★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
February 2, 2014

★~ Today’s Quote:

If candlemas day be fair and bright,
winter will take another flight.
if candlemas day be cloud and rain,
winter is gone and will not come again.
~ from festivals, family and food

★~ Candlemas:

The word February is believed to have derived from the name ‘Februa’ taken from the Roman ‘Festival of Purification’. The root ‘februo’ meaning to ‘I purify by sacrifice’. As part of the seasonal calendar February is the time of the ‘Ice Moon’ according to Pagan beliefs, and the period described as the ‘Moon of the Dark Red Calf’ by Black Elk. February has also been known as ‘Sprout-kale’ by the Anglo-Saxons in relation to the time the kale and cabbage was edible.”

Candlemas marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox. South of the equator, of course, it’s the exact opposite. In many traditions it is considered the beginning of spring. It’s the dawn of the year. It’s the time of germination.

Now is the time of stirring when the earth begins to soften and the waters to flow, while frost still bites & winds blow,and the light is growing stronger, and life begins to wake. This is the feast of Brigid, the goddess of fire & water. She is the year’s midwife who births the sun. Through the union of fire & water, the ancients, our forebears, worked magic to call in the spring, So let us join together as one folk to make our offerings in joy and reverence. For all that dies shall be re-born. Thank you, Facebook Friend Hazel!

Celebrate today by lighting candles, cleaning your home, planting some seeds (if the ground is warm enough), or starting something; Candlemas is a time of new beginnings. Light a fire and toast some marshmallows; allow your spirit to shine brightly.

★~ GroundHog Day:

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February 2 brings the most-watched weather forecast of the year—and the only one led by a rodent. Legend has it that on this morning, if a groundhog can see its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If it cannot see its shadow, spring is on the way. A groundhog (or woodchuck or “whistle pig”)  became the predictor of spring because it hibernates during the winter months, and when you begin to see them above ground it is a natural sign of spring. Germans who immigrated to Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s began keeping an eye on the groundhog. The widespread population of the rodent made it a handy weather forecaster.

In the 1880s some friends in Punxsutawney, Penn., went into the woods on Candlemas Day to look for groundhogs. This outing became a tradition, and a local newspaper editor nicknamed the seekers “the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.” Starting in 1887 the search became an official event centered on a groundhog called Punxsutawney Phil. A ceremony still takes place every year.

A few Groundhog facts:

Groundhogs and woodchucks are actually the same thing. They are also Groundhogs are sometimes referred to as “whistle-pigs,” since they whistle when they are alarmed… and when they are looking to catch a lady. Play the video ^ to here the whistle.

According to Scientific American, the term “woodchuck” has nothing to do with chuckin’ wood, but rather stems from the Algonquin name for the animal, wuchak. In fact, their diets mostly consist of plants, fruits and tree bark.

Groundhogs spend the summer gorging themselves, get pretty plump (almost hog-like, one might say), and then spend the rest of the year hibernating underground.

You probably won’t see groundhog coats on the runway anytime soon (thankfully). However, the Cornell Chronicle notes that their hairs were once integral to the American Indians, who used woodchuck hides to make moccasin soles.

Woodchucks hold a very special place in the heart of scientists at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine. For over 15 years, medical breakthroughs in liver disease prevention have been made through studying groundhogs.

Groundhogs may look slow and pudgy, but they have no problem shimming up a tree or paddling across a lake.

According to the University of Michigan’s museum of zoology, groundhogs usually only live 4-6 years in the wild, and up to 10 years in captivity. However, Punxsutawney Phil supposedly drinks a “magical” elixir at the Groundhog Day picnic, which some insist has kept him alive for more than 126 years!

★~ Super Bowl XLVIII:

Broncos vs Seahawks: The Super Bowl is the most watched American television broadcast, drawing more than 160 million viewers.

Fans will consume 14,500 tons of chips and 8 million pounds of guacamole on Super Bowl Sunday. It is the second highest food consumption holiday, competing only with Thanksgiving.

