voiceless,mountain depths,
to herald spring,
pine trees sound in tune.
~ Princess Shikishi
Wishing all a Happy Groundhog Day and to our English friends and family, Happy Candlemas Day.
Feb. 2 may be Groundhog Day in this country, but in England it is Candlemas Day, 40 days after Christmas. Folklore in that country holds: "If Candlemas Day bring snow and rain, winter is gone and won't come again. If Candelmas Day be clear and bright, winter will have another flight."
Personally, I tend to look to the Forsythia for my weather forecast as to how close we are to the much anticipated springtime. I remember without fail, every year when the Forsythia bushed out in bright yellow blooms my mother would say, "Three more snows after the Forsythia blooms." I don't recall that ever being wrong. There are many that refer to these little sayings as 'Garden Folklore'. Perhaps they are, but then again perhaps not. There is a reason why these little sayings got started in the first place other than boredom or someone just wanting to say something that was way out there. How many people check out those little caterpillars in the fall to see how furry they are or how wide the brown band is on the Bear Worm? I also prune my rose bushes while the forsythia is in bloom. Every year those bushes grow big and strong and produce beautiful roses and lots of them.
While you are waiting to hear if Phil sees his shadow I will leave you with this little poem:
To the Groundhog
Will you
Won't you
See your shadow?
Will it
Won't it
Really matter?
Do you
Don't you
Grin to see
People Take you Seriously?
11 comments:
A clear day with alot of snow on the ground here.....I guess winter will tsay for many more weeks.
Happy Groundhog Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mari-Nanci
Interesting about the forsythia prognostications! In Texas we look to the mesquite bush. Once they start blooming, no more snow or cold weather. They haven't even started to bud! But I do see crocus emerging from the ground!
I used to live in Ohio when I was a young teen. (much water has passed under that bridge!) I lived near Columbus (Westerville) and Marietta. Summers were at Buckeye Lake. I love Ohio!
I had not heard of the Candelmas Day...we kind of have the mixture of the two days you spoke of so there is no telling what we will have...LOL!
I love what I call "old wives' tales" I often wonder how they originated.
That is the cutest little Groundhot poem!
Have a great day!
It has been grey, gloomy and in the 20's which is the warmest it has been in weeks. You are right, those sayings are there for a reason, before Doppler Radar people paid attention to Mother Nature for the forcast. I guess I will need to plant a forsythia bush along with everything else I plan on planting. My catalogs are getting very worn looking. I love your poem, Thank You and happy everything Barbara
Bright and sunny here, but I'll do my usual weather forecasting: look out and see what it's doing. ;o)
We have a lot of that weather folklore that people go by here. Planting potatoes on St. Patrick's Day, even if you have to use a pick on the frozen ground, planting corn when the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear, and so on.
Happy Ground Hog/Candlemas Day, Jo. ;o)
Have a blessed Sunday.
Love and hugs,
Diane
Gotta love the groundhog!
...I am gonna have to go rent the Bill Murray movie now, don't you?
Cheers!
Ah, old Phil has a great life doesn't he? I just always think to myself-it's February we will have more winter weather, but Spring is coming-whether early or late-it's coming!
(I forget to get back to you earlier about the Community coffee, we love it but can't get much of it here. I order it, we get a load each summer when we're at the beach and my husband brings back as much as his suitcase will hold when he travels to areas that carry it. My husband also has a client that sends it to use once or twice a year as a little gift).
That is the cutest little poem. Did you write it?
Hmmm...i don't know what a forsythia looks like! But, yep--there's always a reason for those sayings-
There are so many of these old wives tales and some of them are very interesting. However, here in Ontario we never plant until the 24th of May or the first full moon - whichever comes first.
Enjoyed this post.
Blessings,
Mary
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