St. Brighid is one of Ireland's patron saints, and today she is celebrated.This day also signify's in Gaelic, the beginning of spring. It's one of those ancient celebrations that can trace it's roots back into Pagan days. Interestingly, it may be a forerunner of our Groundhog Day. In the old tradition people would watch for serpents or badgers leaving their winter dens. A Scottish-Gaelic poem about the day,

Thig an nathair as an toll Là donn Brìde,Ged robh trì troighean dhen t-sneachd Air leac an làir. "The serpent will come from the hole On the brown Day of Bríde,                                                                               Though there should be three feet of snow                                                                             On the flat surface of the ground."

I had never heard of St. Brighid's day. A nurseryman in Ireland commented on my picture of Snowdrops blooming at the nursery. He said his too we're in bloom, and mentioned the celebration. I like it as it  connects me with a time long ago. It marks the changing seasons with celebrations based on the light in the sky, and not on whether it could be moved to a Monday so as to avail ourselves of a three day holiday. St Brighid's day always falls on the 1'st of February.

It does seem to be getting a little brighter at 5 pm.