(photos by Elaine A. Russell)

Well... what I had planned on being a very busy day.... turned out very differently indeed. My old friend insomnia decided to change things around and spice things up a bit ... so I ended up sleeping through the major part of the day.

But... the hubby, daughter and I had a fabulous dinner at Chili's (a burger with blue cheese and fries for me)... and a post dinner white chocolate mocha from Starbuck's. ... so there is no way I am complaining.

Today is the first day of February... I am excited at the prospect of a full, new month.
"February was named after the Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 in the old Roman calendar."...Wiki

Today & tomorrow are also traditional days to celebrate Imbolc... if you are so inclined...

"Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Celtic calendar, celebrated among Gaelic peoples and some other Celtic cultures, either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Most commonly it is celebrated on February 1 (or February 12, according to the Old Calendar), which falls (three days before) midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere. Perhaps originally dedicated to the goddess Brigid, in the Christian period it was adopted as St Brigid's Day.

Imbolc is traditionally a time of weather prognostication, and the old tradition of watching to see if serpents or badgers came from their winter dens is perhaps a precursor to the North American Groundhog Day.

Fire and purification are an important aspect of this festival. Brigid (also known as Brighid, Bríde, Brigit, Brìd) is the Gaelic goddess of poetry, healing and smithcraft. As both goddess and saint she is also associated with holy wells, sacred flames, and healing. The lighting of candles and fires represents the return of warmth and the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months." ... from Wiki

... or you can celebrate Candlemas... http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03245b.htm .