Here’s where you can count on me for a quick pick-me-up post from one of my 12 categories, penned in honor of us girls and that letter of the alphabet we’ve all laid claim to, G. My goal is to gladden your heart and add some glisten to your life.
While our modern justice system might have its problems, it’s a vast improvement from the courts of old. Today’s word,
cephalonomancy
is a perfect example.
Cephalonomancy was used in ancient times to detect the guilt of a person accused of a crime. It involved, of all things, boiling the head of an ass.
Wha???
While boiling the head of the ass, the prosecutor would recite the names of possible suspects. If the skull cracked or the jaw moved when a name was spoken, that person was deemed to be guilty.
Engraving of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury, 1875
In case you’re unsure of what the shadow portends, here’s the superstition:
If the esteemed Pennsylvania rodent known as Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.
Photo by Susan Sam via Wikimedia Commons
“The celebration of Groundhog Day began with the Germans, Pennsylvania’s earliest settlers,” explains Groundhog.org. “They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states, ‘For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May…’ The settlers found that groundhogs were plentiful and were the most intelligent and sensible animal to carry on the legend of Candlemas Day.”
Photo by Skeeze via Pixabay
Naturally.
For the latest updates on this year’s shadow sighting, it would be prudent to follow Phil on his Facebook page (insert chuckle here).
His “prognostication” is scheduled to occur between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. (not sure if that timeframe includes some sort of “pre-game” party, but I think I’ll wait till sunup for the report). Check out the official Groundhog Day Guide to see what else goes on in celebration of the 130th annual event.
Of course, if Phil sees his shadow, don’t despair. USAToday reports that, since 1988, the groundhog was “right” 13 times and “wrong” 15 times. In other words, only 13 times did the national average temperature for the remainder of February match what would be expected based on what the groundhog predicted.
And, anyway, if you’re in dire need of spring sunshine, scurry on over to this groundhog’s burrow, where you’re sure to smile:
I recently shared a titch about the sweet, sweet harmony reigning in our home since both of my girls started music lessons in September. But I was skeptical about squeezing a piano into our tiny living room. A piano is generally a big-ticket item, and I really, really want to instill an appreciation for frugality in my children.
Well, it turns out I know a guy who knows a guy who is a professional tuner by day, and he gave us a great deal on a 1950s Kimball that’s in super good shape. Not excellent shape, which is perfect for me, because I’m happy to give it a little cosmetic love. So with plenty of encouragement from a music teacher that I am thankful to have in the girls’ lives, my hubby and her hubby carefully hauled it up our front-stoop stairs and into our living room.
Here’s what the experts say: Playing an instrument is the brain’s equivalent of a full-body workout, especially for children. Learning to play an instrument develops physical attributes in the fine-motor-skills department for sure, but research is now showing that learning an instrument aids in emotional and behavioral maturation as well. That means the little ones are honing their attention skills, managing their anxiety, and gaining control of their emotions, because playing an instrument actually thickens the parts of the brain used to fight depression, aggression, and attention problems.
In school, music-makers generally understand math and science concepts more easily. By learning about note lengths and how they relate to the whole piece of music, students exercise the part of the brain that processes proportional thinking, and that kind of thinking is required to understand math and science at higher levels. It also improves spatial-temporal reasoning, which is the ability to see disassembled parts and mentally put them back together.
Wow, all that from a little ivory tickling. The results I’ve seen in the short time we’ve had our piano are rather astounding. The girls even play it while they brush their teeth! To say the least, they are appreciating it far more than I ever dreamed. This year, I’m anticipating a year filled with sweet, sweet harmony and music.
American Trade Cards, Boston Public Library via Wikimedia Commons
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
