St. Leo the Great. Richard Burton born, 1925. Martin Luther born, 1483. Marine Corps created, 1775.
Nov. 11, Tuesday - St. Martin. Veterans Day. If All Saints (Nov. 1) brings out winter, St. Martin's brings out Indian Summer.Nov. 12, Wednesday - Moon at perigee. Skunks hibernate.
Nov. 13, Thursday - Dedication of Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 1982.
Nov. 14, Friday - Full Beaver Moon. Mamie Eisenhower born, 1896. Birthday of the Prince of Wales. "Moby Dick" published, 1851.
Nov. 15, Saturday - Georgia O'Keefe born, 1887. Pike's Peak viewed, 1806.
Nov. 16, Sunday - Oklahoma admitted to Union, 1907. Clark Gable died, 1960.
Ask The Old Farmer's Almanac: Had Melville already written "Moby Dick" when he first met Nathanial Hawthorne?
- E.C., Belchertown, Mass.
Answer: Essentially, yes, although it had not yet been published. In his book "The Trying Out of Moby Dick" (Southern Illinois University Press, 1949), Howard P. Vincent argues that Herman Melville's "whaling voyage" was about ready for publication in late summer 1850, but it was another 14 months (October 1851) before actual publication. Speculation persists about whether the book was being sent around to publishers, without luck, or whether Melville was undergoing a long period of revisions, but Vincent, at least, subscribes to the latter theory. Melville had enjoyed considerable success with his earlier South Seas adventure yarns of "Typee" and "Omoo," but they were much lighter fare and the author was not at all sure that the market was ready for a novel as weighty as "Moby Dick" turned out to be.
Melville's first introduction to Hawthorne came on Aug. 5, 1850, at a late-summer picnic in the Massachusetts Berkshires. Ironically, Melville may have been in the midst of a book review of one of Hawthorne's pieces, at the time, although that, too, remains subject to controversy. It is known that Melville and Hawthorne corresponded frequently after their initial friendship. Melville's letters to Hawthorne remain, but it seems that Hawthorne's replies were lost or destroyed, over time. (Hawthorne was considered the shyer of the two, anyway, and more the listener. History now seems to echo that difference.) After "Moby Dick" was published, Hawthorne moved from the Berkshires where he and Melville had been neighbors, so their friendship became primarily one of letters, after that. Melville claimed that he did not realize the full extent of his allegory, in "Moby Dick," until Hawthorne had pointed it out to him.
Ask The Old Farmer's Almanac: Are there herbal teas that can lessen menstrual discomfort?
- B.P., Chicago
Answer: Many herbalists say, yes. Much depends, of course, on the exact cause of the discomfort a woman may be feeling, and what other factors might be involved. Insinuating conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, pregnancy, nursing, heart conditions, etc., should always be respected, and a qualified health practitioner consulted before proceeding with any internal remedies. Let common sense and moderation be your guides and seek professional diagnosis, as needed. But for common menstrual cramps, of only mild to middling severity, there are several teas frequently recommended and used with good results.
Hot ginger tea is a common one, sometimes taken with milk or sweeteners. The ginger warms the area and acts as a strong circulatory stimulant, something like cayenne, only milder. It also has anti-nausea properties (often used for seasickness) that can be helpful. Ground cinnamon can be similarly used, in a tea or infusion made by steeping a half teaspoon of cinnamon in a cup of boiling water. Other teas recommended include peppermint, yarrow, shepherd's purse, or any of the spring tonic herbs, such as burdock, dandelion, celery seed, and corn silk. These latter help reduce the fluid retention common with periods, which can be a contributing cause of the menstrual cramps. Black currant teas or jellies, and raspberry tea (red or black raspberries) are reputed to relax the uterus. (You might want to avoid them if you're pregnant!)
A good walk or series of yoga stretches can also be a very effective way to ease menstrual cramps. Like ginger, the brisk exercise acts as a circulatory stimulant, which is often far more effective than curling up in bed with the hot water bottle.
Ask The Old Farmer's Almanac: I recently heard someone speak of the unseasonably warm November weather as St. Martin's summer. Is that now the politically correct version of Indian Summer?
- G.Y., Schenectady, N.Y.
Answer: We won't speak for politically correct (after all, St. Martin carries a religious connotation, and he was patron saint of drunkards, beggars, and outcasts . . . ) but yes, it's essentially Indian Summer. St. Martin's Day is Nov. 11, and it is named for a monk who devoted his life to helping mankind. The feast of Martinmas, on Nov. 11, marked the great slaughtering time of the Anglo-Saxons, when beef, sheep and hogs were traditionally killed before they had to be fed through the winter months.
"His Martinmas will come, as it does to every hog," is a saying that noted this annual event, intimating that everyone's time would come to an end eventually.
One weatherlore saying has it that, "If All Saint's (Nov. 1) brings out winter, St. Martin's brings out Indian Summer." In other words, if it was a chilly Halloween, look for unseasonably warm weather now.
Also called Martinmas or Martin's-tide, St. Martin's Summer or Indian Summer is a period of warm weather followed by a cold spell or hard frost.
While there are differing dates for the occurrence, the Old Farmer's Almanac has adhered to the St. Martin's weatherlore and date for 205 years now. Nov. 20 is traditionally regarded as the last day of Indian Summer.
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Additional Information
This Week with The Old Farmer's Almanac
Full Beaver Moon, Nov. 14
The North Wind Doth Blow. . .
If it was unseasonably cold at Halloween, then weather-lore predicts a period of unseasonably warm weather, or Indian Summer, around St. Martin's (Nov. 11) until about November 20. Use the good weather for those last-minute preparations. Have you had your chimney cleaned? Your furnace air ducts and filters checked? Is your wood all split, or as near to it as you're apt to get? If you're left with a few, huge unsplittables, put aside the splitting wedge and maul, and think toward Christmas. Everyone needs a yule log of exemplary proportions...
While we consider when to begin, it becomes too late.
Tip of the Week
Light bulbs can lose up to 40 percent of their efficiency if covered with dust or grease, so clean them occasionally.
New England Boiled Dinner
5 pounds corned beef
8 large carrots, sliced
6 medium onions, quartered
2 small turnips, cubed
8 potatoes, quartered
1 small head cabbage, cut in wedges
pepper and parsley, to taste
Place the meat in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, about 3 1/2 hours, or until tender.
After 2 1/2 hours, skim off the fat and add the prepared vegetables, holding out the potatoes and cabbage until the last half hour of cooking. Season, and serve on a large platter, with additional parsley to garnish.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
The Old Farmer's Weather Proverbs
Where the wind is on Martinmas Eve (Nov. 10), there it will be for the rest of winter.
If the weather is dry and cold on St. Martin's Day (Nov. 11), the winter will not last long.
If All Saints (Nov.1) brings out winter, St. Martin's (Nov. 11) brings out Indian Summer.