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| Winterlude Gala Barbie |
Punxsutawney Phil is not the only Prognosticator of prognosticators. To name a few I found Balzac Billy in Alberta, Shubenacadie Sam in Nova Scotia, Brandon Bob in Manitoba and Wiarton Willie in Ontario.
The mid-winter festival has roots that are obscure but I found references to Candelmas Day, a Christian celebration derived from a Celtic custom. I'd never heard of it. People brought candles to church for a blessing and placed the candles in their windows; sympathetic magic to encourage the sun to shine more, I guess.
The custom came to North America with the Pennsylvania Dutch but it is the Scots who say
"If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year."
Wiarton Willie appears in 1956 when Mac McKenzie, a guy Barbie would love, needed a reason to invite his friends over for a party. The party now lasts a week and 20,000 people come.
Best of all, Ottawa's Winterlude begins this weekend. It features the world's best outdoor skating rink, Beavertails and the Ice Hog family. Barbie went to the opening gala. Everyone loved her tan.
And, for one brief shining cold February day, there was Oromocto Ollie on CFB Gagetown. Le sigh
ReplyDeleteThe predictions are in. Schubenacadie Sam and Punxsutawney Phil both call for 6 more weeks of winter. Wiarton Willie knows we will have an early spring. That clarifies things.
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