Thursday 1 March 2018

March Days


 Some of the March pages from the Country diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden

 In the Roman calendar March,or Martius, was the first month of a new year. The month was named after Mars, the god of war and the guardian of agriculture. March was the month when both farming and warfare could begin again after winter.

The Saxons called it Lentmonat, or lengthening month, because of the equinox and lengthening of days and this is the origin of the word Lent.

There are many weather sayings,  the best known is

March winds and April showers
Bring forth May flowers.


Also.....................So many fogs in March, so many frosts in May 

Dry days are precious to get seeds sown.................A peck of dust in March is worth a king's ransom

When farm workers were paid partly in cider then a good apple harvest was important, and early blossom was a problem
If apples bloom in March
In vain you'll for them search
If apples bloom in April
Why then they'll be plentiful;
If apples bloom in May
You may eat them night and day.


There are many special days this month

1st .......St David's Day and the first day of meteorological spring
11th .........Mothering Sunday
17th...........St Patrick's Day
20th........ Vernal Equinox, the start of Astronomical spring and the pagan celebration of Ostara
25th..........Lady Day and Palm Sunday
30th........ Good Friday


We had lots of snow overnight Tuesday and off and on all day yesterday. We didn't have to go anywhere so stayed in the warm, fed the birds and watched the weather.


Back Tomorrow
Sue

18 comments:

  1. I hope you can stay in the warm today as well. It is wild! Once the storm is over perhaps we can enjoy some March days like the ones Edith Holden depicted. Her paintings always gladden my eye.

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    1. There are daffodils somewhere under the snow!

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  2. Doesn't feel like Spring just yet! x

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    1. We have the coldest windiest and snowiest day for years here today

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  3. Most of the above I didn't know so thanks, it was really interesting. This must be winter's last fling and by next week things will be much milder. It's snowing lightly here at the moment so goodness knows what we will get today. Stay warm and safe!
    J x

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    1. March has certainly come in like a lion today!

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  4. My Welsh husband, always celebrates St Davids day, often going to his Welsh Guard Parade in Brecon, this year it was cancelled. We are still waiting to see if we get any amounts of snow.

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    1. We have plenty of snow here and blowing a hooley too

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  5. I'm pleased to say we've got some snow! I don't feel left out now. Happened overnight and there isn't much depth to it as you can still see some tufts of grass on the lawn. The met office (in Exeter not too far from us) were right for once and we're supposed to be getting more at lunch-time.

    Joan (Devon)

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    1. I think you might be getting a bit too much snow according to a forecast I've seen!

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  6. Lovely page from the book! I can't wait to see the daffodils start blooming. Not sure it will be this month here. Maybe towards the end. The woods were I walk is blanketed in them when they do pop up. The snow is supposed to be returning here. Sigh. Was hoping we'd had all we were getting for the year.

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    1. Plenty of snow here now and drifting all round the lanes

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  7. It is much colder here today as the wind has risen and really cutting. As it is coming directly from the East it must be even worse where you are. Keep warm.

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    1. The wind blowing the snow into drifts means we are cut off! and very very cold. Stay safe

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  8. Love this book which I haven't looked at for ages so today will take it out again. Today I always remember what my mother used to say "if March comes in like a lion it goes out like a lamb". Let's hope so! x

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    1. There's a windy lion blowing round here today - drifts everywhere.

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  9. Snowed all day again here. Wind is too strong for me to get out, well further than the shedudio, and even that was quite hairy. Hopefully soon Spring will really get going.

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  10. We're hearing about your Beast from the East all the way over here in the US west. We're having a storm threaten to hit us, too. I can't wait until Spring! Stay warm and dry! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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