"Well, today is St Swithin's day. It takes place on 15 July each year, and according to traditional folklore, whatever the weather is like on St Swithin's Day - whether rain or sunshine - it will continue for the next 40 days and 40 nights.
But where does this legend come from and is there any truth to it?
What is the story of St Swithin?
The old poem goes like this...
"St Swithin's Day, if it does rain
Full forty days, it will remain
St Swithin's Day, if it be fair
For forty days, t'will rain no more"
Swithin was a man born in or around the year 800. He became Bishop of Winchester. Unlike other religious figures, he asked not to be buried in a prominent place within Winchester Cathedral, but outside in a simple tomb "where the sweet rain of heaven may fall upon my grave". The legend says after his remains were moved inside there was a great storm and it rained for many weeks after.
Is there any truth to the folklore?
According to the old saying, if it rains on St Swithin's Day it will rain for the next 40 days. If St Swithin's Day is dry, the next 40 days will also be dry.
No one takes the prediction literally - in fact, few take it seriously! - and there is definitely no statistical evidence to support the claim.
Weather experts says that since records began in 1861, there has never been a record of 40 dry or 40 wet days in a row following St Swithin's Day.
So while we might not like 40 days of rain and 40 days of sun sounds fun, neither is likely to happen!"
See original article here
... well we have had rather mixed weather lately, but I believe today is going to be a sunny one, so a nice salad may be on the menu plans.
What's the weather like where you live?
Will you be enjoying a salad, or is your weather more suited to a stew or casserole?
Triple Berry Summer Salad, it's so delicious, more details here
Please note, not all recipe suggestions may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.
All the best Jan
Your salad is like I make for our summer bbq's and it's full of great vitamins too.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of St Swithin so it was interesting reading as always. xx
No conocía esa leyenda. Es genial te mando un beso
ReplyDeleteThat's a new one to me.
ReplyDelete...this should be interesting, we had an early thunderstorm followed by sunshine! 40 more days you say?
ReplyDeleteFirst I am hearing of St Swithin.
ReplyDeleteWow this is a great post. If it is true the wind will never stop blowing here. LOL The salad looks fantastic.
ReplyDeleteDieser Blog ist ein sehr guter Blog !
ReplyDeleteIch habe ihn in meiner Leseliste aufgenommen und lese jeden Beitrag.
Er ist informativ und interessant gestaltet, die vorgeschlagenen Rezepte sehr ansprechend.
Weiter so und alles gute
Liebe Grüße von Jutta,
die nicht immer kommentiert aber immer liest :-)
Just to be sure - I hope St Swithins Day is sunny for you.
ReplyDeleteI hope very much that it won't rain for the next 40 days, we already have extensive flooding here! Have a great day, stay dry! Valerie
ReplyDeleteIt definitely feels like we're having forty days of rain sometimes in our summer, let's hope for sunshine this year.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of St Swithins, but I enjoyed reading about him. Quite the tale. I have my doubts about the folklore, but it is definitely a good story to tell. I LOVE the look of that salad.
ReplyDeleteeach nation beard such pious souls i agree dear Jan
ReplyDeletefolklore sounds intriguing ,it can false for your part of world but sounds true for here as i know it is gonna dry weather for next forty days :(
blessings !
Well it's lovely and warm here today and no rain so far so here's to the next 40 days haha. The salad looks yummy.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of St Swithins and really hope the prediction about the rain doesn't come true, lol. It has been raining for a whole week and apparently more rain to come next week here in Perth. We've had flooded streets, fallen trees, a sinkhole... more rain in 2 days than the normal amount that falls the whole month of July!
ReplyDeleteI will take the rain where I live. We need it. I need to make that summer salad. Have a delicious day.
ReplyDeleteWell I have just eaten my sweets which were strawberries, we eat sweet well after dinner, time is 9.40pm on the 15th, a very rainy day - yes it has rained most of the day!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness no one take St. Swithin seriously because we've had so much rain in the last 2 weeks, and humidity and clouds today the 15th, that I don't want to see if for 40 more days. July is usually such a sunny month for us. I enjoyed reading this and learning something new.
ReplyDeleteWell, the weather hasn't been too bad today...so here's hoping there is something in the ancient folklore!😉
ReplyDeleteOh WOW, that berry salad looks absolutely irresistible...I simply HAVE to try it!!
Thank you so much.😊😊
Have a lovely weekend, dear friends!
Hugs xxx
Interesting post. That salad looks good.
ReplyDeleteSunny day here
ReplyDelete🙂
Interesting story Jan, I did not know it, as all has its part of truth and its part of legend, the 40 days is excessive both with rain and without rain, but not impossible.
ReplyDeleteSalads in summer are all wonderful.
Best regards.
Jutta Kupke said...
ReplyDeleteDieser Blog ist ein sehr guter Blog !
Ich habe ihn in meiner Leseliste aufgenommen und lese jeden Beitrag.
Er ist informativ und interessant gestaltet, die vorgeschlagenen Rezepte sehr ansprechend.
Weiter so und alles gute
Liebe Grüße von Jutta,
die nicht immer kommentiert aber immer liest :-
Google translate...
This blog is a very good blog!
I have included it in my reading list and read every post.
It is informative and interestingly designed, the proposed recipes very appealing.
Keep it up and all the best
Greetings from Jutta,
which does not always comment but always reads :-)
That salad looks super :-D Didn't rain up here was VERY warm today in Scotland!
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard of this before.
ReplyDeleteBut once it did rain for 40 days and nights - Noah. :)
Salad sure looks great! We've been having rains and looks like it might continue for 40 days!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of St Swithins! I enjoyed the tale.
ReplyDeleteThat salad looks delish! Smackin' my lips!
We "luckily" just have grey weather. Parts of Germany drowned real bad. Not a drop here.
ReplyDeleteThe salad looks yummy.
Interesting post. Cool with a little rain here today but I do enjoy a salad.
ReplyDeleteInteresante leyenda. Por aquí mucho sol y subiendo las temperaturas. La ensalada se ve muy buena. Besos.
ReplyDeleteThe summer berry salad looks delicious and just perfect for enjoying in this glorious sunny weather. I'm hoping it continues for the duration of our summer break, with some occasional rain for the gardens, of course. X
ReplyDeleteWhen we were building the addition to our house some 15 years ago, it rained for about 40 days and nights so the carpenters couldn't get started. We met a builder the other day and he remembered that time. We don't have Swithins Day in Hawaii though. It must have been a menehune instead.
ReplyDeleteFascinating...never knew about that "day". and that lemon blueberry below - yum.
ReplyDeleteThis was fun to read! Thank you Jan! Big Hugs!
ReplyDelete