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reetings from Australia. 

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Pip Wilson

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My grandson, I will tell you; that flute is of wood, – alder wood. That is an alder flute, but the wood is people's bones. There were people long ago, and that alder wood grew out of their bones. My grandson, would you like to have another young man with you, or do you wish to be alone? I think it would be better for you to have company.
Waida Dikit Kiemila instructs Tsaroki Sakahl in creation; in Jermiah Curtin; Creation Myths of Primitive America, 1898, 'Hawt'

It enters from outside with clothes; it is undressed in the outer tent. — The alder tree.
Chukchee riddle, Waldemar Bogoras; Chukchee Mythology, Leiden & New York, 1910 (Alder-bark is peeled off and used for tanning-purposes)

Before Christian times there was a great alder forest in the island of Dagö, where the people used to make sacrifices and hold festivals.
WF Kirby; The Hero of Esthonia [The Kalevipoeg], 'The Church at Pühalepp', London, 1895

When a woman first takes ill in her confinement, unlock instantly every press and drawer in the house, but when the child is born, lock them all up again at once, for if care is not taken the fairies will get in and hide in the drawers and presses, to be ready to steal away the little mortal baby when they get the opportunity, and place some ugly, wizened changeling in the cradle beside the poor mother. Therefore every key should be turned, every lock made fast; and if the fairies are hidden inside, let them stay there until all danger is over for the baby by the proper precautions being taken, such as a red coal set, under the cradle, and a branch of mountain ash tied over it, or of the alder-tree, according to the sex of the child, for both trees have mystic virtues, probably because of the ancient superstition that the first man was created from an alder-tree, and the first woman from the mountain ash.
Lady Francesca Speranza Wilde; Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland, 'Various Superstitions and Cures', 1887

At Niederpöring, in Lower Bavaria, the Whitsuntide representative of the tree-spirit—the Pfingstl as he was called—was clad from top to toe in leaves and flowers. On his head he wore a high pointed cap, the ends of which rested on his shoulders, only two holes being left in it for his eyes. The cap was covered with water-flowers and surmounted with a nosegay of peonies. The sleeves of his coat were also made of water-plants, and the rest of his body was enveloped in alder and hazel leaves.
Sir James George Frazer (1854 - 1941), British folklorist; The Golden Bough, Ch. 28. 'The Killing of the Tree-Spirit', 1922

Shortly after the gods had created the world they walked by the side of the sea, pleased with their new work, but found that it was still incomplete, for it was without human beings. They therefore took an ash tree and made a man out of it, and they made a woman out of an alder, and called the man Aske and the woman Embla. Odin then gave them life and soul, Vili reason and motion, and Ve bestowed upon them the senses, expressive features, and speech. Midgard was then given them as their residence, and they became the progenitors of the human race.
Bulfinch's Mythology, CHAPTER XXXVIII. Northern Mythology- Valhalla- The Valkyrior

To say that which is untrue is a crime both in the sight of God and man. Not one of us has betrayed his God or his country. I do confess my guilt, which consists in having, to my shame and dishonor, suffered myself, through the pain of torture and the fear of death, to give utterance to falsehoods imputing scandalous sins and iniquities to an illustrious Order, which hath nobly served the cause of Christianity. I disdain to seek a wretched and disgraceful existence by engrafting another lie upon the original falsehood.
Last words of Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, burned at the stake on March 18, 1314, attrib.

The fact that fat oils from vegetable sources can be used may seem insignificant today,but such oils may perhaps become in course of time of the same importance as some natural mineral oils and the tar products are now. Twelve years ago, the latter were not more developed than the fat oils are today, and yet how important they have since become. One cannot predict what part these oils will play in the Colonies in the future. In any case, they make it certain that motor-power can still be produced from the heat of the sun, which is always available for agricultural purposes, even when all our natural stores of solid and liquid fuels are exhausted.
Rudolf Diesel, inventor of the compression ignition engine; in a presentation made to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (of Great Britain), March, 1912   Source (PDF file)

He followed the sheep up through gorse and fern in the Kerry hills, and cut himself a rude flute of alder ...
Marah Ellis Ryan; The Druid Path, 'The Dark Rose', 1917

You don't make a poem with ideas, but with words.
Stéphane Mallarmé, French poet, born on March 18, 1842

There is only beauty – and it has only one perfect expression – Poetry. All the rest is a lie – except for those who live by the body, love, and, that love of the mind, friendship …
Stéphane Mallarmé

The pure work implies the disappearance of the poet as speaker, who hands over to the words.
Stéphane Mallarmé

Learn to live! Then there is no death, save the transition, when desired. Many live who have never died as yet.
Edgar Cayce, American mystic, born on March 18, 1877

Quite suddenly I come upon a Hall of Records. It is a hall without walls, without ceiling, but I am conscious of seeing an old man who hands me a large book, a record of the individual for whom I seek information.
Edgar Cayce describing a Near-Death Experience (NDE)   Source

Above all I am not concerned with Poetry. My subject is War, and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity.
Wilfred Owen, British war poet, born on March 18, 1893

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
– Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,-
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
Wilfred Owen, 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'

I read it and thought, "This is the worst piece of junk I've ever seen".
Peter Graves, American actor, describing his first reaction to the screenplay of Airplane! (1980), the movie that revived his career

March 18 is the 77^th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (78^th in leap years), with 288 days remaining.
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Sheelah's Day, Ireland, dedicated to Sheelah-Na-Gig (Sheela na Gig), Goddess of Fertility

The day following St Patrick's Day is Sheelah's day. Some say she was Patrick's wife (but the Catholic Church would surely not allow this), some say his mother.

