Trick or Treat – How'd That Happen?

Howdy Folks,

Sitting in the barn with Kessy and the critters enjoying our rainy morning Coffee Clutch yesterday, I got to thinking about Halloween. Ravishin' Robbie and I had been chatting about her pumpkin tree, yup, her pumpkin tree. One of Robbie's pumpkin plants had climbed high up a tree, and hanging way up there are three big ol' pumpkins. Her pumpkin tree is a sight to see and made me wonder if the tree was going trick-or-treating as a pumpkin patch, or the pumpkin vine was going as a tree? Neither answered me, and their silence made me wonder, how did trick-or-treat ever get started?

So I asked Mr. Google. That's what our Granddaughter says. She's seven. Mr. Google did offer a few suggestions.

Seems Trick-or-Treat has been around for a long time. A really long time. Some say it can trace its roots all the way to the Celts who lived in an area that is now the UK, Ireland and Northern France, more than 2,000 years ago and celebrated the night of Oct 31, in a festival they called Samhain. They believed the dead could return during Samhain and they gathered for bonfires and feasts. But to ward off the unwelcomed dead they would dress in costumes of animal hide and set out bowls of food to offer treats.

Samhain celebration

By the ninth century Christianity had moved into Celtic lands and began to blend with the ancient pagan beliefs. Around 1,000 AD the church designated Nov 2 as "Old Souls Day" a celebration of the dead. In a modification of the Samhain festival, poor people would visit the homes of wealthy people and offer to pray for the dead relatives in exchange for, "soul cakes." That evolved over time to "souling" when children would go door to door asking for food and money. Children in Scotland would dress up for a night of "guising" and visit homes not offering to pray for the dead, but sing songs in exchange for treats such as milk, fruits or coins.

Then there's also the Guy Fawkes Night celebration – Nov 5 – In 1605 Guy Fawks hatched a plan to blow up Parliament with the King's gunpowder and remove King James I (a Protestant) from power. His Catholic led plot was foiled and Guy Fawks executed. This gave birth to an annual celebration of "BoneFires" where in effigy; the bones of the Pope are burned each Nov 5. By the 19th century children carried Fawks dolls through the streets on Nov 5 asking for "a penny for the Guy."

 

Guy Fawks Day

Along with the early colonists coming to America came versions of these celebrations; including the popular Scottish custom of, "Guising" – children went door to door in disguise seeking gifts and food. In the early 20th century some Scottish immigrates even revived the practice of souling. By the roaring twenties "Halloweening" including pranks had begun to become popular.

It seems the first use of the phrase "Trick-Or-Treat" might have been in an Alberta newspaper in 1927. Almost all pre-1940 uses of the phrase, "trick or treat" come from western US and Canada. The children's magazine, "Jack and Jill" may have been the first to launch national recognition of the term, and practice, when they featured "trick or treating," in their Oct 1947 issue. Trick or treating was featured in the Peanuts comic strip in 1951. Walt Disney featured it in a 1952 comic strip, and by then it so firmly established as an American tradition even the Ozzie and Harriet show was beset by hordes of "trick or treaters" that same year. 

One quarter of all candy sold in the US is purchased for Halloween.

So there ya have it. Mr. Google, The History Channel Blog, and Wikipedia have helped us learn a bit about what has now become our second biggest holiday. 

Gitty Up & TRICK-OR-TREAT ~ Dutch Henry

Kessy And The Sort Of Dry Mud Puddle

Howdy Folks,

 

Just beyond Little Bear Bridge lays a very large mud puddle that never dries. About three horse lengths long, wide as the logging road and pretty darn deep, Kessy has never crossed through it. We've built a bypass around it over the past 3 years so it's not really an issue. If you've been a Coffee Clutcher for a while you know Kessy and puddles is a work in progress. In Kessy's defense other horses, who from time to time ride with us, don't trust this puddle either.

Coffee Clutch

This being a hot, dry summer monster puddle did dry in the middle leaving sizable puddles in the truck tracks on both sides, and a muddy but water free 2 foot path down the center. I should mention we pass this way both in and out every day we ride.

Kessy, Saturday and I had such a swell ride yesterday, great bird watching, searching for fall foliage and some really fun gaiting, and were in great spirits when we got back to monster puddle so, I figured we'd give the middle a try. Just for fun. Kessy marched right up to it, and stopped.

Now Kessy is a wonderful girl, enjoys new things, most of the time, and has really come a long way in our 3 years together – but when she says no, sometimes she means it. For real. I was really feeling great, wearing a big ol' smile, so I gave Kessy a pat on the neck, and asked her to "walk on." … She said, "Nope."

Kessy has different levels of "nope," sometimes she'll think about it and give it a go. Other times she'll stick to her nope and that's it. She's had some issues forced on her before we were a team, and she goes into shut-down mode, especially if she's scared.

