Winter Thaw 2001
Brighid
There are festivals in early February
that are celebrated by many cultures.
Mid Winter Walk
Images of a walk in Panama in the
snow.
Cross Country on Rails to Trails
A great outdoor recreational resource
from the Age of The Iron Horse.
Sweet Retreat
How local friends gather the nector of
the winter gods
Bottom
of the Cycle
Some call this season the dregs and
head off to Florida
Alive
in Winter
It's good to be here and
now.
Valentine's
Day Traditions
Old customs linger.
Happy
Valentine's Day
Grandmother's Valentine card from
1908
- Now in icy mud, so close to
the end,
- we most miss the fresh snap
of green.
Juan Wilson - Winter Thaw 2001
- Halfway down a frosty
trail,
- dusk long forgotten,
- dawn yet a dream.
by Juan Wilson - Winter Thaw 2000
- The midwinter snow is hard
and dirty.
- Safe crossing for a hungry
mouse.
by Juan Wilson - Winter Thaw 1999
We have divided the year into eight phases, based
on the Solstices, the Equinoxes and the midpoints of the
four seasons (see Solar Phases below).
We are now in the phase of Thaw, the
midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring
Equinox. Several traditional holidays fall at this time,
encluding Ground Hog's Day, Candlemas, and St. Bridgit's
Day. For a discussion of these holidays, see
Brighid.
Although the winter season began in
December, here in Western New York early February is
often the height of the winter season. We often have the
coldest days and the worst weather at this time. Everyone
will be very tired of winter by the end of this period.
In the meantime, the days are slowly
lengthening, and we should have a few reprieves in the
form of winter thaws. So when the snow melts off
temporarily, go outside and catch a breath of wet, muddy,
spring which will most certainly come soon. Thaw will
also bring maple syrup season, another sure sign of
spring!
There will be two full moons this
period. The first is Hungry Fox Moon on February 7th. It
is so named because this is the hardest part of the
winter, when many animals starve. In fact, humans used to
also have a hard time surviving February and March, when
larders were empty and no fresh food could be found. The
second moon is Maple Syrup Moon on March 9th, when the
sap will probably be running. The Vernal Equinox is at
8:31 A.M. EST, on March 20th.
All winter long
behind every thunder
guess what we heard!
--behind every thunder
the song
of a bird,
a trumpeting bird.
All winter long
beneath every snowing
guess what we saw!
--beneath every snowing
a thaw
and a growing,
a greening and growing.
Where did we run
beyond gate and
guardsman?
Guess, if you can!
--all winter long
we ran
to the sun,
the dance of the sun!
Native American
Song
Unseen Buds
by Walt Whitman
Unseen buds, infinite, hidden
well,
Under the snow and ice, under the
darkness,
in every square or cubic
inch,
Germinal, exquisite, in delicate
lace, microscopic, unborn,
Like babes in wombs, latent,
folded, compact, sleeping;
Billion of billions, and trillions
of trillions of them waiting,
(On earth and in the sea--the
universe--
the stars there in the
heavens,)
Urging slowly, surely forward,
forming endless,
And waiting ever more, forever more
behind.
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