Saint Thomas gray, Saint
Thomas gray,
The longest night and the
shortest day!
Astronomy: The Winter Solstice occurs early this morning at
6:12 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (11:12 Universal Time). The Old Farmers Almanac says that it is
the earliest winter solstice since 1896.
Winter Solstice for us in
the northern hemisphere… Summer Solstice for those in the Antipodes. Maybe it is just easier to call it
December Solstice.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weather Lore:
This is the 2nd Winter
Ember Day. The weather
today indicates the weather for February.
As the wind and weather on
the solstice, so will it be for the next three months.
The first three days of a
season govern the next three months.
A frost beginning on Saint
Thomas's Day will last for three months.
Frost on the shortest day is
said to indicate a severe winter.
If it freezes on the
shortest day, the price of corn will fall;
If it be mild weather, the
price of corn will go up.
Look at a weathercock at
12:00 noon on St. Thomas’s Day and see which way the wind blows – for there it
will stay for the next (lunar) quarter.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Farming and Gardening:
The day of St. Thomas, the
blessed divine,
Is good for brewing, baking,
and killing fat swine.
Plant shallots on the
shortest day and harvest them on the longest.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
At Calmina, the birthday of the blessed apostle Thomas, who preached
the Gospel to the Parthians, the Medes, the Persians and Hyrcanians.
Having finally penetrated into India, and instructed those nations in the
Christian religion, he died transpierced with lances by order of the
king. His remains were first taken to the city of Edessa and then to
Ortona.
Well a day, well a day,
St. Thomas goes too soon
away;
Then your gooding we do
pray,
For the good time will not
stay.
Please to remember St.
Thomas Day.
