is our month of SUPREMELY WEIRD WEATHER.
Well . . . okay . . . . we frequently have weird weather
but February tends to be the most annoying.
And, here’s a thing – the people that live here (myself, sigh,
included) seem to forget that it’s weird weather month. I’ve known this month to be cold (as in 20°F
– which, as far as I’m concerned is just wrong) for days on end OR nearly
80° for the same number of days. I know
several backyard farmers that will plant their tomatoes in February to get a
jump on fruit production time AND only have to cover new plants with a bucket
if the temps drop a bit. All this is
leading up to the next several days which will range from lows at 60° (tonight)
to low 30’s to 60° all in four days. Ugh.
Just a few Month of/Week
of/Day of tidbits –
Beat The Heat Month. Ok, I had to
look that one up. Has nothing to do with
living somewhere hot and going to a very chilly place in February (although
why anyone would want to do that is beyond me – yes, I know brother – skiing but
that’s beyond my understanding too).
It has everything to do with spaying or neutering your cat or dog. Spaying and neutering your pet and/or neighborhood
(aka feral) cats/dogs in the winter will help avoid kitten/puppy season and
stop the reproductive cycle before it really begins. This is a good thing. Many communities have organization that will work with local vets to offset the cost for ferals and help to socialize them for adoption.
National Condom Month and National Condom Week. According to the ASHA (American Sexuality Health Assoc), “The idea of this holiday is to sensitize American adults to the benefits of condoms and how condoms can substantially mitigate many sexually related mishaps (most commonly unplanned pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections and diseases).
National Mend A Broken Heart Month. Yep, what you’re thinking. “As lovebirds gear up for Valentine’s Day celebrations, those who are single or nursing a broken heart naturally feel left out. While heartbreak is difficult to deal with at any point in time, it’s especially difficult when everyone seems to be celebrating the month of love and romance. National Mend a Broken Heart Month is a celebration for such people. Instead of dwelling on sadness and wallowing in self-pity, the month encourages us to go have fun with friends and family, find joy in the small things, and share our love with everyone we are fortunate to call friends.”
Pull Your Sofa Off The
Wall Month. Another holiday I haven’t heard of – “is a
celebration you can’t afford to miss. Understandably, we are all in favor of a
plan that entails cleaning beneath the furniture. Discover why we are so
enthusiastic about getting your couch off the walls, and learn some tips on how
to do it right." Has to do with cleaning behind/beneath the sofa. In case you didn’t
know, there’s a “history of Pull Your Sofa off the Wall, a timeline starting in
2000BC through 1800’s, and a list of FAQs.
There is a website and everything - who knew??!!
TODAY is also
National Gumdrop Day. Gumdrops came into official being in the 1850’s and while we think of them as the dome shaped, sugar coated, chewy candy, like many things this candy has evolved to include all the “gummy” things. Bears, worms, and, yes, hamburgers
World Hippo Day. “Did you know that before 1909, scientists placed hippos in the same group as pigs? Despite their outward similarities with pigs or wild boars, hippopotamuses are closely related to whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Hippos are semiaquatic mammals that are native to sub-Saharan Africa. They are herbivores and can weigh up to 2,000kg, making them the third-largest land mammal after elephants and rhinos.”
Remember The Maine Day. At 9.40pm on
the night of 15 February 1898 the United States battleship Maine, riding
quietly at anchor in Havana harbor, was suddenly blown up, apparently by a
mine, in an explosion which tore her bottom out and sank her, killing 260
officers and men on board. The
consequence of this was the Spanish-American War of 1898. It was a singularly unequal contest and after
Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders took the San Juan Heights above Santiago, the Spanish government sued for peace. A
treaty was signed in December and Spain lost its last colony in the “New World”. So endith the history lesson.
Susan B. Anthony Day. 1820-1906. Champion of temperance, abolition, the rights of labor, and equal pay for equal work, Susan Brownell Anthony became one of the most visible leaders of the women’s suffrage movement.
That’s all I got for today. Oh goodie – it’s fixin’ to get windy. And cold.
Again.
15 Feb 2023
Weird weather here too! In the 30s one day & the 60s the next - or even on the same day. And we haven't had a lick of snow.
ReplyDeleteI am afraid to pull the sofa away from the wall. Who knows what lurks back there?
It's quite true! We often experience weird weather during February.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
I said to a friend who works with wildlife that whenever I see a baby hippo I think he looks like a little suitcase. To which she said, funny, when I see suitcases at the airport I think of herds of little hippos!
ReplyDeleteGusts of 60 mph winds anticipated for tomorrow in Aurora, OH. Ushering in a cold front, and they mean cold! 28 and snow on Friday, then back into the 40's. No accounting for the current weather!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had some gumdrops to celebrate National Gumdrop Day properly!
ReplyDeleteYou always have such cool information for us to read. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI love that hero with two hearts.
ReplyDelete