but was told that a drier and warmer climate might slow the deterioration of his health. After Dr. Ford’s return in September, Holliday left for Dallas, Texas, the “last big city before the uncivilized Western Frontier”.

Move to Dallas:

When he arrived in Dallas, Holliday partnered with a friend of his father’s, Dr. John A. Seegar.  They won awards for their dental work at the Annual Fair of the North Texas Agricultural, Mechanical and Blood Stock Association at the Dallas County Fair. They received all three awards: “Best set of teeth in gold”, “Best in vulcanized rubber”, and “Best set of artificial teeth and dental ware.“  Their office was located along Elm Street, between Market and Austin Streets.  They dissolved the practice on March 2, 1874. Afterward, Holliday opened his own practice over the Dallas County Bank at the corner of Main and Lamar Streets.

With coughing spells at inopportune times from his tuberculosis, his dental practice slowly declined. Meanwhile, Holliday found he had some skill at gambling and he soon relied on it as his principal income source. On May 12, 1874, Holliday and 12 others were indicted in Dallas for illegal gambling. He was arrested in Dallas in January 1875 after trading gunfire with a saloon keeper, Charles Austin, but no one was injured and he was found not guilty. He moved his offices to Denison, Texas, but after being fined for gambling in Dallas, he left the state.

Heads farther west:

Holliday headed to Denver, Colorado, following the stage routes and gambling at towns and army outposts along the way. During the summer of 1875, he settled in Denver under the alias “Tom Mackey” and found work as a faro dealer for John A. Babb’s Theatre Comique at 357 Blake Street. He got into an argument with Bud Ryan, a well-known and tough gambler. They drew knives and fought and Holliday left Ryan seriously wounded.

Holliday left when he learned about gold being discovered in Wyoming. On February 5, 1876, he arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He found work as a dealer for Babb’s partner, Thomas Miller, who owned the Bella Union Saloon. In the autumn of 1876, Miller moved the Bella Union to Deadwood, South Dakota (site of the gold rush in the Dakota Territory), and Holliday went with him.

In 1877, Holliday returned to Cheyenne, then Denver, and eventually to Kansas, where he visited an aunt. When he left Kansas, he went to Breckenridge, Texas, where he gambled. On July 4, 1877, after a disagreement with gambler Henry Kahn, Holliday beat him repeatedly with his walking stick. Both men were arrested and fined, but Kahn was not finished. Later that same day, he shot and seriously wounded the unarmed Holliday.[10]: 106–109  On July 7, the Dallas Weekly Herald incorrectly reported that Holliday had been killed. His cousin, George Henry Holliday, moved west to help him recover.

Once healed, Holliday relocated to Fort Griffin, Texas. While dealing cards at John Shanssey’s saloon, he met Mary Katharine “Big Nose Kate” Horony, a dance hall woman and occasional prostitute “Tough, stubborn, and fearless”, she was educated, but chose to work as a prostitute because she liked her independence.  She is the only woman with whom Holliday is known to have had a relationship.

Befriends Wyatt Earp:

In October 1877, outlaws led by “Dirty” Dave Rudabaugh robbed a Santa Fe Railroad construction camp in Kansas. Rudabaugh fled south into Texas. Wyatt Earp was given a temporary commission as deputy U.S. marshal. Earp left Dodge City, following Rudabaugh over 400 mi (640 km) to Fort Griffin, a frontier town on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. Earp went to the Bee Hive Saloon, the largest in town and owned by John Shanssey, whom Earp had met in Wyoming when he was,   Shanssey told Earp that Rudabaugh had passed through town earlier in the week, but he did not know where he was headed. Shanssey suggested Earp ask gambler Doc Holliday, who had played cards with Rudabaugh.  Holliday told Earp that he thought Rudabaugh was headed back to Kansas. Earp sent a telegram to Ford County Sheriff Bat Masterson that Rudabaugh might be headed back in his direction.

After about a month in Fort Griffin, Earp returned to Fort Clark  and in early 1878, he went to Dodge City, where he became the assistant city marshal, serving under Charlie Bassett. During the summer of 1878, Holliday and Horony also arrived in Dodge City, where they stayed at Deacon Cox’s boarding house as Dr. and Mrs. John H. Holliday. Holliday sought to practice dentistry again, and ran an advertisement in the local paper:

 

 DENTISTRY

J. H. Holliday, Dentist, very respectfully offers his professional services to the citizens of Dodge City and surrounding country during the summer. Office at Room No. 24 Dodge House. Where satisfaction is not given, money will be refunded.

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral:

On Fremont Street, they ran into Cochise County Sheriff Behan, who told them or implied that he had disarmed the cowboys. To avoid alarming citizens and lessen tension when disarming the cowboys, Virgil gave the coach gun to Holliday so he could conceal it under his long coat. Virgil Earp took Holliday’s walking stick.  The lawmen found the cowboys in a narrow 15- to 20-ft-wide lot on Fremont Street, between Fly’s boarding house and the Harwood house. Holliday was boarding at Fly’s house and he possibly thought they were waiting there to kill him.

Different witnesses offered varying stories about Holliday’s actions. Cowboys’ witnesses testified that Holliday first pulled out a nickel-plated pistol he was known to carry, while others reported he first fired a longer, bronze-colored gun, possibly the coach gun. Holliday killed Tom McLaury with a shotgun blast in the side of his chest. Holliday was grazed by a bullet possibly fired by Frank McLaury who was on Fremont Street at the time. He supposedly challenged Holliday, yelling, “I’ve got you now!” Holliday is reported to have replied, “Blaze away! You’re a daisy if you have.” McLaury died of shots to his stomach and behind his ear. Holliday may have also wounded Billy Clanton.

One analysis of the fight gives credit to either Holliday or Morgan Earp for firing the fatal shot at McLaury on Fremont Street. Holliday may have been on McLaury’s right and Morgan Earp on his left. McLaury was shot in the right side of the head, so Holliday is often given credit for shooting him. However, Wyatt Earp had shot McLaury in his torso earlier, a shot that alone could have killed him. McLaury would have turned away after having been hit and Wyatt could have placed a second shot in his head.  A 30-day-long preliminary hearing found that the Earps and Holliday had acted within their duties as lawmen, although this did not pacify Ike Clanton.

Earp Vendetta Ride

Cowboys were identified by witnesses as suspects in the shooting of Virgil Earp on December 27, 1881, and the assassination of Morgan Earp on March 19, 1882. Additional circumstantial evidence also pointed to their involvement. Wyatt Earp had been appointed deputy U.S. marshal after Virgil was maimed. He deputized Holliday, Warren Earp, Sherman McMaster, and “Turkey Creek” Jack Johnson.

After Morgan’s murder, Wyatt Earp and his deputies guarded Virgil Earp and Allie on their way to the train for Colton, California where his father lived, to recuperate from his serious shotgun wound. In Tucson, on March 20, 1882, the group spotted an armed Frank Stilwell and reportedly Ike Clanton hiding among the railroad cars, apparently lying in wait with the intent to kill Virgil. Frank Stilwell’s body was found at dawn alongside the railroad tracks, riddled with buckshot and gunshot wounds.  Wyatt said later in life that he killed Stilwell with a shotgun.

