Leap Day Birthday?

Leap years. The day that only comes once every four years.  Let's start this post, then, with something totally unrelated.

I know someone who was born on July 4.  

Here in the United States, July 4th is our Independence Day.  It's celebrated with fireworks, outdoor BBQ's, and parades (not necessarily in that order).  In my youth, most people had the day off.  It's a national holiday.

I asked this person once, how old were you when you first realized all the celebrations weren't to celebrate your birthday?  She just chuckled.  Maybe she's been asked that a lot.

It makes me think, every February 29, about all those born on February 29.  Technically, they only have a birthday to celebrate once every four years.  It's kind of the opposite of the Fourth of July.  No fireworks.  No bonfires.  No parades.

They only get to celebrate their true birthdays once every four years.

So, what about these people?

Some talented people were born on February 29.

So what happens if you are born on February 29?

Congratulations!  You have the rarest birthday a person can have.  There's only a one in 1,461 chance a baby will be born on February 29. The link in the last sentence also explains why a leap day every four years in our Gregorian calendar.

Most people born on that date celebrate (except in leap years) either on February 28 or March 1.  

February 29 remains your legal birthdate for official IDs.

But you don't age 1/4 as fast as the rest of us.

And you have restaurants and other businesses celebrating with specials - like these.

So, if today is your birthday, celebrate it in style.  You are special!  (although maybe not as special as someone born on July 4th....only kidding!)

And if any of my readers happen to have a birthday today - happy birthday!

The House in Upstate New York Leap Day Flower Show

Once every four years, we are given a bonus day.  Today is leap day.

Why do we leap?  It's interesting.

At my Weight Watchers meeting this week, we were asked if any of us were born on February 29 or, if not, if we knew anyone who was. No one born on that day, but a couple of us knew people.  The next question:  do they celebrate on February 28 or March 1?

Today they can celebrate on February 29.

But, the bonus day has been interesting so far for other reasons.

A Facebook friend reminisces about her late father, who was born on February 29, 1916.

A person I sometimes interact on Facebook with reported a scam.

And...I decided not to go to the Philadelphia Flower Show, a show I've wanted to go to for years.  I had taken off yesterday and Monday from work to do this.  We were waiting for the last minute because it's still winter, and a snowstorm could have prevented us going down this weekend.

But it wasn't the weather that stopped me. It was fear.  Not of the flowers and plants, but of the massive number of people expecting to attend - perhaps over 250,000 in a week's time.

It's true that the flower show is taking various precautions. And, there are no known cases of coronavirus in Philadelphia.  But this show also attracts people from various parts of the country and the world.

Ironically, in a way,  we did our normal food shopping this morning in a crowded 100,000 plus square foot supermarket.  Perhaps you are less fearful at home.

But even at the checkout, I looked over at the next checkout and a couple were rubbing their hands with hand sanitizer. And I find myself reading a bit obsessively about the virus and how to prepare (and we did go to the store for extra supplies.  Also, hand sanitizer - which I normally try to avoid using, being more of a believer in the power of soap.)  I'm becoming a lot more conscious of touching my face, and trying to break the habit.

Valentines Day Gift

So, I am going to do my own little flower show today.  No, it's not the Riviera theme of the Philadelphia Flower Show.  Call it the House in Upstate New York on Leap Day theme.

Black Friday special at Home Depot and still has some blooms

Usually I don't even have this many flowers.

But this year is special.  It's a leap year.  And my Thanksgiving cactii will all be in bloom a couple of days from now.

Do you get the idea that I like pink flowers?

A poinsettia from 2018 continues to rebloom, slowly.  Looks better than it did on the 15th.

With us posed on the knife edge of who knows what, all we can do is hope for the best, and take a flower break from time to time.

Happy Leap Day to you.

Flower Power!

Jump In - Music Moves Me

It's Monday, and it's time to rock into a 29 day February!  It comes only once every four years, so it's time for a celebration.


Who are the members of #MusicMovesMe?

We are bloggers who blog with music each Monday. If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only- Please post containing links to You Tube or Vimeo for actual music.  Other posts are subject to removal or labeling as "No Music".)  Every other week we have a theme and on alternate weeks we have "You Pick".  

Our conductors? First, there is XmasDolly.  Her chief co-conductor is Cathy of Curious as a Cathy. Her other co-conductors are Stacy of Stacy Uncorked, and me.  

For February our guest conductor is Robin at Songbird's Crazy World.  For today, her theme is: "You Pick".

I can't resist one song about leap years:  Leap Year Song by Jonathan Mann.  After all, Saturday will be Leap Day.

But I did look for some songs that talk about leaping, or jumping, for a leap day theme.  These aren't Leap Day songs, but enjoy, anyway!

Jump, by Van Halen.

Jump Into the Fire, sung by Harry Nilsson.

Jumpin' Jack Flash - The Rolling Stones, in a live performance.

And one more, from their first album.  You either like this or you don't.  The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Get Up and Jump.

Speaking of jumping, I couldn't resist including a little Double Dutch.  I grew up in New York City watching this style of jumprope, and this video give you a taste of its competitive level.  I could barely single rope jump, with my lack of coordination.  This jumping is so athletic.



And that's a wrap!

Please join me same time, same place, next Monday!

Music Monday - Leap Day and The Musical Pillars of the Vittala Temple

February 29 is the bonus day we only get once every four years here in the United States, where we use a secular calendar called the Gregorian calendar.

It comes once every four years, on a year divisible by four (with one exception).

It has some interesting physics behind it.

It's rare - and precious.  We don't want to waste it.

It's only the second leap day in the existence of my blog.

Today, a special leap day edition of Music Monday, where I will share some blogged information about the Vittala Temple provided by Parul, an Indian blogger.  Ruins at this site are considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Instead of talking about the architecture, which Paurl does an excellent job of, I will blog a about the musical pillars.

Hollow pillars at the temple, if hit correctly, produce musical sound.  Parul tells the story of how the British, fascinated, cut open two of the pillar to see what was making the music.  The pillars turned out to be hollow

You don't have to travel far to hear that music - just click on the link.

 Interesting and (for an American) rare-just like a leap day.

Finally, as a bonus for this bonus day, here is the #1 song on the charts as of February 29, 1960:  Theme from A Summer Place. A totally different style of music, but one appropriate (I think) for those of us wishing for the days of summer.  Enjoy!