February 1: It’s Friendship Month, American Heart Month, Library Lovers’ Month, National Bird Feeding Month, National Cherry Month, Black History Month, and National Hot Breakfast Month.

February 2: Groundhog Day. Last year we watched the movie Groundhog Day because Barbara likes it.
Groundhog Day was first known as Candlemas Day, a holy day still celebrated within the Catholic Church. Candlemas Day marks the end of the Christmas season and the midpoint of winter, halfway between the shortest day and the spring equinox. Light the candles in your house to celebrate Jesus, the Light of the World. The custom of predicting the spring weather from conditions on the 2nd of February also comes originally from Candlemas Day.
Here’s more about The Loveliness of Candlemas from a Catholic point of view, lots of ideas and thoughts on celebrating the feast of Candlemas.
Journey Woman on Ground Hog Day, the movie and the holiday.

On February 2, 1949 RCA issued the first 45 rpm record. Do you remember 45’s? If so, do you remember any specific songs you purchased on a 45 record? I remember listening to a set of 45’s of the music from the musical Oklahoma. “Poor Jud is daid. Poor Jud Fry is daid. He’s lookin’ oh so peaceful and serene. And serene.”

February 3: Felix Mendelssohn was born on this date in 1809.

February 4: Lord’s Day and then Super Bowl. Will you be watching the Super Bowl at your house?
Charles Lindbergh, the first man to make a solo transatlantic flight, was born on this date. If you’ve never read the journals of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, I recommend them. The first volume is called Bring Me a Unicorn and covers the years 1922-1928.

February 6: George “Babe” Ruth was born on this date in 1895.
Waitangi Day in New Zealand, celebrating a treaty signed in 1840 between the British colonists and the native Maori tribesmen.

February 7: It’s always fun to see that Laura Ingalls Wilder and Charles Dickens, two of my favorite writers, share a birthday. I think we’ll read some Little House today and maybe we’ll try something with the little ones that I did long ago with the older urchins: make a churn out of a coffee can and make butter. I think I used Tinkertoys for the dasher, but we don’t have any of those, so I’ll have to come up with something else.

February 8: On this date in 1932, John Williams, American composer and conductor, was born in Flushing, New York. I still enjoy the music from Star Wars although I have grown weary of the saga. Play it and remember, if you can, the first time you saw a Star Wars movie.

February 10: February is Friendship Month. Send a friend a letter or a card or a valentine. Renew an old friendship or make an effort to start a new friendship.

February 11: Thomas Alva Edison’s Birthday. On February 19, 1878, he patented the phonograph. Draw an invention that you would like to build. Name ten machines or inventions that are no longer in common use. (Actually, Computer Guru Son prefers phonograph records. Who knew they’d become popular among the musical snobs?)

February 12: On this date in 1924, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue premiered in New York City. Play a recording of it and draw a picture of the city that Gershwin put into music.
It’s also Abraham Lincoln’s actual birthday.

February 13: Betsy-Bee will be eight years old today.

February 14: Valentine’s Day. We’ll be giving out valentines to all our friends and neighbors with these verses printed on them: “Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God, and everyone who loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love.” I John 4:7-8

February 15: In 1874, Sir Ernest Shackleton, the Antarctic explorer, was born. Of course, he wasn’t a “sir” when he was born.

February 16: On this date in 1923, King Tutankhamen’s burial chamber was opened by archaeologist Howard Carter.
Discovering King Tut Online.

February 18: On this date in 1885, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published. Some people say Huck Finn is the Great American Novel. What novel do you think best epitomizes the American experience?
On February 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as the first and only president of the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis’s Inaugural Speech.
Did you know that February 18-24 is National Engineers Week? Celebrate your favorite engineer.

February 19: President’s Day. Since February is National Cherry Month, and George Washington may have cut down that cherry tree, and my Engineer Husband likes cherry pie and we’re still celebrating National Engineers Week, I declare today Cherry Pie Day. “Can you bake a cherry pie, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?” I’ll let you know how the pies come out.
Memorize the names of all the presidents of the US in order.
Plans for a President’s Day Cabin Fever Party.

February 20: Shrove Tuesday, also called Pancake Tuesday or Mardi Gras (Greasy Tuesday). On the day before Ash Wednesday, you were supposed to use up all the butter and cream in the larder before the Lenten fast. >Read about Shrove Tuesday in England.

February 21: Ash Wednesday. Christians from liturgical raditions may go to church on this day, and the minister or priest may smear ashes on the foreheads of worshipppers to signify repentance. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent, forty days leading up to the celebration of Resurrection Sunday. Does your family observe Lent, and if so, how?

February 22: On this date in 1620, the Indians introduced popcorn to the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. That fact sounds like a good excuse to enjoy some popcorn, the homeschool snack.

February 23: Handel’s Birthday. Listen to some Handel today. The Messiah is great, but be adventurous and try something else.

February 26: In 1932, Johnny Cash was born.

February 27: Birthday of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Evangeline anyone? Or Hiawatha?
Also born on this date was Gioacchino Rossini who said, “Give me a laundry-list and I’ll set it to music.” What a challenge! Can you and your children set some words to music today? Perhaps something more significant than a laundry-list—a Bible verse or a poem?

February 28: On this day in 1854 a new political party was organized. Their common goal was the complete and final abolition of slavery; their slogan was “Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Speech, Free Men, Fremont!” Their candidate for president, John Fremont lost the election of 1856, but in 1860 their candidate, Abraham Lincoln, won —a victory that caused the Southern states to secede from the Union in horror.