Ash Wednesday

I'm not sure what made me think of this except possibly the coming of February and the turning of the year.

"At the first turning of the third stair
Was a slotted window bellied like the figs's fruit
And beyond the hawthorn blossom and a pasture scene
The broadbacked figure drest in blue and green
Enchanted the maytime with an antique flute.
Blown hair is sweet, brown hair over the mouth blown,
Lilac and brown hair;
Distraction, music of the flute, stops and steps of the mind over the third stair,
Fading, fading; strength beyond hope and despair
Climbing the third stair." Ash Wednesday. T.S.Eliot

I have completely missed Pancake Day the last few years. That's entirely the fault of the supermarkets of course on whom I rely for my heads up on the celebration moments of the year. The greetings card industry hasn't found a way to profit by "Happy Pancake Day' cards or 'Have a great Mardi Gras' and the food outlets haven't quite got their head round the way to encourage people to 'eat up all the fats and rich foods in our store today and you will (perhaps) ensure yourself a place in the Hereafter.'