Traditionally, shamrocks are again displayed, although last night the shamrock was 'drowned' in the last drink. At the turn of the 20^th Century, one sarcastic observer wrote that the holiday's adherents "are not so anxious to determine who 'Sheelah' was, as they are earnest in her celebration". He tells us that revellers would take the shamrock they had been wearing since St Patrick's day, the day before, plop it in the drink, and drown it in the last glass, at the end of the night's drinking.

Sheelah is an old Irish term for a slovenly or muddling woman, particularly an old one. In Australia, with its very Irish background, the term 'sheila' is still common (though culturally self-conscious, ie, rarely used these days except jocularly and somewhat mockingly of old Aussie manners) slang for 'woman'. Perhaps the day after St Patrick's obtained the name without any reference to the calendar of saints.

'Sheelahs' or 'Sheela-na-gigs' are gargoyles on ancient Christian churches, castles and other buildings in Ireland and throughout the British Isles. Stone carvings of one persona of the Goddess, they show a woman, often with her legs open and exposing her gaping vagina. On January 9, 1990, a sheela-na-gig was stolen from Kiltinan Church, Lethard, Tipperary, Ireland.

See also June 5 at the Book of Days: Feast day of St Gobnet, suggested by some to be Sheel-na-Gig

Celtic tree month of Fearn (Alder) commences (Mar 18 - Apr 14)

Like other Iron Age Europeans, the Celts were a polytheistic people prior to their conversion to (Celtic) Christianity. The Celts divided the year into 13 lunar cycles (months or moons). These were linked to specific sacred trees which gave each moon its name. Today commences the Celtic tree month of Alder.

"Alder was anciently renowned as the best wood for making whistles and pipes. As well as individual whistles, panpipe instruments using several shoots of Alder bound together in varying lengths were also crafted, these instruments were probably used by the Druids in rituals and ceremonies to invoke air elementals. Such was the reputed harmony of the music played on Alder pipes that the top most branches of the Alder tree became known as the 'oracular singing head' of the great Celtic god Bran. (Paterson 1996)

"The god Bran was renown [sic] as a beneficial, protective, oracular and generous deity who ruled his people well, becoming known as one of the guardians of ancient Britain. Alder was seen as possessing similar symbolic qualities to Bran and therefore became his totem tree. Such was the reverence held by the Celtic people towards Bran the early Christian church was obliged to sanctify him whereby he became know [sic] as St. Brons or 'Bran the Blessed'.

"The legend of Bran tells us that when he was close to death he advised his men to cut off his head and carry it to London. Bran's head did not decay but instead remained alive and continued to advise its followers through prophetic song. His oracular head was eventually buried in the White Hill beneath the Tower of London.

"Bran's totem bird was the Raven, a solar and oracular symbol, a bird of wisdom and change, the Raven became one of Britain's most important totem creatures believed to be a guise for the White Goddess (Gifford 2000). Bran's oracular head prophesised that if the Raven was to ever leave the Tower of London then Britain would fall. In the rather dubious wisdom of our present times the wings of the Ravens at the Tower are clipped to prevent their departure.

"Other deities associated with Alder, ravens and oracular heads include Cronos, one of the titans of Greek mythology, the Greek sun god Apollo, the Celtic sun god Lugh, the Scandinavian god Odin and the legendary King Arthur of Britain."
Source: Wood Dragon Arts