Tucson Justice of the Peace Charles Meyer issued arrest warrants for five of the Earp party, including Holliday. On March 21, they returned briefly to Tombstone, where they were joined by Texas Jack Vermillion and possibly others. On the morning of March 22, a portion of the Earp posse including Wyatt, Warren, Holliday, Sherman McMaster, and “Turkey Creek” Johnson rode about 10 mi (16 km) east to Pete Spence’s ranch to a wood cutting camp located off the Chiricahua Road, below the South Pass of the Dragoon Mountains.  According to Theodore Judah—who witnessed events at the wood camp—the Earp posse arrived around 11:00 a.m. and asked for Spence and Florentino “Indian Charlie” Cruz. They learned Spence was in jail and that Cruz was cutting wood nearby. They followed the direction Judah indicated and he soon heard a dozen or so shots. When Cruz did not return the next morning, Judah went looking for him and found his body full of bullet holes.

The situation in Tombstone soon grew worse when Virgil Earp was ambushed and permanently injured in December 1881. Following that, Morgan Earp was ambushed and killed in March 1882. 

Gunfight at Iron Springs:

Two days later, Earp’s posse traveled to Iron Springs, located in the Whetstone Mountains, where they expected to meet Charlie Smith, who was supposed to be bringing $1,000 cash from their supporters in Tombstone. With Wyatt and Holliday in the lead, the six lawmen surmounted a small rise overlooking the springs. They surprised eight cowboys camping near the springs. Wyatt Earp and Holliday left the only record of the fight. Curly Bill recognized Wyatt Earp in the lead and immediately grabbed his shotgun and fired at Earp. The other Cowboys also drew their weapons and began firing. Earp dismounted, shotgun in hand. “Texas Jack” Vermillion’s horse was shot and fell on him, pinning his leg and wedging his rifle underneath. Lacking cover, Holliday, Johnson, and McMaster retreated.

Earp returned Curly Bill’s gunfire with his own shotgun and shot him in the chest, nearly cutting him in half according to Earp’s later account. Curly Bill fell into the water by the edge of the spring and lay dead.

The Cowboys fired a number of shots at the Earp party, but the only casualty was Vermillion’s horse, which was killed. Firing his pistol, Wyatt shot Johnny Barnes in the chest and Milt Hicks in the arm. Vermillion tried to retrieve his rifle wedged in the scabbard under his fallen horse, exposing himself to the Cowboys’ gunfire. Doc Holliday helped him gain cover. Wyatt had trouble re-mounting his horse because his cartridge belt had slipped down around his legs.

Wyatt’s long coat was shot through by bullets on both sides. Another bullet struck his boot heel and his saddle horn was hit as well, burning the saddle hide and narrowly missing Wyatt. He was finally able to get on his horse and retreat. McMaster was grazed by a bullet that cut through the straps of his field glasses.

Earp and Holliday part company:

Holliday and four other members of the posse were still faced with warrants for Stilwell’s death. The group elected to leave the Arizona Territory for New Mexico Territory and then on to Colorado. Wyatt and Holliday, who had been fast friends, had a serious disagreement and parted ways in Albuquerque. According to a letter written by former New Mexico Territory Governor Miguel Otero, Wyatt and Holliday were eating at Fat Charlie’s The Retreat Restaurant in Albuquerque “when Holliday said something about Earp becoming ‘a damn Jew-boy.’ Earp became angry and left …”

Earp was staying with a prominent businessman, Henry N. Jaffa, who was also president of New Albuquerque’s Board of Trade. Jaffa was Jewish, and based on Otero’s letter, Earp had, while staying in Jaffa’s home, honored Jewish tradition by touching the mezuzah upon entering his home. According to Otero’s letter, Jaffa told him, “Earp’s woman was a Jewess.” Earp’s anger at Holliday’s ethnic slur may indicate that the relationship between Josephine Marcus and Wyatt Earp was more serious at the time than is commonly known.  Holliday and Dan Tipton arrived in Pueblo, Colorado in late April 1882.

Burial:

Holliday is buried in Linwood Cemetery overlooking Glenwood Springs. Since Holliday died in November, the ground might have been frozen. Some modern authors such as Bob Boze Bell  speculate that it would have been impossible to transport him to the cemetery, which was only accessible by a difficult mountain road, or to dig a grave because the ground was frozen. Author Gary Roberts located evidence that other bodies were transported to the Linwood Cemetery at the same time of the month that year. Contemporary newspaper reports explicitly state that Holliday was buried in the Linwood Cemetery, but the exact location of his grave is uncertain.  Though there is no official evidence of this, some claim that Holliday’s father, Major Henry Holliday, a man of means and influence, had his son exhumed and re-buried in Griffin’s Oak Hill Cemetery.

Public reputation:

Holliday maintained a fierce persona as was sometimes needed for a gambler to earn respect. He had a contemporary reputation as a skilled gunfighter which modern historians generally regard as accurate.   Tombstone resident George W. Parsons wrote that Holliday confronted Johnny Ringo in January 1882, telling him, “All I want of you is ten paces out in the street.” Ringo and he were prevented from a gunfight by the Tombstone police, who arrested both. During the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Holliday initially carried a shotgun and shot at and may have killed Tom McLaury. Holliday was grazed by a bullet fired by Frank McLaury and shot back. After Virgil was maimed in a January ambush, Holliday was part of a federal posse led by Deputy U.S. Marshal Wyatt Earp who guarded him on his way to the railroad in Tucson. There they found Frank Stilwell apparently waiting for the Earps in the rail yard. A warrant for Holliday’s arrest was issued after Stilwell was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds. Holliday was part of Earp’s federal posse when they killed three other outlaw Cowboys during the Earp Vendetta Ride. Holliday reported that he had been arrested 17 times, four attempts had been made to hang him, and that he survived ambush five times. 

Character:

Throughout his lifetime, Holliday was known by many of his peers as a tempered, calm, Southern gentleman. In an 1896 article, Wyatt Earp said: “I found him a loyal friend and good company. He was a dentist whom necessity had made a gambler; a gentleman whom disease had made a vagabond; a philosopher whom life had made a caustic wit; a long, lean blonde fellow nearly dead with consumption and at the same time the most skillful gambler and nerviest, speediest, deadliest man with a six-gun I ever knew.”

In a newspaper interview, Holliday was once asked if his conscience ever troubled him. He is reported to have said, “I coughed that up with my lungs, years ago.”

Bat Masterson, who had several contacts with Holliday over his lifetime, the two men coming to dislike each other and tolerate each other only as friends of Wyatt Earp, said “in a magazine essay about Doc Holliday… ‘While he never did anything to entitle him to a Statue in the Hall of Fame, Doc Holliday was nevertheless a most picturesque character on the western border in those days when the pistol instead of law determined issues…. Holliday had a mean disposition and an ungovernable temper, and under the influence of liquor was a most dangerous man…. Physically, Doc Holliday was a weakling who could not have whipped a healthy fifteen-year-old boy in a go-as-you-please fistfight’, pointing out that this was why Doc was quick to go for his gun when threatened.”

Stabbings and shootings:

Much of Holliday’s violent reputation was nothing but rumors and self-promotion. However, he showed great skill in gambling and gunfights. His tuberculosis did not hamper his ability as a gambler and as a marksman. Holliday was ambidextrous.

No contemporaneous newspaper accounts or legal records offer proof of the many unnamed men whom Holliday is credited with killing in popular folklore. The only men he is known to have killed are Mike Gordon in 1879; probably Frank McLaury and Tom McLaury in Tombstone; and possibly Frank Stilwell in Tucson. Some scholars argue that Holliday may have encouraged the stories about his reputation, although his record never supported those claims.