I backed her away from monster puddle about 10 feet, let her study my request, the puddle and the world. After she gave a sigh, I asked her to walk on again, and she did. Right to the edge of the puddle, then she stopped, nice and soft, but not an inch closer. She dropped her head and stood waiting for my next ask, which she refused. Saturday was having a grand time in the mud and water and I thought perhaps she'd follow, but nope.

We backed away a few more times, soft and easy, waited for the sigh, and walked right up to the edge and each time Kessy stopped at nearly the same place.

Still feeling silly, still having a great morning, I remembered my Uncle Ed, an honest to goodness cowboy who grew up on the XIT ranch in Texas, telling me years ago, that sometimes you can help them understand by backing them trough. I'd used this already and found it to work nicely; of course it must be a safe place. And Kessy's a great backer, so we turned around.

Cautiously we backed, one step at a time, all the way to the center of the monster puddle-track. I gave her time to relax each step. She even played in the water with her nose! We paused in the middle until Kessy was comfortable, then I asked to walk back out again, which she did nice and smooth.

At the edge we turned around again and I asked to walk where she'd just backed. Nope, she was not moving.

Still in high spirits, even laughing, I turned her around again, and she backed clean trough to the other end! Just as smooth as can be, never missing a step. Kessy loves her treats, so I gave her a piece of carrot.

But I wasn't done, and Kessy, while worried, was still very engaged, so I asked her to walk through. Nope. Not doing it. So we turned around one more time, backed all the way through again, still soft and smooth. Turning her at the far end, I asked for her to walk forward down the track one more time. Nope. I fell forward, hugged her neck laughing out loud, and gave her a carrot. Then I asked her to walk around the puddle on our bypass. She was so happy she fell right into her running walk!

I would have gotten off and tried to lead her, but mounting and dismounting without our platform is tough for me right now, so we just played the best we could. We had some fun clowning around, and one day, when she's ready, she'll march right through monster puddle.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"Weekend Fun & Christmas Adventures!!"

Howdy Folks, 

HAPPY MONDAY! … Boy howdy did Raviashin' Robbie and I have a jam packed weekend! We hope you all had a chance to squeeze in a thing or three you did just for fun, too. Of course all of us are busy getting ready for Christmas, or thinking about getting ready for Christmas, and our weekends, to some degree, revolve around that.

My weekend started Friday at Heartland Horse Heroes, which sadly was the final visit for the children in this session, but was exciting for me because I was a leader and got to be part of the sessions and it was kind of a cool way to say goodbye to the children.

Saturday, now that friends, was a jam packed day! … Started of course with our normal Coffee Clutch then off for the first of 4 adventures of the day. A visit to the Museum Of The Confederacy where Robbie and I learned how to make period Christmas tree ornaments.

Then on to what has become one of our annual Christmas events since moving to Appomattox, going to see the "Virginia Christmas Spectacular" at Thomas Road Baptist Church; the church founded by Jerry Falwell, who also founded Liberty University. Folks the show they put on is Broadway caliber and has become a must-see for Robbie and me. (And apparently for tens of thousands of others!) This year's spectacular was, "Yes Virginia, A Christmas Letter"

We hurried back to Appomattox, for the Christmas show at Appomattox Court House Theater."The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!" Ravishin' Robbie worked the box office and sold refreshments. I was scheduled to do what I do best, sit and watch the show ... Some say I'm good at starting the laughter and applause, too. By golly this show had a lot of that! What a fine job they did putting on the show! Over 20 children and folks I think they are all ready for the big time!

From the theater, Robbie and I scurried to Baines Books and Coffee for an evening of Christmas carols, and other fun music. It's always a great time there, but Saturday night was especially lively. Of course I was wearing down a little by then, but the group sings sure recharged my batteries! From the looks I got from Robbie a time or two, I think she would rather they didn't recharge quite so fully ….

Sunday we set out for Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest, his retreat near Lynchburg in the later years of his life. Robbie and I decided this year we'd visit as many historical locations as we can to check out the Christmas decorations. We really enjoyed the tour and were quite impressed at the progress they've made in restoration. Our last visit there was 5 years ago. We plan on going to Monticello before Christmas, too.

Robbie had to get back for the Matinee at the Appomattox Courthouse Theater … Kessy and I hit the trail for an afternoon ride. We had a great ride, even though Kessy was quite full of herself and demanded a few runs through the trees. I wondered if she somehow had picked up on the pace Ravishin' Robbie had set for me this weekend!

I think I'll take a few days and recover before we set out again on Saturday. We hope all your Christmas adventures are coming together and you'll have as much fun as Robbie and me!

Gitty Up

Dutch Henry