Dear Neighbours,
February maybe the shortest month of the year, but it is the month where the days start to get longer with the promise of Spring.
The early days in February mark the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox and, after a long cold winter, people of the Northern Hemisphere have traditionally celebrated with festivals of light known as Imbolc, St. Brigid’s Day, February 1, and Candlemas, February 2. The weather on these days would be used to predict an early spring or a lingering winter.
We continue this tradition with Groundhog Day, February 2, in North America.
Groundhog Day comes from a Pennsylvanian Dutch superstition. If a groundhog emerges from its burrow on February 2 and can see its shadow due to clear skies, then it will retreat to its den, thus forecasting another six weeks of winter. The tradition comes from German-speaking areas of Europe where the forecasting animal was in fact a badger. A belief also existed in Roman Catholic Britain that hedgehogs were the animal that predicted the length of winter.
Here in Alberta, we have our very own groundhog, Balzac Billy, to predict whether or not Alberta will get an early spring! Here’s hoping that Balzac Billy will forecast an early spring!
As always, if you have anything that you would like to see in the newsletter, please email me at the below email address.
Until next time!
Jane Phillips
Editor, [email protected]
