It's not often that I post shout-outs on my blog dedicated to celebrities celebrating a birthday. That being said, this is one of those posts...and I'm tapping into my inner-teenager for this one...
In case you haven't figured it out already, this post is a nod to, Chris "Thor" Hemsworth. Anyone who knows me (personally, or through the 'walls' of Facebook), knows that I admire his talent. (Okay...I dig his physical attributes, as well. *grin* Can you blame me?) But seriously, he is a talented actor, and has done a great job of bringing the Asgardian deity, Thor, to life. Ancient mythos, and comic books, are both on a laundry list of things that are right up my alley, so why not give Chris a birthday nod for bringing my favorite Asgardian to life?
Born in Melbourne, Australia, on August 11, 1983, Chris Hemsworth's first Hollywood appearance was as James Tiberius Kirk's father, George Samuel Kirk, in the most recent feature film production of "Star Trek" (2009). That role was followed up with his great turn as the hammer wielding Norse god, "Thor" (2011). Other films he has starred in are Joss Whedon's, "Cabin In The Woods" (2011), "Snow White & The Huntsman" (2012), and of course "The Avengers" (2012).
Before I get to the "imagery" of the post, I feel the need to add some props to the individuals who created the GIF's, whoever they may be (they are all GIF's I came across when surfing the net, and no 'credits' were ever available).
Happy 29th Birthday, Chris!
...and lastly, to my friends who were a part of the collective eye-roll I sensed as I started to put this post together...this GIF's for you...
As someone who enjoys their share of relaxation (and never seems to get enough), there are a few things I use to help me achieve a certain amount of Zen. One of those things is a lavender eye pillow that I have had for years. I'll lie in a prone position on my back, place the pillow across my eyes, and shortly I'll feel my entire body relax. That small amount of light pressure around the eye area is the key. It has great effect on my headaches, especially the ones that cause painful pressure behind my eyes. That coupled with the relaxing effects of fresh lavender scent...I can't recommend the use of an eye pillow enough.
So...here I am with my trusty eye pillow that I have had for years. It still delivers relaxation from the pressure aspects, but the lavender inside has pretty much lost it's scent. The basic elements used in the construction of an eye pillow are not that costly, and relatively easy to get, so I decided to make myself a fresh one. It's extremely simple, so I thought I would pass it along.
(Dried lavender flowers)
I found a vendor who sells dried lavender flowers through Amazon. I paid about $15 for a pound of lavender. I figured I would make several pillows, and give some as gifts (they make a great gift, by the way). A pound of lavender is a LOT of lavender. I received a big zip-lock bag, filled to the brim with lavender flowers. Not only will I be able to make a bunch of eye pillows, I can make some sachets, as well.
(Flax seed)
The other ingredient needed for the pillow 'filling' is flax seed. I looked around on-line at some of the various pillow making instructions, and some of them used rice or beans. Beans would definitely be too big and not have the desired effect. Rice is a bit closer, but flax seed is absolutely the way to go. They're small, and their shiny surfaces make them slick. They make the pillow conform to the face well, and are fairly cheap. You can find them on-line from craft supply vendors, and you can find them at some grocery stores.
For the pillow shell, I used a satin blend fabric. (The smoother fabrics work the best.) My pillow is about 4" wide x 8" long. I measured out squares of fabric roughly 8 3/4" in diameter, and folded those in half. (I have an 8" x 8" cardboard square that I trace around with a white colored pencil - chalk works well, too - to use as a sewing guide. I don't recommend using any of the marking pens sold for this purpose, as they have a tendency to bleed through the satin fabrics.) With the fabric wrong side out, I sewed up the open side and one end. Then I flipped it right side out to get it ready for the filling.
(Lavender eye pillows that I made)
I took a zip-lock sandwich bag, put in 1 cup of flax seed, 1/2 cup of lavender flowers, sealed the bag and shook up the contents to mix them together. Of course, it can be done in a bowl, but this was more of a 'no muss-no fuss' method. I made a funnel out of a piece of paper to put the filling into the cloth covers. Once filled, I folded the flaps of the open end inside the pillow shell, pinned it closed, and sewed across that open end. Voila! A freshly made eye pillow.
