2nd. of February 2009 Juno Februa/ Candlemas / Wives' Feast Day / Groundhog Day

[Willow]

Festival of Juno Februa, the presiding goddess of the month, and Candlemas, the purification of the virgin; which the christians took from our goddess light from dark Pagan belief. The weather on today is said to mark the progress of winter :

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright,
winter will have another flight,
if on Canllemas Day be shower and rain,
winter is gone, and will not come again. Author unknown

Also : If the sun shines bright on Candlemas Day,
the half of the winter's not yet away. Author unknown

These sayings agree with those about Grounghog Day that link the length of winter to whether or not the groundhog sees his shadow on this day. Which by the way he has. But all of us intuned with Nature all ready knew the answer to this one all ready, yep, a latter spring this year.
An old northern English name for Candlemas is The Wives' Feast Day.