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Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes. Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America. Bobbing for apples is thought to have originated from the Roman harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of fruit trees. Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States. Black cats were once believed to protect witch’s powers. Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers #1. Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday. 
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 Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
An excellent choice for difficult situations, where more traditional plants might be sketchy. It tolerates low areas with wet conditions near drainage features such as swales, ditches, or basins. Best used in naturalizing, where the sucker growth need not be restrained. Its unfortunate name refers to the tart, acidic taste of the abundant black berries produced for fall feeding of birds. They don’t seem to mind the astringent berries. And with a lot of sugar, even humans can make tasty jams and jellies. Known for its dramatic and gorgeous fall colors; rich purples and bright reds. Size: Grows 3’ to 6’ high and 3’ to 6’ wide, depending on hospitality of the site Conditions: Climate zones 3 to 8. Easily grown in average soils, with a wide range of soil tolerance between dry and wet; or acidic and alkaline, clay or loamy. Prefers full sun and will fruit better when given lots of sunshine.  The fear of Halloween is known as “Samhain phobia”.
Potted mums should be planted outside in the sun. When blooming is complete, cut them down to 2”. Place 4” of mulch on top of plants. In the spring, gradually remove the mulch as new growth shows through. Continue mowing lawn as needed. Rake or shred tree leaves to keep them from smothering the grass. The cashew nut comes from a poisonous sumac, the evergreen cashew tree, a native of Brazil. Give trees and shrubs a good soaking after the leaves fall and before the ground is frozen. Winter damage to plants often stems from their inability to draw water from the frozen earth. Eating apples help clean your teeth and gums, reducing the number of cavities. The fiber in apples cleans your teeth while the antiviral properties help keep away bacteria and viruses. In Babylon 4,000 years ago for a month after a wedding, the bride’s father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead was a honey beer and the period of time was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon. Don’t feed your adult cat or dog milk as they don’t have the lactase to digest milk and may cause diarrhea. The rubber eraser was invented in the 1840s. Until then, the best “device” for removing pencil marks was a piece of bread. |
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