October 7, 2022

Last week we looked at Rosh Hashanah and listed the major religious holidays that pop up in October. At sunset on Tuesday, October 3rd, we moved into Yom Kippur which was observed until the evening of Wednesday, October 4th. Over the next few months we'll be looking at the major world religions and their days of observance as we pass them. I'd love to look at all of the world's religions, but that list is just too long. Next week we'll continue playing catch up and look at the Hindu festival Dussehra and the Islamic holiday Mawlid.

From: History.com, By: History.com Editors, September 19, 2022

Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement—is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. Falling in the month of Tishrei (September or October in the Gregorian calendar), it marks the culmination of the 10 Days of Awe, a period of introspection and repentance that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. According to tradition, it is on Yom Kippur that God decides each person’s fate, so Jews are encouraged to make amends and ask forgiveness for sins committed during the past year. The holiday is observed with a 25-hour fast and a special religious service. Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are known as Judaism’s “High Holy Days.” Yom Kippur 2022 begins on the evening of Tuesday, October 4 and ends on the evening of Wednesday, October 5.

Photo: Beth Kasser

We're not going miles high. But this is the highest we can get in Ireland. When you're talking a steep vertical from sea level, 3000 feet is pretty high. The views are spectacular, and the wild flowers are to die for. If you haven’t been, I know you'll love what you see when you get there.

From: The Irish Road Trip, By: Keith O'Hara, May 26, 2022

The enormous Croaghaun cliffs are officially the highest sea cliffs in Ireland and they’re one of the most unique places to visit in Mayo.

You’ll find them on Achill Island where they stand at a mind-boggling 2,257 feet/687 meters…

If you fancy visiting them, there are several different routes to take, each of which comes with many different warnings/safety notices.

There are several different Croaghaun hikes that you can head off on, many of which tackle the mountain itself (the SW side).

The Cies Islands share some of the dramatic clifftop scenery seen across Ireland, but how much do Galicia in Spain and Ireland have in common? Photo: Ignacio Ruiz / Pixabay

I was just in the heart of Galicia Spain territory on my Camino de Santiago trek. You know I feel I've been nicely and happily immersed in Celtic culture and heritage on the journey. I hope you enjoy our deep dive into this culture.

From: The Local, March 12, 2022

The Celtic connection

It is often said that Galicia is the seventh Celtic nation, besides Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Wales and Brittany. It is thought by some historians that Galicia was founded by a Celtic tribe called the Gallaeci who settled in the area. This is evident from the number of pallozas or ancient round stone houses found in Galicia, which date back 2,500 years and are thought to be of Celtic origin. Add this to the existence of pagan festivals and ancient stone circles in both places and you’ll see that there is definite evidence for these theories.

Photo: Beth Kasser

The Celts were a collection of tribes with origins in central Europe that shared a similar language, religious beliefs, traditions and culture. It’s believed that the Celtic culture started to evolve as early as 1200 B.C. The Celts spread throughout western Europe—including Britain, Ireland, France and Spain—via migration. Their legacy remains most prominent in Ireland and Great Britain, where traces of their language and culture are still prominent today.

Where Did The Celts Come From?

By the third century B.C., the Celts controlled much of the European continent north of the Alps mountain range, including present-day Ireland and Great Britain.

It is these islands off Europe’s western coast in which Celtic culture was allowed to survive and thrive, as the Roman Empire expanded on the European continent. Beginning with the reign of Julius Caesar in the first century B.C., the Romans launched a military campaign against the Celts, killing them by the thousands and destroying their culture in much of mainland Europe.

Potatoes, there so nutritious and there are so many varieties to choose from. Alongside its many nutritional benefits, the potato is one of the most successful new world foods. Originating from Peru, the potato traveled around the world before coming back across the Atlantic in 1719 to my own home town of Derry, NH.