★~ Crepe Day:

The French call Candlemas Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or jour des crêpes. They celebrate Chandeleur by eating a lot of crêpes, and they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them. It is tradition to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year. If the crepe falls on the ground, I predict you will yell “oh, crap!” and the dog will prosper. Here is a great recipe (2 1/2 cups of flour, 2 cups of milk a pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon of rum. Put in blender and cook 1/4 of batter in preheated non-stick pan.

★~ Today in History:

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♥~ 1653 – New York City was incorporated . At the time, its Dutch settlers called it New Amsterdam.

♥~ 1913 – One of the busiest buildings in New York, the Grand Central Terminal, opened.

♥~ 1940 – Frank Sinatra had a hit single with the song “New York, New York” in 1980. That was 40 years after he got a big break by joining the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. His first performance with the Dorsey band was February 2, 1940.

♥~ 1959 – The Coasters tune, Charlie Brown, was released. The tune went to #2 and stayed there for three weeks, but didn’t make it to the top spot of the charts. A catchy song (“Fee fee fi fi fo fo fum. I smell smoke in the auditorium…”), it was on the charts for a total of 12 weeks. And what song was at number one, preventing Charlie Brown from reaching the top, you ask? Venus, by Frankie Avalon

★~Born Today:

♥~ 1882 – James Joyce poet, author: once said, “The demand that I make of my reader is that he should devote his whole life to reading my works.” Joyce wrote Ulysses (1922) and Finnegan’s Wake (1939); an autobiographical novel, Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man (1916); and a short-story collection, Dubliners (1914), among other works.

♥~ 1947 – Farrah Fawcett actress: Charlie’s Angels, The Burning Bed; ex-Mrs. Lee Majors; Playboy pictorial [12/95]; died Jun 25, 2009

♥~ 1954 – Christie Brinkley model: Cover Girl Cosmetics; actress: National Lampoon’s Vacation

★~ Good to Know: Super Bowl 2014

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♥~ Seahawks tackle Breno Giacomini sold hot dogs at Fenway Park during his senior year in high school.

♥~ Broncos defensive back Omar Bolden has a website that sells bracelets with positive slogans and donates the proceeds to the community.

♥~ Seahawks punter Jon Ryan played five sports in high school: football, hockey, lacrosse, basketball and track.

♥~ Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has endorsed more than a dozen products and has starred in commercials for, among others, DirectTV, Sprint, Papa John’s, Master Card, Oreos, Gatorade and Buick.

♥~ Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has twice been drafted by Major League Baseball teams — the Rockies selected him in the fourth round in 2010, while the Rangers chose him in the 2013 Rule 5 draft.

♥~ Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey’s first name is Roland.

♥~ Seahawks safety Chris Maragos went to Wisconsin, as did his brother Troy, who is a former Bucky Badger mascot.

♥~ Broncos linebacker Stewart Bradley led his high school rugby team to three national titles.

♥~ No member of the Seahawks has ever appeared in the Super Bowl, marking the first time since the 1990 Bills a team had no prior experience.

♥~ Broncos running back Jacob Hester is a distant cousin of Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw.

♥~ Seahawks running back Christine Michael’s mom named him before he was born because she was hoping her child would be a girl.

♥~ Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno’s first name is a combination of his father’s nickname (Knowledge) and his mother’s name (Varashon).

♥~ Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin has a series of YouTube videos called “Fresh Files,” in which he answers fan mail and talks about his life.

♥~ Peyton Manning was the third-string quarterback his junior year at Tennessee, behind former Rockies first baseman Todd Helton.

♥~ Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch eats Skittles on the sidelines during games, a ritual dating back to high school.

♥~ The Broncos and Seahawks boast a combined five players from the University of Tennessee — more than from any other school.

♥~ Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is a “Deadhead,” a diehard fan of The Grateful Dead.

♥~ The Broncos have more than 458,000 Twitter followers while the Seahawks have over 415,000. Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman leads players with the most followers at more than 694,000.