You can find lavender eye pillows for sale (the average price is in the neighborhood of $8). If you are somewhat creative and want to be a bit more productive, I recommend this route. As mentioned before, you can make a bunch of them rather cheaply. Office gifts, party favors...as they say, the possibilities are endless! *grin*
(The tidal creek that backs up our building...the tide is out, leaving the muddy bottom exposed)
It was about 4:30 PM. The 'Weatherscan Channel' was promising a higher than usual percent chance (60%) of rain. Looking out the window I could see that the sky was overcast. The light level was dim and moody. I decided to take advantage of the blocked sun-rays, and take some photos of the tidal creek and surrounding trees. I could hear the distant rumble of thunder. It didn't appear that we were going to get rained on at that particular moment, so I went for it.
(The moody sky)
Once I exited the back door, I knew we were going to get some rain. I didn't know how much, but we were going to get some. I could smell it.
(One of the moss covered trees just outside the screened-in porch)
I have had people look at me like I was nuts on more than one occasion when I have said that. Many people think of that statement as being a southern adage, and don't think it based on fact. Well, guess what? From now on when you hear someone say, "it smells like rain", you can believe them.
(A few images of the one Dogwood Tree I have
seen in our vicinity)
There is a term for the scent: petrichor. It means 'the scent of rain falling on dry earth'. The word is derived from the Greek word petros ("stone"), and tichor (the fluid that flows through the veins of the Greek gods). The term was coined in 1964, by Aussie researchers, Thomas and Bear. They explained that an oil is exuded by some plants under dry conditions. The oil is absorbed by clay soils and rocks. When it rains, the stored oil is released into the air, along with a compound emitted by wet soil. The second compound is called geosmin ("earth-smell"). Geosmin is produced by a combination of bacteria and algae. When soil is disturbed, in this case by rain, the compound is kicked up into the air. If a storm is approaching and geosmin molecules blow or waft by, that indicates that rain is falling windward.
In terms of the scent, it take an extremely small amount of geosmin for the human nose to pick up on it. For some reason, the human nose is extremely sensitive to geosmin. A lot of it can be unpleasant. So much so, that some find it repellent.
As far as it being toxic, geosmin seems to be harmless to most animals. No one seems to know why we are so sensitive to it, or what it's actual purpose is.
There you go. My interesting factoid of the day.
(The 'pet cemetery' I discovered in my first October in Savannah, several years ago...the bushes that used to obscure
the tiny grave markers are now gone...there used to be collar tags, and other remembrances of those faithful friends buried there, but unfortunately they are now gone)
It felt better outside than it has in awhile. Like many parts of the US, we have been having some really hot weather here in Savannah. Add the humidity (we get forecasts of potential rain everyday, but mostly in the area of 30% - which most times means 'no rain'). Tack on the absence of any comfort providing breezes. That's a recipe for misery. Staying inside in the air conditioning has been mandatory. But, not today.
I kept today's walk to the tidal creek bank. The breezes were wonderful, and added to the enjoyment factor. They kept the mosquitoes at bay.
The vibe of this past evening made me think of the approaching Fall, my favorite season. It will be here before we know it.
My short little excursion reminded me of how therapeutic even a few minutes out of doors here can be. It is clear that I need to ignore my knee pain, and get out for a stroll...even if it's only for ten or fifteen minutes. Stepping out into nature makes all the difference in a day...one of the best stress relievers there is.
I think that tomorrow I'll visit 'my' park here on the island. Always devoid of people, it's main inhabitants are a collection of huge old trees that create a chaotically twisted and lush canopy. It has been awhile since I visited there.
It has been awhile since I have shared a personal story. As with some of the other things I have shared thus far, I saw a photo while looking up something else that put me in mind of this:
My father, Jerry Patrick Brown, is a writer with a number of television credits. He has also held the titles Story Editor, Creative Consultant, Producer, and Co-Executive Producer. Earlier in his writing career, his credits include episodes for “Hotel”, “Hillstreet Blues”, even “Poltergiest: The Legacy”. It was during the latter half of the 1980’s (around the time of the ’88 Writer’s Strike, which really did a number on the entertainment business at that time), through to the late 1990’s that he held staff positions for “Tour of Duty”, “Silk Stockings”, “Shannon’s Deal”, and the show that is the main focus of this post, “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys”.