From: Healthline, By Ryan Raman, MS, RD, March 14, 2018

Potatoes are a versatile root vegetable and a staple food in many households. They are an underground tuber that grows on the roots of the Solanum tuberosum plant. Potatoes are relatively cheap, easy to grow and packed with a variety of nutrients.

Here are 7 health and nutrition benefits of potatoes.

1. Packed with Nutrients

2. Contain Antioxidants

3. May Improve Blood Sugar Control

4. May Improve Digestive Health

5. Naturally Gluten-Free

6. Incredibly Filling

7. Extremely Versatile

International Potato Center

From: World Potato Congress 2022 Ireland

No other European nation has a more special relationship with the potato than Ireland. The first Europeans to accept it as a field crop in the seventeenth century, the Irish were the first to embrace it as a staple food in the eighteenth. The potato emerged strongly in Ireland because it suited the soil, climate and living conditions remarkably well.

Initially, reports describing the appearance of a mysterious disease on the potato crops in various parts of Europe in 1845 were regarded with curiosity rather than alarm within Ireland. In the previous year, a number of Irish newspapers had carried reports from American journals and newspapers concerning a disease which had attacked the potato crop there for a second consecutive year. Within Ireland, however, there was little response to the news that the same disease had apparently spread to Europe in 1845.

New Hampshire State Historical Marker in front of the First Parish Church,

East Derry mentions the first potato.

From: Nutfield Genealogy, January 3, 2013

Every school child in Nutfield (now Londonderry, Derry and Windham, New Hampshire) can tell you that in 1719 the Scots Irish settlers planted the first known potatoes in America right here in what is now the town of Derry. The common planting field was located alongside what is now the Route 28 bypass in Derry. There was a large wooden sign there in the 1960s marking the spot, but it has long since disintegrated.

I also think the story of the potato is interesting. Just remember that potatoes are a new world vegetable, just like pumpkins and squashes. The first Spanish explorers brought the first potatoes back to Spain and Europe from South America. The potato was so popular that it spread all over Europe quickly. Then in 1719 the potato made it to North America. What a migration story!

Tara is a young entrepreneur specializing in nutrition and fitness through hiking and yoga. I've known her for years and would like to give her the Flocker Nod of approval!

You know it's really Science Technology Engineering and Math. People think STEM is a new thing, but most of the games we grew up with involved these principals. Jacks was also one of our favorite games. It taught us math and honed our eye hand coordination which helped prepare us to move on to foosball.

From: wikiHow, By: wikiHow staff, May 6, 2021

Jacks is a great, easy-to-learn game that can be played indoors on a hard floor or outdoors on concrete. It can be played in groups, pairs, or solo. All you need is a small bouncy ball and a set of jacks. You’ll need to know how to set up the game, learn the basic rules, and learn about some of the variations on the game.

From: jonathanhohnston.com

Born in County Down Northern Ireland, Jonathan Johnston has become one of the world’s top musical entertainers. He was a prodigy of the late William Dunwoody MBE and Colin Fleming and latterly went on to seek advice from Sir James Galway.

Jonathan has been voted Northern Irish Musician of the Year and won the solo flute position of the Northern Irish Chamber Orchestra at the age of 21.

Early in his career he performed with many of the world’s best professional orchestras but now maintains a high profile career touring worldwide and directing his own unique show with a vast selection of music from classical pop to modern rock.

You know I was recently asked how the Flock became the Flock Newsletter. For those of you who don't know, I've been a wanderer my whole life. Each time I come home with great memories, but also with more great friends. It gets harder and harder to keep in touch with all of them, so I created the Flock to help keep in touch and to share with my friends the things that interest me and hopefully interest you. As a way of paying back the friendship and love I've received from you.

If you've wonder where Beth's been that's allowed her to sail the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, and the Irish Sea, climb mountains in Scotland and Sea Cliffs in Ireland, and visit henges and medieval ruins in England, look at the map below to see her route.

Don't judge

Forgive others

Forgive Yourself

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

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