♥~ Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker is married to country singer Jessie James.

♥~ Both teams have cheerleaders. The Broncos team doesn’t have a name, while Seattle’s crew is known as the Sea Gals.

♥~ Broncos linebacker Paris Lenon played for the Memphis Manix of the XFL in 2001.

♥~ Richard Sherman was the Salutatorian of his high school class, finishing with a 4.2 grade-point average.

♥~ Broncos coach John Fox used the name “Johnny Drama” when he checked into the hospital in December with heart problems.

♥~ Russell Wilson admitted to being a school bully until eighth grade, saying he used to bite kids on the playground.

♥~ Peyton Manning is the only player on either team to win a Super Bowl ring. Only three others have even appeared in the Big Game — Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker (XLII, XLVI), tight end Jacob Tamme (XLIV) and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (XLIII).

♥~ Most common first name: There are six Michaels — Adams and Huff on the Broncos, and Bennett, Bowie, Morgan and Robinson on the Seahawks.

♥~ Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman is the first legally deaf offensive player in the NFL.

♥~ Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor worked in a barber shop sweeping up hair when he was 10 years old.

♥~ Seahawks safety Earl Thomas is taking his barber to the Super Bowl.

♥~ When he was a junior in high school, Earl Thomas’ home in Texas was demolished by Hurricane Rita, forcing the family to live at a Super 8 motel.

♥~Center Manny Ramirez and guard Louis Vasquez of the Broncos were not only teammates at Texas Tech, but roommates as well.

♥~ Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie goes bowling three times a week.

♥~ Blitz the Seahawk has been Seattle’s mascot since September 1998. Miles the Bronco has been Denver’s mascot since January 1999.

♥~ Broncos tight end Julius Thomas led Portland State’s basketball team to the NCAA Tournament in 2008 and 2009.

♥~ Seahawks wide receiver Sidney Rice loves chicken wings so much he is opening five new Wingstop locations in Seattle.

♥~Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is the cousin of Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie

♥~ As a child, Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman played on a youth football team in California coached by Snoop Dog.

♥~ Seahawks center Max Unger hasn’t shaved since July 27, and sports a massive beard, but said win or lose, it will be gone after the Super Bowl.

♥~ In 2004, Wes Welker became the second player in history to kick a field goal, kick an extra point, return a kick, return a punt and record a tackle in the same game.

♥~ Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner was a member of the 2005 Broncos.

♥~ Broncos safety Mike Adams is from Paterson, N.J., just 10 miles from MetLife Stadium.

♥~ Russell Wilson uses a wallet made of duct tape a child gave him during one of his many hospital visits in Seattle.

♥~ Broncos backup quarterback Brock Osweiler is 6-foot-8, which ties him for tallest quarterback in NFL history with former Seahawk Dan McGwire.

♥~ Seahawks defensive end Red Bryant overcame dyslexia and is the first member of his immediate family to graduate from college.

♥~ Champ Bailey (10 seasons) is the longest-tenured member of the Broncos; defensive tackle Brandon Mebane (seven seasons) holds that distinction for the Seahawks.

♥~ Brandon Browner won the Grey Cup with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL in 2008.

♥~ Peyton Manning is one of three current NFL players to host “Saturday Night Live,” along with brother Eli and Tom Brady.

♥~ Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton’s nickname is “Pot Roast,” stemming from the time he raised his hand when a flight attendant asked who ordered the meal on the team plane.

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Ok….I think I’ve given you everything you need to win Groundhog or Superbowl trivia. I know, I’m much too good to you. This Morno, I’m cheering for Punxsutawney Phil (if we have 6 more brutal weeks of winter I suggest we kill the messenger and make a hat) and this afternoon I’ll be watching the Superbowl commercials whilst gnawing on ribs. Who will you be cheering for? More important what will you be snacking on?

Whatever your plans for the day–I hope they include fun and some tasty snacks.

Odd Loves Company!