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| 02/02/2008: "Groundhog Day Revelations"
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Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated among Gaelic peoples and some other Celtic cultures either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Most commonly it is celebrated on February 2, as this is the cross-quarter day on the solar calendar, halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox... Imbolc is traditionally a time of weather prognostication.
In Gaelic folklore, Imbolc is the day the Cailleach -- the hag goddess -- gathers firewood for the rest of the winter. Legend has it that if she intends to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny, so she can gather plenty of firewood. Therefore, people are generally relieved if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, as it means the Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over. (Wikipedia)
Well, that clears up a lot of longstanding questions! No wonder I've always invested Groundhog Day with awe and reverence: it's genetically imprinted!
Nothing but steady, unceasing rain to report for today here in the PNW. --r.
(Adding a couple of hours later) Despite the oppressive dank grayness of the day, I just now heard a chickadee's springtime territorial song for the first time this year. It's almost as if they know that today's Imbolc and that the Cailleach is sleeping through this one...
[Previous entry: "Clarification"]
[Next entry: "Surrendering to the Leprechauns"]
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