Holidays by J. S. Marlo

 

 

 

Seasoned Hearts

"Love & Sacrifice #1"

is now available  

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The Red Quilt

"a sweet & uplifting holiday story"

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J. S. Marlo's BWL Books

I started a new series titled Fifteen Shades. The series consists of holiday tales inspired by colours. The first book The Red Quilt was released in December 2021. The Red Quilt takes place at Christmas and features fifteen shades of red.

I started the second book. It is supposed to take place during Canadian thanksgiving and feature fifteen shades of blue. Now, in the last few weeks, I’ve been rethinking the setting, so I’ve been looking at other holidays celebrated in my home country.

Valentine’s Day (St. Valentine’s Day):

 

Valentine’s Day celebrates romantic love, friendship, and admiration. It is celebrated on 14 February in over 28 countries. In the Philippines, 14 February is the most common wedding anniversary day.

 

St. Patrick’s Day (The Feast of St. Patrick):

 

St. Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland. It is celebrated in more than 50 countries.

 

Easter:

 

Easter is both a pagan and a religious holiday. It is referred to a as a moveable feast. Its date varies according to the calendar originally used (Gregorian vs Julian) and the day of the last full moon (either astronomical or Julian). In Western countries, it can fall on any Sunday between 22 March and 25 April, but in some Eastern parts of the world, it can fall on any Sunday between 4 April and May 8. Around 95 countries celebrate Easter, but traditions vary by countries.

 

Canada Day:

 

Canada Day is celebrated on 1 July.

 

Thanksgiving:

 

Thanksgiving celebrates the harvest and blessings of the past year. There are roughly 17 countries that celebrate their own version of
Thanksgiving. The date and traditions varies by countries. In Canada, it is celebrated on the second Monday of October, and in the United States, it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.

 

Halloween:

 

Halloween is a combination of pagan and religious rituals, and is believed to be one of the oldest celebrations in the world. It is celebrated toward the end of October/beginning of November (mostly on 31 October and 2 November) in around 40 countries.

 

Remembrance Day:

 

Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed on 11 November throughout the British Commonwealth since the end of WW1. It is also known as Armistice Day or Poppy Day. The day is also marked by war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries.

 

Every year since 1919, on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month, we observe a moment of silence to mark the sacrifice of the many who have fallen in the service of their country, and to acknowledge the courage of those who still serve.

Christmas:

 

Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. More than two billion people in over 160 countries celebrated Christmas. It is the most celebrated holiday in the world, but the day (see map) and the traditions associated with this holiday vary by countries.

 

New Year:

 

The New Year celebration is a global event with different types of celebration. The Pacific Islands of Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati were the first to welcome 1 January 2022 while Baker and Howland Islands were the last.

 

Happy Spring! Happy Easter! Stay safe!

JS

 

 

J. S. Marlo's Website

 

Fall is Coming

Where did the summer go? Seems like the older I get the quicker time goes by. I like Fall, don't get me wrong. The colors, the smell, even the cooler weather. As most of you know, much as I love summer, I don't like the 90 degree days and I surely don't like the humidity. Especially not when I have to do yard work.
And there's plenty of that to do. I finally bought hubby a riding lawn mower so at least I don't have to cut the grass, well at least not all of it There's a few places he can cut with the rider, so I still have to bring out the other mower. And I have all the weeding and edging to do.
I bought a stand up grass trimmer for along the fence. Neither mower could get

that close. It sure saves a lot of time and energy. And I broke down and bought an edger for along the pavement. The yard looks much neater now, but it's going to take a couple times to get it where it should be.

The lady next door gave us a snowblower. I've never used one, and I can't say I'm looking forward to it.. Not that I mind using one, but I'm not looking forward to the cold weather and snow. It's not that I mind the cold, I just don't like wearing all those heavy clothes. It's so nice to go out without a jacket. But the cold weather will be here before we know it and I pray it will bring an end to this horrible virus. I'm so tired of wearing masks and social distancing. I'm a hugger and a toucher.  I miss that communication with my friends. I miss doing things we took so much for granted, like giving the sign of peace at church, sitting in front of, behind, or next to people we know. I miss seeing many people at church. I miss going in or out of the door I choose at the store.
I miss visiting people, going to lunch with my siblings.
But Fall is coming and with the cooler weather, leaves will take on their Fall colors and soon we'll have different outdoor work. Leaves to rake, lawns to cut for the last time, bulbs to plant for early spring flowers, patio furniture to store, and garden decorations to put away. I've always thought of Fall as a sad time. The trees become bare, flowers wilt, and the days grow shorter. I would rather have spring when new life abounds. Trees bud, flowers bloom, the days grow longer and warm weather comes.
It's been fairly warm so far, in fact downright hot, but next week temps will be more fall-like. I'm sure we'll get warmer weather this month. I hope we do. I'm still waiting for my tomatoes to ripen. They were off to a late start because the deer ate them before they had a chance to bud.

You can find more of my books here.