In a March 1882 interview with the Arizona Daily Star, Virgil Earp told the reporter:

There was something very peculiar about Doc. He was gentlemanly, a good dentist, a friendly man, and yet outside of us boys I don’t think he had a friend in the Territory. Tales were told that he had murdered men in different parts of the country; that he had robbed and committed all manner of crimes, and yet when persons were asked how they knew it, they could only admit that it was hearsay and that nothing of the kind could really be traced up to Doc’s account.

Born: August 14, 1851, Griffin, GA

Died: November 8, 1887, The Hotel Glenwood Springs, Glenwood Springs, CO

Buried: November 8, 1887, Linwood Cemetery, Glenwood Springs, CO

Spouse: Big Nose Kate (m. 1877–1882)

Siblings: Martha Eleanora Holliday

Parents: Henry Burroughs Holliday, Alice Jane McKey

Doc Holiday’s Last Words: 

The story is that Doc fully expected to die in gunfight, but upon finding himself at death’s door in a bed instead, he appreciated the irony of his situation and uttered his last words: “This is funny.” This was said as he was looking at his bare feet and not having his boots on. 

Famous Quote By Doc Holiday:

During the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Doc found himself in the sights of real life gunslinger Frank McLaury who barked, “I’ve got you now, you son of a bi**h.” Always cool under pressure, Holliday simply replied, “You’re a daisy if you do,” and watched as McLaury was shot by Morgan Earp. According to witnesses of the gunfight, Doc Holliday actually uttered these now-iconic Doc Holliday quotes when he found himself in the crosshairs of Frank McLaury, which only adds to the legendary outlaw’s legacy. He had no fear of death, and this was just another example.

I hope you have enjoyed learning a small amount about my favorite Western Legend John Henry “Doc” Holiday! 

High Five for Hydrangeas!

 

If you were to come and visit me, you would notice several colors of Hydrangeas in my yard.  For some reason I am in love with this plant!

The word origin of hydrangea comes from the Greek words for water, hydros and jar, angos because some species are quite water thirsty. The hydrangea was first cultivated in Japan but is native to both Asia and the Americas.

Who has not spent an evening, drinking sweet tea on Grandma’s porch, enchanted by her silver hair, but mostly … her blue hydrangeas? Known as “Grandmother’s Old-fashioned Flower,” hydrangeas are a staple in Virginian landscapes — and weddings.

But, they are not loved by our grandmas and brides alone. The modern world is infatuated with hydrangeas; they win global awards and are featured in celebrity weddings. Also called “The Madonna” of flowering shrubs, hydrangeas have a reputation of being “the perfect shrub” — show-stopping blooms, elegant foliage and understated beauty.

No doubt, Virginians have good taste to love a plant that the world worships. Locally, the smooth hydrangea, or Hydrangea arborescens, is popular as a stand-alone plant in gardens. The oakleaf variety, Hydrangea quercifolia, makes a lovely informal hedge. Over an arbor, the climbing hydrangea flourishes, the Hydrangea anomala. Additionally, the ever-popular Hydrangea macrophylla makes an unparalleled hedge with its floppy mopheads of blooms.

 

Hydrangeas in North America

 

Two well-known hydrangea species, among others, grow wild in North America — the H. aborescens (smooth leaf) and H. quercifolia (oak leaf). Their actual cultivation began in the 1700s. An historic trifecta of our forefathers’ estates is proof: Mount Vernon, Monticello, and Montpelier all cultivated these hydrangeas.

Documents show that in 1792, George Washington planted a native hydrangea, H. arborescens, on the bowling green at Mount Vernon.  Nearby, Thomas Jefferson was designing his gardens and walkways at Monticello. He also included these new shrubs. Today, heirloom H. quercifolia seeds may be obtained from the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants in Monticello. 

Both men purchased their seeds and plants from their friend, William Bartram, of Bartram’s Nursery in Philadelphia. James Madison’s home, Montpelier, also benefited from Bartram’s nursery. Creamy white heads of H. arborescens still border Montpelier’s garden wall.

 

But, who was William Bartram? He was the son of John Bartram, and together, the Bartrams are remembered as perhaps the earliest and greatest American naturalists and botanists. In the 1700s, John and son William explored the American southeast and unspoiled southern Appalachian Mountains, collecting and identifying indigenous plants.

They documented two major native hydrangea specimens. John first came across H. arborescens (smooth hydrangea) in the 1730s. This plant was described in Gronovius’s work, Flora Virginica, 1739. In 1776, William discovered H. quercifolia, the beautiful oakleaf hydrangea native to Georgia. These two varieties of native American hydrangeas formed the groundwork for cultivated hydrangeas, which spread across the states. Concurrently, they were delivered in large volumes in the famous “Bartram’s Boxes” to England and Europe.

Interestingly, before the Bartrams supported the cultivation of hydrangeas, Native Americans had long been using wild hydrangeas medicinally. From them, the colonists discovered their roots were useful as painkillers, as well as for kidney, bladder and other ailments.

Eastern Hydrangeas Meet the West

Many hydrangeas are believed to have originated in Japan. Hydrangeas have a long, documented history there. They are often mentioned in poems composed during Japan’s Nara Period, 710-794 A.D. Japanese diplomats brought them to Hangzhou, China, during China’s Tang Dynasty, 618-907 A.D. From there, they were carried throughout continental Asia.

Hydrangeas hold a solid role in Japanese culture. The hugely popular Ajisai (hydrangea) festivals are celebrated in the blooming seasons of late spring and summer. Pink hydrangeas are given on the fourth wedding anniversary. Hydrangea gardens often grace the grounds of sacred Buddhist temples.  On April 8, Buddha’s birthday, amacha, or tea from heaven, is enjoyed. Amacha is brewed from leaves of the Hydrangea serrata.

Westerners collided with Japan’s hydrangeas via two adventurers from the Dutch East India company. Englebert Kaempfer (1651-1715) and later, Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828), were two physicians in search of new medicinal plants. Before their visit to Japan, the West was unaware of these magnificent ornamentals and their role in Japanese life. For centuries, Japan had not been open to foreigners on the island, for cultural and religious reasons.

But, Carl Peter Thunberg managed to collect two hydrangeas in Japan, on the pretext of foraging for fodder for his goat. He described them as Viburnum macrophyllum and Vibernum serratum. Thunberg was later credited for the final names given to these most popular hydrangeas, Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata.

 

An unassuming Englishman brought attention to more Japanese hydrangeas. Charles Maries was a hired “plant hunter” sent to China and Japan in the mid 1800s. His mission was to gather specimens for the famous Veitch Nursery of Exeter, England. He returned with two hydrangeas from Japan — a mophead, H. macrophylla mariessii, which can still be purchased today, and a mountain hydrangea, H. ‘Rosea’.

Unfortunately, Veitch Nursery in Exeter was unimpressed with Maries’ hydrangeas. These plants were then introduced in Paris, France, in 1901, at the Société d’Horticulture. The hydrangeas took center stage. With admiration for these plants, French horticulturists began the quest to breed perfect showstopper French hydrangeas. Their success and enthusiasm mushroomed, spreading throughout much of Western Europe, and eventually throughout the world.

 

Modern Hydrangea Fame

Case in point — in 2018, a hydrangea received the coveted Plant of the Year Award at the prestigious Royal Horticulture Society Chelsea Flower Show. Based in the U.K., the Royal Horticulture Society is THE leading gardening charity in the world. They bequeathed a hydrangea called the Runaway Bride Snow White with first place. An H. macrophylla (big leaf hydrangea), this Japanese hybrid can produce six times the number of normal blooms.