As a bit of a Science Fiction and Fantasy geek, I was thrilled when he got the gig with “Hercules”. I had been a fan before he started working there, and having that connection to the show was great. I got a couple of nifty items from him that were exclusively given to staff and crew…a Hercules beer mug, and a really cool “Hercules” New Zealand production crew sweat shirt that I wear each winter (it’s real soft and toasty). On one occasion, around the time of Thanksgiving in America, he (as a producer) had to fly to the set in New Zealand to deal with some issues. No idea what they were, I just remembered being extremely jealous. Not only was he going to be in New Zealand (a country I have always wanted to visit), he was going to be hanging out on the “Hercules” set with actors from the show.
As Head Writer, my dad would get asked to appear on panels at some of the various “Hercules & Xena” convention weekends. I don’t think he ended up attending one. However, as the time of one convention was approaching, he asked me if I would be interested in going as he could get me VIP tickets. How quickly do you think I said, “YES!” He had the arrangements made for me to pick up a pair of tickets at the convention. Tickets that would get me into the Green Room where the talent and show staff would hang out. I immediately looked into who was scheduled to appear. One particular name was what I was looking for. Now for a little back-tracking before continuing…
Dad worked with some talented people during his time on “Hercules”. A couple were two young men whose names you might recognize: Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci. (They would go on to create TV shows like “Fringe”, and write movies like the Abrams directed “Star Trek” feature.) Don’t quote me, but I believe that their professional writing careers began at “Hercules”. If you have seen the show, you know there is no denying the ‘tongue-in-cheek’ flavor of many episodes. (That flavoring increased as the series went on.) Several of Alex and Robs episodes are among my favorites: “…and Fancy Free”; “Men In Pink”; “Porkulus”, to name a few. However, there is one episode that is my absolute favorite…you are about to see that it’s for extremely obvious reasons…
“Yes, Virginia, There Is A Hercules”, is a bit different than the other episodes up to that point. The basic story line is ‘Hercules’ (Kevin Sorbo) hasn’t shown up for filming, after a huge earthquake has hit Los Angeles. The staff then frantically search for him. The twist of this episode is that the characters are actual ‘Hercules’ staff members being portrayed by the actors from the series. (For example, Bruce Campbell who plays ‘Autolycus’ portrays show executive producer, Rob Tapert.)
(Kevin Smith as 'Ares')
Most people who are fans of a particular show have a stand-out as the actor they like most. That one person who holds a high percentage of the reasons why they keep going back for more. By far, my favorite actor on “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys”, was New Zealand native, Kevin Smith. As Ares, god of war, on both “Hercules” and “Xena”, Kevin was the epitome of tall (6’2 ½”), dark, and handsome. I think I speak for many other female fans of the show, as well, when I say that he was a major source of the show’s eye candy. He was also great as Ares. He had the calculated arrogance of the strong, manipulative deity down. Did I already mention that he was gorgeous? *grin*
(Kevin Smith as 'Jerry Patrick Brown')
When I heard about “Yes, Virginia…”, I was thrilled. Why? Because Kevin Smith was portraying my dad, Jerry Patrick Brown – Head Writer. The video below is of the first time we see Kevin as a very "exaggerated" version of my dad:
(To turn off the music, my page music player is at the bottom of the blog page. Just click the 'Pause' button.)
Born in Knoxville, TN, my dad is from the American south. As you can see from that video clip, Kurtzman and Orci wrote a pretty wacky version of him, pulling from his southern roots, and his time on “Tour of Duty”. After shooting had finished, Kevin was in Los Angeles for some reason or other, and he paid a visit to my dad’s office. His main question? Did he go too far? It seemed Kevin thought my dad might not be pleased with his drawly, tobacco chewing, gun toting, war fanatic of a portrayal. My dad has a massively great sense of humor, and he quickly eased Kevin’s mind by telling him how much he loved what Kevin did. Personally, when I finally got to view the episode, I thought he was brilliant.
(Robert Trebor as
'Salmoneus')
So, back to the day of the “Hercules” convention. I had
asked my friend, Kathi, to go with me. The convention was either in Burbank, or
Pasadena…can’t remember which (it WAS roughly 15 years ago). It was scheduled
so “Hercules” day was Saturday, and “Xena” day was Sunday. As I mentioned
earlier, I had done some investigating to see who exactly was going to make an
appearance at the “Hercules” day. Now, I think it’s pretty obvious that the specific
name I was looking for on the appearance list was, Kevin Smith. It was on there…but
he was scheduled for the following “Xena” day…the one I wouldn’t be attending.
