These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Tuesday Trivia

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It's still ....

THE MONTH OF JUNE
June is named for the Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter and the Greek equivalent of the goddess Hera.

In both common and leap years, no other month begins on the same day of the week as June. This month and May are the only two months that have this.

Flag Day is observed in the United States on June 14. It commemorates the day in 1777 when the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as our flag. It then had only 13 stars, to match its 13 stripes.

June's birthstone is the pearl, the Moonstone (gemstone), and the Alexandrite. The meaning is health & longevity. The rose is the flower for the month of June.

The Philippines' Independence Day is on June 12. Sweden celebrates flag day, its national holiday, on June 6. Finland's flag day is the Saturday closest to June 24.

The solstice called the Summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and the Winter solstice in the southern hemisphere occurs on dates varying from June 22-23. In the pagan wheel of the year the summer solstice is the time of Litha and the winter solstice is that of Yule.



And more about WEDDINGS
The tradition for the bride to wear white began in the 16th century and is still commonly followed today. This is a symbol of the bride's purity and her worthiness of her groom. The tradition became solidified during the time of Queen Victoria who rebelled against the royal tradition for Royal brides to wear silver. Instead, the queen preferred the symbolism which is expressed by wearing white. The brides of the time quickly emulated the queen, and the tradition has continued in full force to this day.

It was thought that misfortune would come to those who married during lent - "Marry in Lent, live to repent" - because lent was a time for abstinence.

For centuries the month of June has been the most popular choice for weddings - but the original reason might surprise you. You see, during the 1400 -1500s, May was the month in which the "annual bath" occurred. Yes, just as it sounds, back then people were only able to bathe thoroughly once each year. As such, since the over-all population was smelling relatively fresh in June, it was a good time to hold a special event like a wedding!

Bad weather on the way to the wedding is believed to signify unhappiness in the marriage. Traditionally it is believed that cloudy skies and wind en route to the wedding will result in a stormy marriage. However, snow on the way to the wedding is a sign of fertility and prosperity!

There is an old saying that "the bride wore a green gown". This implies the belief that she was promiscuous before marriage and refers to the image of her rolling around in grassy fields with a young man.

Traditionally brides have been thought to be particularly vulnerable to evil spirits. Many wedding customs and traditions were originated as an attempt to fight away such evil. The veil was worn with the belief that it would disguise the bride and fool the evil spirits. It was not until 1800 in Britain that the veil came to symbolize modesty and chastity. Today, the veil remains the ultimate symbol of virginity.

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6 comments:

  1. Very interesting information. One of my favorite Golden Girls episodes is the one where Blanche is dieting so she can fit into her wedding dress. Turns out her wedding dress was bright red. HA!

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  2. can I say eeww to the one year bath thing. My wedding gown was an off white with bits of pink through it very pretty my mom had a fit over that and the veil didnt cover my face and the fact that me and Mike coinhabated a few months before the wedding lol

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  3. also we were married during an ice storm wonder what that means other then I need to move somewhere where ice and snow isnt a problem

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  4. Bobbie, you wore a dress with pink???? You cohabited???? OMG!!!! Hussy! ;D LOL!!!

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  5. And MJ thought it was a "bad" thing that there was a snow storm on her wedding day.

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  6. Wellll, Kim, I 'spose it's a matter of perspective, don't you?

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If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!