2005-02-01

Februum....

February takes its name from the Roman ceremony of Februum, a ceremony of purification. Places of worship are cleaned and repaired, and ritual paraphernalia are cleansed, repaired, and polished.

It's ironic, then, that this month, named for a festival of ritual cleansing, is such a dirty month. Due to some warm weather and a lack of fresh snow fall, the snow banks have begun to shrink, becoming dirty and dingy, exposing brown earth and dead grass, and forming mud.

Spring doesn't officially start until the vernal equinox, and with it hopefully bringing a promise of rebirth. Early spring, though, doesn't always hold this promise, and while the comparably warmer weather is a welcome respite from the cold grip of frigid January, the gray and overcast skies are depressing and overbearing.

Don't get me wrong: I'm thankful January is over, and February is a short month. I would just much rather it be March, with spring just around the corner.

On a different note, it seems my pleas have helped somewhat: I've picked up a few more responses in the current poll. If you haven't done so already, please vote.

There's also a new restaurant review. If you live in south-central Wisconsin, you might want to check that out, too.

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