The Buzz: A few words about “October” and why it’s such a weird month

Well, here we are, roughly halfway through the month of October.

This is, of course, the tenth month of the year, though October’s name (ironically enough) is taken from the Latin word “octo,” meaning “eight.” The reasons for this numerical disassociation have to do with the Romans, who at one point in history (to make a complicated story simple) essentially invented the months of January and February out of thin air (to replace a previously adaptable and undefined “winter” period) then slipped them into the Old Roman calendar, which for centuries had contained only ten months, running from March through December.

Whatever.

October seems to have survived its aberrant identity-change just fine, though to this day there is always something a little “off” about the month, as if it exists outside of normal time and reality.

It is, of course, the month that contains Halloween, but also is the holding place for a whole bevvy of unusual observations and holy days from a variety of the world’s faiths and traditions.

In Sweden, Oct. 4 is Cinnamon Roll Day. In Brazil, Oct. 15 is Teachers Day, and in Tunisia, that’s also Evacuation Day (anyone know what that is?), and according to Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Oct. 25 is observed as The Hallowing of Nestorius, a controversial Archbishop of Constantinople who stirred things up good way back in the early 400s.

Closer to home, of course, October’s arrival means the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch (PetalumaPumpkinPatch.com), open daily through Halloween, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Thursday, and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. There are other pumpkin-y experiences to be had in town, too, including hay rides, bouncy houses, a petting zoo, a Native American village and the popular “Haunted Trail” at Pronzini Pumpkin Patch (Pronzinitrees.com, 3795 Adobe Rd.). It’s open weekdays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Halloween 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Then there’s McClelland’s Pumpkin Patch (McClellandsDairy.com), offering its own hay rides through the Haunted Forest, a target-shooting “pumpkin cannon,” a working dairy farm with activities for kids, hay maze, tire swings, peddle race track, inflatable slides, food shack and more. Fridays 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 6475 Bodega Ave., Petaluma.

Looking at globally, October is also honored in various countries as The Month of the Holy Rosary, International Walk to School Month, World Blindness Awareness Month, and Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month. In the U.S. specifically, it’s LGBT History Month, National Dental Hygiene Month, National Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month, National Arts & Humanities Month, National Bullying Prevention Month, National Cyber Security Prevention Month, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Filipino American History Month, Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month, Dwarfism/Little People Awareness Month, National Infertility Awareness Month, Eczema Awareness Month, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month, and (for those who like their favorite foods to be similarly honored) October is also National Pizza Month, National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, National Pork Month and National Seafood Month.

So party, party, party.

However it is you celebrate, and whatever it is you eat - and whatever causes you decide to let your friends and family know about this month - may you enjoy the remainder of this tenth month of the year - now that you know why it was named the eighth.

(Got a good idea for a fun BUZZ item? Drop a line to Community Editor David Templeton at david.templeton@arguscourier.com)