 

Europe boasts two famous hydrangea hot spots. The Shamrock Garden Hydrangea Collection, at Varengeville-sur-Mer in Normandy, France, is the largest collection of its kind in the world. Robert and Corinne Mallet, leading authorities on hydrangeas, have created and maintain this two hectare (five acre) garden as a research, teaching and resource center for hydrangea lovers.

The exotic Azores contain a hydrangea phenomenon. On the lovely Faial Island, thousands of deep blue H. macrophylla (mophead hydrangea) flourish in abundance in July and August. The island is nicknamed the “Blue Island”. Island families lovingly care for these shrubs to perpetuate this living museum.

In 2017, the world learned that fifteen new species of hydrangea were identified in the mountains of South America. Hydrangea lover Daniel J. Hinkley, a well-known plant hunter and author, revealed this advance. Obviously, the story of hydrangeas continues to expand globally, though for most of us, the hydrangeas in Grandma’s garden hold the most meaning.

Hydrangeas 101

Tidewater Virginia is in growing Zone 7 and is a zone that is hydrangea friendly. There are three hydrangea species that are popular in our region.

 

Hydrangea macrophylla — These are the “mophead” or “big leaf” variety. They have huge, showy blossoms and many exquisite colors.

Hydrangea arborescens — One of the native North American species, these are small to medium shrubs that flower in the late spring and summer. They have serrated leaves, and are referred to as the “smooth leaf” variety.

Hydrangea quercifolia — Another of the native North American plants, these are dubbed the “oakleaf” hydrangea. They are hardy in hot, dry summers and produce large blooms. Their magic also lies in their fall foliage—their leaves turn to red, orange and yellow with the shortening days.

Hydrangeas generally prefer partial shade to full sun. They can be planted anywhere — in pots, as an informal hedge, along foundations and fences, or as stand alones in a flower bed. Shrubs

Hydrangeas have different pruning needs — some are pruned in late winter; others are best pruned after the first flowering. Be sure to check online or with a gardening center to find out when a specific hydrangea should be pruned.

Hydrangeas lose their leaves in the winter, and can look sparse in the garden. Plant evergreens near them to keep the landscape looking cheery during cold months. If a very cold winter is predicted, spread extra mulch to protect the roots.

 

Hydrangea flowers can change color, depending the pH of the soil (white hydrangeas do not change color, however). Alkaline soil will produce pink blooms; acidic soil will produce blue blooms. Soil can be tested for acidity. To make soil more alkaline for pinker blooms, add dolomitic lime to the soil. For bluer flowers, add soil sulfur or aluminum sulfate. These products can be found at a garden center, complete with directions for use. A free way to make soil acidic is to save coffee grounds and egg shells from the kitchen, and mix them into the soil. This will also give you that hydrangea blue that is unmistakably unique.

 

Flower Color Matters

While undeniably beautiful, the hydrangea symbolizes many different things from heartfelt emotion to frigidity and bad luck. Most of the stories surrounding hydrangeas are several centuries old but they still affect how we view the flowers today.

When gifting hydrangea flowers to friends or family, make sure to pick the right color to avoid hard feelings. Don’t worry though, we’ve got you covered with some insight into the meaning of the most common shades!

While hydrangeas symbolize different things across cultures, the meanings of the distinct colors are mostly uniform around the world. When you’re looking for the right hydrangea to express your feelings or intentions, no matter where you are, make sure to pick the right color.

Blue Hydrangea

As you already know, the Japanese tradition behind the blue hydrangea derives from the legendary apology of the emperor to his girlfriend. Whether you are in Japan or elsewhere in the world, the blue hydrangea symbolizes your gratitude and understanding for someone else and is always a thoughtful way of admitting that you’re sorry.

 

White Hydrangea

The white hydrangea symbolizes arrogance, vanity or boasting. This meaning probably stems from Victorian times, when men gifted the flowers to prospects they desired. White, however, also symbolizes purity and grace which makes white hydrangeas a beautiful and fitting addition to Easter bouquets!

 

Pink Hydrangea

Pink hydrangeas symbolize true feelings and are a great fit for spring and summer wedding bouquets or table arrangements. Some say pink hydrangeas carry sincere emotions and the meaning of love. Take a closer look at the individual blossoms and you’ll find they resemble a heart!

 

Purple Hydrangea

Last but certainly not least, the purple hydrangea represents the desire for deep understanding and is often chosen for gifts around the fourth wedding anniversary. The color purple is associated with pride, royalty and gratefulness across many cultures and certainly a beautiful way of showing appreciation for your partner after four years of marriage.

 

Hydrangea Facts

Hydrangeas are more than just pretty to look at. They have some surprising tricks up their leaves that make them a fascinating plant to novices and experts alike. Check out the facts below!

The different colors hydrangea blossoms display are directly related to the levels of acidity in the soil.

To bloom in a vibrant to soft baby blue, the hydrangea needs acidic soil with a pH level below 5.5. For purple hydrangeas, the ideal pH level has to be anywhere from 5.5. to 6.5. Hydrangeas that are grown in soil with pH levels above 7 bloom in pink and even red. Grounds with different levels of acidity nearby can lead to beautiful color washes even within the same flower heads.

If you think the colorful flowers are petals, you have been deceived.

 

They are sepals, which are modified leaves that protect the flower bud. The beautiful color variations happen as the sepals age and the overpowering pigments turn the flowers from mundane greens into colorful beauties.

 

Hydrangea leaves contain low levels of the poison cyanide.

Though rarely fatal, consuming the leaves can cause diarrhea, nausea and even seizures so parents of children and pets alike should make sure the flowers are out of reach.

 

Uses for Hydrangea

While you shouldn’t snack on the hydrangea leaves in your garden or bouquet (for reasons explained above), the leaves of the Hydrangea serrata are used by Buddhists to brew a sweet tea consumed as part of a cleansing ritual. It is said to help treat autoimmune disorders as well as malaria, kidney stones and enlarged prostate.

In Western culture, the hydrangea has many different uses. Native Americans used the root as a diuretic and the bark as pain relief specifically for muscle pain and burns.

The hydrangea has a rich history that explains why there are so many different meanings associated with it. Though they can be quite confusing, we hope our color guide helped you understand the flower a little better.

The sheer size and variation of color make the hydrangea a beautiful garden plant that will leave others in awe of your sanctuary. If you don’t own your own green space, enjoy the lush flowers in a beautiful bouquet that will brighten any room with its sweet scent and vibrant blossoms.

 

So plant you some of these wonderful flowers!  You will be happy you did!

Color Me Blue on Blue

The color blue is associated with two of Earth’s greatest natural features: the sky and the ocean. But that wasn’t always the case. Some scientists believe that the earliest humans were actually colorblind and could only recognize black, white, red, and only later yellow and green. As a result, early humans with no concept of the color blue simply had no words to describe it. This is even reflected in ancient literature, such as Homer’s Odyssey, that describes the ocean as a “wine-red sea.”

Blue was first produced by the ancient Egyptians who figured out how to create a permanent pigment that they used for decorative arts. The color blue continued to evolve for the next 6,000 years, and certain pigments were even used by the world’s master artists to create some of the most famous works of art. Today it continues to evolve, with the latest shade discovered less than a decade ago. Read on to learn more about the color’s fascinating history.

Egyptian Blue:

There’s a long list of things we can thank the ancient Egyptians for inventing, and one of them is the color blue. Considered to be the first ever synthetically produced color pigment, Egyptian blue (also known as cuprorivaite) was created around 2,200 B.C. It was made from ground limestone mixed with sand and a copper-containing mineral, such as azurite or malachite, which was then heated between 1470 and 1650°F. The result was an opaque blue glass which then had to be crushed and combined with thickening agents such as egg whites to create a long-lasting paint or glaze.

