Folk calendar for February 2017 will tell you how to determine the weather, what folk traditions worth sticking to on a certain day, how to care for livestock and what happens in the life of wild animals in the forest. Almost all days of February You can determine by folk signs both the weather and other important points. The folk calendar for February 2017 will help and advise, because it is not without reason that folk signs have a centuries-old history.
Holidays in February - February 12, Three Saints, Vasiliev's Day, Animal Wedding Party
For a long time it was believed that the animal wedding begins in the forests on the Three Saints.
On February 12, the church honors Basil the Great, also known as Basil of Caesarea. Also on this day such great saints as John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian are revered. All three saints are remembered on February 12 - hence the popular name of the holiday - the Three Saints.
Folk signs for the holiday of February 12
The folk calendar notes that, according to popular belief, spinning is prohibited on this date, which is why February 12 is also called “the day of the three non-spinner saints.”
It is also believed that on the Three Saints, an animal wedding begins in the forests: animals form pairs, fights take place between males, and animal breeding begins. The folk calendar for February suggests that people celebrated this holiday in a unique way - they served dishes from game and wild animals.
The folk calendar for February notes that our ancestors also judged the weather by the behavior of wild animals:
- If hares come to the gardens, there will still be a harsh winter.
- If wolves howl close to housing, it also means frost.
- The bullfinch chirps in a creaky voice, which means we should expect a blizzard.
- But mice predict a thaw: a day before the temperature rises, they emerge from under the forest floor into the snow.
- Warmth is also foreshadowed by frost-covered trees.
- The red moon on the Trisagion promises strong wind; and the wind, in turn, promises a wet year.
Holidays in February - February 13 Nikita the Fireman
Nikita is popularly called the guardian from fire, lightning and too hot sun
Bishop Nikita, whose memory is celebrated on this day, is venerated as a saint. He was born in Kyiv, took monastic vows at an early age and went into seclusion. It is known that Nikita was subjected to temptation and could not stand it: the devil forced him to refuse to read the Gospel. However, after the demons were expelled from the monk, he “devoted himself to abstinence and obedience, as a result of which he surpassed many in virtue.”
Folk signs for the holiday of February 13
The folk calendar for February notes that Nikita is popularly called the guardian from fire, lightning and too hot sun. It was believed that at one time this saint could not only put out a fire with his prayers, but also prevent drought.
The folk calendar suggests that on this day it was also supposed to protect the hut from the devil. People were especially afraid that devilry saddles a skate on the roof - and the house will shake, and “bad winds will approach the porch.” Therefore, on Nikita, peasants were especially careful about their homes.
As the folk calendar for February records, the signs of this day are associated with fire.
- If the wood in the stove smokes and does not light well, this is a sign of a thaw.
- But a strong draft in the hearth foreshadowed frosty days.
- They also looked at the flame itself: red fire promised cold, white fire promised warmth.
Holidays in February - February 14 Tryphon the mouse racer, Tryphon with a cat
On Tryphon, the peasants conjured mice and asked them not to spoil the stacks of bread. Whom the church honors on this day, lived in the 3rd century in Nicaea. From an early age, he accepted Christian morals, and as a youth, he showed the gift of miracles, healing the sick. According to legend, Tryphon cast out a demon from the daughter of the Roman emperor Gordian III, who, although he was an idolater, did not persecute Christians. However, during the reign of the next emperor, Decius Trajan, persecution began and Tryphon was executed.
Folk signs for the holiday of February 14
The folk calendar for February notes that on Tryphon the peasants conjured mice and asked them not to spoil the stacks of bread. It was also believed that by certain rituals rodents could be completely driven out of the village:
To do this, the healer took a piece of hay from the stack, took it to the oven and lit it with a hot poker. He poured the resulting ash into the places where hay and straw were stored. At this time, the healer said, turning to the mice: “Don’t eat white wheat, don’t bring you golden barley, don’t gnaw on full-bodied rye, don’t try fragrant hay.” At the same time, he was accompanied by the owner and hostess, carrying bread and salt on a clean towel.The folk calendar for February notes that due to the custom of driving out mice, this day was also called “Tryphon with a cat.” By the way, on this day it was customary to cajole cats, treat them with milk and ask for help in the fight against mice.
Also on the day of Tryphon, unmarried girls prayed for suitors. February was traditionally the month of weddings, and this was considered the best time to ask higher power about family happiness.
On this day we looked at the sky.
- If stars were visible, it meant late spring.
