Sombrero wearing dogs, harvest moons and rubber ducks

In Latin, “octo” means eight – October’s place in the Roman calendar when March was the first month. It is now the 10th month in the Gregorian calendar. In Old England, October was called Winmonath, or “wine month,” for the season’s wine production, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. It was also known as Winterfylleth, meaning “winter full moon.”

October’s full moon, known as the hunter’s moon, was named by the Algonquin people as it signaled hunting season before winter. It follows the harvest moon, which can occur in September or October, (if the harvest moon appears in October, it replaces the hunter’s moon).

The Orionids meteor shower, which peaks mid-October, comes from debris off Halley’s Comet. NASA notes that it’s renowned for its bright, fast meteors, which sometimes create glowing trails or fireballs. 

October also features one of four cross-quarter days, which mark the midpoint between solstices and equinoxes. Ancient Celts celebrated Samhain, or “summer’s end,” on October 31, which evolved into Halloween. 

On the 4th day, of the 10th month of this year, The Pear Tree Project attended the third annual Doggy Day Pawrade in Roselle, NJ.  

From the perspective of our four legged furry friends the weather could have been cooler, the runway could have been longer, and the prizes should have been delved out in beggin’ strips.  

One weighty chocolate brown Labrador Retriever named Blue made his introduction with all of the grace of a bull in a china shop. He barged his way through the crowd, collected his pets and applause, and left. 

The best groomed, in the small dog category, was introduced by “too cute,” a dog wearing pink, tinted glasses and who possessed the attitude of a primadonna. Next up, a Chihuahua sporting a sombrero eyed both the ankles of passersby and the competition.

A Cocker Spaniel dressed as a weiner delighted onlookers, while a French Bulldog with the weight and presence of a body builder secured the perimeter and kept everyone in line.

Blue won the best groomed big dog category and our friend, the chi-hua-hua won best costume in the small dog category. 

The day ended without incident – no dogs were taken to the pound for naughty behavior and ribbons were given to everyone who participated. 

The following day fowl was on the menu … of the rubber duck persuasion.

This year’s beloved Cranford, New Jersey event took place on October 5.

Hanson Park Conservancy, founded in 2004, has been holding the Duck Race since 2010. The event typically draws a crowd of more than 500 people to cheer on the 1,500 numbered rubber ducks as they race over the water falls at Sperry Park. Prizes, (generously donated by merchants), are given out to the first 10 ducks to cross the finish line. All rubber ducks are collected at the end of the race and reused the following year.

These races, also known as derby duck races, have been used as a method of fundraising for organizations worldwide. People donate money to the organization by sponsoring a duck. At the end of the fundraising drive, all of the ducks are dumped into a waterway, with the first to float past the finish line winning a prize for sponsors and charities.

There are hundreds of races held in the USA and internationally. The largest race in the United States is the annual Freestore Foodbank Rubber Duck Regatta in Cincinnati, Ohio. First run in 1994, the Rubber Duck Regatta now features more than 100,000 ducks raced to raise money for the organization. Since its beginning in 1994, the Rubber Duck Regatta in Cincinnati Ohio has raised over $4.6 million and more than $1,000,000 alone last year. 

Did You Know? A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass funding legislation for the upcoming federal fiscal year. Congress is required to pass 12 appropriation bills that need to be signed into law by the president to continue funding the government. If any of the 12 appropriation bills do not pass, then the government shuts down – effectively the federal government must stop all non-essential functions until funding is approved by Congress and signed into law. Since 1976, there have now been 21 government shutdowns, with the most recent one occurring in late 2018 into early 2019. Historically, government shutdowns have lasted for a short amount of time. On average, shutdowns have lasted eight days, with the longest spanning 34 days from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019.