Saint David's Eve is tomorrow Saturday, February 28th. Prep those leeks and onions.

We are almost through the roughest part of Wintertyde: the final days of February, so we have a double reason to celebrate Saint David's Day as it falls on March 1st. Yippee! Then Wintertyde 2015 wraps up on March 6th. Spring is March 21st, so how do we fill the space in between? Celebrate the heck out of Saint Patrick's Day, March 17th. The popularity of SPD increases each year. OK, first let's deal with Saint David. Your Saint David's Day dragon ornament ought to be festooning your Wintertyde tree:

One ought to go on your Wintertyde wreaths, also. Celebrate both Eve and Day with Celtic music, beer, and onion dishes: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/st-davids-day

No falling into a pit of Winter blues on March 2nd as you shift immediately into Saint Patrick's Day mode even though it's not a Wintertyde holiday. Celebrate with green beer, more Celtic music, Saint Paddy's Day cuisine, etc: http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Holidays-and-Events/St-Patricks-Day/ Your Saint Patrick's day wreath ought to go up on your front door on March 2nd. We stop Wintertyde on March 6th because the focus is now on the Spring month of March.

That difficult last week of February and how to get through it

By the time the scraggly end of February crawls in from the snow, many wonder when the weather will become more gentle as Spring approaches. Look at the short term picture for now. Saint David's Day arrives on March 1st, and although it's sedate compared to Chinese New Year (February 19th), remarkably both holidays feature back-to-back dragons by coincidence. Really. OK, keep Winter blues at bay this coming week by concentrating on the emotionally-significant date of March 1st. March's arrival gives hope that Winter will end. This weekend your Saint David's Day ornaments go onto your Wintertyde wreaths and onto your tree. We use the dragon:

Make your own or search on the Internet with "Saint David's Day ornaments." Here's one from www.zazzle.com

Meanwhile, consider making some kind of onion soup for that day as leeks are a Welsh symbol. Learn more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_David%27s_Day Wintertyde 2015

Happy Chinese New Year 2015!

Wintertyde has decided to add Chinese New Year to the list of celebrated Wintertyde holidays. As February exits, all the diversion and celebration one can get is helpful. Today, you take your family out for Chinese food, and what a perfect day for it!

Read more here: http://www.ibtimes.com/when-chinese-new-year-2015-top-facts-sayings-lunar-new-year-1820644 and here: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/13/celebrating-the-chinese-lion-dance/?ref=nyregion

Wintertyde 2015

Remember to keep pets indoors and chickadees fed

The last of February has been continuing to bring harsh, cold weather weather to vulnerable parts of the USA and Canada. If you're a Wintertyder, you'll know to keep pets warm, safe, and fed during challenging weather events with snow, ice, and wind chill. Keep your bird feeders filled during these finals gasps of Winter so that Winter birds have a source of food. They need it to stay safe and warm as all the protection they have is fluffed feathers.

Chickadees prefer sunflower seeds and suet. Read more here: http://www.wbu.com/education/chickadees.html

www.accuweather.com

Mardi Gras greetings 2015!

Snowstorms have spun out to sea, and now's the time to make Zatarain and celebrate.

Recall it's also "Pancake Tuesday.": http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkpicturegalleries/11345754/The-best-pancake-recipes.html

www.accuweather.com Wintertyde 2015

Enjoy Saint Valentine's Day and stay busy

Saint Valentine's Day often stirs up emotions that may not be pleasant. The best remedy is simply to embrace the holiday and celebrate it to the max with family and friends. Eat lots of chocolate, also, as it has anti-depressant qualities. Now, there's no time for "Winter blues" after Saint Valentine's Day as you have an action-packed week coming up quick. February 17th is Mardi Gras and the 19th is Chinese New Year. Fix New Orleans cuisine at home for the former, and go out to a Chinese restaurant for the latter. You can do this. Keep your Wintertyde wreaths and your tree up to date as the holidays come and go.

www.accuweather.com Wintertyde 2015

Making it through the last 2 weeks of February

Wintertyders know that statistically the final 2 weeks of February are notorious for cases of "Winter blues." Stay busy and diverted! Once you get through Saint Valentine's Day on the 14th,

move straight ahead quickly to Mardi Gras on the 17th.

Food helps cheer spirits so eat well: lots of antidepressive chocolate, tons of New Orleans and Cajun food for Mardi Gras (Google Zatarain.)

Hot of the heels of Mardi Gras comes Chinese New Year on the 19th. Brave the weather and go celebrate at a Chinese restaurant.

It's not an official Wintertyde holiday although we are rethinking its status.

OK, now you have a mere 9 days to get through to Saint David's Day on March 1st, the final day of Wintertyde on March 6th along with the upcoming Saint Patrick's Day on March 17th and the First Day of Spring on March 21st. You can do this even with blizzards raging outside.

Also, read this:

www.amazon.com

Fast on the heels of Saint Valentine's Day (Feb. 14th) Mardi Gras arrives on February 17th. Be ready.

No time for Winter blues on the day after Saint Valentine's Day. Pack away the hearts, and next get started on your Mardi Gras plans. What we do is a good model. All Valentines are gone on February 15th from your wreaths, etc., and replaced with Mardi Gras beads, King's coins, and anything else appropriate goes up on the 15th as the hearts come down. After your decorations are in order with your Wintertyde wreaths and your Wintertyde tree, make plans for Mardi Gras food and music. We fix Zararain items such as Jambalaya or red beans and rice:

http://www.zatarains.com/Zatarains/New-Orleans We use pepperoni sausage for the meat. Incredibly delicious. Search your bakery for a King's cake for dessert:

www.raisedonroux.com We accompany King's cake with Cafe du Monde chcikory coffee: http://shop.cafedumonde.com/ For music try Pete Fountain for Dixieland and the Neville Brothers for traditional second line.

A perfect Saint Valentine's Day gift: a horticultural gift certificate

Saint Valentine's Day will be here in 1 week, and a thoughful gift is a gift certificate from White Flower Farm. Check here: http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/gift-certificates.html#

Saint Valentine's Day is fewer than 2 weeks away, Prepare now

Saint Valentine's Day falls on February 14th, and all of your Wintertyde hearts and decor ought to go up now. This means hearts in your Wintertyde wreaths as well as a heart ornament for your Wintertyde tree. Gifts include chocolates and flowers, but adding in a gift certificate from White Flower Farms is a gift that gives each year as plants. More: http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day/videos/bet-you-didnt-know-valentines-day www.whiteflowerfarm.com