Day 9: Carol of the Bells
On the Ninth Day of Christmas, mrGreen317 hid for me, a bison in an ornament in another NON-evergreen tree!
Welcome to the Twelve Songs of Christmas (12 SoC). Each cache is a simple traditional cache within the SGL lands of the Glendale Valley and surrounding areas.
For the series final to be published in mid-January 2022, be sure to note (and record somewhere in your records) the green bold text under the GC code included in each cache 'ornament' with this series. For the ornament-type caches, this will be located on the back-side of the printed/laminated circle that features the picture that goes with that Day of Christmas.
While the retailers have pretty much packed away the Christmas wares for 2021, the traditional Christmas season actually runs from December 25 through January 5, the "Twelve Days of Christmas". (After today, you still have three more days of Christmas left to enjoy!) Here are some geocache-style 'ornaments' hidden for the "Twelve Songs of Christmas" to grab this Christmas season or any other time of the year when geocaching is on the day's agenda.
Song of Day 9
Carol of the Bells
The featured carol for Day 9 is a little more modern in terms of its composition in 1914 by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. However, this composition is based on an older Ukrainian folk chant known as "Shchedryk" (which means "Bountiful Evening"). In its ancient possible origins, or with its more updated Mykola Leontovych melody, "Shchedryk" has been connected with New Year's. The original Ukrainian text is a tale of a swallow flying into a household with a message of a plentiful and bountiful year for that house's family.
The Carol of the Bells was adapted to be an English Christmas carol by Peter J. Wilhousky after a Carnegie Hall performance of the Ukrainian composition on October 5, 1921. Wilhousky copyrighted and published his new lyrics in 1936 to go with the melody, which have since been associated with Christmas in both America and Canada. The English lyrics are not based on the original Ukrainian in any way. Wilhousky had rearranged the melody for an orchestra and used his new lyrics to be used with the NBC radio network's symphony orchestra. He centered the lyrics around the theme of bells, since the melody reminded him of hand bells. His new lyrics then would begin "Hark! How the bells".
Because Peter J. Wilhousky was the arranger for the NBC Symphony Orchestra, and his updated composition could reach a wide American audience, the the song's popularity grew in its early years. "Carol of the Bells" has now been recorded into over 150 versions and re-arrangements, all with a wide variety of vocal and instrumental compositions. Lyrics such as "merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas" now have this carol strongly associated with Christmas, and not so much with New Year's as in the Ukrainian. More information may be found at the Wikipedia article (where much of the above information was gathered).
Be sure to note some helpful cache information in the section below before you head out.
This cache is a bison inside an ornament host, so please bring a pen or pencil along to sign the log. The log slip is "Rite in the Rain" paper, so it should resist getting wet, however, a pencil will work best if the slip is wet when you go to sign it. If the slip is dry, a standard ball point pen will do fine. Water-based inks may not write on the paper very well and should be avoided if possible.
The outer host should easily separate to access the bison, which will contain the log inside once screwed open. Please be careful with the outer clear plastic container to help this 'ornament' last as long as possible out in the wild. When closing up the cache, the two halves of the outer ornament should stay closed mostly, as there is a notch made near the top to allow the bison attachment wire to go through the outer ornament shell without disrupting the ornament's ability to seal closed.
SUGGESTED PARKING: A parking waypoint is provided outside the gate (please do not block the gate with your vehicle). It might be possible to drive closer to the cache (when the gate is open and travel is permitted), but if doing so, note that a pull-over or turnaround might be challenging, depending on the design of your vehicle. Vehicular travel is not allowed on the grassy side path.
If hiking up from the gate, most of the trek is on a gravel/old pavement road, and the turning waypoint will show you where to turn left on the grassy path to GZ.
This cache is located in state game lands, so PLEASE observe all state game land rules and wear orange during hunting seasons. During the primary hunting season, finding this cache is recommended on Sunday only.
Getting to GZ from the grassy path is not too bad in the winter time. In the growing seasons of late spring, summer, and early fall, the path towards GZ might have higher grass, and the area right around GZ might have some thorns and brushy growth.
Warmer weather could mean ticks are present, so please be watchful. Ticks pose a potential health risk, so please be sure to check that any ticks are removed from one's person after seeking the geocache.
FTF Gifts: This cache will have an FTF gift hanging next to it outside of the cache container. FTF, please detach the FTF gift with its baggie and take with you. Merry Christmas!
A congratulations on FTF goes to rebeard . Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the 3 "E"s!
(mrGreen317, Sage-Hippo, and littleEEE)