It's February !

It's a little hard to believe … but it's February already, and this year it's a leap year, yes there are 29 days in the month! I wonder how many additional marriage proposals there may be? See the folk traditions in this link here

Perhaps being February, Valentine’s Day is on people’s minds, February is a big month for flowers. But, oddly enough, the red rose is not February’s birth month flower! 

The birth flowers that belong to February, are the violet and the primrose.

Violets signify watchfulness, loyalty, and faithfulness.
Give a violet to someone to let them know you’ll always be there for them!

The other February birth flower is the primrose, which lets someone know you can’t live without them.

Like the violet, February’s birthstone is a purple colour... it’s the beautiful amethyst.

• This gem is a form of quartz; it can range from a pale lilac colour to a deep, rich purple.
• The name is based on a Greek myth that speaks of a nymph named Amethyst who was inadvertently turned into white stone; in remorse, the Greek god Bacchus poured wine over her to turn her a beautiful purple.
• The amethyst was thought to prevent intoxication and keep its wearer thinking sharply. It was worn by English royalty in the Middle Ages. 

Did you know:

• February is the only month to have a length of fewer than 30 days! Though it’s usually 28 days, February is 29 days long in leap years such as 2020. 
• January and February were the last two months to be added to the Roman calendar (c. 713 BC); originally, winter was considered a month-less period.
• Originally, February was made the last month of the calendar year. Eventually (c. 450 BC), February was moved to its place as the second month.

And as it's February, it could be time to celebrate five seasonal foods!

Like hardy celeriac, a low carb favourite, and turnips - both versatile and plentiful, making vegetarian cooking easy. Crisp chicory comes in delicate yellow or bold red varieties and is perfect for adding crisp crunch to winter salads. For sweeter treats, beautiful blood oranges and tropical passion fruit add vibrant colour to any grey winter days. Read more here

Cream of Celeriac Soup

see details here

You will find a variety of articles, studies etc. plus recent news/views and recipe ideas within this blog, we hope something for everyone to read and enjoy ... but please note, not all 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