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Samhain Greetings!

Happy Halloween, y'all! So named by the Catholics, when they were trying to co-opt the pagan celebrations of Samhain into All Hallows Evening (to celebrate all their saints who didn't have their own days).Lots of cool traditions around the world and throughout that past several thousand years about spirits, harvest, begging, pranks, and whatnot. Enjoy whichever you like!

We were treated to a rare red luminous cloud of aurora borealis here last night, right around trick or treat time. It was stellar. Thanks to Daria for calling and leaving me the heads up message.

I'll be marching in the WVU Homecoming parade tonight (football is king here, it even displaces the rare and wonderful event of Halloween landing on a Friday) along with the "just folks" band and a giant Earth puppet. The weather is expected to be lovely, and I'm looking forward to it.

I have unlimited hot water because of the on-demand hot water unit inside my new furnace. Thanks to Dan the Man! I highly recommend it. No hot water tank necessary all winter, will save me on electric, and eliminates the wasteful burning of fuel to keep water hot when you're not using it.

And one last tidbit from the catacopia, I am still picking ripe tomatoes from my vine! I planted a few plants in a giant pot this year, late in the season. I brought the pot in at the first frost because it had plenty of green tomatoes I was hoping to ripen on the vine. Though it still had some flowers, I thought I'd be limited to what fruit had already set, because of the need for pollenation. Well, Asel Kennedy (longtime Mon county extension agent) sat next to me at the NWVCIL 10th Anniversary dinner the other night, and told me some very interesting stuff about tomato vines. Specifically, they can do quite fine indoors, even for years. And they don't need insects for pollenation, you can do it yourself by shaking the plant. He claims there's a WVU prof who has a years-old tomato vine in his office, that goes around the perimeter of the room 4 times! And there you have it. Next I'll need to figure out what triggers the plant to flower (hours of sunlight, perhaps?) so I can keep fruit year round. Imagine a real tomato in February, the bomb.
posted by cat mcconnell 9:01 AM

Monday, October 20, 2003

Took a sick day today, not that I'm too sick to work, just feeling weary and I have long presentations on Wednesday and Thursday this week. So I figured I better chill and keep a strong voice.

Apparently my highschool class is having a 20 year reunion (1984) in July.You may (or may not) recall that I have a fantasy of fronting a groovy band to play my favorite 70's and early 80's stuff at my 20 year reunion. Well check off step one with no effort on my part, the reunion is getting planned. Now to put the band together. . .Nev, you're on deck!
posted by cat mcconnell 6:44 PM

Sunday, October 19, 2003

It's sunday, and I'll be heading northwest on the Beltway in an hour or so, the way home from my mom's in Alexandria. Had a great time at the National Aging and Law Conference in Crystal City, and visiting with my mom, her two kittens (born on my porch about 6 months ago), my dad, and my supreme and groovy old pal Nev.
posted by cat mcconnell 10:46 AM

Monday, October 13, 2003

Beer, No Beer, John Lennon, Columbus

What a smashing autumn it has been for me so far. The Bramwell Oktoberfest was just fantastic this year, perfect weather, delicious beer, old friends, music, and I even got chauffered down there. Early friday afternoon Liv and I met up with Gail and Bruce at the Goshen Rd exit, and began the journey south to the fest. It was a spectacular day for a drive, and it took us about 5 hours, with a short foray into Virginia by mistake. All good, we locate the Elkhorn Inn, which is not, by the way, in nearby Elkhorn, it's actually in Landgraff. But don't ask the Keystone Cops. We were less than 2 miles away, and 2 of the 3 cops in the town of Keystone (for real) had no idea where the place was. And it's right on the road that passes through both towns. Anywho, the place is extra groovy, the innkeeper is a trip, and he thrusts glasses of wine in our hands the minute we step in. We head to Bramwell, where Jesse and Carol find us!!! So wonderful to see them, I miss them so much. Food, conversation, beer, then back to the inn to crash. The next morning we all head back to Bramwell and start helping set up the beerstops and whatnot. Overcast, but the sun kept coming out periodically. A little light shower every so often, but not enough to dampen the spirits or the jackets. Many fine beers, my favorite being a sweet Scottish Ale. Smiley people cooking food, others playing music, including Todd Burge, and the Bluestone Wildcats.
	We capped it all off with guitars, fiddle, mando, and conga around the campfire. On the way home the next day we stopped at Tamarack and there was a Renaissance Fest happening, and unexpected bit of coolness.
Then the following weekend my old pal and roomie Kas got married. Groovy relaxed wedding outdoors at the Fairmont Women's Club. That place is a well-kept secret. Gorgeous 100 yr old building, once an exquisite single-family home. I sang and played guitar for the ceremony. They picked such great tunes - In My Life and Blackbird by the Beatles, and God Only Knows by the Beach Boys. This was a fun no-alcohol event, even Liv had fun hanging with her old pal Alanna.
Today is a holiday from work for me. When I became director of WVSLA a few years ago, I decided it was not PC for us to take Columbus day off, but we really need a holiday in October. Samhain? Also not PC. So we celebrate John Lennon day each year on Columbus day. It's good to be king.

posted by cat mcconnell 11:37 AM

Friday, October 03, 2003

Celebrating the Hops and the Grain!

This glorious crisp fall day we head for Bramwell to my pal George's 7th Annual Oktoberfest! Last year was the first one I missed, I stupidly scheduled a gig that weekend. Never again! George is my law school buddy, and the Oktoberfest is our annual unofficial reunion. It's just wonderful, walking around the fairytale town of Bramwell, drinking handcrafted beers all weekend, cooking and eating feasts, playing music around the campfire, and catching up with old friends. It's like a fuckin Lowenbrau commercial, heh? But seriously, this particular collection of folks who get together at this event are some of the most interesting and intelligent folks I know, and no matter what the weather, this weekend is a blast for me every year.
	Speaking of weather, it was a hard-frosty 25 fahrenheit this morning on my porch at 7am. My hydrangea looked like a fuzzy popsicle with powdered sugar on top. Perfect beer weather.
So I've been thinking about putting together a medley of sushi songs. Name one sushi song, you say? I'll name several: Sushi in the Sky with Diamonds, Hang on Sushi, Everyone's Gone to Eat Sushi (Now We're Alone At Last), Feelin' Sushi (The 52nd Street Bridge Song). I'm sure you can think of some, too, let me know and I'll add them to the medley.

posted by cat mcconnell 8:37 AM