Fun Facts--MICKEY SPILLANE

Mickey Spillane

Born, Frank Michael Spillane on March 9, 1918 in Brooklyn, NY, Mickey Spillane was a pulp detective fiction writer. With more than two dozen novels, he was one of the top selling American authors of all time.  

Mickey's books were highly sadistic and sexual for the times. His covers were often lurid, featuring women in various states of undress. His books seemed sometimes misogynistic and downright misanthropic, but his 26 books have sold more than 200 million copies.  

I, the Jury, his first novel that introduced the character Mike Hammer, sold nearly a quarter of a million copies in its initial softcover run. The Mike Hammer books made the leap to movies almost immediately. Mickey Spillane once said that he didn't like any of the film adaptations of his books.

The TV series starring Darren McGavin ran from 1956-1959

The TV series starring Stacy Keach ran from 1984-1989.

Did you know?

Mickey Spillane grew up in Elizabeth, NJ. Through the years, he regularly attended Theodore Roosevelt Junior High School reunions.

Mickey didn't believe in self-adulation. When the town of Elizabeth named a street after him, he told the local newspaper, “Streets should be named after birds or numbers or something.”

Spillane started writing after returning home for the Army Air corps in order to raise enough money to buy some property.

Mickey Spillane played Mike Hammer in 1963 in The Girl Hunters.

He became a Jehovah's Witness in the 1950s.

Ayn Rand was a huge fan of Mickey Spillane's writing.

His first novel was written in 19 days!

Mickey worked in Barnum & Bailey's circus as a trampoline artist and was proficient in knife-throwing.

John Wayne gave Mickey a gift for his anti-communism--a Jaguar XK140.

He had an odd compulsiveness about punctuation and once insisted that 50,000 copies of Kiss Me, Deadly be destroyed because the the comma was left out of the title.

Spillane always dressed in black and white.

He wrote two children's books: The Day the Sea Rolled Back (1979) and The Ship That Never Was (1982).

Mickey started as a comic book writer in the 1940s. He wrote stories for Captain Marvel, Superman, Batman and Captain America.

Mickey Spillane died July 17, 2006 from pancreatic carcinoma at the age of 88 in Murrells Inlet, SC.

Fun Facts about November

I know, you were all wondering, "Where is this month's Fun Facts?" Please forgive me for being a slacker this month. Here it is:

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November is the 11th month of the year and one of four months with a length of 30 days. November starts on the same day of the week as March and ends on the same day of the week as August.

Those born during the first half of the month are under the Zodiac sign of Scorpio, and those born in the latter part of the month are Sagittarians. The birth flower is the chrystanthemum, and the birthstones are topoz and citrine.

Events:

1st--First day of Winter in Ireland.
2nd--Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico.
        National Deviled Egg Day
3rd--Sandwich Day
5th--Guy Fawkes Night in Britain and New Zealand.
7th--Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day
10th--National Heroes Day in Indonesia.
          The birthday of the United States Marine Corps.
          Vanilla Cupcake Day
11th--Saint Maartens Day (Dutch version of Halloween) in the Netherlands. Songs are sung for candy.
          Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth of Nations and various European countries.
          Veterans Day in the US.
12th--National Pizza With The Works (Except Anchovies) Day
13th--Indian Pudding Day
14th--Children's Day in India.
17th--The Leonids Meteor Shower reaches its peak.
19th--Christopher Columbus discovers Puerto Rico in 1493.
          International Men's Day
21st--National Adoption Day
22nd--Thanksgiving is observed in the US and Puerto Rico.
23rd--National Parfait Day
          National Cashew Day

The first Tuesday of the month, Australia holds the Melbourne Cup horse race.
The first Tuesday after the first Monday is election day in the US.
November 11-17th is Geography Awareness Week.
The third Thursday of the month is The Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society and also International Philosophy Day.
The day after Thanksgiving is known as 'Black Friday' in the US.
The Monday immediately following Thanksgiving is known as 'Cyber Monday' in the US.

