Candlemas Day, Candle-less day,
Half our wood and half our hay.
Dear Spindlewood Parents,
Sorry to be delayed in sending this out. I was away this weekend to visit my parents.
This day mid-way between the solstice and the equinox was once known as Candlemas Day in Medieval Europe. The supply of candles would have been almost exhausted, and this was a good time before spring plowing to replenish the supply. In Japan, there is a celebration of this return of the light on February 3.
So this week in the kindergarten we dipped beeswax candles and later Mr. John drilled holes in slices of ash or birch as candle holders.
Here are some of our verses:
Bears hug in their caves so snug.
Squirrels are restless in their hollow trees.
Fox family yawns and stretches in their lair.
Ground hog pokes his nose from the ground.
Will or won’t his shadow be found? Betty Jones
Song
Ground Hog in your hole so deep
Lift your head and take a peep
If your shadow makes you leap,
Curl back up and go to sleep. Cynthia Aldinger
The children, who respond so readily to changes in the weather, seemed to arrive today ready to jump! So we used the final verse for jumping over a candlestick!
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick,
Jack jump over the candle stick.
On our seasonal table, King Winter now rules! The children who have been here last year are already anticipating the day that King Winter falls asleep on his throne, and the sweet sap begins to flow from the maple trees!
Warmly,
Susan
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