HI FRIENDS! WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY IN NEW ORLEANS TODAY - - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST. FIRST OF ALL, THE TIME CHANGED EARLY THIS MORNING ACROSS AMERICA, SO WE "FELL BACK" FOR WINTER GIVING US A NEW HOUR OF DAYLIGHT IN THE MORNING! IT'S ALSO "ALL SAINTS DAY" IN NEW ORLEANS TODAY, THE DAY FOLLOWING HALLOWEEN EACH YEAR! AND NEW ORLEANIANS TURN OUT IN DROVES TO VISIT THEIR FAMILY TOMBS. ANCESTOR WORSHIP IS VERY BIG HERE! FOLKS WHITEWASH THEIR TOMBS, DELIVER FLOWERS TO THEIR TOMB STEPS, HAVE PICNICS AROUND THEM, HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY STOP BY TO VISIT. IT'S NEARLY LIKE A JAZZ FUNERAL IN SPIRIT AT SOME CEMETERIES, (AND JAZZ FUNERALS ARE HELD IN PARTS OF THE CITY TOO). PEOPLE VISIT THEIR FAMILY TOMBS WITH RESPECT, BUT WITH MANY BEING HAPPY ON ALL SAINTS DAY IN NEW ORLEANS, THE EXPERIENCE IS NOT ONLY SAD BECAUSE LOVED ONES HAVE PASSED ON, BUT IT'S ALSO RATHER A CELEBRATION OF LIFE IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE ON BEFORE US. TOURISTS EVEN GO TO THE GRAVEYARDS TO VIEW ALL OUR ABOVE-GROUND TOMBS, WITH MANY ARRIVING ON TOUR BUSES, WITH GUIDES! IT'S QUITE A DAY EACH YEAR, AND BY NIGHTFALL (EXCEPT IN SOME OUTLYING AREAS), THE CEMETERIES ARE CLOSED BY DUSK, SUMMONING THE END OF "ALL SAINTS DAY" AT THE CEMETERIES UNTIL NEXT YEAR. HOWEVER, WHILE THE CEMETERIES MAY BE EMPTY OF HUMANS BY NIGHTFALL, BEWARE OF NEW ORLEANS GHOSTS AND GOBLINS AND SPIRITS THAT MIGHT LOOM IN THE CHILL NIGHT AIR! - PATTY LEE