I believe it also replaced some earlier celebration, which no doubt knowledgeable blogistas will comment on to tell us, with a Christian version of it! and it's the Catholic Feast of the Purification, has to do with Mary recovering from the birth, you know the one, on December 25.
Six weeks on, and there is a Catholic ceremony for new mothers called Churching, where she goes to the church and trails about after the priest holding onto the end of his stole (long purple scarfy thing) praying together. Officially a ceremony of thanksgiving for a safe birth, unofficially a cleansing ceremony, sexist anyone....but I digress.
Getting out into the countryside, Groundhog Day and our local groundhog, Punxsatawney Phil gets to tell us whether there will be six more weeks of winter. Well, I suspect there will be, no matter what Phil has to say or squeak on the subject.
And Marigold the Burmese kitty, celebrated by abandoning her new favorite afghan, the one you saw in rough draft, now an FO (finished object, you have to be on knitting site Ravelry to get these terms).
So anyway, it left the afghan free to show you without a cat covering half of the design up.
It's a magic afghan, all lambswool and other fluffy stuff, guaranteed nap within minutes of getting under it.
Keep warm, everyone!
Always did feel dubious about the "churching" thing. Sexist to say the least. The days are getting longer, but still getting up in the dark dark dark morning. Your afghan looks lovely and cosy...soft colours...nice. I think its 6 groundhog weeks more of winter...we should be so lucky. Our dog sled races are coming up shortly and still plenty of snow.
ReplyDeleteImbolc today, for me - and I don't think Wireton Willie saw his shadow as most of Ontario has been under cloud..of course the media will tell me tomorrow if there was a moment of sunshine up the Bruce Peninsula!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful colours in the afghan - "pale Siamese" and pink go well together!!
Salt Water Taffy!
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