What amazing timing! On Monday we celebrated Candlemas (see here for some history behind the festival), and we celebrated in school by making candles in the earth around our daffodil spiral.

    

February 2nd is also thought to announce the arrival of Spring or else a second Winter, according to whether the weather is fine or foul. Sun on Candlemas day indicates six more weeks of Winter, whereas an overcast day suggests that Spring is soon to appear.

If Candlemas Day be bright with sun

Then the Winter's but half begun,

But if Candlemas day be dull with rain

Then Winter's power is on the wane.

As the sun was shining on Monday our children declared further Winter to come, and the following morning, lo and behold! We awoke to snow! Now, we don't get snow in the Thames Valley every Winter, so when it does come we need to make the most of it - so we spent the whole morning building snowmen, throwing snowballs and then getting warm again with some hot juice.