By Bob Tagert It is now officially autumn and – like this year has run – as soon as Labor Day hit, the temperature dropped 40 degrees. It has stayed very pleasant with a few bouts of moisture generated by the hurricanes that hit the southern coast. With cool weather here and getting colder over the next few months, it may be a good time to head to St. Barth to attend the Caribbean’s Ultimate Rum Experience November 10-15. Check it out in Caribbean Connection. Also get the update on the BVI’s. Check out Doug Fabbioli’s article in Exploring Virginia Wines. The only category he missed was publisher in Cowboy Up. In Take Photos, Leave Footprints, Scott Dicken has rounded up some of the ways you can try and remain happy and healthy on vacation. Take his advice folks, he has been there, and done that. Lots of sun screen! In Open Space Lori Welch Brown puts into words what we have all been feeling as seen through her eyes. This is worth reading twice in these confused days. As you can tell by the cover, October is Virginia Wine Month. We have given you a double dose…Grapevine gives you a good idea of what to look forward, and what to expect this month in Wine Country. Our Road Trip takes you to a few of our favorite wineries and brings you back over the mountains. In Gallery Beat Lenny Campello sets the record straight, “my empirical experience had provided evidence that most people-at least when it comes to emerging artists-and collectors like to see (the art) it in person”. In From the Bay read about how Candida Garcia has lead the way for environmental action on the Chesapeake Bay. In Personality Profile see who screamed like a Banshee. If…
Personality Profile By Serena Ó Longáin She Screamed Like a Banshee What is a Banshee? Banshee (Bean-Sidhe) means ‘Faerie woman’. A Banshee is known in Ireland as a female spirit who wails outside a home to warn of the imminent death of a family member. Often heard before she is seen, her wailing is so high-pitched that nobody would dare willingly attempt to witness this terrifying spirit. In Ireland, the Banshee does not bring or cause death. The ghost warns loved ones that death is near, giving the family a chance to prepare. Some myths say she acts as an escort to ensure that their loved one passes safely to the other side. Legends of the Irish Banshee Stories of the Banshee in Ireland have been passed down generation by generation for centuries. Some legends say the Banshee is the ghost of a young woman who was brutally killed. Her death was so horrible that she now watches families and loved ones warning them of impending death. According to Legend, the Banshee can also take on many forms. However, in Ireland, she has been most commonly seen as either a beautiful, young woman with long, flowing silver/white (sometimes red) hair or as an old woman in rags with dirty grey hair, long fingernails, and sharp-pointed rotten teeth. Both descriptions also give the Banshee eyes which are noticeably red from crying so much. Here are some appearances that the Banshee is said to take: ♣ An old woman dressed in black with long grey hair and covering her -face with a veil. ♣ An old woman with long white hair, red eyes and dressed in a green dress. ♣ A deathly pale woman with long red hair dressed in a white dress sometimes a shroud. ♣ A beautiful woman wearing a…
First Annual Oyster Week “Slurp, Swallow & Swill” Monday, October 12th through Saturday, October 17th. Old Town Alexandria is celebrating everyone’s favorite bivalve for 6 straight days! Sponsored by the Old Town Business Association and Guinness beer, this event should prove to be a fun one. Participating restaurants will be showcasing two or more Guinness products paired alongside an oyster recipe of their choice – all of which will be for sale. This gives you a chance to check out some restaurants you may not have frequented and to experience a variety of oyster delights as you sample Guinness products you may not have tried as well. For a list of participating restaurants check #OldTownOysterWeek or VisitAlexandriaVA.com.
The Witches Caldron “Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog” “Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting, Lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing” “For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and babble” “Double, double, toil and trouble, Fire burn, and caldron bubble” William Shakespeare Witches have had a long history with Halloween. Legends tell of witches gathering twice a year when the seasons changed, on April 30 – the eve of May Day and the other was on the eve of October 31 – All Hallow’s Eve. The witches would gather on these nights, arriving on broomsticks, to celebrate a party hosted by the devil. Superstitions told of witches casting spells on unsuspecting people, transforming themselves into different forms and causing other magical mischief. It was said that to meet a witch you had to put your clothes on wrong side out and you had to walk backwards on Halloween night. Then at midnight you would see a witch. When the early settlers came to America, they brought along their belief in witches. In America, the legends of witches spread and mixed with the beliefs of others, the Native Americans – who also believed in witches, and then later with the black magic beliefs of the African slaves. The black cat has long been associated with witches. Many superstitions have evolved about cats. It was believed that witches could change into cats. Some people also believed that cats were the spirits of the dead. One of the best known superstitions is that of the black cat. If a black cat was to cross your path you would have to turn around and go back because many people believe if you continued bad luck would…