The February Jigsaw Puzzle.

 With visitors gone and the house sorted the February Jigsaw is out onto the table .

It's House of Puzzles again and another cheapie from ebay that I wanted to do (and yes I know about libraries and jigsaws but I wanted to do THIS one!) 

Choosing a puzzle for me is a bit like choosing a book . Can't do any old puzzle same as I can't read just any book. Hence the problem when someone gives me a book saying " I've bought you a book because  I know you like reading"..

And yes I realise that I'm just plain awkward!

Anyway, there was a nice surprise when I opened it, as the outside edge had been separated already - handy.

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Sue

Moorhens

 One of the photos I took at Needham Lake a few weeks ago was a fairly decent one of a Moorhen.

Moorhens are everywhere, any ditch or pond will provide them with food - they are omnivorous - eating almost anything -  and somewhere to nest which is often precariously placed on a half submerged waterside tree.

In small spaces they will annoy ducks and drown ducklings being very territorial during the breeding season.

The naturalist, country man and poet John Clare (1793- 1864) wrote a poem 'The Moorhens nest' but I've not been able to find the whole thing online anywhere. JC wrote so many poems over his lifetime  including several about various bird's nests. 

This is the Moorhen illustration from the book ' A Sparrow's Life's As Sweet as Ours' by Carrie Ackroyd. It has mention of John Clare's poem ' - though danger comes, it dares and tries but cannot reach their nests'

Thank you to everyone for comments about the February weather sayings on Saturday's post. Candlemas Day was "Fair and Bright" so "Winter will take another flight". .....Oh dear ...Better Be Prepared!

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Sue

February Country Days

A February page from The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden

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

The full moon this month, on the 12th, was known as the Ice Moon or the Snow Moon and snow and ice are  just as likely in February as they are in January.

I found this February poem by Jane G Austin. An American poet and author who lived between 1831-1894.

February

by Jane Goodwin Austin

I thought the world was cold in death;
The flowers, the birds, all life was gone,
For January's bitter breath
Had slain the bloom and hushed the song.

And still the earth is cold and white,
And mead and forest yet are bare;
But there's a something in the light
That says the germ of life is there.

Deep down within the frozen brook
I hear a murmur, faint and sweet,
And lo! the ice breaks as I look,
And living waters touch my feet.

Within the forest's leafless shade
I hear a spring-bird's hopeful lay:
O life to frozen death betrayed
Thy death shall end in life to-day.

And in my still heart's frozen cell
The pulses struggle to be free;
While sweet the bird sings, who can tell
But life may bloom again for thee!

I wrote about Imbolc, St Bridget's  Day and Candlemas last year so won't repeat again so soon but there are lots of weather sayings for February....................

When gnats dance in February, the husbandman becomes a beggar

A February spring is not worth a pin

Fogs in February mean frosts in May

                                                                 Double faced February

There is always one fine week in February 

Two weather sayings for tomorrow, February 2nd............. 

If Candlemas Day be mild and gay,

Go saddle your horses and buy them hay

But if Candlemas Day be stormy and black

It carries the winter on it's back 

 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.

Back Soon

Sue