- Snow on this day foreshadowed spring rains, and fog - the onset of good weather.
- They also said: as Tryphon is, so are the remaining days of February.
Holidays in February - February 15, Presentation of the Lord, Gromnitsa
Sretensky frosts were considered the lastThe holiday got its name in honor of the fact that on this day the meeting of the baby Jesus Christ with Saints Simeon and Anna took place. The Virgin Mary came with her son to the temple on the 40th day of his life. Elder Simeon also appeared there, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who was predicted that he would not die until he saw the Savior. He was accompanied by Anna the prophetess, a righteous old woman who had long awaited the coming of Christ.
Folk signs for the holiday February 15th Candlemas
This day was popularly considered the day of the first meeting of spring (the second meeting occurs on Soroki, the third on Annunciation). The Sretensky frosts were considered the last, after which the peasants did not dare to go on a long journey on a sleigh. This day was one of the biggest spring holidays.
In northwestern Rus' the holiday was known as Gromnits. On this day, it was customary to bring candles to church for lighting. Then, during a thunderstorm (and, accordingly, thunder), they were lit to ward off trouble. Thunderbolts (as the candles themselves were called) were also given into the hands of the dying so that evil spirits could not approach him. Also on this day, they sometimes set each other’s hair on fire - this was considered a sure cure for headaches.
At Candlemas, poultry was especially taken care of. For example, they started feeding the chickens oats, saying: “Feed the chickens oats, and in the summer you will have eggs.” And vice versa: “If a bird drinks water (that is, does not eat), the owners of trouble will come.”
There are many sayings associated with the Feast of the Presentation.
- Candlemas - winter meets summer
- Sun for summer, winter for frost
- The day has more light, the night has less cold
- Winter welcomes spring, wants to freeze, but only sweats from its desire
- It was believed that if it snowed, it would be late spring.
- The sky with many white stars already indicated this.
- The weather on Candlemas was used to judge the herb harvest: they threw a stick across the road and observed that if the snow covered it, there would be little grass.
- But if on this day it is quiet and sunny, then flax will be born.
- The drops foreshadowed the harvest of wheat, and the wind foreshadowed the fertility of fruit trees.
Holidays in February - February 16 Semyon and Anna, Guardian of Babies, Pochinki
On this day, they began preparing horse harnesses for riding and arable land.On this day, they revered two saints who met the baby Jesus in the temple on the 40th day of his birth - Anna and Simeon. Simeon the Receiver of God was a pious righteous man, a scientist who lived in Jerusalem. When he was translating the book of the prophet Isaiah, he doubted the words “a virgin will be with child and give birth to a son.” And then an angel appeared to Simeon and promised that the elder would not die until he saw with his own eyes the child born of the Virgin Mary. And so it happened. Anna, a pious widow, was also in the temple at that moment, who, having learned about the birth of the Savior, glorified him.
The second name of the holiday is also connected with the legend - Guardian of Babies. On this day, it was customary to turn to Saints Simeon and Anna with prayer for the health of newborns.
There is a third name - Pochinki. It was born from the custom of starting to prepare horse harnesses for riding and arable land. On this day they said:
- Semyon and Anna are repairing the harness.
- Grandfather gets up at first light, repairing his summer harness and his hundred-year-old harrow.
- Prepare the sleigh in the summer and the cart in the winter.
For this holiday, they cooked a special dish - salamata. This was the name given to unleavened buckwheat dough with butter dissolved in water. On this occasion they said: “The salamata has arrived in the yard - start making repairs.”
Concerning natural signs, then our ancestors watched the snow.
- If it rains flakes on Semyon and Anna, the summer will be rainy.
Holidays in February - February 17 Nikola Studeny, Wolf Matchmaker
Cold day - put on your fur coat againThe Monk Nicholas the Confessor, Abbot of Studiya, whose memory is celebrated on this day, lived in the 9th century. During the cruel persecution of Christians by the Byzantine emperor Leo the Armenian, the Monk Nicholas shared the fate of the Monk Theodore the Studite: they were repeatedly imprisoned and tortured in every possible way. However, they continued to zealously spread Orthodoxy among Christians. During his confessional and ascetic life, Nicholas received from God the gift of healing, which did not dry up even after his death in 868.
The folk calendar suggests that in Rus' this day also had another name - Wolf Matchmaker. It was believed that at this time animal weddings were in full swing in the forests. Our ancestors said that “only Nikola Studeny knows about animal trails in the forest.” And only he knew where the mother wolf made her lair, and how the foxes started dancing.
