Another April celebration...420 day

Ok, boys and girls who long nostogically for that era before they were born, that era when I grew up (and for those of you who grew up with me but the memories are vague), here is a little history on the phrase 420 (which of course, it is today - 4/20/2010). But first, my own way late in the game knowledge of the 'term'. Sitting in a certain bar on St. Croix, I noticed that the clock there said 4:20. Knowing it was not  4:20, I mentioned to the bartender that the clock had stopped. After the laughter died down, my son, who was sitting next to me, explained a rephrase of my father's admonition concerning cocktail hour - that being "The sun is always over the yardarm somewhere in the world." And, it's always 4:20 somewhere in the world. Get it, Mom? No. 'splain on, fount of hip wisdom in my life...

Today's Huffington Post not only explains, in detail, but goes back to the roots of this easy to remember number. Here's the start. There's more, lots more, if you follow the link. I think William Safire might be impressed, but he's not around to ask.

Warren Haynes, the Allman Brothers Band guitarist, routinely plays with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead, now touring as The Dead. He's just finished a Dead show in Washington, D.C. and gets a pop quiz from the Huffington Post.

Where does 420 come from?

He pauses and thinks, hands on his side. "I don't know the real origin. I know myths and rumors," he says. "I'm really confused about the first time I heard it. It was like a police code for smoking in progress or something. What's the real story?"

Depending on who you ask, or their state of inebriation, there are as many varieties of answers as strains of medical bud in California. It's the number of active chemicals in marijuana. It's teatime in Holland. It has something to do with Hitler's birthday. It's those numbers in that Bob Dylan song multiplied.

The origin of the term 420, celebrated around the world by pot smokers every April 20th, has long been obscured by the clouded memories of the folks who made it a phenomenon.

People who know me well might be surprised to see a post on a substance that has been known, in these later years, to put me instantly to sleep on my rare interactions with it (disclaimer disclaimer disclaimer yada yada)...but I like the history, loved the era and will be listening for a world wide familiar-in-any-language giggle at 4:20 today., harking back to a time that was much more innocent and kind...at least it was for me. This one's for you, kiddo. 

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This morning's dawning, which was gold with promise, has returned to grey, with the radar showing a big bunch of rain headed our way (which means we may or may not get rain). With little wind, and the fan on, I have a feeling we're in for a warm one. Spring is back. 

Yesterday afternoon, I could hear seagulls screeching, for hours it seemed. Finally I went out to see what was going on. I could hear them, but I couldn't see them...anywhere. Not over the water, not over the hill. Something had them very excited over land nearby, but I never found out what it was. Instead, there was this lone what-looks-to-me like a Caribbean dove, but according to the literature, isn't supposed to be here. Ok, Bird Woman, what is it's true name? Whatever it is, I like it...with its melancholy call.

Have a tanti Tuesday. Do something tendentious!