The Egyptians held the hue in very high regard and used it to paint ceramics, statues, and even to decorate the tombs of the pharaohs. The color remained popular throughout the Roman Empire and was used until the end of the Greco-Roman period (332 BC–395 AD), when new methods of color production started to evolve.

Fun fact: In 2006, scientists discovered that Egyptian blue glows under fluorescent lights, indicating that the pigment emits infrared radiation. This discovery has made it a lot easier for historians to identify the color on ancient artifacts, even when it’s not visible to the naked eye.

Ultramarine:

The history of ultramarine began around 6,000 years ago when the vibrant, semi-precious gemstone it was made from—lapis lazuli—began to be imported by the Egyptians from the mountains of Afghanistan. However, the Egyptians tried and failed to turn it into a paint, with each attempt resulting in a dull gray. Instead, they used it to make jewelry and headdresses.

Also known as “true blue,” lapis lazuli first appeared as a pigment in the 6th century and was used in Buddhist paintings in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. It was renamed ultramarine—in Latin: ultramarinus, meaning “beyond the sea”—when the pigment was imported into Europe by Italian traders during the 14th and 15th centuries. Its deep, royal blue quality meant that was highly sought after among artists living in Medieval Europe. However, in order to use it you had to be wealthy, as it was considered to be just as precious as gold.

Ultramarine was usually reserved for only the most important commissions, such as the blue robes of the Virgin Mary in Gérard David’s Virgin and Child with Female Saints. Supposedly, Baroque master Johannes Vermeer—who painted Girl with a Pearl Earring—loved the color so much that he pushed his family into debt. It remained extremely expensive until a synthetic ultramarine was invented in 1826, by a French chemist, which was then aptly named “French Ultramarine.”

Fun fact: Art historians believe that Michelangelo left his painting The Entombment (1500–01) unfinished because he could not afford to buy more ultramarine blue.

Cobalt Blue:

Cobalt blue dates back to the 8th and 9th centuries, and was then used to color ceramics and jewelry. This was especially the case in China, where it was used in distinctive blue and white patterned porcelain. A purer alumina-based version was later discovered by French chemist Louis Jacques Thénard in 1802, and commercial production began in France in 1807. Painters—such as J. M. W. Turner, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Vincent Van Gogh—started using the new pigment as an alternative to expensive ultramarine.

Fun fact: Cobalt blue is sometimes called Parrish blue because artist Maxfield Parrish used it to create his distinct, intensely blue skyscapes.

Cerulean:

Originally composed of cobalt magnesium stannate, the sky-colored cerulean blue was perfected by Andreas Höpfner in Germany in 1805 by roasting cobalt and tin oxides. However, the color was not available as an artistic pigment until 1860 when it was sold by Rowney and Company under the name of coeruleum. Artist Berthe Morisot used cerulean along with ultramarine and cobalt blue to paint the blue coat of the woman in A Summer’s Day, 1887.

Fun fact: In 1999, Pantone released a press release declaring cerulean as the “Color of the Millennium,” and “the hue of the future.”

Indigo:

Although blue was expensive to use in paintings, it was much cheaper to use for dying textiles. Unlike the rarity of lapis lazuli, the arrival of a new blue dye called “indigo” came from a excessively grown crop—called Indigofera tinctoria—that was produced across the world. Its import shook up the European textile trade in the 16th century, and catalyzed trade wars between Europe and America.

The use of indigo for dyeing textiles was most popular in England, and was used to dye clothing worn by men and women of all social backgrounds. Natural indigo was replaced in 1880, when synthetic indigo was developed. This pigment is still used today to dye blue jeans. However, over the last decade scientists have discovered that the bacteria Escherichia coli can be bio-engineered to produce the same chemical reaction that makes indigo in plants. This method, called “bio-indigo,” will likely play a big part in manufacturing environmentally friendly denim in the future.

Fun fact: Sir Isaac Newton—the inventor of the “color spectrum”—believed that the rainbow should consist of seven distinct colors to match the seven days of the week, the seven known planets, and the seven notes in the musical scale. Newton championed indigo, along with orange, even though many other contemporary scientists believed the rainbow only had five colors.

Navy Blue or Marine Blue:

Formally known as marine blue, the darkest shade of blue—also known as navy blue—was adopted as the official color for British Royal Navy uniforms, and was worn by officers and sailors from 1748. Modern navies have since darkened the color of their uniforms to almost black in an attempt to avoid fading. Indigo dye was the basis for historical navy blue colors dating from the 18th century.

Fun fact: There are many variations of navy blue, including Space cadet, a color that was formulated in 2007. This hue is associated with the uniforms of cadets in the space navy; a fictional military service armed with the task of exploring outer space.

Berliner Blau or Prussian Blue:

Also known as Berliner Blau, Prussian blue was discovered accidentally by German dye-maker Johann Jacob Diesbach. In fact, Diesbach was working on creating a new red, however, one of his materials—potash—had come into contact with animal blood. Instead of making the pigment even redder like you might expect, the animal blood created a surprising chemical reaction, resulting in a vibrant blue.

Pablo Picasso used the Prussian blue pigment exclusively during his Blue Period, and Japanese woodblock artist Katsushika Hokusai used it to create his iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa, as well as other prints in his Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series. However, the pigment wasn’t only used for creating masterpieces. In 1842, English astronomer Sir John Herschel discovered that Prussian blue had a unique sensitivity to light, and was the perfect hue to create copies of drawings. This discovery proved invaluable to the likes of architects, who could create copies of their plans and designs that are today known as “blueprints.”

Fun fact: Today, Prussian blue is used in a pill form to cure metal poisoning.

International Klein Blue:

In pursuit of the color of the sky, French artist Yves Klein developed a matte version of ultramarine that he considered the best blue of all. He registered International Klein Blue (IKB) as a trademark and the deep hue became his signature between 1947 and 1957. He painted over 200 monochrome canvases, sculptures, and even painted human models in the IKB color so they could “print” their bodies onto canvas.

Fun fact: Klein once said “blue has no dimensions. It is beyond dimensions,” believing that it could take the viewer outside the canvas itself.

The Latest Discovery: YInMn

In 2009, a new shade of blue was accidentally discovered by Professor Mas Subramanian and his then graduate student Andrew E. Smith at Oregon State University. While exploring new materials for making electronics, Smith discovered that one of his samples turned bright blue when heated. Named YInMn blue, after its chemical makeup of yttrium, indium, and manganese, they released the pigment for commercial use in June 2016. 

Fun fact: YInMn blue was recently added to the Crayola crayon collection.

By the name itself, it was invented in Ancient Egypt around 2,200 B.C., the same timeline they built the famous Great Pyramid.

The Egyptians were making complex combinations of certain limestones, sand, and minerals to produce a beautiful opaque blue glass.

Ultramarine (Lapiz Lazuli):

The semi-precious stone Lapis Lazuli, a deep-blue metamorphic rock, was highly prized among the Egyptians.

During the Renaissance, the bright blue mineral initially invented by Egyptians was often combined with other ingredients, which led to the development of the pigment ultramarine ー the most expensive of all pigments.

The famous gemstone can only be found in the rare mountains of Afghanistan.

Ultramarine is also known as ‘true blue’ and became a special detail in jewelry and headdresses back in the day.

