DID YOU KNOW:

EMBER DAYS: The four periods formerly observed by the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches for prayer, fasting, and the ordination of clergy are called Ember Days.
Specifically, these are the Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays that follow in succession following (1) the First Sunday in Lent; (2) Whitsunday-Pentecost; (3) the Feast of the Holy Cross, September 14; and (4) the Feast of St. Lucia, December 13.

The word EMBER, is perhaps a corruption of the Latin quatuor tempora, "four times."
Folklore has it that the weather on each of the three days foretells the weather for the next three months: that is, for September's Ember Days, Wednesday forecasts the weather for October, Friday for November, and Saturday for December.

HARVEST HOME: In Europe and Britain, the conclusion of the harvest each
autumn was once marked by festivals of fun, feasting, and thanksgiving known as "Harvest Home." It was also a time to hold elections, pay workers, and collect rents. These festivals usually took place around the autumnal equinox. Certain groups in the U.S., particularly the Pennsylvania Dutch, have kept the tradition alive.

Rosh Hashanah: Celebrated as the Jewish New Year. This holiday is a reflection on the past year. Each person takes the time to review how they behaved in the past year during the Ten Days of Awe that occur prior to Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah is the first day of these ten days.

During this time period there is a traditional blowing
of the shofar in some communities. The shofar is a horn made from one of the horns of any kosher animal, except a cow. This horn can be quite beautiful and intricately shaped, though it usually only sounds three notes. In many communities this horn is blown every morning during the entire month. It is meant to ‘remind’ those that hear the horn they are being examined by God for their behavior in the past year. It also celebrates all of creation and the birth and binding of Isaac, who happened to be the longest lived of the Old Testament patriarchs and the only one who never left the land of Canaan. In general this holiday is celebrated with festive meals, prayers and self-examination.