"The Ides of March"

“The Ides of March” are upon us! Yep, it’s the 15th! So, what exactly are the “Ides of March”? We’ve all heard the line from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar where the soothsayer warns Caesar of his impending death, “Beware the Ides of March.” Most of us consider it an ominous and doom laden date. Why? I’m not sure. I doubt most of us are mourning Casesar’s death!

In the MidAtlantic region, there is a running joke, that this is when Mother Nature sneaks in with one more blast of winter. We don’t deal well with snow here so such a forecast is doomladen. I’ve checked the forecast and we look safe for this year!

So, seriously, what are “the Ides of March”? The ancient calendar system divided each month into three distinct sections and “the Ides” merely meant the middle of the month. So, where does all the doom and gloom come from? Maybe because in ancient Rome, the 15th was the deadline for paying taxes. Today, many suddenly wake up and realize they only have a month to get it together before paying Uncle Sam his share. For many, the date has simply been passed along as a “superstitious” warning of sorts.

For the superstitious, this was a tough weekend since Friday was Friday the 13th, too. (Hopefully, you had a good weekend despite all these warning signs.)


As for us, we’re heading to the winery for a fun afternoon of music, wine and stew with family and friends. This follows a quiet, laidback Saturday which culminated in dinner at our closest BBQ restaurant where we had some of the area’s best smoked brisket sandwiches. Nothing fancy but definitely delicious!





Some of you, I’m sure, began celebrating St. Patrick’s Day a little early with parades and partying. Many communities held big parades and there were a number of events taking place to celebrate the Luck O’ The Irish! (Perhaps, it’s a counter-attack for the Ides of March!)


I hope it’s been a HAPPY and creative weekend for you !