It was no coincidence that Nikola was nicknamed “icy”. It was a rare year in Rus' that there was no frost on this day. There are sayings about this:
- It's a cold day - put on your fur coat again.
- A mountain of snow will fall on Icy Nikola.
On Nikola it was customary to watch the trees.
- If long spruce branches bend towards the ground, this means a blizzard.
- And if the deciduous forest turns black, you can wait for a thaw.
Holidays in February - February 18 Agafya Korovnitsa, Holodukha
Agafya - patroness of livestockThe day got its name in honor of Saint Agatha (Agatha), a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century. According to legend, she was born in Sicily into a wealthy family. In her youth, Agatha rejected the advances of the city prefect, and he, taking advantage of anti-Christian laws, subjected her to persecution. Despite the torture, the girl did not give up either her moral principles or her faith.
In Rus', the saint was revered as the patroness of livestock. To protect the cows from death, on this day the peasants cleaned the barn with old bast shoes soaked in tar - they said that cow death runs away from them without looking back.
For the same purpose, they also performed other actions: for example, they hung pieces of bread on the cow’s horns or plowed the village with a plow into which the widow was harnessed (it was believed that evil spirits could not cross such a furrow).
It was not by chance that cow death was feared on this day. By Agafya's Day, in lean years, the hay usually ran out, and pestilence began to spread through the barns - Famine (hence the second name of this date). The cows that needed the most feed suffered from hunger first.
There are many sayings associated with this day - primarily about cows:
- Agafya the cow-keeper, take care of the cows.
- The cow is warm - milk is on the table.
- Beating a cow means not drinking milk.
- Grandfather beat a bull, but ran out of milk.
- To love sour cream is to feed a cow.
In addition, on Agafya it was customary to remember ancestors who had passed on to another world.
On Agafya day we observed the weather:
- If it was warm, then cold weather was not expected in the near future.
- At the same time, frost foreshadowed a friendly spring and a dry and hot summer.
Among the ancient Romans, February was dedicated to repentance for sins and the memory of the dead and they named it in honor of the god of the underworld Februus. According to another version, the name of the month was given by the name of the rite of cult cleansing from sins, repentance in Ancient Rome– februarius (Latin – cleansing), since in those days February was the last month of the year.
Old Russian names: the winter winds still whip; low water - the boundary between winter and spring; snowfall, lute - frosts are fierce; Bokogrey - on the sunny side it starts to warm up. In Ukraine, February is called lyutiy, in Belarus and Poland - lyuty.
The average monthly temperature in the Moscow region is minus 9.6°. The length of the day increases by 2.5 hours - up to 10 hours 30 minutes. Total duration sunshine is 59 hours versus 32 hours in January.
Usually in February there are severe frosts, which are respectively called: Timofeevsky (February 4), Sretensky (February 15), Vlasyevsky (February 24).
- February knocks down the horn of winter.
- In February, winter and spring meet for the first time.
- February is a cut: winter is cut in half.
- February is a fierce month, he asks: “How are you wearing shoes?”
- Blizzards and blizzards arrived in February.
- February breaks the winter, lets in the water, adds three hours.
- In the morning a tit screams - it means frost.
- Frost falls at night, but there will be no snow during the day.
- Snow sticks to trees - to warmth.
They believed that whatever the day was like from morning to noon, such would be the first half of the next winter.
Nature comes to life. The spring games of the hares begin, beavers come out, and moose shed their antlers. The birds come to life and the wood grouse begin to chatter. It is rare, but you can hear the sound of a woodpecker.
February 10 - Ephraim - Sirin, Ephraim - Wind Blower, Baking Man, Pribautnik, Cricket Intercessor. Ephraim's day. You can’t kill any insects at home with Ephraim: no cockroaches, no bedbugs, no crickets - the brownie will be offended.
The wind rushed - towards a damp year.
February 11 – Transfer of the relics of the Holy Martyr Ignatius the God-Bearer.
These days, people joked: “The winds blew - the hat was blown away, the caftan was taken off, the mittens fell off on their own.” Wind on this day means a damp and cold year.
February 12 is the Day of the Three Saints - Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom.
According to popular belief, you cannot spin on this day, and therefore it is also called “the day of the three saints - non-spinners.” The sleigh track begins to deteriorate. The thawed patches along the slopes became black.
Rural girls pray for suitors. This belief is probably associated with St. Tryphon because February is considered a wedding month.
