Out & About …

… on the North York Moors, or wherever I happen to be.

And so into February

The shortest month of the year, February takes its name from a Roman festival called “Februa” where the city was purified and evil spirits banished. The first day of the month happens to be the halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, qualifying it as the beginning of spring and the start of the Celtic New Year, a time when the days are becoming noticeably longer (but not necessarily warmer), spring is just around the corner and a time to celebrate. And the Celts really celebrated it with their festival Imbolc which means literally “in the belly” or pregnant. No doubt a reference to their livestock being in lamb or calf and a prayer for their safe delivery. With the coming of Christianity, the festival of Imbolc became rebranded as St Brigid’s Feast Day. One of the predictions associated with Imbolc (or St. Brigit’s Day) is if it is raining or cold then spring will come early, but if it is warm and sunny then there will be at least six more weeks of hard winter to come. So an early Spring then!




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