Ep 98. Winter Flowers and Folklore

Snowdrops and Winter Aconite bloomed early this year, leading to a chat about the folklore of the winter flowers.

Snowdrops, known as Candlemas Bells, are featured on Candlemas Day, representing Jesus bringing hope to the world.

 We share a history of Candlemas Day, celebrated on February 2nd, along with Ground Hog Day, a holiday representing repetitiveness since the movie Groundhog Day became famous. One of the exciting repetitive tasks in anticipation of spring is purchasing seeds.

Related Stories & Helpful Links:

Winter Flowers and Folklore

March Folklore of Hope

Planting Snowdrops & Spring Bulbs

History of Groundhog Day

The Old Farmer's Almanac Weather Lore Calendar

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I'd love to hear about your garden and nature stories. And your thoughts about topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at AskMaryStone@gmail.com. Thanks so much for tuning in :^)

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Thank you for sharing the garden of life,

Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer
AskMaryStone.com

More about the Podcast and Column:

Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
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Transcript

Ep 98 - Winter Flowers and Folklore 

Sat, Mar 04, 2023 10:33AM • 9:52

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

february, folklore, skis, snow, winter, garden, groundhog day, spring, flower, seeds, planted, winter, aconite, march, backcountry, dilemmas, mary stone, garden, nature, inspiration

SPEAKERS

Mary Stone

Mary Stone  00:00

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary Stone, and welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens, it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Mary Stone  00:26

 Hello there, it's Mary Stone, and welcome to the screen porch.  I'm looking upon a beautiful landscape of snow. Yes, indeed, we finally had a measurable amount, but I'm hearing it melt from the roof. You're probably hearing some dropping of water in the background. But I thoroughly enjoyed playing in it yesterday with Jolee. 

I was able to take out a new pair of backcountry skis named Hoks. It is actually a hybrid of a snowshoe with a cross-country ski for backcountry trails. And I haven't been able to use them. I had long wanted the skis, and Curt gifted them to me a year ago. It was such a delight that they're is finally it was enough snow to play in. Although I have to tell you, I struggled so hard to put these skis on. The nifty part of them is you use your regular boots rather than ski boots. So that sounds like it would be easier. But the bindings were not familiar to me. So, I literally was out there for several minutes. 

Jolee was like, what are you doing, mom? But I got them on my feet. And then I realized that I didn't have my poles. But fortunately, Curt was on his way outside to tend to some snow removal, and he got my poles. So, I was able to take a jaunt. And it was so fun, although the snow was like peanut butter, likely because the ground had been so warm. And so, the Hoks collected the snow, and it happened while I was going down the steep slope that leads to the brook. So, while I didn't fall, I was laughing hilariously because there was no speed at all. It was kind of like tromping through the snow. Anyway, I just thought it was a funny pioneer voyage, and I was glad that it didn't land into a tumble. Jolee was following behind me. As we came back around, Curt asked, so how do they work out? "Well, conditions weren't ideal. Let's just say."

Mary Stone  02:24

After tending to the shoveling, I waxed my good old rock skis and enjoyed the shush. There's a lesson in that the old tried and true, the reliable are just that - reliable. Though I'm sure I will find a place for the new set of skis and become more proficient at putting them on. 

Mary Stone  02:43

Anyway, I wanted to thank those of you that reached back about last week's chat about the Etiquette of Harvesting Rocks and the phenomenon of Stacking Stones. As they took the spin, I came upon a stack of rocks that Curt had made near the vegetable garden. They were covered in snow, and it just looks so lovely with the little footbridge over the pond in the background. So just as I was snagging the photo, Jolee came running beside it, and I got the most beautiful photograph. I will put it on the column post, which of course, there'll be a link for in the show notes. 

Mary Stone  03:15

So yesterday was the last day of February, leading to this week's story that starts like this. 

Mary Stone  03:22

Hello fellow readers and listeners. It wasn't until the last day of February that we had our first measurable snow, and today is March 1, making me think of a previous story about the March Folklore of Hope, which was part of episode 26. If you'd like to tune in to that. You likely know the most famous folklore for March  - in like a lion out like a lamb. There are many others you'll enjoy in the story. It makes me wonder if there's weather folklore for February, and there is. The Old Farmer's Almanac lists there is always one fine week in February. If bees get out in February, the next day will be windy and rainy. Winter back breaks about the middle of February, and Fogs and February means Frosts in May. We had a lot of fog in February, with the temperatures by day that were so warm with frosty nights. So will there be many Frosts in May?  We'll just have to see what happens. 