Meaning of the Color Blue: 

Blue, a color that commands a unique position in the color spectrum, has permeated various aspects of our lives, imbuing them with profound meanings and emotions. As the color of the sky and sea, it has been a ceaseless source of inspiration and symbolism throughout history and across cultures.

It’s interesting to note that in the Middle Ages, the production of blue dyes, crafted from the precious stone Lapis Lazuli, was quite an expensive process. As a result, wearing blue clothing became a symbol of wealth, power, and prestige among the nobility.

Blue meaning and Psychology:

Calmness and peace are two words that come to mind when thinking about the color blue. It is a non-aggressive color that encourages serenity, orderliness, and tranquility. This could be because we associate oceans with blue, and it can be a mentally soothing color for some people.

Blue tends to be an appetite suppressant color.

Surveys show that blue is the least appetizing color, so some weight loss plans recommend eating food on a blue plate.

It is also known to lower blood pressure, which slows the heart rate and causes the body to relax.

Blue promotes trust and dependability.

The color blue can boost productivity due to its relaxing and mentally stimulating effects.

It has been chosen as the color of choice for law enforcement officers worldwide because it is associated with trust and dependability.

The idea behind blue uniforms is that blue should convey the various shades of blue promote positive and negative psychological associations. It affects our mood, perceptions, and even physiological responses.

Darker shades of blue are known to help improve how we solve problems and make decisions.

Lighter shades aid in focusing on details while performing a given task.

The color blue is often linked to creativity, which helps generate ideas even under pressure.

Music genres that are called ‘blue’ are often referred to as sad songs related to breakup, loss of someone, and other painful experiences.

Blue drinks that are brighter in shade have been known to cause people to feel thirst.

Blue Personality Type:

Somehow, the life purpose of those who like the color blue is linked with their ability to contribute to other people’s well-being. People who favor this color are known to be confident, loyal, and calm. However, they can also evoke feelings of sadness and depression.

So if your favorite color is blue, what does it say about your personality?

Positive Traits of Blue:

Confident

You often display composure and can focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses.

You believe in yourself, which can motivate others to do the same.

Honest

Those who like the color blue are known to be reliable and trustworthy on a given responsibility.

You are true to yourself, reflecting your genuine intention with others.

Introvert

You spend a lot of time analyzing your thoughts and emotions.

Spending ‘me-time’ makes you feel more energized than hanging out with people.

You don’t like attention and prefer to blend in with the crowd.

Loyal

You prefer strong and deep relationships compared to superficial ones. 

Aside from valuing commitment, you also appear to be determined about everything.

Good listener

Being a good listener allows you to be great friends with others even though you risk becoming emotionally dependent.

You also provide support and encouragement to people you care about.

Great partner

You avoid conflicts because, for you, one of the essential things in a relationship is the ability to communicate openly and honestly, which is why you are a great choice for someone who likes romantic and nurturing partners.

You are often affectionate, warm, and aware of other people’s feelings.

Negative Traits of Color Blue:

Blue can sometimes appear icy, cold, and unfriendly. You may also identify yourself as having some of its opposing sides, especially if under pressure and stress.

Sensitive

Sometimes, you have a hard time letting go of the past and being emotional.

You can be easily affected by how people treat you.

When your emotions take over, you become moody and overly sensitive.

Stubborn

Due to your determination, you often refuse to change your opinion on something.

You visibly feel frustration and impatience when others try to convince you of something you disagree with.

Anxious

The idea of coming out of your comfort zone makes you feel anxious.

You are easily flustered over frequent changes and prefer to keep everything on its initial plan.

You tend to get cautious and worry even about the little things.

Lack of spontaneity

Being comfortable with your comfort zone, you lack a sense of adventure.

When overwhelmed, you act out or become indifferent, which is why others find you cold-hearted.

Your predictability makes you monotonous or even boring.

Self-depreciation

As you’re too busy putting the needs of others first, you often forget you have to take care of yourself as well.

Your negativity at times can also lead to self-pity.

Blue in fashion

One important step towards creating a good impression is your outfit. We dress according to every situation, and we have to choose what color to wear wisely. If your goal is to have people perceive you as a competent and sincere individual, wearing blue clothing is an excellent way to start.

As mentioned earlier, blue is also widely used in uniforms as it conveys an authoritative and confident image. We usually see different hues of blue in clothing for both men and women. It is one of the most comfortable colors to wear in interviews, work, or even casual days.

On your first date, one can even wear a lovely blue dress or a nice blue tuxedo on a wedding day. It’s a color that represents loyalty, peace, confidence, and success – traits that we want to show people when they first see us.

Blue in business

Blue is the color of trust. It suggests loyalty and integrity, which is why it is a great choice for businesses that want to project dependability, security, and peacefulness, such as financial companies.

Different hues of blue in branding and advertising can help manifest all the positive aspects of the color. In addition, it helps in building customer loyalty, which appears to be beneficial for small business owners.

Because blue is linked with reliability and trustworthiness, workplaces painted in this color can help improve business partnerships. Blue also connotes peace, responsibility, and relaxation, so it can boost workplace motivation while also promoting a pleasant and comfortable environment.

Blue is favored by both men and women, which is another good reason to use it for business.

Blue in nature

Blue is known to be the rarest color found in nature. While we may all agree that we often see the blue sky and ocean around us, have you ever seen other blue species of nature? Say for example a bluebird, blue insect, or blue plant? These unique organisms leave us in awe yet are hard to find.

Scientifically speaking, we see colors based on the light it absorbs from the color spectrum. The existence of the color blue in nature usually relies on chemistry, physics, or a combination of both sciences.

Blue Flowers

Did you know that blue flowers don’t really exist? The blue flowers we see are a combination of plant pigments and minerals combined with light. In fact, plenty of what we call ‘blue flowers’ are actually blue-toned purple, lavender, or even a cool-toned red.

Blue Animals

Blue animals on the other hand rely on physics to create a blue appearance. Certain animals that have rich blue hues are blue butterflies, peacocks, and a few other animals. Some are even using their blue hue to warn the predators while some rare sea creatures are like blue lights that are switching from time to time.

Blue in web design

Blue is currently considered one of the most demanding colors for web designers. Because of its common use, it has become too ordinary over time.

Some of the most popular websites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, in the world have been using blue color schemes. However, they did it for a reason. Blue websites appear cool, transparent, clean, and modern. They give the appearance of power, but also safety.

Combining blue with different shades of grey can make a website look high-tech and sleek. Lighter shades of blue are mostly used for websites that are about health and wellness, travel, relaxation. Patriotic organizations, legal firms, sports team usually use darker shades.

Blue in marketing

Blue is frequently used for social media logos. One reason for that is that blue represents intelligence, communication and trust. In fact, out of all the colors on the color wheel, blue is by far the most trustworthy one. That is one of the main reasons why blue is a popular choice in marketing.

Besides that, studies have shown that people are 15 percent more likely to go to stores that are painted in the hue such as blue, rather than a warm color. Blue is non-invasive and suggests loyalty and reliability.

It is also one of the rare colors that is favored by people of all ages. While it can suggest professionalism and authority in one moment, in the other, it inspires friendliness and security.  

Blue Random Facts:

• The ancient Egyptians associated blue with the sky god Horus and wore blue lapis lazuli jewelry as a symbol of heavenly power. The color was considered sacred and royal.

• During the Middle Ages, blue dyes derived from lapis lazuli were extremely expensive, making blue clothing a status symbol. Only the nobility could afford to wear blue.