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Bindus Diena, ancient Latvia In ancient Latvia, Bindus Diena was a festival observed on the day after Kustonu Diena. It was later named Binduli Diena, in honour of St Benedict, and was associated primarily with insects. According to tradition, everyone must be awake before the sunrise, and water must not be poured inside barns. The backs of the cows, and the barns' ceilings, must be washed. Bears were believed to wake up on this day, but then fall back asleep. Bringing firewood in on this day will bring snakes with you. Rushes, twigs and straw will also attract snakes. Potatoes and cabbages cannot be planted on this day. Alternative: Binduli Diena, Benediktu Dienu, Bimbulu Dienu Source: Wikipedia   Invocation of Ashleygog "Demon of chaos, plangency and satirical mischief. Be wary of blond strangers, watch for cloven footprints and resist the temptation of being consumed by your own anger."   Source Farvardigan, The Ten Days of the Dead, ancient Persia, Zoroastrianism (Mar 10 - 20) Lesser Panathenaea, festival of Athena, ancient Greece (Mar 15 - 18) Festival of the god Mars, ancient Rome (Mar 1 - 19) Festival of Hilaria, in honour of the Mother of Gods, ancient Rome (Mar 15 - 27) Jacques de Molay's Day "The Last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, who underwent unspeakable torture by The Inquisition in order to extract heretical confessions against the Catholic Church. On March 18th, 1314 in Paris, De Molay heroically recanted his earlier confessions in public and was burned alive."   Source Feast day of St Alexander of Jerusalem, martyr Feast day of St Anselm of Lucca Feast day of St Braulico Feast day of St Christian Feast day of St Cyril of Jerusalem (Great leopard bane, Doronicum pardalionetes, is today's plant, dedicated to this saint.) Cyril of Jerusalem was a distinguished theologian of the early Church (c. 315 - 386). He is venerated as a saint by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. In 1883, the Holy See declared him a Doctor of the Church. More Feast day of St Edward the Martyr, king of the West Saxons His flower: The Crown imperial, or Kaiser's Crown (Fritillaria imperialis). Edward (born c. 962), who was King of England at age 13, was killed on this day at Corfe Castle in 978 or 979 (see below) at the behest of his stepmother, Ælfthryth (Elfrida), second wife of King Edgar of England, so as to place her 10-year-old son Ethelred on the throne as King Ethelred II of England. Edward was popularly proclaimed a martyr. He is recognized as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglican Communion. Alban Butler (Lives of the Saints) says his body was discovered by a pillar of light, was buried in Wareham church, and worked miracles. Many miracles were reported at the tomb of St Edward, including the healing of lepers and the blind. Elfrida spent the remainder of her days "in dismal horror". She obtained a kind of armour made of crucifixes, wore it, did penance and built monasteries, but died hated by the people. Edward was killed as he took a drink. It is said that because of this the populace would no longer drink without security from their companions, whence the obsolete expression 'I pledge you', when one person invites his companion to drink first. (More below in the history section.) Feast day of St Eucarpius Feast day of St Felix Feast day of St Fra Angelico Feast day of St Frediano Feast day of St Frigidian (Fridian; Erigdian; Frigdian), Bishop of Lucca Feast day of St Narcissus Feast day of St Salvator of Horta Feast day of St Trophimus Click for Eastern Orthodox liturgical days    Shop saints Flag Day (1976), Aruba National Biodiesel Day, USA       1782 John Calhoun (d. 1850), Vice President of the United States 1837 Grover Cleveland (d. 1908), twice President of the United States. He was 22nd President (1885 - '89) and 24th (1893 - '97) 1840 William Cosmo Monkhouse (d. 1901), poet, critic 1842 Stéphane Mallarmé (d. September 9, 1898), French poet and critic, leader of the Symbolist movement, translator into French of the works of Edgar Allen Poe. For many years, the Tuesday night sessions in his apartment on the rue de Rome were considered the heart of Paris intellectual life, with WB Yeats, Rainer Maria Rilke, Paul Valéry, Stefan George, Paul Verlaine, and many more in attendance, as Mallarmé held court as judge, jester, and king. More 1844 Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (d. 1908), Russian composer "The folk music of Russia, including that of the Caucasus and Trans-Caucasus peoples, permeates Rimsky's music. Striking instances of asymmetrical rhythms are also derived from this source, foreshadowing the radical experiments of Stravinsky, his most famous student."   Source 1850 James Matthew Toohey, Australian brewer (named after Father Matthew, an advocate of temperance). His family company was and is Tooheys, one of the largest brewers in Australia.   1857 William Henry Thomas McNamara (WH McNamara; WHT McNamara; Bill McNamara), radical orator and owner of McNamara's Book and News Depot at 221 Castlereagh St, Sydney, where many radicals of the day met, including the poet Henry Lawson, who married his step-daughter Bertha Bredt.  McNamara learned journalism in Melbourne and was in Sydney by May, 1887. After a time in Sydney, he went back to Melbourne, married Bertha Bredt, Sr, a widow with two daughters (Bertha and Hilda), and, on his return in 1892, became Sydney's most prominent radical bookseller.   McNamara, Australian Socialist League, and Australian Radical On May 4, 1887, McNamara and six others met as a socialist group and began taking members. They held debates on Sundays, and out of these, and open-air meetings, grew the foundation of the Australian Socialist League (ASL), which met on Sunday evenings at 533½ George St, Sydney, with McNamara, George Black and Thomas Walker as leaders. The ASL reading rooms housed more than 220 foreign newspapers, many of them radical. Contemporary anarchist Jack Andrews preferred to call it the "Alleged Socialist League". On August 27, someone showed the ASL leaders a copy of 25-year-old Bob Winspear's newspaper, the Radical, which had been launched on