On September 2014

September is named after Demeter, the Greek goddess of harvest

In the Roman calendar, September was the seventh month because in Latin, septem means “seven” and septimus means “seventh”

September is a month of an equinox, thus the change of season from summer to autumn in the northern hemisphere, and from winter to spring in the southern hemisphere

No other month ends on the same day of the week as September in any year

September begins on the same day of the week as December every year

One of four months with a length of 30 days

My favorite poem is the one that starts Thirty days hath September because it actually tells you something. (Groucho Marx, actor & comedian)

September was called “harvest month” in Charlemagne’s calendar, Gerstmonath (barley month) by Anglo-Saxons, and Herbstmonat (harvest month) by Swiss

September births are celebrated with forget-me-not, morning glory, and aster (birth flowers) and sapphire (birthstone)

September astrological signs are Virgo (until September 21) and Libra (from September 22 onward)

Departing summer hath assumed
An aspect tenderly illumed,
The gentlest look of spring;
That calls from yonder leafy shade
Unfaded, yet prepared to fade,
A timely carolling.
– William Wordsworth, September

Woody Allen directed a movie called September (1987), a movie starring Mia Farrow, Elaine Strich and Jack Warden

If a guy hits .300 every year, what does he have to look forward to I always tried to stay around .190, with three or four RBI. And I tried to get them all in September. That way I always had something to talk about during the winter. (Bob Uecker, Baseball icon )

September is the month for increasing awareness in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, atrial fibrillation, baby safety, pediatric cancer, gynecological cancer, leukemia & lymphoma, mold, campus safety, head lice prevention, infant mortality, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, skin care, Alzheimer’s, sickle cell anemia, platelet disorder, food allergies, and childhood obesity.

September is the month for enjoying these culinary delights: California wild rice, ice cream sandwiches, chicken, low cholesterol-low fat pizza, honey, mushroom, prime beef, papaya, whole grains, ice cream milk shakes, rice, ethnic foods, apples, biscuits, potatoes, fruits & vegetables, and the All-American breakfast.

September is increasing self-awareness by participating in or promoting strategic thinking, wilderness activities, baby safety, square dancing, backpack safety, good manners in children, eating chicken, sports & home eye safety, updating your resume, food safety, better breakfasts, signing up for a library card, and pleasuring your mate.

September is the month for embracing animals by celebrating save the koala, service/guide dogs, save the tiger, responsible dog ownership, healthy happy cats, and pet memorials/animal remembrance

September is the month for recognizing bourbon heritage, California wines, saving for college, people skills, fall hats, osteopathic medicine, women friendships, subliminal communications, Hispanic heritage, home furnishings, and pianos.

September is the month for promoting cholesterol education, hunger action, million minute family challenge, coupons, DNA genomic & stem cell education, sewing, self-improvement, prospering where you are planted, healthy aging, superior relationships, being prepared, and shameless promotion.

October. This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks in. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August, and February. (Mark Twain, humorist)

“The breezes taste
Of apple peel.
The air is full
Of smells to feel-
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush,
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such.
The bee, his hive,
Well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze.”
– John Updike, September

I still have the Pause button set, but will return soon – so, this song is a fitting to end this post. Did you take in any of the songs?

60 thoughts on “On September 2014

  1. I listened to all six Frank – heavens knows why – some of them are truly dreadful! Re the Earth, Wind & Fire song – I heard it many times on the radio years ago but never knew what it was called and still can’t make out any words except ‘say that you remember’ 🙂 It’s a catchy tune though. I hope September will be a wonderful month for you.

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    • Pauline,
      Cheers to you for listening to all the songs …. and even putting up with the memory jogs of Earth, Wind, and Fire. 😉 Just returned from vacation, so September is off to a good start.

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  2. Ah, Frank, I’m dancing around to the infectious sound of Earth, Wind, and Fire singing “September” – thanks for sharing. It may be pouring rain outside but I’m smiling and moving around this Labor Day morning, the first day of September 🙂 Enjoy your pause.

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  3. September is also the month where I get back to a routine working schedule. Let’s hope I can pull that off today. But nothing says I can’t enjoy an All-American breakfast first. 😉

    Interesting potpourri as always, Frank!

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  4. What a great selection of tunes, Frank! Thanks for keeping me entertained this morning. I especially loved the Frank Sinatra/John Denver clip. Denver’s tux is a scream — bell bottoms! And that lapel! Priceless!

    My sister Judy believed that it was good luck to start every month by saying, first thing after waking, “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit.” It used to bother me that I forgot every month, except that I finally realized that she was possibly the unluckiest person I’ve ever known!

