A Few Fun February Facts

Amazingly, we’re already around halfway through February, which itself is a sort of halfway kind of month. (Ready for half-term, anyone?? Do we even need to ask?)
 
And while it’s the shortest month in the calendar, if months can be said to have personality or at least character, February certainly fits the bill. Some years it’s icy cold, with storms blowing in from the Atlantic; other years, it’s mild and clear and spring comes early. And some years, it just can’t make up its mind. There’s even more than one way to pronounce February, with some people opting to say “Feb-ru-ary” and others saying “Feb-u-ary”. (That “r” in the middle can literally be pretty hard to get your tongue around!)
 
If you celebrate Valentine’s Day, that’s a major festival this month, on the 14th; or you can adopt a “compassion to all” approach and celebrate the 17th of February as Random Acts of Kindness Day. Or both! 
 
Like every month, February also has its own birthstone and flower. In fact, it has more than one flower: the iris, the violet, and the common primrose are all associated with this month. We’ve already seen plenty of (slightly soggy) snowdrops and a few early daffodils already, and we’re pretty sure the crocuses will be peeking through the soil before too long. Amethyst is the pretty purple birthstone associated with February.

You know we're very interested in food and healthy eating as shown in Food, Food, Fabulous Food, so we have to say we’re also looking forward to Pancake Day, which in 2020 falls on 25 February. Flour, eggs, and milk (or vegan/vegetarian alternatives), and a pinch of salt, some nice butter or oil to fry them in, and then, once cooked, a little dash of lemon, or sugar, or syrup, or honey, or that chocolate spread with the hazelnuts…they’re a meal in themselves. Look out for pancake races up and down the country, from Bradford to Winchester, when people not only race against each other (often for charity), but do it while throwing pancakes up in the air and catching them AS THEY RUN….
 
February can be an incredibly unpredictable month when it comes to the weather, so always having an indoor event back up plan is pretty much essential. Check with your local schools, libraries, and museums to see if they know of any events taking place along the lines of London’s Imagine Children’s Festival at the Southbank Centre.  From the 12th of February to the 23rd, there are masses of free events to join in.
 
Apparently, February is also the third and last month of winter, in a meteorological sense, in the northern hemisphere. Though we’re not entirely sure anyone told Storm Ciara, or her chum, Storm Dennis.…
 
References
(All accessed 11 February 2020)
 
February (2020), Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February
 
Imagine Children’s Festival (2020), Southbank Centre, https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/festivals-series/imagine-childrens-festival, programme at
https://bynder.southbankcentre.co.uk/m/21d1172d4e1a92f8/original/Imagine-Children-s-Festival-PDF-.pdf?_ga=2.216356499.461258308.1581439232-459583893.1581439232
 
Met Office Press Office (2020) Storm Dennis to bring heavy rain and gales to the UK, 11 February 2020,
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2020/storm-dennis-will-bring-heavy-rain-and-gales-to-the-uk-on-saturday