Major bummer, but I was still excited about who else I might meet. I was going
to be able to spend the whole convention day in the Green Room, if I wanted to.
I would end up meeting executive producer, Rob Tapert, Alex Kurtzman and Rob Orci, and
several other staff members whose names I don’t recall (sorry). The first of the actors
to appear was Robert Trebor, who you may know as playing 'Salmoneus'. He was
very nice, but he came on kind of strong. How do I articulate this…he was
offering his autograph, as opposed to people asking him for it. It was a bit
odd…almost like he was begging for notice. It wasn’t too terribly long before something
I knew was going to happen, happened.
Kathi and I arrived in separate cars, which told me she was most likely
going to leave early…and she did. I stayed, as I wanted to meet Hudson Lieck,
who played the deliciously evil, ‘Callisto’. That meeting was a must as a friend of mine at
my job was a watcher of the show, and he loved her. I knew he would flip out if
I showed up with a signed picture for him. Hudson was very gracious, and quite chatty. Nice
chick. She signed two pics, signing the one for my friend with, “Hugs &
Hisses ~ Hudson Lieck”. (Philip loved it!)
(Hudson Lieck as 'Callisto)
I had finished my exchange with Hudson, and was pondering
whether I should head home. I turned my head a little, and saw Karl Urban
leaning against a cabinet chatting with a couple of people. At that time I
think he had just started portraying 'Caesar' on “Xena”. Before that he had
portrayed ‘Cupid’. I was thrilled to see him, and was trying to decide if I
should go in search of a ‘Cupid’ head shot for him to sign. While my brain
worked this over, it happened. I looked
towards the door of the Green Room, and there he was…Kevin Smith.
(Karl Urban as 'Cupid')
I was so jazzed…I didn’t know what to do at first. He was talking to someone, and I was
determined to talk to him before he had a chance to disappear. At that time, I
was in a rough physical space. Having a heated battle with my Graves Thyroid…I
was a bit pudgier than I would have liked. You know how you dream of meeting
someone, and then when the chance arrives you start feeling your self-confidence
needle you? I had one of those moments. But determination won out, and I slowly
edged closer to where he was standing talking to...uhm, whoever he was talking to. I was hoping that by
the time they finished, I would know what the hell to say.
I’m standing there waiting. Then I notice that I don’t hear
them talking anymore. I look over to where Kevin is and he’s looking right at
me with a friendly ‘can I help you’ look on his face. The time had arrived. It
was my opportunity to talk to Kevin Smith. I was standing maybe six feet from
him, looking up at that head of dark wavy hair, and that handsome face. It was
time to say something.
“You played my dad on TV.” That’s the first thing I just
said to Kevin Smith? Really?! He looked a
bit puzzled, and I didn’t blame him. I
quickly added, “My dad is Jerry Patrick Brown.” A huge smile hit his features, “Oooooohhhh!
Yeah?” I proceeded to tell him how much I dug his hysterical play on my dad. He
was genuinely pleased. We proceeded to
chat, him asking me what my dad really thought, and if he had truly been cool with
it. Kevin was more pleased when I confirmed what my dad had told him. (After
all, some people can mask feelings at times…I think hearing it from me helped
allay any residual discomforts he might have had. He signed an 'Ares' photo for
me, and another autograph seeker snapped this picture for me. (It took every
ounce of courage I have to post that…it's great of him, but me…*shudder*.)
After some convention staff swept him away for one reason or
another, I left the convention center feeling like I was floating a foot above
the ground. I had feelings of happiness at having gotten to meet ‘Ares’ in the
flesh, and at finding him to be one of the nicest people I have ever met.
One night in February of 2002, I was at my dad’s for dinner. He, my
step-mom, and I were sitting around the table (I think it was ‘Local Pub’
time). The phone rang. It was someone my dad knew from “Hercules”. (I’m
starting to well up a little…) I could tell when he walked back into the room
that he had some news that he knew would sadden me. He knew what a fan I was of
Kevin, and his work. That first call was about Kevin being severely injured and in a coma. My dad would get a second call that evening that said he had passed. I found it a little overwhelming. Kevin and I were by no means close friends, but we did have a connection of sorts.