February 15 - Meeting: winter meets spring. The first meeting of spring was celebrated at Candlemas. The children called to the sun to appear “from behind the mountains.” It will show - the first meeting with spring went well, no - severe Vlasievo frosts are expected (February 24).
- On Candlemas Day the warmth will melt the ice.
- At Candlemas, a caftan met a fur coat.
- At Candlemas, gypsies sell fur coats.
If a thaw sets in at Candlemas, the spring is early and warm; if the cold turns away, the spring is cold; Snow falling on this day means a long and rainy spring. “If snow blows across the road on Candlemas, spring is late and cold.”
In Ukraine, this holiday is known as gromnitsy, since there is a custom to carry candles to church on this day for blessing, which are called gromnitsy.
In Russia and Ukraine, on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, water is blessed in churches. Blessed Sretenskaya water is considered remedy against various kinds of diseases. By the name of this holiday, the last winter frosts and the first spring thaws are called Sretensky.
The main Sretensky fortune-telling is “for dew.” Each owner put a bowl of grain in the yard at night. If dew appeared in the bowl in the morning, it was a bad sign if there was no dew.
February 17 - cold Nikolai. Reverend Confessor, Abbot of Studium. Cold Nikolai. Nikolsky frosts.
February 18 – Martyr Agathia. Saint Theodosius, Archbishop of Chernigov.
The memory of the holy martyr Agafya is honored - the patroness of livestock, intercessor from fires. On this day, bread and salt are blessed and stored as the most reliable remedy against fire. During a fire, they throw this bread and salt into the blazing flame or completely to the side, into an open field, so that the wind from the fire will be directed there. This day was also called cowshed, cowgirl, golendukha (hunger). In lean years, feed ran out on this day - cow death and pestilence walked through peasant households. To keep her out of the yard, the peasants cleaned the barns with old bast shoes soaked in tar, from which cow death runs away without looking back.
On St. Vukol's day the beetles calve (the so-called cows and calves born in February). We took care of the successful outcome of the spring calving of cows.
February 24 is the day of the Holy Martyr Blaise. Vlasiev day is in honor of Beles, the patron saint of livestock. He is deeply respected by the people. In some places there is a custom on this day to drive cows to churches, where they are sprinkled with holy water. This is especially observed during illnesses and deaths of livestock. On this day they also wear the image of St. Vlasia through the stables and sprinkles all the livestock Epiphany water and fumigate him with incense.
By the name of St. Vlasyev, we know the Vlasyevsky frosts, which occur around the day of memory of this saint and are considered the last frosts of winter. “If Vlasy spills oil on the roads, it’s time for winter to put its feet up.”
Cyril and Methodius compiled the Slavic alphabet and translated it into Slavic language The Gospel, the Apostle, the Psalter and many liturgical books introduced worship in the Slavic language. By nature, sickly and weak, Cyril soon fell ill from many labors and died in 869, bequeathing to his brother to continue the Christian education of the Slavs. Popular name of this day – Kirill Ukaznik.
The last week of February is Maslenitsa. The victory of the forces of light and heat over the forces of cold was celebrated. The winter deity Moran cedes his dominion to the spring deity Lada. Each day of Maslenitsa had its own name:
Monday - meeting. On this day, slides were set up and rolled out.
Tuesday is a game. The games began. For fun they treated us to pancakes and mash.
Wednesday is a “gourmet”.
Thursday - “Walk-out Thursday”. We visited snowy cities and rode horses.
Friday - “mother-in-law's evening”: sons-in-law went to visit their mothers-in-law.
Saturday - “sister-in-law's get-togethers”: we visited relatives.
Sunday is “forgiveness day.” They said goodbye to Maslenitsa, asked their relatives and friends for forgiveness for the insults they had caused: “Let the sun not set on our anger.” And, having expressed what was on their hearts, they began to sing and dance.
The trees are still bare. Their branches bend under the caps of snow. Under a thick layer of snow, the green shoots of winter on the field, the leaves of lingonberry, bearberry and other plants in the forest are warm. The black raven is already building its nest. Black grouse stay in birch forests: they peck birch buds. The first song of the great tit and bunting is heard. The spring arrival of waxwings begins. At the end of February, sometimes at the beginning of March, bullfinches migrate to the north. The she-bear gave birth to cubs in her den. From the middle of the month the perch fishes for mormysh (amphip).
Still everywhere in the sleeping park
The sad air of winter's sleep blows,
But the snow lying around is dazzling and bright.
K. Fofanov
The month of February is the eve of spring. This is the month of the last frosts, prickly blizzards and snow drifts.
“Lute” is the Old Russian name for February. This final month of winter in some years can be very severe and is not even inferior in severity. “February is offended for days, that’s why it’s angry,” says the saying. Due to the abundance of snowfalls and blizzards, it was also called “snowfall”.
The ancient Romans called it februarius. This month was dedicated to the god of the underworld Februus.
“Blizzards and blizzards flew away in February” and “February blows away the winter,” people say. Russian folk song“There’s a blizzard blowing along the street”... it’s probably written about this month.
The average monthly air temperature in Russia is minus 12-14 degrees. Lowest average temperature in Russia up to 38-45 degrees below zero at night was observed in 1966, 1967, 1976, 1979, and in 1958, 1963, 1973, 1975, 1978 and 1980 Maximum temperature during the daytime it rose to 3-5 degrees Celsius. During February, snow cover continues to increase; On some days there are fogs and ice. Monthly precipitation is 23-25 mm.
I would like to say a few words about the features of this winter. It turned out to be unusually snowy and blizzardy. Old-timers have not remembered such heavy and frequent snowfalls for a long time. Suffice it to say that during this winter, on average, precipitation in Russia was 2.5 times more than the average, and this February turned out to be the coldest month of winter.
February, as people say, is a two-faced month: both lute and bokogray. “February is fierce, like God, and he’s not bad himself: he draws, paints, smells the red spring,” “February - crooked roads,” “February is sideways warm - it warms you up on the side, and in the shade the frost grabs your nose,” “Winter with spring meets for the first time” and “February-father - blizzards” - these are the sayings about this time of year. And each of them accurately notes the features of the last month of winter.
Snowdrifts reach their largest size in February. As usual, the first ten days of the month is the coldest, blizzard time, the time of strong snowstorms. Reservoirs freeze to great depths, and there are often nights with cracking frosts. In gardens, parks, and forests, sometimes a strong cracking sound is heard - these are frost cracks appearing on trees with hard wood from a sharp change in day and night temperatures. To protect trees from damage, it is recommended to coat the lower part of the trunks with lime mortar, since fungal spores can penetrate into the tree through frost cracks and cause it to rot.
During the day, the sun begins to warm up slightly, the tree trunks on the south side thaw, and icicles appear on the roofs; during the thaw, the snow is covered with an ice crust on top - an infusion. This is a month of contrasts. In February there is a struggle between winter and spring. Frosts in mid-February are the last effort of winter before the approaching spring. Despite sunny days, it freezes even deeper and this is due to the fact that about 90% solar energy reflected by the snow-white surface. Snow not only cools earth's surface, but also protects it from deep freezing, helps preserve the life of animals and plants. near the surface of the snow it is colder, and therefore heavier; because of this heterogeneity, it seems to slow down its mobility and reduce the strength of the wind. Snow also affects air humidity; like any precipitation, it can evaporate and purify the air.
Day by day it becomes lighter, the sky is increasingly illuminated by the sun, bright, but still powerless to give warmth. The days are getting longer and clearer.
Warm February is usually accompanied by spring with frosts; it is not for nothing that people say: “February lets in the water, but March picks it up,” “If February is not cold, March thinks badly of it.”
Winter gives its last battle last month, because February is a time of contrasts. There are still frosts, blizzards are raging, but you can already feel the approach of spring.
As the day increases (and it has increased by 1.5 hours compared to February), typically spring daily fluctuations in air temperature are observed.
Our ancestors were not stingy with nicknames for February. They called him a blizzard: “February-blizzard is a fierce month, he asks how he’s wearing his shoes.” In those times when New Year celebrated in March, February was called “cut”: it cut off one year from another. It was both low water (the border between winter and spring), and snowfall, and lute. And for the second half of February, another of its nicknames is most suitable - “side warmer”: on the sunny side it begins to warm up.
On February 15, as people said, winter meets spring. Overgrown icicles hung from the roofs, shading the first, still timid, drops. Previously, spring was judged like this: if a thaw sets in on that day, it means an early and warm spring, if the cold turns away, it’s a cold spring, and if snow falls on that day, it’s a long and rainy spring.
February is noticeable blue. The muted blue glow of snowdrifts, forest edges, and bright village streets.
Birds suffer greatly from blizzards, winter cold and lack of food. It would seem that crows are hardy, and often after snowfalls and blizzards it happened to find them dead in the snow.
Everything in the forest is white and white. The snow glitters and sparkles in the sun. In the sparkles of frost, the silent forest sleeps, fluffy, dormant. The green velvet of needle-shaped needles shines brightly, and the openwork curly birch trees shine white. There are lush, whimsical snowdrifts all around.
Bird behavior is changing. Forest drummers - woodpeckers - begin to tap out shots on sushinas. Far, far through the forest, the knocking sound of the forest healer - the spotted woodpecker, is heard, the ringing cry of the woodpecker. You can hear the short silvery song of the pika and the whistle of the nuthatch. In the vastness of the sky, black crows swoop in their mating flight. The surrounding forests and fields are often resounding with their intermittent, guttural scream of “kr-rog, kr-rog.” Exciting and musical in their own way. The proximity of spring has revived these gloomy birds. Magpies chirp like spring, increasingly flying away from populated areas into the forest. But there are still a lot of hooded crows and jackdaws in the cities, but their flight is becoming more cheerful and playful. At the end of February, red-browed male slashers and more modestly dressed yellowish-gray female grouse begin to stay in the forest thickets near their future leks. It's warmer and quieter here. They sit in the trees longer than usual, muttering something. Wood grouse live in pine forests and near remote ravines, hazel grouse live in spruce and birch forests. Black grouse, wood grouse and hazel grouse stop spending the night in the snow as soon as the crust appears. There are cases of the death of these birds during overnight roosts, when after a daytime thaw it freezes at night and the birds are unable to break through the ice cap. Capercaillies fly from the trees onto the snow, leaving chains of crosses on it.
Elegant bullfinches, lively tap dancers and crested waxwings are gradually disappearing from the forest.
In the sunshine, the first, at first timid, spring voices of great tits are heard: “Zinziver, zinziver, zinziver.” These fidgety birds are beautiful and agile. Their breast is yellow, their head is black, their cheeks are white, and they have a black tie under their neck. And the sparrows perked up, chirping with all their might on the midday side of the cornice. Apparently, they also sensed spring.
Many animals are entering mating season - the rut. Foxes run in pairs. Their hoarse, abrupt bark will warn you about this. The cunning fox has difficulty finding food for itself. During walks, you have to listen more often because the smell of voles penetrates very weakly from under the icy snow. It seems that only wolves have freedom at this time. In loose, deep snow, it is not easy for them to catch a hare, and as soon as a strong crust appears, the wolves will be able to quickly get their food. In February, wolves begin their rut. Wolf packs disintegrate, seasoned predators separate from the wild ones, and they also form pairs. Fierce fights take place, in which the stronger and more dexterous male wins. By the end of the month, pairs of wolves make lairs in forest crepes and swamps. The forest giants-elks threw off their heavy “crown” - wide spade-shaped antlers. They have a wedding party in the fall. By this time, the horns will grow, and they will become even more beautiful and powerful than before - the number of processes on them will increase. At this time, it is difficult for moose to move to find food, so they live in limited areas of the forest. In the dens of female bears small cubs appear, about the size of a fist, weighing 0.5 kg each. There are from one to four, most often two; They are born blind and helpless; they begin to see within a month. And although the bear herself does not eat anything all winter, she feeds them with her milk until spring. Some hares also have “weddings”: several of them gather in one place and they organize something like dancing and running competitions in the snow. Only the fastest one can be chosen by the hare.
Paired tracks are becoming more and more common. Only during snowfalls and blizzards do they sit out in their nests (gaynas), not daring to descend from the trees to the ground. On the clear sunny days of February, males look for females and quarrel among themselves. If you hesitate a little, you will not only be without a mate, but you will also become easy prey for the marten - this careful and dexterous animal.
The beavers break the ice and climb out into the wild.
After snowy winters there is a large number of The most numerous shrews or shrews in our republic, which are easily recognized by their elongated muzzle, in the form of a proboscis, velvety fur and small beady eyes. IN snowy winters these insectivorous animals easily get their food under the snow. And if in the summer shrews feed mainly on insects, mollusks, earthworms, small brown frogs and even mouse-like rodents, then in the winter they switch to fallen seeds of birch, linden and spruce. It is known that shrews cannot remain without food for more than 6 hours - they die. The round-the-clock activity of these animals and high numbers indicate their great importance in the life of the forest.
In winters with little snow and severe frosts, when the soil freezes deeply, a large number of moles, also belonging to the order of insectivores, die.
Ice fishing improves in the second half of February. Species such as bream, silver bream, roach, and bluegill begin to emerge from the depths into shallower places. They are caught using various jigs, hooks with bloodworms and donks with worms. But not everyone is lucky. Those who catch it and those who don’t will return home empty, without a catch. You need to know when, where and how to get fish.
Northern burbot have spawned, are holding in the shallows and are good for bait.
The hunt for wolves, foxes and other fur-bearing animals continues.
The river expanses of the Greater Volga are bound by thick ice and the earth is wrapped like a white shroud. It’s bad for animals and birds now. There is no food, and the cold is really chilling. That’s why they huddle closer to human habitation, in case something falls. It’s good only for those who have stored a sufficient amount of food in their cozy holes and hollows since the fall. It is not for nothing that according to Vitaly Bianchi’s forest calendar, February is called “the month of severe hunger.” But the spruce crossbill even hatches its chicks in the winter cold and finds enough food to feed them in the spruce cones. These small birds feed their offspring only pine seeds, softened in the crop. These seeds, ripening by the end of autumn, remain in the cones until March, and then the warm spring sun opens the scales of the cones, and the seeds from them, equipped with winged sails, either fly through the air or glide along the smooth surface of the snow. Fallen needles appear in the snow around the fir trees.
When there is a bountiful harvest, there are many “guests” in the spruce forest. In addition to crossbills, other birds also feed on spruce seeds, and nomadic squirrels stop there. Woodpeckers are big fans of spruce seeds. Having picked a cone and secured it in a crack in the trunk or fork of a tree - a kind of “forge” - the woodpecker rests its tails on the tree and guts it. Squirrels and voles diligently select cones under the spruce tree. It is believed that if there is a good harvest of cones in the forest, then there will be a lot of mouse-like rodents - mice and voles, and, consequently, foxes, martens, and weasels will have numerous offspring. After all, voles are the main food for these valuable fur-bearing animals.
Collective and state farms continue to work on snow retention, transporting organic fertilizers to the fields, and repairing agricultural equipment. People say: “Where the cars are running, it’s easy and hard.”
Folk signs about the weather and sayings:
The forest is noisy in winter - expect a thaw.
If he steps out on the ice in the cold, it will be soon
big thaw.
A cat scratches the floor (wall) - into the wind, into a blizzard.
A foggy circle near the sun means a blizzard.
Two friends - frost and blizzard.
There are frosts in January, snowstorms in February.
Long February icicles promise a long spring.
February rosemary is worth nothing. As it comes back to haunt you in February, it will respond in the fall. The short guy is angry that he hasn’t been given enough days.
February brings the winter to a close and shows the way to the new season.
A magpie climbs under the eaves - towards the blizzard.
The February blizzard is sweeping across the earth, angry with frosts, generously pouring snow, making noise with blizzards, but spring is just around the corner. Her steps are becoming more noticeable.
Blizzards and blizzards arrived in February. I really don’t want winter to give up its rights to the inevitably approaching spring. It is in February - the blizziest, windiest month of the year that winter meets spring.
February is popularly considered a difficult month, rich in trials, which is reflected in signs, proverbs, and sayings.
Signs about February: origin and name of the month
February marked the end of the calendar year in the Roman calendar. And the name of the month was febris, which in Latin means “fever.”
The name is associated with the name of the god Februs, who rules in the underworld, or the goddess Febris, who is responsible for fever. Literally, the month Februarius was associated with purification and propitiation.
The Slavic names of February are no less interesting.
Snezhen (for Russians). The volume of snow, blizzards and blizzards in February sometimes goes off scale.
Szechen. After all, it is February that is divided into winter and spring, or separates winter from spring, and it is also “cut” by the winds. February - cuts the winter in half.
Bokogray - the first rays of the sun are already starting to warm, but only one side, as it freezes at night, and during the day the sun tries to warm it up again.
February the sun will turn to summer.
February will warm the side of a cow and a bear in their den.
Fierce (among the Poles and Ukrainians) - winter is fierce at the last and tries to force winds and blizzards. Svećen (among Croats) and unor (among Slovaks and Czechs).
The month is the shortest of the year. Moreover, it is the heaviest. After all, winter depresses us mentally and physically. And by the end of it, the body is simply exhausted. In addition, supplies are running out, and there is still more to come. Lent.
The place of February in the calendar also changed. There were times when a month completed the year or was sixth in a series. And only after Peter’s reforms in 1700, he took his usual place and became second in the calendar.
Signs of February: the calendar will accept
The good news is that the day has already become much longer. In fact, in a month the length of the day increases by two hours and this is already significantly noticeable.
February adds three hours of the day. The soul asks for warmth and sun, but winter is in no hurry to recede in February. It is believed that there will be seven more frosty mornings throughout the month. Directly on Vlasiya on February 24, as well as three days before and three after.
The month of February is fierce: he asks who is wearing shoes.
February - knock off the horns of winter.
In February, winter and spring will meet for the first time.
The sun warms up during the day, which melts the snow on the roads. By evening, the roads freeze again, becoming slippery and impassable. But where the mud had already appeared, it was impossible to drive through.
February rosemary is worth nothing.
Therefore, they drove around the roads on the sides. Such cunning maneuvers turned roads in southern Russia into wide and crooked roads in February.
February – the roads are crooked, but wherever you turn, you will pass.
February – snowstorm and wind, crooked roads.
Peasants and farmers were more interested in the fact that the days of winter were numbered. And work to prepare for the season has already begun in full swing. Seed material is sorted and processed. They are starting to sow some vegetable crops for seedlings. Although outside the window the first subtle signs of spring are being replaced by winter signs.
Severe frosts in February occur only at night. It seems that the day has become longer, and the sun is warming, and then suddenly the calm snowfall suddenly turns into a blizzard, and sometimes into a real blizzard.
The blizzards and blizzards started flying in February.
It is in February that the number of “blizzard” days breaks records. And the direction taken for spring forces nature to fight, which adds additional tension to the month. But spring is inevitable and winter will meet it on February 15 at the Presentation of the Lord.
What is the weather at Candlemas, such will be the spring.
On Candlemas there is snow - in the spring it rains.
On Candlemas, drops indicate a harvest for wheat.
February – wedding
Another popular name for February is “wedding day”. by all signs it foreshadowed happiness and a long life together.
Moreover, church calendar allowed weddings until Maslenitsa.
Almost the entire winter, starting from November 28 from the beginning of the Nativity Fast and until January 19, wedding baptisms were prohibited. And very soon, with the beginning of Maslenitsa week, weddings will again be banned until the end of Lent.
The beginning of Maslenitsa is always transitional and depends on the beginning of Lent. Therefore, this fun week often falls precisely at the end of February. Most often, weddings take place throughout February, which is why the month got its name “wedding party”.
Weather signs in February
As usual, people's observation allowed us to judge changes in the weather. But in February, people were more worried about the arrival of spring, what the weather would be like and whether there would be more severe frosts. It was according to the signs of February that spring work in the fields and sowing dates were planned.
The wind is blowing, but there is no frost - there will be a snowstorm.
The moon seemed to turn red at night - expect wind, heat and snow tomorrow.
In February, snow sticks to the trees - a sign of warming.
Rainy February foreshadowed a similar summer and spring. And since there is little rainfall in February, you can expect drought in the summer. Warm February brings cold spring.
February is cold and dry - August is hot.
A fine February means drought.
Dry and cold February leads to hot August.
Frequent fogs in February mean a rainy summer.
They made sure to compare February with neighboring months, and on this basis many beautiful proverbs appeared.
Father January - frosts, February - snowstorms.
February with snow, March with water, and May with flowers.
February is heavy with snowstorms, and March is dripping.
February is rich in snow, April - in water.
February will let you in, and March will pick you up.
February builds bridges, and March breaks them.
February blows away the winter, and March breaks it.
And the colder the end of February is, the earlier spring will be.
The beginning of February is fine - spring will be early and pleasant.
Rainy February - for a rainy spring and summer.
Severe frosts in February - to short winter.
Long February icicles mean a long winter.
Warm February means cold spring.
Signs of the February harvest
No less interesting were the signs associated with future harvests. Even children knew such signs of February. Since it depended on future harvests how the big winter would survive the next winter and whether it would be able to sell part of the harvest.
Just as it comes back to haunt you in February, it will respond in the fall (or in August).
In February there is a lot of frost on the trees - there will be a lot of honey.
What will the animals tell you in February?
Animals were good assistants in prediction. They paid attention to their behavior first of all, since living creatures were sensitive to weather changes and the arrival of spring.
If a cat stands on its hind legs on February days and starts scratching the walls with its claws, it will be warm.
Horses' hooves sweat - a sign of warmth.
Video: the calendar will accept for February
Watch the video for the signs of February by day:
