Snow Has Arrived - Morning Musings

 I woke up early this morning and could not go back to sleep.  I came downstairs and started the water for my tea.  The snow had barely started and there was a light sleet coming down.  Luckily and happily, it changed to snow very quickly.   I picked up my newspaper delivered by a good  guy that puts it on a little table just inside the front porch door!  Everyone seems to be excited about the coming of the snow.  I am glad to see the snow and hope that the overall total doesn't exceed our capacity to move it out of the way.  

Today is the first day in a really long time that I have nothing, yep nothing on my calendar.  I am breathing in the comfort of just doing what I need and what I fancy. 

It is February 2, we are halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, the days are lengthening.  This is the pagan holiday of Imbolc.

'Imbolc means “in the belly” and celebrates the pagan Celtic goddess Brigid, who is the goddess of inspiration and creativity, healing, smith craft and poetry.  In ancient times Imbolc was celebrated as a time to reaffirm life and start thinking about the coming harvest season. As Christianity spread from Rome to northern Europe and the British Isles Imbolc was adopted as Candlemas, still celebrated on February 2.'  

 Another ritual of today is the anticipation of the groundhog, most famous in Punxsutawney (I love that name!), PA .  I am quite certain that he will not see his shadow today,  we in the Northeast are all in the midst of a one whopper of a snow storm.   The groundhog prediction also links back to the ancient celebration of Imbolc and the integration of many of the traditions of Imbolc into the Candlemas traditions.  It is said that people believed that Candlemas predicted the weather:

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright
Winter will have another fight.
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
Winter won't come again.

Traditional

 

  As I write the snow continues to fall.  It will fall all day and well into the night.  

I am hopeful that BOX 2 arrives in the Patten Post Office today.   I picked up BOX 1 yesterday afternoon.  These boxes hold my kick sled.  I feel partially responsible for all the snow, as it is absolutely timed with the arrival of my sled.  I have not opened up BOX 1 yet.  It is still in my car. Somehow I want to bring both boxes into the house at the same time.  Ryan owner of Ely Bike and Kick Sled assures me that it is very easy to put together.  I need a phat phillips screwdriver and a 10mm wrench.   Ryan did foreshadow to me that the boxes tend to get separated by the post office in the delivery but they always both arrive.  I am hopeful.

I will call the post office soon and see if the BOX 2 has arrived!  I am remembering the Post Office slogan: "neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail...."   we'll see.  

I have all that I need and much much more to weather this storm.  I am enjoying the ways that the snow keeps changing,  from big flakes to smaller ones.  The density increasing as I look out.  

I am going to bring my ice globes in from the front yard and bring the bench in too.  Keep them safe so I don't lose them in the accumulation of the snow.  I am keeping candles lit today.  I am imagining the celebrations honoring Brigid, the excitement that spring and with it the light.   I am remembering taking candles to my small catholic church and having the candles blessed.   The candles that Gramma Wolz brought out when there was a storm.  I am happy that I have been making ice globes that my neighbors are making ice globes, last night you could see our globes twinkling in the night.  

Celebrate the light.  Settle in for a long falling snow.  Enjoy the day.