St. Valentine's Brings Snow

I have, growing up, been told that it is auspicious on holy days for there to be snow or rain... Today as of 4 am, drifting fluffy snow, white as virginity has been falling all over the Boulder valley. Pure as the driven snow indeed. It was 65 degrees yesterday. I wore flip-flops. Ahh, yes. The rocky mountains climactic conundrum. If its 70 degrees in the middle of winter: guaranteed -- there will be snow tomorrow. But, today, it seems to blanket and wash clean past hurts and burnish new hearts and new hopes for securing a certain someone's affections. Luckily, I have a “someone,” already.

My intended M and I have very low-key plans for the day. Dinner, a movie. Chocolate. I told you, I'd make a terrible Catholic. M and I have been considering this whole Lent thing and think that we should (maybe now immediately, maybe next year) add something good in, instead of trying to take something away. Like add more walks, more time in seva (service) to the world, be more kind, more patient. Those sort of things. And instead of doing it only for the traditional duration, add it in as something we think will enhance our lives and our beings in a larger and longer sense than a timed deprivation.

Anyhow -- Valentine's Day. I must admit -- this was never a holiday I ever got thrilled about since lower-school when we still got to make all our own Valentines, I always liked that. But I think its just such an odd day. I like the concept but have never gotten into it. You go out, have dinner, go see a movie, cannoodle when you get home, etc. I like the flowers I get... I love flowers.

Yet, on this day, My beloved, M has purchased a vita-mix for me. A 3hp giant of juicing, blending power and its one more thing I have been feeling a Jones for on my way to going more and more raw. Now I can make my own nut-mylks! Hurrah! It is a required staple in the Raw Superhero Household, after all. The more I eat things that are alive, I can't believe the difference. Every morning, I drink my cucumber-celery-apple-parsley-lemon juice (almost -- I do mix it up on occasion, sometimes kale, romaine, raspberry, pineapple, etc. But 9/10 its very very green); it's like drinking liquid sunshine and I can't believe anyone uses coffee to wake up in the morning. Anyhow. I am very happy.

Now a little history notation for you all out there: did you know that St.Valentine's day only became associated with romantic love in the circle of Chaucer in the High Middle ages,when the tradition of courtly love was flourishing in high fashion? It showed up in his Parlement of Foules (1382).

For this was on seynt Volantynys day Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese [choose] his make [mate].

There you are. History lesson accomplished. And now a poem, and I will leave you all to love and be loved and Happy Valentine's Day!

e.e. cummings --
who knows if the moon's
a balloon,coming out of a keen city
in the sky--filled with pretty people?
(and if you and i should
get into it, if they
should take me and take you into their balloon,
why then
we'd go up higher with all the pretty people
than houses and steeples and clouds:
go sailing
away and away sailing into a keen
city which nobody's ever visited, where
always
it's
Spring) and everyone's
in love and flowers pick themselves