Famous Author's Birthdays

November 7, 1913--Albert Camus
November 8, 1847--Bram Stoker
November 8, 1900--Margaret Mitchell
November 9, 1818--Ivan Turgenev
November 11, 1821--Fedor Dostoevsky
November 11, 1922--Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
November 13, 1850--Robert L. Stevenson
November 18, 1939--Margaret Atwood
November 22, 1819--George Eliot
November 22, 1869--Andre Gide
November 26, 1905--Emlyn Williams
November 26, 1922--Charles Schultz
November 29, 1832--Louisa May Alcott
November 29,1898--C.S. Lewis
November 30, 1667--Jonathan Swift
November 30, 1835--Mark Twain

November is the National Month for:

National Novel Writing Month
Aviation
Epilepsy
Diabetes Awareness
Stamp Collecting
Toilet Tank Repair
Peanut Butter Lovers
American Indian Heritage Month
Hunger Awareness
Raisin Bread
Pepper

Bizarre Holidays:

November 4th--Waiting For The Barbarians Day
November 6th--Marooned Without a Compass Day
November 9th--Chaos Never Dies Day
November 10th--Forget-Me-Not Day
November 11th--Air Day
November 20th--Absurdity Day
November 21st--False Confessions Day
November 22nd--Start Your Own Country Day
November 28th--Make Your Own Head Day (???)


Well, people, Fun Facts about the 'Months' posts have come full circle.
In December, I'll have to switch gears. I'm thinking of doing 'Holidays.' What do you think?

Fun Facts about October

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October is the tenth month of the year and one of seven months with a length of 31 days. In common years, January starts the same day of the week as October, but no other month starts on the same day in leap years. 

October is associated with Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. It happens to be my favorite time of year. I love the crisp Autumn air and the gorgeous colors. And October is the month my daughter was born, 25 years ago. Happy Birthday Amanda!!

Those born in the first half of the month are under the Zodiac sign Libra and those born in the latter part of October are Scorpios. 

October's birthstones are pink tourmaline and opal. It's said that an opal will crack if not worn by someone born in October.

The birth flower is the calendula.

And for all of you sports lovers, here's a tid-bit for you:  The last week in October is the only time of the year when all four major North American Sports Leagues schedule games. 

I have lots of stuff for you this month!!

Famous Birthdates:

October 2--Sting

October 4--Charlton Heston

October 7--Simon Cowell

October 12--Hugh Jackman

October 13--Paul Simon

October 16--John Mayer

October 20--Tom Petty

October 23--Ryan Reynolds

October 26--Hillary Clinton

October 28--Bill Gates

October 30--Henry Winkler

October Events and Holidays

First week of October--Children's Book Week (England)
(9/30-10/6)--Banned Books Week

(10/7-10/13)--National Fire Prevention Week 

October 2--International Day of Non-Violence (Shouldn't this be everyday?)

October 5--International World Teachers' Day

October 9--National Children Appreciation Day (Not sure if we should let them know this...)

               --Leif Erikson Day (Get your Viking on!)

October 12--Freethought Day (The anniversary of the effective end of the Salem Witch Trials.)

Second Monday of Oct--Columbus Day (Most of the US)

3rd Week in Oct.--Teen Read Week

October 16--World Food Day (A global movement to end hunger.)

October 20--Spirit Day (Wear the color purple to show support for LGBT young people who are victims of bullying.)

October 21--Apple Day

October 28--Ochi Day (No Day) in Greece (The anniversary of when their Prime Minister said "NO" to Mussolini in 1940.

October 31--Halloween, Samhain.

National Month for: (There are a whole bunch of them!)

Pork

Arts & Humanities

Domestic Violence Awareness

Breast Cancer Awareness

LGBT History 

Cyber Security Awareness

Fair Trade

Auto Battery Safety

World Blindness Awareness

German American Heritage

National Hispanic Heritage

Italian American Heritage

Polish American Heritage

Desserts

Seafood

Pretzels

Popcorn Popping

Country Music

Family History

Book Fairs

Car Care

Stamp Collecting

Caramel

Cookies

Spinach Lovers

Roller Skating

Bizarre Holidays:

