Today is Candlemas

If the sun shines today (and it is) we get six more weeks of really bad winter weather.

I made up the really bad bit.

So it's just....winter weather then?

Cheers for the weather forecast, jingle

Any excuse to light candles. DH thinks they're a waste of space money but I love 'em.

They make me sleepy.

Done!
(Always do what jingle tells me to)

It makes for a more peaceful life.

I hope!

Durham cathedral lit with 2000 candles this evening. So beautiful and a dazzling red evening sky.all together what a wonderful world.

It's also the day when the groundhog gets frightened of his own shadow.

Just seen this for Candlemas Sunday:

They came, as called, according to the Law.

Though they were poor and had to keep things simple,

They moved in grace, in quietness, in awe,

For God was coming with them to His temple.

Amidst the outer court’s commercial bustle

They’d waited hours, enduring shouts and shoves,

Buyers and sellers, sensing one more hustle,

Had made a killing on the two young doves.

They come at last with us to Candlemas

And keep the day the prophecies came true

We glimpse with them, amidst our busyness,

The peace that Simeon and Anna knew.

For Candlemas still keeps His kindled light,

Against the dark our Saviour’s face is bright.

That's lovely! Where did you find it?

via Twitter. There is a hashtag for "Candlemas Sunday" and several vicars have tweeted.

I shall have to tootle off to find out what candlemass is all about. My noncomformist upbringing didn't instill that festival into my consiousness.

Candlemas candles blown out for another year.

Bit late! Old Scottish poem courtesy of Theseus (who could only remember the first line...) and Google.

Candlemas Day

If Candlemas Day be dry and fair,
Half the winter's to come and mair.
If Candlemas Day be wet and foul,
Half o' winter's gane at Yule.