Kevin was in Beijing, China, where he had just finished
working on the film, “Warriors of Virtue 2”. Apparently, after attending the
wrap party, he was walking around the studio grounds waiting for his ride back
to the hotel. He wandered onto a movie set, and decided to climb one of the
prop towers. He slipped and fell several stories, sustaining a severe head
injury. Kevin lapsed into a coma, and after 10 days on life support, he passed
away. He was 38 years old. It’s all so incredibly sad in a number of ways. One
was the fact that he was taken away from his wife and kids. Another was that
it happened just before he was to act in “Tears of The Sun”, with Bruce Willis.
It was supposed to be Kevin’s big Hollywood break.
Kevin Smith was a great talent, and an even greater person.
Not just beautiful on the outside, but inside, too. I am so glad that I got to
meet him, and tell him how much I enjoyed the work that he did. I’m sure that
his talent would have taken him far. He is greatly missed.
It’s official. The Munster’s clan for the new television production, “Mockingbird Lane”, is now complete. As of my initial post on this ‘reboot’, the role of the family’s matriarch had not been filled. That all changed in mid-June when actress Portia de Rossi was announced as the new, Lily.
Hmm…don’t know if that’s a good or a bad choice. I haven’t seen her more recent gigs (“Better Off Ted” and “Arrested Development”). I know her for the feature film, “Sirens”, and the TV show, “Ally McBeal”. Both we’re decent performances. However, in this case, de Rossi will be stepping into the shroud of Yvonne de Carlo, a Canadian born beauty whose career spans six decades.
(Yvonne de Carlo)
De Carlo has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures, and one for television. She had more than earned her stripes in the “business” by the time ‘The Munsters’ came around. Apparently, when the role of Lily Munster came her way she had been dealing with a very rough patch in her life (her movie career had abruptly ended, and she suffered from depression). On top of all that, she was carrying a heavy debt (she says that the show coming along “saved her”). In 1964, when Yvonne de Carlo was signed to portray Lily Munster, the producers lucked out. She was perfect. I can’t think of how anyone could have done it better. Her gracefulness, her humor…she has been quoted as saying that she was told to “play her just like Donna Reed”. I think that’s what really made the show work. Not just with Lily, but with all of the characters. To them, they were perfectly normal, and went about their lives with that mind-set.
(Fred Gwynne)
Stage and screen actor, Fred Gwynne, stepped into the role of the Munster patriarch, Herman Munster. He and de Carlo were brilliant opposite each other. The new Herman (Jerry O’Connell) has some tall shoes to fill. O’Connell definitely has the humor element, and I think he can play the ‘dark’ card (this new version is supposed to be much darker). When comparing the picture of O’Connell, to the one of Gwynne (sans make-up), I do see a whisper of a resemblance. I don’t know how important that was to the producers, but I like to think that they are going to at least give the original a few nods. ‘The Munsters’ of 1964 are iconic, as silly as that may sound to some.
(Jerry O'Connell)
I know I have a tendency to sound like a broken record on some things, but (here goes…) ‘why fix it if it ain’t broke?” Doesn’t anyone have an original story line to pitch these days? Whenever I see something about a television show, or a movie, being remade…it smells of a little arrogance. “Yeah, it was great the first time around, but I can do it better.” I know, that sounds a tad harsh, and yes, I am speaking as a fan of the original. I obviously haven’t had a one-on-one chat with Fuller to find out exactly what his intentions are. Admittedly, I have read a few bits about some of the newer design elements, how the story is being updated and morphed, and I am a bit intrigued. It’s Fullers comment about “The Real Housewives of Transylvania” that has me a tad worried. I am hoping that ‘Mockingbird Lane’ doesn’t intersect with ‘Wisteria Lane’…for me that could very well spell tragedy.
(Portia de Rossi)
Portia de Rossi, as Lily Munster. I can’t help but compare her with Yvonne de Carlo, and she’s not measuring up for me. I'm not saying she's not a capable actress, I guess I'm just a stubborn purist on certain levels when it comes to classic shows I dig. Some may be thinking, “Maybe Portia de Rossi fits well in the newer, re-imagined world of ‘The Munsters’?” Yes, I have thought about it from that angle. I think it’s safe to say that I’m going to be a tough nut to crack, when it comes to looking at the new show from a completely open perspective.
So…what will it take? What will have to happen for me to accept…maybe even ‘like’…”Mockingbird Lane”? They are going to have to blow me away. They will have to both keep and change the right things.
