#WAMSAL2023
February
February - the Month of love... Well that's what the grating card and chocolate manufacturers would have us think as we celebrate St Valentines day.
But, what does February really make you feel and think?
February is supposedly the last month of winter and there are signs of spring beginning to reveal themselves if you look carefully.
The first snowdrops are all ready out with their tiny white heads hanging gracefully over their fresh green stems - the local churchyard has a glorious sweeping carpet of them, as do many of the road sides along the old road over the tops that was once a packhorse trail. I had heard once that the reason for this was traveling people and gypsies many years ago would plant snowdrop bulbs as they went so as they grew and spread they could harvest bunches to sell along their route - I hope that is true, its a wonderfully romantic tale.
Not far behind are the crocus and daffodils adding their splash of pinks and purples and all the shades of yellow - and I always seem to buy more flowers for the house in February and March, almost trying to encourage spring to hurry up and arrive - but February can also supprise us with Snow and Ice, heavy rain, wind and mud - It is said if February has snow and ice at the start, there is more winter ahead than behind - If it thunders in February, there will be frost in April, but if there is Fog in February we will have frost in May! I know I remember Easters where we had thick snow and others when I got sunburn!
I love the folklore around weather.
Imbolc or St Brigids day is on the 1st February, it marks the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox - St Brigid is the patroness Saint of Ireland and worth looking up and reading about her story.
I often find I am at my lowest ebb in February - in past years when I have made those January resolutions, started the diet, joined the exercise group etc I often get to February feeling burned out and wondering why on earth I thought it was a good idea to take so much on - and inevitably I give up on most if not all of those goals.
This year - I am hoping that after spending January dreaming and embracing the cold dark months by not taking on those unattainable goals in the first place, taking a more considered approach to the whole season that February won't be quite such an endurance test!
And so, February's word is PLAN
As nature begins to make the first tentative steps into spring, the sap beggins to rise in the sleeping trees and the buds of the new leaves begin to form, as the hybernating animals step out to look for food and a mate, then from the dreams we had last month, we wipe the sleep from our eyes and stretch our limbs and we can begin to formulate our plan for the coming year.
So I am asking the same questions...
What does February mean to you?
What images does it evoke?
Is there a colour you associate with February?
How does February make you feel?
You may be a huge fan of Valentines day, do meals and flowers and dates and chocolates, the colour of February for you may be red, evoke love and joy, or you might avoid it at all costs, have no interest in it whatsoever and have other significant events you celebrate, or maybe February is just another month to be endured until spring arrives. Make it relevant to YOU, not what social media, supermarkets and advertising tell you what it should be about.
Remember to take it at your own pace, and do no more than you have time or feel necessary - of course if you want to spend hours and hours on it, that is absolutely fine too!
This month I will be demonstrating couching.
Head over to my YouTube channel to see a demo and listen to my ramblings!
(please understand I am very new to videoing myself - they will get better as I go along and I have joined a course to help me improve, but that was after filming this one!)
https://youtu.be/ym_BgmtuQNc
No comments:
Post a Comment