February Begins

Welcome February! Spring is coming, and I can't help craving flowers like the lovely ones photographed above by Isabel Gomes.

Did You Know? February gets its name from the Latin Februarius, which is derived from februa or "means of cleansing." This was probably due to the many purification rituals that occured this month in earlier times. Personally, I find February a great month for shedding winter weight, cleaning out wintery dust in my home, and celebrating the longer days by reviewing seed catalogs and preparing for spring.

Here's how Nicholas Breton described this month in 1626, using rather interesting spellings:

"It is now February and ... the Valleyes now are painted white

and the brookes are full of water...the trees a little begin to bud

and the sap begins to rise vp out of the root.

There is hope of a better time not farre off..."

Other Fun Facts about February:

The shortest month of the year often has the worst weather. An old proverb explains, "As the days lengthen, the cold strengthens."

Despite the frigid temperatures, many cultures from the Japanese to the Ancient Celts, celebrated the return of spring around this time because of the longer days and increased animal activity. Read more on this subject; and listen to the Nest in Style podcast.

This blog started in February a year ago, making it a particularly significant month for Seasonal Wisdom.

Look for more gardening tips, strange seasonal folklore and fun interviews with local foods and horticultural experts throughout the year. And thanks for your support and comments so far! Please keep them coming...

Strange Facts about New Year's Day

Happy New Year! Or, is it? The fact is it depends on who you ask and when…In much of the world, it took quite a while before Jan. 1 was actually considered the start of the year.

Throughout history, different countries have celebrated the beginning of the year on different days ranging from March 25 to Sept. 1 to Dec. 25.

The French observed Easter as the start of the year for centuries. They introduced Jan. 1 as New Year's Day in 1564, ahead of many European countries.

Within Italy, different cities started the year on conflicting days. Venice celebrated on March 1 until 1797, when it was conquered by the French Emperor Napoleon.

Florence began the year on March 25 … as did England and the American Colonies until the end of 1751.

Until 1911, the Catholic Church started its ecclesiastical year on Dec. 25 at Christmas.

And the traditional Asian calendar begins the Chinese New Year sometime between mid-January and late-February, depending on the year.

So, as you can see, the issue of when to start the year has been anything but clear throughout much of history.

A Bit About Janus: The month of January is named after the double-faced Roman God Janus, who looks back to the old year and forward to the new one.

That makes it an appropriate symbol for those who like to spend time reflecting during the holidays on the past year and what they would like to attract for the next one.

Lunar Treat: A special bonus this year (2009) is the full moon, partial lunar eclipse occurring right before New Year's Day 2010. It's exact Dec. 31, 2009 at 2:13 p.m. EST. As the second full moon of the month, it's also a blue moon.

Images Credit: Although the moon isn't full in the delightful vintage card above, the festive mood is certainly appropriate as we enter a new decade. All of the cards in this post are from riptheskull at flickr.com. She has an amazing collection of old cards. Go check it out!

Happy New Year everyone! Here's to a peaceful and prosperous 2010 for us all.

For more about the calendar: Marking Time: The Epic Quest to Invent the Perfect Calendar.