It seems like a short, inconspicuous month, which we hope, it passes quickly so that spring is coming. I wonder, what is February? The earth is at birth. A good metaphor is that it can show the thick stomach of the sheep in this period, about to give birth, as the earth is ready to open its leaves and flowers. The pleasure to these moments of tension around, when nature fills with water, to give everything that is going to be born to drink. This is February. February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is also called gather month, intercalary short month, month mud and rain month. 28 days and 29 in leap years.

History of the month of February

Ancient Roman calendar had 10 months of the year, January and February did not exist. The Romans saw winter as a month free period. When the year was divided into 12 months, January and February were the last months of the year, with March began the year. February was every four years, 29 days. The Earth revolves around the Sun in 365 days and 6 hours. These 6 hours were also calculated, therefore, there was a new day in the calendar that was added in the last month of the year, in February. This happened when Julius Caesar was in power. The astrologer Sosigenes, came to Rome from Alexandria to solve this problem. We had to wait until the year 456 to have January the first month of the year and February second. Interesting in this history is to know that February was named after the Roman god Februus, the god of purification. For the ancient Romans, February was the month of the great cleaning. It was a period devoted to the psychological and physical purity, fields and samples are cleaned, pruned the trees. The land was prepared, the heavy soil was made open, plowed. www.elalmanaque.com www.tuinadvies.nl

Nature in February

The days are longer each time, the light grows. In nature, the air is fresh and clean although there are storms with rain and snow and it often freezes. The first bird groups start to arrive. The green starts to gain space in the earth and the trees begin slowly to get the first flowers, snowdrops, daffodils and crocuses. This month, for nature unpredictable because the freeze can still disrupt the way to the spring. The last remnants of leaves are quickly digested to dung for the earth, food for the upcoming spring. It’s easy to find ladybugs hidden in crevices to protect themselves from the cold. www.joaquinaraujo.com

Dutch weather spells in February

February has many weather spells, real cloud wisdom.

– Although the gather still so bright, she has five days clean though.

– February mosquitoes dance, march gives a bad chance.

– February is wet and cool, then July is often hot and muggy.

– Candlemas dark, makes the farmer a squire.

– Candlemas bright and clear, makes the farmer beggar

Vegetables and fruit of this month

It is difficult to discover which fruits and vegetables belong to this month because the supermarket seems to have everything.

– The Netherlands: In the Netherlands, the fruit of this month apples and (cabinet) flash. The vegetables of this month are the coal, such as white cabbage, red cabbage, green cabbage, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. Tubers: potato, artichoke, celeriac, turnips, radishes, beetroot. In the group of roots: parsnip, radish, radish, salsify, carrots, carrot. And further leek, lettuce, winter purslane, chicory and onions. www.eetgoedvoeljegoed.nl There is an interesting app where you can find the products of the year: iPhone/ iPad app MilieuCentraal and Vegetable Guide Windows

– Spain: In Spain, the fruit of this month: strawberry, lemon, tangerines, oranges and apples. The fruit of this month are: chard , artichokes, celery, eggplant, brocolie, zucchini, cauliflower, cabbage, endive, spinach, peas, beans, lettuce, peppers, leeks, radish, beet and tomato. www.alimentación.es

Lunar calendar of February

The lunar calendar of February you can find on angelesearth.com the post of February 1, 2015, “gift for February”. Want to know more about the movements of the stars in February: hemel.waarnemen.com

Photos: Angeles Nieto