    Happy September Frank.

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    • Elyse,
      Not that you need reminders of your sister, but thanks for sharing her “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit” tradition, which is one that I didn’t know. Meanwhile, I wonder if (or when) the tux with wide lapels and bells will return to the scene.

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  5. I was still in school when Belafonte burst on the scene with his recording of Calypso. It was gloriously new and inspiring to me. This rendition of Try To Remember is Belafonte at his best.

    My first duty station in submarines was Pearl Harbor. We spent three years there and all three of our sons were born there. Paradise is nice at first, but it has a downside that may be surprising to some. The seasons are so muted as to be almost absent. We missed them! One January the high’s dipped into the 70’s and people brought out sweaters. It was the talk of the community.

    The inconvenience of changing weather, we realized, is more than compensated by the refreshing challenge of change, as if nature were demanding our attention. So it is with September. Our very best Septembers were in New England. Apple-picking season. Feed the horses a few. Leaf-peeping.

    Love the Bob Uecker quote, a soupçon of humor to this zesty fall stew of a post!

    “Low cholesterol low-fat pizza?” Really? I’ll take my poison full strength, thank you (but cut the quantity and browse the flavor). 🙂

    Be well, Frank, and hope to talk to you again before September fades away.

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    • Jim,
      What an interesting take about Hawaii and its seasons … and yes … the changing of the seasons is part of our rhythm of life, so I can see your point.

      Love the fact that someone enjoyed the Uecker quote … he is a classic … yet, many may not know who he is.

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  6. Thanks for taking time for creating such a delightful buffet.
    (Other than celebrating head lice…)Sept looks like a time for fun and action with the season’s change and hopefully cooler weather.(.which makes us all a bit hyperactive)
    Great music to get us started.
    Enjoy the rest of the holiday and yea for September

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  7. I enjoyed listening to Harry Belafonte. Old crooners, just lovely. This past weekend, hubby and I put over 2000 kilometres on the van. We moved the young man to his new apartment for his third year of university in Quebec. Middle child who graduated from university, is now attending a graduate program in geomatics at college. She is sharing a house with three others, but is just less than three hours away. I really don’t want to get back in the van for a few days. Hope your labour day weekend has been enjoyable.

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  8. I enjoyed all the factoids, Frank but like gingerfightback I never knew that September begins on the same day of the week as December every year. That John Updike poem was wonderful. Something that Milton and I love about September is that it kicks off the New York Film Festival which starts this year on September 26th. It looks superb! We hope to be all over it.

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    • Lame,
      Glad you enjoyed my assortment of September factoids …. and oh yes … when I stumbled across the Updike words, I had to use them, so now I’m glad someone enjoyed them! … meanwhile, the festival is about 2 weeks away!!!!

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  9. Each month encloses its peculiarities… of course, it is true, depends very much on the “where” we’re located… September in the Antarctic is not the same as the equatorial one! Here, in Europe, we dind’t have a real summer this year… but a lot of rain and low temperature! Everything is quite changed.
    Still the september’s (the one I recall from the 70′-80′) are the ones I love! Maybe ’cause I remember the walks with my father to pick wild flowers or mushrooms in the woods…

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    • Claudine,
      As September takes us into fall, the southern hemisphere is anxious for spring time … yep … a season of withering countered by a season of growth. Thanks for sharing your September memory.

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  10. So many tributes to September, this post just called to me. I’m listening to the tunes and doing more listening than writing. Thank you for putting together this playlist.
    And thank you for the factoid “September begins on the same day of the week as December every year.” Knowing that multiples of 7 fall on Sundays this month will already help me organize another busy time of year.

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    • Cruiser,
      Welcome first-time commenter … and excuse my tardy response as I have been on the road. … and what you mentioned is a big reason why we enjoy vacationing in September! …. including cruising!!!

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  11. What fascinating facts and information, Frank. I apparently don’t pay much attention to the calendar and days of the week. I had no idea that September and December start on the same day of the week each year. And I love the music choices. Earth, Wind & Fire’s September is one of my favorites, as is Neil Diamond’s September Morn–I think that’s a gorgeous song. Great song choices. 🙂

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    • Debra,
      I find it interesting on the number of readers who were struck by the September-December factoid. Who would have thunk it! Glad you enjoyed the music, and it was interesting for me to hear September Morn on our recent road trip … actually on Sept 1st.

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  12. . . . and my grandson was born in September! He is a total joy like the month.

    This was totally enjoyable. My favorite song is the one from the Fantastiks that Harry B. sang. I love that song! Thanks for the lovely ride through September. 🙂

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