Mary Stone  04:21

 Snowdrops are emerging early in our neck of the woods. Typically, we see them in the middle of March here. But as it turns out, snowdrops often appear in February in other parts of the country and the world. They are the flower of a Christian holiday on February 2, Candlemas Day celebrates the first bringing a baby Jesus to the Temple of Jerusalem to welcome him into Judaism. It also marks the Virgin Mary's purification. Snowdrops, Galanthus, those lovely little nodding white flowers that magically appear through the last of the winter frosting are also known as Candlemas Bells, representing Jesus bringing hope to the world. 

Mary Stone  05:09

I also came upon a legend that after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, God banished them from the Garden of Eden, which was no more. They became mortal, living the hardships of life sickness, pain, shortages of food, and even death. When Eve grew weary of endless winters, an angel brought snowdrops to assure her winter didn't last forever, symbolizing hope as the first flowers to appear.

Mary Stone  05:37

 Every time I see their lovely faces, I'm reminded that I should put them in our yard. I've often wondered how the ones along the road arrived there. Perhaps someone planted them, though it seems unlikely because they're just in such odd places. Maybe birds move the bulbs, or maybe angels planted them there. By the way, there's a story about how to plant snowdrops in a column titled planting snowdrops and spring bulbs. I'll be sure to put a link in the show notes. 

Mary Stone  06:09

Another early bloomer next to the sheep farm showed her sunny yellow flower buds before a clump of snowdrops -  winter aconite in the Buttercup family. Each cup-shaped flower is encased by bright green bracts resembling a collar. They go dormant in the summer, and the foliage dies back, and they can get weedy. And they are not ideal if you have small children or pets because they are poisonous if eaten. But that's also true if snowdrops, I believe. 

Mary Stone  06:39

I wonder how the little beauties, the snowdrop and winter aconite, are faring under the heavy blanket of snow. I believe they will emerge again unscathed as Mother Nature knows what she's doing. Our goal is to trust and allow and to let go of forcing things. Let go and let God as they say. It's all part of the rhythm of nature. And it is perfect. And so are you. Garden Dilemmas, AskMaryStone.com. 

Mary Stone  07:10

So as you're listening to my voice, I think you can hear the improvement, and I am feeling better. So that goes to the thing about not forcing things. Just allow yourself to heal. So again, I want to thank those that reached back and wished me well, I'm still working through things, but things are improving. And I'm so grateful. 

Mary Stone  07:29

When we were speaking about February 2, I was curious if any of you realized that's also Groundhog Day. I wrote a story a while back about the history of Groundhog Day. But I think we have a little bit of time to share a few of the bits here. 

Mary Stone  07:43

When I was preparing the history of Groundhog Day, it hadn't occurred to me that it was the same day as Candlemas  Day. And it's always on February 2, which is typically the midpoint of the first day of the winter, the winter solstice, and the first day of spring, the spring equinox. And February 2 is halfway between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere. 

Mary Stone  08:10

Of course, we know about the famous movie Groundhog Day which premiered in 1993. It gave a new significance to the holiday is, something that endlessly repeats, while Candlemas  Day represents hope to the world. Groundhog Day, we could say now, signifies repetitiveness. One of the exciting repetitive tasks in anticipation of spring is purchasing seeds. This year, early shopping is best as more have gotten into the joy of digging in the dirt. No hoarding seeds, though. Unlike toilet paper, they have a shelf life. Remember the crazy time during COVID about toilet paper? I mean, really, that was so strange. Besides, most seed packs have more in them than you need. So, share them graciously. Seeds like spring represent the promise of new beginnings. And by sharing the promise, you'll be spreading hope. 

Mary Stone  09:04

Thanks so much for coming by. I always enjoy our time together, and I hope you have as well. And if so, please share the podcast with a friend or two so more can join us in learning and growing in the garden of life. It means so much. Have a great day. 

Mary Stone  09:21

You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook or online at Garden Dilemmas.com and on Instagram at hashtag Mary Elaine Stone. Garden dilemmas, delights, and discoveries is produced by Alex Bartling. Thanks for coming by. I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch. And always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.