Confused? Okay, I’ll put it another way. To make a successful ‘reboot’, changes will have to be significant. Yes, the worlds of make-up and effects have evolved by leaps and bounds since 1964, but just updating the character make-ups, and showing us a more realistic sarcastic raven popping out of the cuckoo clock to say “Nevermore”, isn’t enough. They will have to completely retool the entire Munster family and environs, without…and this is the most important element…without that world losing its soul.
“Mockingbird Lane” is currently filming. We should see the pilot hit televisions around the middle of next year. Aside from a redesigned Munster abode, character costuming and make-ups have been kept under-wraps. (No sneaky photographers have leaked any photos…yet.)
All things considered, my curiosity is definitely peaked…I just hope it doesn’t end in an avalanche.
Per usual, I took some pictures of the first Full Moon for August, 2012 (there are two this month), just like every other Full Moon during the year. However, I'm going to make a confession. The photos in this post were taken the night before on July 31st. The moon does look pretty full, but it was roughly 24 hours before the Full Moon's peak.
The skies over Savannah had been overcast for at least a week (we even got a couple of afternoon thunderstorms which were very welcome), so there were some interesting things happening with the clouds on Tuesday night. I love the textures and colors I can get during those times, so I took advantage.
(Photo: Lisa Erin Brown)
When the time of the Full Moon's peak did arrive, I was feeling happy that I had taken the pictures the night before. The official Full Moon in Aquarius, was indeed full...and big. There just wasn't much going on that made the photo op interesting. No clouds of any kind. No trees that had their limbs placed just-so for some creative framing. It was...just there. Like a big shutter-less, gel-less, single Fresnel lamp. Starkly shining down. Bright, but aside from that pretty average. Bummer.
As I stood there trying to decide if I wanted to walk around a little bit more to see if something interesting presented itself...something interesting did. Across the line of parking spaces and driveway in front of the condo building, there is a relatively open area with trees and other buildings to either side. It was while I was making my final scan that I noticed an orange tinged light flashing on the other side of some tall trees. I folded up the tripod and headed over that way to see what it was. What it was, was amazing.
As I got closer to the area beyond the trees, I noticed a big dark billowy mass of clouds slowly creeping across the sky. It was not headed my way, but it was still relatively close. It hung there ominously, like a cloud mass in a horror film. Now for the beautifully eerie part. Inside the huge mass of clouds were bright orange neon explosions of lightning. The brilliant flashes were sporadic, and varied greatly in size. Some were in the form of big surges of light, while others were veined with electric shafts of lightning. It was really amazing to see.
The digital camera I currently take pictures with has a video option. I taped the light show for a couple of minutes. The quality of the recording doesn't give the whole picture of what I saw. The outline of the cloud mass isn't discernible, so you can't really experience how "alive" the clouds were from that perspective. The flashes were constant, but through some sections of the video the flashes percolating throughout the cloud were rather low. Hopefully, my description and the flashes I was able to capture will give you enough of an idea of what it was like. The video above is roughly two minutes long.
Today is a seasonal “hump day” called, Lammas. (This day is also called Lugnasadh (Loo-NAS-ah), when the Celtic Sun god, Lugh, is honored.) The name Lammas is derived from the Old English phrase ‘hlaf-masse’, or ‘loaf mass’. On the Pagan Year Wheel, it is a cross-quarter day, or mid-point between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Autumnal Equinox (Mabon). Every year, Lammas takes place on August 1st in the Northern Hemisphere, and February 1st in the Southern Hemisphere (when the N. Hemisphere is celebrating one Sabbat, the S. Hemisphere is celebrating the Sabbat straight across from it on the Year Wheel). It signals the beginning of the three autumnal harvests (the other two being Mabon, and Samhain). Acknowledging the end of summer and the approach of autumn, Lammas is a time to honor the Spirit of the Grain Harvest. To give thanks to the Earth for its bounty. It is the time to reap what has been sown by gathering the first harvest. In the early times of Ireland, on August 1st farmers would cut sheafs of their grain. Their wives would then bake Lammas bread, having the first loaves of the season ready before nightfall. They would then honor the Spirit of the Grain God by eating the bread, celebrating the harvest, and the yearly sacrifices made.
To everyone celebrating, I hope you have a wonderful Lammas day!
