Native plants were commonly used to heal all manners of health problems. Our European ancestors brought this knowledge with them wherever they settled. Here is an article that shares just some common plants and their medicinal uses.https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=1169
Helmikuu
The Finnish name for February (’helmikuu’, pearl-month) comes from icy pearls that can be seen on the branches of trees after weather changes suddenly from thaw to frost. In South-Western Finland it was said that ”the forest has ice pearls”. In Eastern Finland the forest was said to have ”splashes”, and in further west ”hazel grouse eyes”.
February is the second of the mid-winter months, or the ’little oak’ (pikkutammi) after the ’big oak’ (meaning tammikuu, January). In Eastern Finland the month has also been called ’kaimalo’ or ’kaimal-month’. The name comes from the fact that the ’little oak’ is January’s little namesake, or ’kaima’, hence the diminutive ’kaimalo’. February was considered rather malevolent when compared to its older brother. February does not, however, manage to be as cold as January, although he certainly tries. ”When I freeze with my other eye, the other one pours water”, February laments. Nevertheless, weather is certainly cold in February. The coldest days of winter are usual.
The Finnish name for February (’helmikuu’, pearl-month) comes from icy pearls that can be seen on the branches of trees after weather changes suddenly from thaw to frost. In South-Western Finland it was said that ”the forest has ice pearls”. In Eastern Finland the forest was said to have ”splashes”, and in further west ”hazel grouse eyes”.
February is the second of the mid-winter months, or the ’little oak’ (pikkutammi) after the ’big oak’ (meaning tammikuu, January). In Eastern Finland the month has also been called ’kaimalo’ or ’kaimal-month’. The name comes from the fact that the ’little oak’ is January’s little namesake, or ’kaima’, hence the diminutive ’kaimalo’. February was considered rather malevolent when compared to its older brother. February does not, however, manage to be as cold as January, although he certainly tries. ”When I freeze with my other eye, the other one pours water”, February laments. Nevertheless, weather is certainly cold in February. The coldest days of winter are usual.
It was tradition in many countries to use a spring tonic to jumpstart your immune system after a long winter without optimum nutrition.https://www.otherworld-apothecary.com/articles/spring_tonics.php
Otherworld-Apothecary
Tonics — Spring Cleaning for the Blood
We are traditional witches and cunningmen who create and sell the herbs, resins, incenses, oils, and other supplies we use in our own magic and ritual.
In Bulgarian folklore, 1-3 February is the first of two annual Wolf Holidays, and in some parts of the country they were marked by ritual precautions to protect against wolf attack throughout the year. It was taboo to spin, weave, sew or open scissors, and no clothes are made or mended at this time because such clothes attract wolves.
In the Christian calendar 2 February is Candlemas, the day when the Virgin Mary presented baby Jesus at the temple, and there is a popular Bulgarian legend about an encounter between Trifon Zarezan, the patron saint of vineyards, and Mary (“bogoroditsa” - the mother of god) on this day.
But in some parts of Bulgaria 2 February is also known as the Winter Mother of God or the Wolf Mother of God. She is the patroness of pregnancy and childbirth.
The Bulgarian beliefs and tradition associated with this day contain echoes of the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia on 15 February. There are also parallels with the Polish Matki Boskiej Gromnicznej, the Mother of God of the Thunder Candle, who is celebrated at Candlemas and is also associated with wolves, as well as with the Irish St Brigid.
In some regions the three days from 1-3 February (Julian calendar) are called the Trifontsi, after Trifon Zarezan, and on 1 February there was a ritual pruning of the vines (now usually carried out on 14 February, new Gregorian calendar). St Trifon and the traditions associated with him have their roots in ancient Thracian times and the rites of the wild wine-loving god Dionysus.
Wolves, mothers, vines, Christian saints, Dionysus, Lupercalia – there are many mythological layers associated with this period!
Image: Matki Boskiej Gromnicznej, the Polish Mother of God of the Thunder Candle, illustration by Edyta Marczyńska
Source: internet
In the Christian calendar 2 February is Candlemas, the day when the Virgin Mary presented baby Jesus at the temple, and there is a popular Bulgarian legend about an encounter between Trifon Zarezan, the patron saint of vineyards, and Mary (“bogoroditsa” - the mother of god) on this day.
But in some parts of Bulgaria 2 February is also known as the Winter Mother of God or the Wolf Mother of God. She is the patroness of pregnancy and childbirth.
The Bulgarian beliefs and tradition associated with this day contain echoes of the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia on 15 February. There are also parallels with the Polish Matki Boskiej Gromnicznej, the Mother of God of the Thunder Candle, who is celebrated at Candlemas and is also associated with wolves, as well as with the Irish St Brigid.
In some regions the three days from 1-3 February (Julian calendar) are called the Trifontsi, after Trifon Zarezan, and on 1 February there was a ritual pruning of the vines (now usually carried out on 14 February, new Gregorian calendar). St Trifon and the traditions associated with him have their roots in ancient Thracian times and the rites of the wild wine-loving god Dionysus.
Wolves, mothers, vines, Christian saints, Dionysus, Lupercalia – there are many mythological layers associated with this period!
Image: Matki Boskiej Gromnicznej, the Polish Mother of God of the Thunder Candle, illustration by Edyta Marczyńska
Source: internet