• Indigo dye, originally made from the indigo plant, was the main source of blue until the 19th century. Its production was labor intensive, making blue clothing costly.

• Synthetic indigo, invented in the 1850s, dramatically lowered the cost of blue dyes and made blue clothing widely available. This led to the phrase “born in a blue” to describe ordinary people.

• Baby boys are often dressed in blue to signify masculinity while pink was initially the favored color for girls. These gender color associations have reversed multiple times over the past 200+ years.

• Studies show people associate the color blue with concepts like openness, stability, order, coolness and wisdom. Blue can produce physiological effects like reducing blood pressure and soothing nerves.

• Blue is the most common color found in nature. The sky appears blue due to the way light scatters in the atmosphere. Many flowers, minerals, and animals also have blue patterns or pigments.

• Blue is an appealing color in marketing and branding due to its positive associations of dependability, trust, confidence and competence. However, blue logos lack differentiation if overused.

• Studies show that the color blue can have calming effects on the brain and body. It causes the brain to release serotonin, which regulates mood, appetite and sleep.

• Blue light, in particular, suppresses the production of melatonin. This helps promote alertness during the day, but can interfere with sleep if exposed to blue light at night.

• Some research suggests that viewing or wearing the color blue reduces stress, heart rate and blood pressure. These physiological effects may be due to blue’s association with calmness and tranquility.

• Blue presents more positively in females than males. This is likely due to cultural connotations and gender stereotypes that favor blue for little girls and pink for boys.

• Blue produces mixed responses in marketing and branding. While often viewed as dependable and trustworthy, blue logos can seem dull, uninspiring and less distinctive over time.

• Darker blue hues tend to convey more serious meanings while lighter blues project brightness, freshness and simplicity. Mid-tone blues provide the optimal balance.

• The color blue is frequently used in web design due to its positive connotations of trust, stability and professionalism online. However, blue text can be hard to read depending on the background color.

• According to some thinkers, blue represents the unification of opposites: the masculine (sky) and feminine (sea). Blue becomes a metaphor for balance, bridging heaven and earth.

• Blue is considered a “cold” color which is ironically fitting given its association with water and vast open spaces. In color theory, blue is placed opposite orange on the color wheel.

Blue in Different Cultures:

• In Western cultures, blue is generally seen as a calm, tranquil and trustworthy hue. It symbolizes harmony, wisdom and spirituality. Blue is often used to represent water, the sky and infinity.

• In China, blue traditionally represented the east and spring. It was associated with immortality and wisdom. The ancient Chinese wore blue clothing to ward off evil spirits.

• In India, blue is the color of Krishna, one of the most beloved Hindu deities. Blue is seen as a divine, spiritual color that signifies truth and eternity. It is often used in religious ceremonies.

• In Japan, blue traditionally symbolized loyalty, honesty and symbols the season of autumn. The color was associated with water and wisdom. Darker blues represented masculinity.

• In Egypt, blue was the color of the sky god Horus and represented both masculinity and femininity. It symbolized creation, rebirth, protection and harmony. Blue garments were worn by both kings and queens.

• In Islam, blue is the color of transcendence and represents both heaven and divine truth. Blue mosques and tiles are meant to remind worshippers of the divine and spiritual realm.

• In Judaism, blue represents the heavens and divine truth. Blue threads were woven into the fringes of prayer shawls as a reminder of God’s commandments.

• In Africa, blue has more variable associations depending on the specific culture and region.

However, blue is commonly used to represent water, which is central to life across the continent. So in summary, while the specifics vary, many cultures associate the color blue with spirituality, wisdom, water, the heavens and divine truth. Blue largely carries positive meanings across diverse cultures, though the nuances and symbolism differ in interesting ways.

Colors That Compliment Blue Include:

• Orange: Blue and orange are opposites on the color wheel, so they create a highly contrasting and visually pleasing combination. Used together, blue and orange convey a sense of balance and completeness.

• Green: Warm greens like emerald and turquoise go well with cooler blue hues. Their similarity in brightness and saturation helps them harmonize. The pairing evokes natural, peaceful vibes.

• Purple: Blues and purples sit next to each other on the color wheel, so their tones naturally complement each other. Together they convey nobility, luxury and spirituality.

• Yellow: Lemon yellow provides a high-contrast partner to navy and cobalt blues. The complementary combination creates visual interest while still remaining visually soothing.

• Red: Pairing blue with red tones like burgundy and crimson produces a sophisticated, romantic color scheme. The vibrant contrast elevates the impact of both colors.

• Grey: Pairing blue with different shades of grey from silver to charcoal produces a neutral but stylish combination. The achromatic tones help balance the saturation of blue.

• White: White provides the highest contrast to navy and dark blues while still remaining versatile. The combination produces a crisp, clean aesthetic with a nautical or winter vibe.

Some key factors to keep in mind when pairing blue with complementary colors:

• Match brightness and saturation levels for harmonious combinations

• Higher color contrast creates visual interest but can be overpowering

• Analogous color schemes (next to blue on the wheel) blend smoothly

• Complementary colors (opposite blue) produce aesthetic balance

• Neutrals help balance blue’s intensity while adding sophistication

With these principles in mind, most colors can pair nicely with blue tones through altering their relative hues, tones and values. The right mix creates a balanced, aesthetically pleasing and stylistically cohesive color palette.

Colors that provide high contrast with blue include:

• Orange: As complementary colors opposite each other on the color wheel, orange and blue create a vibrant pairing with a visual tension that is both engaging and balancing. The classic combo signifies energy, creativity and balance.

• Yellow: Lemon yellow, mustard and gold hues provide high contrast with both dark and light blues. The combination conveys warmth, happiness and a summery vibe. Contrast can be modulated by adjusting relative tones.

• Red: When paired with blues like navy and cobalt, red produces a dramatic counterpoint that grabs attention while amplifying the impact of both hues. The balance signifies passion, excitement and warmth.

• Brown: Earthy tones like chocolate brown and caramel provide a striking though still natural contrast with blue tones. The relationship suggests stability, practicality and connection to the physical world.

• Black: Black contrasts perfectly with every other color, including all shades of blue. When combined well, black and blue convey elegance, authority and timelessness through their polarity.

• White: White offers the highest level of contrast with blue while maintaining versatility. The crisp pairing produces an atmospheric vibe that is both fresh and clean. Bright whites mimic a wintry color scheme.

Key principles for contrasting colors with blue:

• Complementary colors on the wheel provide the strongest contrast

• Relative tones should be adjusted to modulate the contrast level

• Analogous complements balance blue through harmony more than contrast

• Contrast enhances the expressive power and visual impact of both colors

• Excessive contrast can be jarring; aim for dynamic balance instead

• White and black contrasts emulate air and water, creating simplicity

By combining blue with contrasting colors thoughtfully, designers can tap into the energizing effects of polarity while retaining balance. The relative proportion of each hue determines whether the vibe is calming or stimulating. With wise use, high contrast enhances and elevates the inherent symbolism of blue.

Emily Brontë, ‘The Blue Bell’.

The blue bell is the sweetest flower

That waves in summer air;

Its blossoms have the mightiest power

To soothe my spirit’s care.

In this beautiful poem, the author of Wuthering Heights pays tribute to that bluest of flowers: the bluebell.

Emily Dickinson, ‘A Slash of Blue’.

