Themes and Plans for February

February brings the rain, thaws the frozen lakes again ...

With but two days to go till the new month begins, and without further ado, here for your consideration, are some Themes and Plans for February ...

Nature:

• low, gray, cottony skies
• more and more (and maybe more!) snow
• morning black ice - use caution!
• sap starts to run during mild spells
• Full Snow Moon (22)
• Full Lunar Eclipse! (20)
• seeds begun indoors
• the trees in their bare winter glory
• spring birdsong begins for some species
• snowdrops poking through the snow
• birdfeeder counts across the country
• African violets in a warm sunny window
• icicles hanging (and melting) from the roof
• slowly but surely, lengthening days
• mole tunnels in the soft exposed earth
• skunks emerge from hibernation to choose thieir mate
• red foxes also begin their courting

Folklore:

• "If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter will have another flight; But if Candlemas be clouds and rain, Winter is gone and will not come again."

Food:

• humble winter roots
• citrus still in season
• shepherd(ess) pie for St. Brigid's Day
• pancakes (or paczki) on Shrove (or Fat) Tuesday
• "Fishstick Fridays"
• hot homey casseroles
• homemade crusty breads
• fondue on a fun frosty night
• baked potatoes with all the toppings!
• chocolate, of course - unless you gave it up for Lent!
• homemade coffee drinks
• cherry cake for Washington's birthday
• a jelly roll on Lincoln's birthday
• hot chicken soup for cold and flu season
• herbal teas with honey
• tropical smoothies
• hot chocolate with freshly whipped cream

Faith:

• St. Brigid of Ireland (1)
• Candlemas/The Presentation of the Lord (2)
• St. Blase (3)
• St. Agatha (5)
• Shrove Tuesday (5)
• Ash Wednesday (6)
• Lent Begins (6)
• Holy Twins: Scholastica (10) and Benedict (11)
• Our Lady of Lourdes (11)
• St. Valentine (14)
• Blessed Fra Angelico (18)
• The Chair of St. Peter (22)
• Sunday Gospels:
  • Matthew 5: 1-12a
  • Matthew 4: 1-11
  • Matthew 17: 1-9
  • John 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42

Home & Garden:

• remove snow and ice from roof
• declutter ahead of Easter cleaning
• purchase Valentines (or any last minute materials)
• pick up seeds for spring garden; file in index card box
• order summer flowering bulbs
• take an inventory of garden tools and equipment
• prune where needed
• stock up on bird feeding supplies
• launder all throw blankets
• hang our American flag for Presidents' Day
• inventory medicine chest
• schedule veterinary appointments

Life:

• American Music Month
• Black History Month
• National Bird Feeding Month
• Potato Lover's Month
• National Heart Month
• National Cherry Month
• Great American Pie Month
• Groundhog Day (2)
• Focus on Feeders Weekend (2-3)
• Superbowl (3)
• Super Tuesday (5)
• Weather Forecaster's Day (5)
• Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras (5)
• Primrose Day (5)
• Chinese New Year (7)
  • Year of the Rat
• Abraham Lincoln's Birthday (12)
• Valentine's Day (14)
• Spiderwick comes out (14)
• Great Backyard Bird Count (15-18)
• Daytona 500 (17)
• National Cafe au Lait Day (17)
• President's Day (18)
• Washington's Birthday (22)
• International Polar Bear Day (27)
• Leap Day (29)

Book Basket:

• Brigid's Cloak: An Ancient Irish Story
• Groundhog Day!
• How Groundhog's Garden Grew
• Groundhog Stays Up Late
• Artist to Artist
• Lanterns and Firecrackers: A Chinese New Year Story
• Happy New Year!
• The Holy Twins: Benedict and Scholastica
• Abraham Lincoln
• Saint Valentine
• Love Is ...
• All for Love
• The Best Thing About Valentines
• The Very Special Valentine
• Franklin's Valentines
• George Washington
• George Washington's Breakfast
• Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers:
  • Aaron Copeland
  • George Gershwin
  • Duke Ellington
  • John Philip Sousa
  • Leonard Bernstein

Field Trip Ideas:

• Go cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing at a local farm.
• Visit the Museum of Fine Arts.
• Meet with a meteorologist.
• Meet friends for ice skating at the pond (or the rink).
• Take a trip into Chinatown.

Crafts & Activities:

• Play shadow tag.
• Make silhouettes.
• Make shadow puppets.
• Listen to American composers.
• Anti-cabin fever project: an idea jar
• Lincoln logs on Feb. 12th
• Spend an afternoon making Valentines.
• Make lollipops to hand out on Valentines Day.
• Commence Lenten activities.
• Have a Valentines tea with friends.
• Watch Ratatouille in honor of The Year of the Rat.
• Order Chinese for supper on Feb. 7th.
• Build a bluebird house in hopes this is the year.

Well, thanks for joining me on this rather long journey through the shortest month of the year! The year is a wonderful thing ~ there's always something to marvel over or celebrate, or even just to smile about. And while time does indeed fly by, all these lovely things return to us year after year. :)

Enjoy this day, my friends!

When skies are low

and days are dark

and frost bites

like a hungry shark,

when mufflers muffle

ears and nose,

and puffy sparrows

huddle close ~

how nice to know

that February

is something purely

temporary.

(N.M. Bodecker)