Verna and Bob's Weblog

Holidays

Labor Day 2026

Happy grilling day! We’re having Filet Mignon Steaks for our Labor Day Dinner. Click on the image to enlarge.

Labor Day originated during the peak of the 19th-century Industrial Revolution, transforming from an activist demonstration into a federal holiday that now marks the unofficial end of summer.

History & Origins

  • The First Parade (1882): On September 5, 1882, the Central Labor Union organized the nation’s first Labor Day event in New York City. Roughly 10,000 workers took an unpaid day off to march from City Hall to Union Square, demanding eight-hour workdays, safer conditions, and fair wages.
  • The Founders: Debate remains over who proposed the holiday. Some credit Peter J. McGuire, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, while others credit machinist Matthew Maguire, secretary of the Central Labor Union.
  • Federal Recognition (1894): Following the violent Pullman Railway Strike in 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation making the first Monday in September a federal holiday—a political effort to reconcile relations with organized labor.

Cultural Traditions

  • The Unofficial End of Summer: Labor Day weekend serves as a seasonal boundary marking the return to school, the close of community pools, and the final stretch for summer vacations.
  • Barbecues & Gatherings: The early tradition of union picnics evolved into family cookouts, camping trips, and outdoor gatherings.
  • Parades & Political Speeches: While early Labor Day events featured massive union marches to demonstrate collective strength, modern parades are generally smaller community events or labor-focused political rallies.
  • “No White After Labor Day”: A 19th-century fashion rule dictated that lightweight white linen clothing belonged strictly to summer. Packing away white attire after Labor Day signaled a return to urban work routines and autumn dress.
  • Sports & Retail: The weekend marks the launch of college and high school football seasons, as well as major retail sales.

We wish everyone a happy Labor Day and Happy Autumn!

September 7, 2026 by Food and Dining Holidays Military 0

Lughnasadh —
 Celtic Cross-Quarter Holiday

As we tend to do in early August, we celebrated an Irish tradition of feasting on the Cross-Quarter Holiday of Lughnasadh. For today’s feast, we enjoyed Irish Turkey Stew, a blend of turkey meat, broth, Keto-friendly veggies and a Guinness Beer.

About the feast:

Background

Lughnasadh (also spelled Lughnasa, Lugnasad, or in modern Irish Lúnasa) is a traditional Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. It is one of the four major seasonal festivals of the Gaelic year, along with Samhain, Imbolc, and Beltane, falling around 1 August—roughly midway between the summer solstice and autumn equinox.

Origins and Name

The name comes from Old Irish Lugnasad, combining Lug (the god Lugh) with násad (“assembly”). An alternative theory links it to nás (“death”). In modern Irish it is Lúnasa (also the name of the month of August); Scottish Gaelic uses Lùnastal and Manx Luanistyn. It corresponds to the Welsh Calan Awst / Gwyl Awst and the English Lammas (“loaf-mass”).

The dinner was very good. And, No, we’re not fans of their pagan religion, but only of the traditions that were celebrated by our ancestors. We thank our Heavenly Father for the bounty of His hand in providing us with feasts most every weekend.

August 2, 2026 by Culture Holidays

Happy Semiquincentennial!

The Founding of the United States of America
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, formally declaring the 13 American colonies free from British rule. Drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, the document proclaimed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and listed grievances against King George III. This bold act of separation led to the Revolutionary War, which ended with victory at Yorktown in 1781 and formal recognition in the 1783 Treaty of Paris. The foundation was solidified in 1787 with the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, creating a federal republic with a system of checks and balances. These events marked the birth of a new nation dedicated to freedom and limited government ideals that continues to shape the world today.

Happy 250th Anniversary, America!

July 4, 2026 by Holidays

Cinco de Mayo

We enjoyed mini tacos after our trip today in honor of the Cinco de Mayo day. Click here.

We are having a comparatively light duty week as compared to the first quarter of the year. We did have an appointment with the Nephrologist down in Surprise today, which is the first of two such visits to the valley suburbs this week. The next one will be on Friday with the radiation therapy team. More about those later.

The trip today was without incident and we were back home before 1 pm even though we shopped at Safeway in town before home. Lots of puffy clouds today. Verna kept the camera going, but nothing worthy of note to post here.

I did get a nice photo of a Black Chinned Hummingbird during my morning walk. Click to enlarge.

May 5, 2026 by Arizona Critters Holidays Photography

An Astrophytum Flower

As the weather continues to warm as it is wont to do in late spring, more flowers are opening. This astrophytum (star cactus) flower opened in all its glory this afternoon in our cactus garden by the courtyard. Click on the image to enlarge.

Beltane

Today, we celebrated Beltane, a traditional Celtic holiday but with a definite US twist by having what amounts to a New England Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner. Everyone enjoyed the meal and the ancestral atmosphere.

May 2, 2026 by Arizona Climate Flowers Holidays Home & Garden Photography

Happy Easter!

We wish everyone a Blessed and Happy Easter Sunday! Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!

If we were to have gone to church this morning, we may have looked like this. However, we celebrated the resurrection at home with our own communion and worship services.

We also had a wonderful Easter Ham Steak Dinner thanks to Verna.

Thanks to the AI for this simulated dress-up photo. Click to enlarge.

April 5, 2026 by Arizona Holidays

Avalon 1998

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