Double Ten

And a full moon!

Pat in Illinois

wrote in message
...
I hope everyone has a super day - it is the tenth day of the tenth
month, very lucky day to Chinese people.

Sheena

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 16:12:05 -0300, wrote:

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 07:55:57 -0500, "Patricia Rogers"
wrote:

And a full moon!

Pat in Illinois

wrote in message
. ..
I hope everyone has a super day - it is the tenth day of the tenth
month, very lucky day to Chinese people.

Sheena

Yes, a lovely moon this a.m. I was out at 5 taking a picture or
two. The October (harvest moon) is I believe the largest and
brightest moon of the year.

Sheena
There was a thing on the AOL Welcome Screen last night that led to a
discussion of the various moons, and said that last night's full
wasn't the harvest, which was the last one (~29 days ago), but the
hunter's, because it's post-harvest and provides greater light to see
the hunted animals coming out to pick over the harvested fields.
Darla
Sacred cows make great hamburgers.

The "Harvest" moon or the brightest full moon of the year occurs during
the Mid Autumn Moon Festival which falls on the 15th day of the eighth
month of the Lunar calendar.....that was the 6 of Sept. on the western
or Gregorian calendar this year.

This is the Chinese Moon Festival, a happy holiday where special "moon"
cakes......cakes made of exotic lotus paste, black and red bean pastes,
candied melons, also cakes made of nuts and a sort of
mincemeat......many of these cakes would also have in the center, a
wonderful large, round salted duck egg yolk.....a taste of sweet with
salty...... also served are lots of round, globular fruits such as
pears, peaches, melons, all kinds of citrus and so on, the best
selection of fruits, and of course all sorts of other sweets too.....

There are variations of Moon Festival celebrations in different regions
of China, but overall, many traditions are similar.

I remember how festive the table looked ,loaded with lovely porcelains
and tea cups, plates of pastries, large bowls of fruits and another
exotic item, boiled taro, a starchy tuber similar to a potato to be
eaten dipped in sugar!
As kids, this was our absolute favorite holiday as we had loads of neat
stuff to eat after a special dinner and also allowed to stay up late to
admire the briliant full moon!

This brightest full moon of the year comes with a charming love story of
the Moon maiden or heavenly weaving girl and the cowherd.......these two
are only allowed to see each other at this time of the year........a
bridge of birds, can't recall which ones, ravens or swallows forms a
bridge in the heavens so the lovers can meet.

Another tradition my late Mother performed was placing a basin of clean
water outside to catch the "dew" as the weaving maid sheds tears as
daylight approaches because the lovers must part once again....., this
"dew" is caught in the basin.......the daugthers of the family would
then wash their faces in the water for a beautiful, glowing complexion.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures

Darla wrote:

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 16:12:05 -0300, wrote:

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 07:55:57 -0500, "Patricia Rogers"
wrote:

And a full moon!

Pat in Illinois

wrote in message
. ..
I hope everyone has a super day - it is the tenth day of the tenth
month, very lucky day to Chinese people.

Sheena

Yes, a lovely moon this a.m. I was out at 5 taking a picture or
two. The October (harvest moon) is I believe the largest and
brightest moon of the year.

Sheena
There was a thing on the AOL Welcome Screen last night that led to a
discussion of the various moons, and said that last night's full
wasn't the harvest, which was the last one (~29 days ago), but the
hunter's, because it's post-harvest and provides greater light to see
the hunted animals coming out to pick over the harvested fields.
Darla
Sacred cows make great hamburgers.

What a lovely story Lula - I think you really should have two careers - one
as a designer, the other as a writer. You make a person want to learn more
about other cultures - your storybook way of telling things is so visual.
Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Sharon (N.B.)
.................................................. ...........................
..........

"Lula" wrote in message
...
The "Harvest" moon or the brightest full moon of the year occurs during
the Mid Autumn Moon Festival which falls on the 15th day of the eighth
month of the Lunar calendar.....that was the 6 of Sept. on the western
or Gregorian calendar this year.

