Groundhog Day!

I love to follow the seasons and holidays throughout the year, February is a nice time of year, signs of spring are all around, even though it is still Winter. Groundhog day, also known as Candlemas has always been a holiday I like to recognize. Some years we eat glazed jelly doughnuts, they are brown and only glazed on the outside, a lot like the winter ground, but are filled w/ berry jelly, also a lot like the winter ground - all the roots ready to burst forth with spring and summer beauty providing us w/ fruits, berries, and veggies, as well as pretty flowers. This year I decided to pull out my Groundhog shaped cookie cutter, I got it a few years back- here is a link for a similar one I found at Amazon-





 I baked a nice batch of Sugar cookies, and had a lot of fun decorating them while Sarah and Joe were at school. Our whole family enjoyed them. We also decided, now that the kids are older that we would watch Groundhog Day the movie, which was interesting and had some very thought provoking messages that were interesting to think about- yet again only if your kids are in their teens. Otherwise I would suggest reading a fun Groundhogs day story to the kids- Gregory's Shadow or Gretchen Groundhog, It's Your Day.

Our day was Sunny until evening, so the local zoo's hedgehog did indeed see his shadow, I believe Phil the groundhog saw his as well- so six more weeks of winter for us.

Candlemas Day is what Groundhog day is also called, as some churches bless candles on this day for use in the church for the coming year, some Christians used to light candles for baby Jesus and his mother on this day as well. I love a little Candlemas poem that I read in My Festivals Family and Food book by Carey and Large-

" 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. "

I have included pictures of our Groundhog cookies, as well as our books, and our two resident Groundhogs who join the house's decor from mid January to mid February.