We don’t just get the colour blue in this short poem by Emily Dickinson. We also get scarlet and purple, as she describes the sky at sunset:

A slash of Blue –

A sweep of Gray –

Some scarlet patches on the way,

Compose an Evening Sky –

A little purple – slipped between –

Some Ruby Trousers hurried on …

 A. E. Housman, ‘Into My Heart an Air That Kills’.

Into my heart an air that kills

From yon far country blows:

What are those blue remembered hills,

What spires, what farms are those?

This short poem from Housman’s 1896 collection A Shropshire Lad earns its place on this pick of blue poems for its memorable reference to the ‘blue remembered hills’ of the speaker’s childhood, with ‘blue’ implying the melancholy quality to nostalgia (literally ‘the pain of returning home’).

Rudyard Kipling, ‘Blue Roses’.

Roses are red, the famous Valentine’s Day inscription tells us, while violets are blue. But here, Kipling (1865-1936) – or rather, the speaker of this poem by Kipling – is sent by his sweetheart on a quest to find blue roses:

Roses red and roses white

Plucked I for my love’s delight.

She would none of all my posies –

Bade me gather her blue roses.

Half the world I wandered through,

Seeking where such flowers grew.

Half the world unto my quest

Answered me with laugh and jest.

So my friends I bid you goodnight!  Elaine 

Part 2: On Increasing the Value of Your Home to Sell!

Planning to sell your home soon? Not so fast, friend. Set yourself up for financial success by making a few strategic updates before putting up that “for sale” sign. Keyword: strategic. Not all updates lead to a return on your investment (ROI) and it’s crucial to take a comprehensive look at surrounding comps and consider potential buyers before making pricey updates to your home. Keep reading to get the scoop on the top updates to make in order to raise your home’s value, and the steps you need to take to be profitable after closing.

Home Improvements: $100- $200

Tip 1: Plant a Tree

If you aren’t planning to sell your house today, plan for the future with a landscaping improvement that will mature over time. Plant shade trees — not only will mature trees make your home more desirable but a fully grown, properly placed tree can cut your cooling costs by as much as 40 percent. Mature landscaping is also good for the environment, providing a necessary habitat for wildlife while adding valuable curb appeal to your home.

Stage year-long color with flowering trees that bloom in different seasons. See some of our favorite examples plus learn how to use them in your yard.

Tip 2: Low-Maintenance Landscaping

No question that shrubs and colorful plants will add curb appeal to any home, but when shopping at your local garden center, make sure that you “think green.” Purchase plants that are native to your region or plants that are drought-tolerant; these require less water and maintenance, which means more savings to you and more green in your wallet.

Tip 3: Money-Saving Luxury

Speaking of water, here’s another way to tap into extra savings; install a water filtration system in your kitchen. Not only do these systems purify your water, they will also lower your grocery bills — no more bottled water. A water filtration system is an inexpensive addition, but it’s the sort of small luxury that homebuyers love.

Tip 4: Improve the Air Quality Inside Your Home

Air quality isn’t just about the conditions outdoors. If you have older carpets in your home, they might be hiding contaminants and allergens. The first step to determine if these need replacing is to hire a professional company to test your indoor air quality. If the results prove that your carpets should be replaced, choose environmentally friendly natural products like tile or laminate floors. Hard-surface floors are much easier to keep clean, don’t hold odors, give your home an updated look and, in general, are more appealing to buyers.

Tip 5: Save the Popcorn for the Movies

Finally, what’s on your ceiling? Few structural elements date a house more than popcorn ceilings. So dedicate a weekend to ditching the dated look and adding dollar signs to the value of your home. NOTE: some older ceilings could contain asbestos so before undertaking this project, have yours tested by professionals.

Home Improvements: $200-$400

Tip 1: Clean up the Lawn

Overgrown or patchy lawns and outsized bushes will cause your home to stand out — in a bad way. The good news is that taming your jungle is an easy fix. For a few hundred dollars, hire a lawn service company to trim your lawn and shape your hedges. Your curb appeal will go from messy to maintain without blowing your budget.

Tip 2: Cleanliness Counts

The old adage that you only get one shot at a first impression is true. So, make the interior of you home shine from the moment someone walks through the door. For less than $400, hire a cleaning service for a thorough top-to-bottom scrubbing. Even if you clean your home regularly, there are nooks and crannies that you may miss or overlook. Let a cleaning service do the dirty work to really make your home sparkle.

Tip 3: Visually Increase Your Home’s Square Footage

The size of your home dramatically affects the value, but square footage isn’t the only space that counts. Visual space or how large a home feels also counts. The key is to make each room in your house feel larger. Replace heavy closed draperies with vertical blinds or shutters to let light in — a sunny room feels larger and more open. Also, try adding a single large mirror to a room to visually double the space. Finally, clear the clutter. The more clutter, furniture and plain old stuff you have in a room, the more cramped it will feel. For less than $400, add an attractive shelving unit to an underused space and store your clutter out of sight.

Tip 4: Small Bathroom Updates Equal a Big Return

Bathroom updates are always a smart move. Even if you can’t afford a full remodel, small changes such as replacing dated wallpaper with a faux or textured finish and replacing old lighting will update the room without denting your wallet.

Tip 5: Add New Energy-Efficient Fixtures

A functional, decorative ceiling fan is a beautiful thing. It provides necessary light and, in warm months, creates a soft breeze reducing the need for expensive air conditioning. But, an outdated, wobbly, loud or broken ceiling fan is a useless eyesore. Replace old fixtures with new ones to make your home more enjoyable for you now and to increase the bottom line should you decide to sell.

Home Improvements: $400-$750

Tip 1: Big Return on Bathroom Updates

A great room to update for less than $750 is the bathroom. The two rooms that benefit most from even small renovations are the kitchen and bathroom. One cost-effective change — like replacing an outdated vanity, old plumbing and lighting fixtures or adding a new tile floor — will guarantee a lot of bang for your buck and give your bath an updated, modern look.

Tip 2: Any Kitchen Update Equals Added Value

The same rule applies in the kitchen. You don’t have to start from scratch to create a winning recipe. For maximizing your home’s value, kitchen updates are key. Start by swapping out just one item, such as a stained sink or ancient microwave for shiny new stainless models. Even small kitchen updates will add big value to your home. Kitchen Is Key to Adding Value Experts tell what kitchen improvements offer the most bang for your buck

Tip 3: Replace Worn Carpets or Rugs

Take a look at your home’s soft flooring. Are your carpets and area rugs stained or worn? Nothing turns buyers off more than the thought that they will immediately need to replace all of the flooring in a home. Ideally, you may want to replace them all, but if a limited budget puts a snag in that plan, start by replacing the carpet in the room that shows the most wear and tear and replace the others as your finances allow. Also you may find some affordable alternative floor coverings which last a long time and are quite stylish.

 

Tip 4: Keep Up with Regular Maintenance and Repairs…This is a major issue when folks go to sell their home.  BEWARE!

Walk around your home and make a list of all the little things that are broken or in need of repair. Individually, small repairs might not seem important, but if every room has just one thing wrong, those small things will add up to create the impression that your home has been neglected. If you don’t feel comfortable tackling the repairs yourself, hire a handyman for a day and watch your “to do” list disappear. Staying on top of maintenance today eliminates problems down the road should you decide to sell.

Tip 5: Get Help with Getting Organized

Hire a professional organizer for a day. They will show you how to organize various rooms in your home and teach you tricks for keeping it organized. How does this increase your home’s value? Simple — a clutter-free home appears cleaner and larger, which is more attractive to homebuyers and therefore more valuable.

 

Now you have a better idea to get your home ready for buyers.  Remember after you sell your home you will become a buyer and will look for the same things.