This is the Chinese Moon Festival, a happy holiday where special "moon"
cakes......cakes made of exotic lotus paste, black and red bean pastes,
candied melons, also cakes made of nuts and a sort of
mincemeat......many of these cakes would also have in the center, a
wonderful large, round salted duck egg yolk.....a taste of sweet with
salty...... also served are lots of round, globular fruits such as
pears, peaches, melons, all kinds of citrus and so on, the best
selection of fruits, and of course all sorts of other sweets too.....

There are variations of Moon Festival celebrations in different regions
of China, but overall, many traditions are similar.

I remember how festive the table looked ,loaded with lovely porcelains
and tea cups, plates of pastries, large bowls of fruits and another
exotic item, boiled taro, a starchy tuber similar to a potato to be
eaten dipped in sugar!
As kids, this was our absolute favorite holiday as we had loads of neat
stuff to eat after a special dinner and also allowed to stay up late to
admire the briliant full moon!

This brightest full moon of the year comes with a charming love story of
the Moon maiden or heavenly weaving girl and the cowherd.......these two
are only allowed to see each other at this time of the year........a
bridge of birds, can't recall which ones, ravens or swallows forms a
bridge in the heavens so the lovers can meet.

Another tradition my late Mother performed was placing a basin of clean
water outside to catch the "dew" as the weaving maid sheds tears as
daylight approaches because the lovers must part once again....., this
"dew" is caught in the basin.......the daugthers of the family would
then wash their faces in the water for a beautiful, glowing complexion.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures

Darla wrote:

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 16:12:05 -0300, wrote:

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 07:55:57 -0500, "Patricia Rogers"
wrote:

And a full moon!

Pat in Illinois

wrote in message
. ..
I hope everyone has a super day - it is the tenth day of the tenth
month, very lucky day to Chinese people.

Sheena

Yes, a lovely moon this a.m. I was out at 5 taking a picture or
two. The October (harvest moon) is I believe the largest and
brightest moon of the year.

Sheena
There was a thing on the AOL Welcome Screen last night that led to a
discussion of the various moons, and said that last night's full
wasn't the harvest, which was the last one (~29 days ago), but the
hunter's, because it's post-harvest and provides greater light to see
the hunted animals coming out to pick over the harvested fields.
Darla
Sacred cows make great hamburgers.

Hello Sharon,

So nice of you to compliment my post.......I'm glad you enjoyed reading
these memories of a very happy childhood holiday!
As little kids and even as young adults, for as long as any of us lived
at home, we looked forward to this festival with great expectations.

The moment we caught sight of the pretty boxes and colorful tins of moon
cakes stacked in the shop windows for sale in NYC's Chinatown, we could
barely contain ourselves at the treats to come!

I'm sure you must be enjoying the beautiful fall colors and cool weather
up north! We're slightly behind the autumn blaze of colors being so much
further south but I've just noticed the red maple in front of my house
and surrounding maples in the area are showing tinges and spots of flame
orange and gold here and there highlighted among the many shades of
green leaves still.......reminds me to get some cheery orangey pumpkins
to decorate the front steps.........I love autumn as the best season of
all!
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures

clancy wrote:

What a lovely story Lula - I think you really should have two careers - one
as a designer, the other as a writer. You make a person want to learn more
about other cultures - your storybook way of telling things is so visual.
Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Sharon (N.B.)
.................................................. ..........................
.........

"Lula" wrote in message
...
The "Harvest" moon or the brightest full moon of the year occurs during
the Mid Autumn Moon Festival which falls on the 15th day of the eighth
month of the Lunar calendar.....that was the 6 of Sept. on the western
or Gregorian calendar this year.

This is the Chinese Moon Festival, a happy holiday where special "moon"
cakes......cakes made of exotic lotus paste, black and red bean pastes,
candied melons, also cakes made of nuts and a sort of
mincemeat......many of these cakes would also have in the center, a
wonderful large, round salted duck egg yolk.....a taste of sweet with
salty...... also served are lots of round, globular fruits such as
pears, peaches, melons, all kinds of citrus and so on, the best
selection of fruits, and of course all sorts of other sweets too.....

There are variations of Moon Festival celebrations in different regions
of China, but overall, many traditions are similar.

I remember how festive the table looked ,loaded with lovely porcelains
and tea cups, plates of pastries, large bowls of fruits and another
exotic item, boiled taro, a starchy tuber similar to a potato to be
eaten dipped in sugar!
As kids, this was our absolute favorite holiday as we had loads of neat
stuff to eat after a special dinner and also allowed to stay up late to
admire the briliant full moon!

This brightest full moon of the year comes with a charming love story of
the Moon maiden or heavenly weaving girl and the cowherd.......these two
are only allowed to see each other at this time of the year........a
bridge of birds, can't recall which ones, ravens or swallows forms a
bridge in the heavens so the lovers can meet.

Another tradition my late Mother performed was placing a basin of clean
water outside to catch the "dew" as the weaving maid sheds tears as
daylight approaches because the lovers must part once again....., this
"dew" is caught in the basin.......the daugthers of the family would
then wash their faces in the water for a beautiful, glowing complexion.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures

pretty boxes and colorful tins of moon
cakes stacked in the shop windows for sale in NYC's Chinatown,

Lula, you have made me hungry, so I think I will walk up to Chinatown from my
office tomorrow and get some of these, if they have any left! I had forgotten
how good they are.
The leaves are just gorgeous here in the Hudson Valley, approaching peak this
week.
Linda in Wappingers Falls

Lula wrote:


This brightest full moon of the year comes with a charming love story of
the Moon maiden or heavenly weaving girl and the cowherd.......these two
are only allowed to see each other at this time of the year........a
bridge of birds, can't recall which ones, ravens or swallows forms a
bridge in the heavens so the lovers can meet.


Speaking of...have you ever read _Bridge of Birds_ by
Barry Hughart? It's loosely based on this story, and is an
amazing, charming, and hilariously funny book.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Ericka,

Thanks for the book recommendation.....sounds like a very good story to
read since it's based one of my favorite childhood tales and being funny
on top of it....I'll definitely look for this book.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Lula wrote:

This brightest full moon of the year comes with a charming love story of
the Moon maiden or heavenly weaving girl and the cowherd.......these two
are only allowed to see each other at this time of the year........a
bridge of birds, can't recall which ones, ravens or swallows forms a
bridge in the heavens so the lovers can meet.

Speaking of...have you ever read _Bridge of Birds_ by
Barry Hughart? It's loosely based on this story, and is an
amazing, charming, and hilariously funny book.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Hello Linda,

One good thing is you can get moon cakes year round as one of the
traditional Chinese engagement customs is for the groom's family to send
out boxes of moon cakes and other fancy pastries packed in specially
decorated boxes with wedding symbols to the bride's family members and
close friends as an annoucement.

The bad news though that I discovered a few years back, was the best
bakery in NYC's Chinatown, in fact it was a famous landmark shop having
been in the same location for years and years on Mott St.....the Fung
Wong Bakery closed its doors........that was the bakery my family and so
many others purchased boxes of moon cakes to announce my engagement to
Roger, aka Mr. Wooly.

I discovered a newer bakery with a super selection of delicious sweet
and savory pastries, cakes, tarts, buns along with lovely choices of
moon cakes......don't recall the name but it's in the area of Canal and
Mott St.
Overall, there are other places in Chinatown you can find bakeries,
coffee shops that have bakery sections or large grocery shops that serve
and sell varieties of moon cakes.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures

Linda Moody wrote:

pretty boxes and colorful tins of moon
cakes stacked in the shop windows for sale in NYC's Chinatown,

Lula, you have made me hungry, so I think I will walk up to Chinatown from my
office tomorrow and get some of these, if they have any left! I had forgotten
how good they are.
The leaves are just gorgeous here in the Hudson Valley, approaching peak this
week.
Linda in Wappingers Falls

Thank you for this post, Lula. I had a dear friend who died two years ago,
a Chinese gentleman, who every year gave me a moon cake. Pretty red box
with pictures of the moon maiden story, tied with ribbon, and inside a
round cake, the top with a fortunate design. Inside, the sweet red paste,
and the bright yellow egg yolk just like a tiny moon inside.
I miss my friend. I do buy myself a moon cake, but it has not been quite
the same. Thanks for some lovely memories.
Dawne