Monday 3 February 2020

February Days

Another book with illustrations to use for the beginning of the month posts. It's a children's book with the Sara Coleridge poem and once belonged to Youngest daughter, it's now gone back to her for Florence.



 Each month there is a flap to lift to see what the mouse family are doing.





February can bring any sort of weather but is often cold around the third week

Double faced February

There is always one fine week in February 


Two old weather sayings for Candlemas (yesterday)............. seem to contradict each other, take your pick!

  If Candlemas Day be fair and bright
Winter will take another flight
If Candlemas Day be cloud and rain
Winter is gone and will not come again.


If Candlemas day be fair and fine
Half the winter is left behind;
If Candlemas day be dull and gloom,
Half the winter is still to come.


Beware of a mild February......
A February spring is not worth a pin

 


In the past the full moon in February (on the 9th) was called the Snow Moon, Ice Moon or Storm Moon, emphasizing the fact that February is still a winter month which is why farmers through time have always been told........

In the barn on Candlemas Day 
                                                Should be half the straw and half the hay



Day length increases by 1hour and 48 minutes during this month..............thank goodness.

The Anglo-Saxons called February 'Solmonarth' which means flat-cake month. Cakes would be made as offerings to the gods in thanks of the lengthening daylight.

I like this saying I found

A warm day in February is a dream of April

Back Tomorrow
Sue 

19 comments:

  1. I rather love that last saying too. It's not one I have heard before and it's delightful.
    While I don't notice the earlier mornings yet, the longer afternoons before darkness lands are very cheering. It's nice to walk home from a couple of tuition sessions in daylight again.
    xx

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  2. The Finn call this month helmikuu - the Month of the Pearl. When the snow melts on the trees, the droplets refreeze and look like pearls. I'm glad it's not that cold round here right now!

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  3. I don’t think w have seen the last of Winter yet. The phrase A February Spring is not worth a pin maytill be true.

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  4. Hope you had a good weekend Sue I went to Stowe yesterday and we had a lovely walk and saw lots of snowdrops, lots of people about.
    I like your book.
    Hazel c uk

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  5. The February moon is also known as the Hunger Moon...scary if you haven’t put up enough stores to last a long Winter! x

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  6. What a delightful book. Sayings were often passed down as many people were illiterate or couldn't afford the luxury of books or Almanacs. In the days before industry the seasons probably never altered much, but with our climate change you can get heatwaves in February and snow in July!! Best, Jane x

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  7. Our forebears were a canny lot and I love these sayings they left behind, but going by what Jane (above) said, they were illiterate so would they even have a calendar to compare the same day/week/month each year? Or was it something built into them like intuition, some kind of pagan knowledge that has died a death over the years. It is so fascinating having this connection with them.

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  8. August 1888 - Greenwich recorded weather as cold as February which continued for three consecutive months. Almanac of that year. Harvest devastated.

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  9. I love the illustrations from children's books. I hope February brings you pleasant days. We had a sunny, almost warm day yesterday but snow coming tomorrow.

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  10. I love that last quote. lovely book too - the children must so enjoy it.

    very mild springlike february here. sorry for lack of capitals, but still having to do one finger typing due to sprained wrist/hand.

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  11. I noticed we now have 10 hours of daylight here (7:30 to 5:30). Obviously a well-loved book!

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  12. What an absolutely beautiful book! I can't wait for longer days. I know technically they have gotten longer, but most days it's been grey and dreary and not a lot of light at all at any time of the day. I am keeping my eyes on Spring.

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  13. Love the saying as well.

    God bless.

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  14. Just charming. I love books like this. They enchant me.

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  15. Sweet book... Passing on to the next generation.

    Me'thinks we just have to take each month, as it comes. -smile-

    *•.¸ðŸ’›¸.•*

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  16. I really enjoyed reading about February in my almanac.
    Love the illustrations in your childrens book, so pretty.

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  17. I love February days. Both my boys were born in February, one at the start of the month and one at the end … six years apart I hasten to add. It's a good month to have a baby, you can stay snuggled indoors and not feel at all guilty. Now of course over 30 years later, we get to celebrate twice in one month, so it's still a good month for us.

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  18. February is usually the coldest month of winter here, but this year I am not letting it slow me down. I like the idea of flat cakes - somehow I need to take advantage of that!

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