October - fun facts and more

Welcome October the tenth month of the year.

October glows on every cheek,

October shines in every eye,

While up the hill and down the dale

Her crimson banners fly.

–Elaine Goodale Eastman (1863–1953)

The Leaves They Are a-Changin’
With the autumnal equinox in late September, many leaves begin to change, but have you ever wondered why do leaves change colours? Did you know that Autumn/Fall’s vivid colours are actually hidden underneath summer’s green? The main reason for the colour change is not autumn’s chilly weather, but light—or rather, the lack of it. The green colour of leaves disappears when photosynthesis (from sunlight) slows down and the chlorophyll breaks down. Trees with a lot of direct sunlight will produce red leaves, while other trees may turn yellow, orange, or brown.

About October
Sitting square in between September and November, October is the tenth month of the Gregorian calendar.

October is seen by many to be a time of real seasonal change, both in the northern and southern hemispheres. For those in the north, autumn is really kicking into gear and the nights are getting cooler. The harvest festivals are over, and the nights are getting longer and longer by the day.

October is unsurprisingly quite different for those who live in the southern hemisphere. Spring has already bloomed in all its glory, and life is becoming more and more pleasant by the day.

The Anglo-Saxons’ name for October was Winterfylleth, with its name containing the words for winter and full moon respectively. It was named this because winter was said to begin from the first full moon of the month.

The Saxons had a name for October, too. Theirs was Wyn Monath, which translated into “wine month” because it was the time of the year for making wine. 

October’s birthstone is the Opal. The opal comes in a myriad of striking colours that often seem to swirl together and is a symbol of both faithfulness, purity, and hope.

October has two strikingly different birth flowers, the pastel-hued cosmos, and the radiant marigold flowers. The cosmos flower is representative of the joy one finds in peace and love, as well as representing peace. The marigold, otherwise known as the calendula, is said to be a symbol of tranquillity, grace, and grief.

Octobers star signs - those born in October can be born under one of two very different star signs. If you’re born before October 23rd, then you have the sign of Libra. Those born on October 23rd or later have the sign of Scorpio. Libras are said to value harmony and diplomacy and are said to be both intelligent and kind. Scorpios are quite different, valuing trust and honesty above other things, as well as being quite intense yet imaginative people.

A UK tradition!
The Twyford church in Hampshire, UK has a tradition of ringing its bells every year on October 7th. The origin of this tradition goes back to the 18th Century when a local resident called William David became lost in heavy fog while riding home at night. Much to his luck, he heard the church bells toll and from this, he managed to find his way home. As a form of thanks, he left some money to the church when he died so that the church could continue to ring their bells on October 7th every year, just in case there were any other lost travellers. Unfortunately the funds ran out long ago but the tradition remains.

Keep an eye on the skies!

If you live in the northern hemisphere, you’ll be rewarded for keeping your eyes to the skies in October, as the Draconid Meteor Shower can be seen. It contains a single comet that is visible exclusively in the northern hemisphere between October 6th and 10th.

An even more impressive meteor shower that is visible in both hemispheres is the Orionid meteor shower, which runs from October 2nd until early November. It is named after Orion as it is usually visible in the same part of the sky as the constellation. At the peak of the meteor shower, as many as 20 meteors are visible every hour.

The Full Hunter’s Moon

October’s full Moon, known as the Hunter’s Moon, arrives on Wednesday, October 20. Like September’s Harvest Moon, the Hunter’s Moon is closely tied to the autumnal equinox. Learn more about October’s full Moon here

Folklore for the season

• When deer are in a grey coat in October, expect a hard winter.
• When birds and badgers are fat in October, expect a cold winter.
• When berries are many in October expect a hard winter.
• Much rain in October, much wind in December.
• A warm October means a cold February.
• If the October moon comes without frost, expect no frost till the moon of November. 
• In October dung your field, and your land its wealth shall yield.

As you can see, October is a pretty fantastic time of the year, and remember there are some tasty foods in season during October. Things like leafy kale and leeks, so nice to add to healthy green soups and stews. Of course bright butternut squash adds colour to easy traybakes. Don't forget that once you’ve carved your Halloween pumpkin try cooking with it too – roast in generous wedges or bake into sweet pumpkin pie. British apples and pears are also in season throughout October, more to read with lots of recipe ideas here

No matter where you are in the world, I wish you a happy month of October, and if you know any fun facts about this month do please share them in the comments.

The above from here and here and here

Readers, we bring a variety of articles, studies etc. plus recent news/views and recipe ideas to this blog, we hope something for everyone to read and enjoy. Please note, not all recipes may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan