Scots Festival on the QM

The Scottish festival on the Queen Mary was a couple of weeks ago but I only just found this video from the Grunion Gazette. 

It's almost Springtime . . .

. . .and so time for The Inn's annual whinge about 21st century Hollywood:

As (almost) always, clicking on things in Blogspot makes them enormous, and therefore legible.

4th Sunday after Epiphany

A hymn and the collect from this morning's Mass.

Let thy blood in mercy poured,
Let thy gracious Body broken,
Be to me, oh gracious Lord,
Of thy boundless love the token.
Thou didst give thyself for me,
Now I give myself to thee.

Oh God, who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright;  Grant to us such strength and protection, as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Candlemas Day

All you  need to know about the liturgical history of  Candlemas Day you can find here.

The Inn had more to say about Candlemas Day here -- including the admonition that today is the very last day to take down your Christmas decorations.   If you neglect to do that, well . . . .

Down with the rosemary, and so
Down with the bays and misletoe;
Down with the holly, ivy, all
Wherewith ye dress'd the Christmas hall;
That so the superstitious find
No one least branch there left behind;
For look, how many leaves there be
Neglected there, maids, trust to me,
So many goblins you shall see.

So saith Robert Herrick.  And seeing goblins is not recommended.

Vulgo dicta, it's also Groundhog Day, in which rodents native to the American northeast predict the weather for the next few weeks according to the formula:

If Candlemas Day be dry and fair,
The half o the winter's to come and mair;
If Candlemas Day be wet and foul,
The half o the winter's gane at Yule. 

Were you so inclined, you could have a kilt made in groundhog tartan, which you can have a look at here.