10/1--Vegetarian Day

10/2--Name Your Car Day

10/3--Virus Appreciation Day

10/4--Toot Your Flute Day

10/6--Come and Take It Day

10/8--American Tag Day

10/9--Moldy Cheese Day

10/10--Angel Food Cake Day

10/11--It's My Party Day

10/12--Frustration Scream Day

10/14--Be Bald and Free Day

10/15--Grouch Day

10/18--Chocolate Cupcake Day which coincides with Menopause Day

10/21--Babbling Day

10/24--Bologna Day

10/25--Punk for a Day

10/26--Mule Day

10/27--Cranky Co-Workers Day

10/28--Ugly Pick-up Day

10/29--Hermit Day

10/30--Haunted Refrigerator Day

10/31--Increase Your Psychic Powers Day

So, which day are you celebrating?

Fun Facts about September

I usually post on Mondays, but since next week is Labor Day, I decided to post today. I have an awesome Author Spotlight for you all on Tuesday, so I couldn't very well wait too long to do a post on September. I wouldn't want you all to miss out on some fun holidays!

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September, the ninth month of the year, is one of four months that contain 30 days. September begins on the same day of the week as December, and no other month ends on the same day as September. 

In Latin, septem means 'seven.' September was the seventh month of the Roman calendar until 46 BC, when  the first month of the year was changed from March to January. 

September starts the academic year in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere, but I know a few states in the US that start in August. 

American Football starts the collegiate and professional seasons in September. (Go Steelers!)

Those born in early to mid-September are under the sign of Virgo, and those born in the later part of the month are born under Libra. 

September's birthstone is the sapphire, and the birth flowers are the forget-me-not, morning glory, and aster.

National Month for:

Potato

Chicken

Rice

Mushroom

Biscuit

Honey

Better Breakfast

Emergency Care

Sight Saving

Piano

Self-Improvement

Women of Achievement

Courtesy

International Square Dance

Cable TV

Classical Music

September is also 'Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month.'

Famous Author Birthdates:

September 1, 1875--Edgar Rice Burroughs

September 2, 1820--Lucretia Hale

September 13, 1916--Roald Dahl

September 15, 1789--James Fenimore Cooper

                                  Tomie DePaola

September 21, 1866--HG Wells

September 29, 1923--Stan Berenstain

Bizarre Holidays: (There are so many this month, but these were some of my favorites.)

2nd--National Beheading Day (Thankfully, we don't celebrate this one.)

3rd--Skyscraper Day

        Labor Day in the US

5th--Choose Pizza Day

6th--Read a Book Day

        Fight Procrastination Day

7th--Neither Rain or Snow Day (We'll see, won't we?)

9th--Teddy Bear Day

        Grandparents Day (I'll be celebrating this year!)

10th--Sewing Machine Day

          Swap Ideas Day

11th--911 Remembrance Day

12th--Chocolate Milkshake Day

          Video Game Day

13th--Positive Thinking Day

14th--The day Francis Scott Key wrote The Star-Spangled Banner

          Cream-filled Donut Day

16th--Stay away from Seattle Day

          Collect Rocks Day

          Step Family Day

          Women's Friendship Day

18th--Play-doh Day

19th--Talk Like a Pirate Day (Aaargh, Mateys!)

22nd--Hobbit Day

          Dear Diary Day

          Elephant Appreciation

23rd--Checkers Day

          Dogs in Politics Day

24th--Festival of Latest Novelties (this sounds like fun!)

25th--Comic Book Day

26th--Pancake Day

          Good Neighbor Day (Be a good neighbor and make pancakes for the lady next door.)

28th--Ask a Stupid Question Day

29th--Poisoned Blackberries Day (!)

30th--Mud Pack Day

There you have it. Lots of stuff going on this month!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend and don't forget to stop by on Tuesday to view this month's Author Spotlight!

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Fun Facts about August

Before I start this week's blogpost, I just want to share some really awesome news. We have a new addition to our family!

Caleb Robert Stanley

He was born 2 weeks early on July 29, 2012. He weighed in at 6lbs. 5ozs and measured 18.5 inches. Our first grandson is a healthy baby, and we're excited beyond belief. So yup, I'm a Grandma! I can't wait to read the little guy some bedtime stories.

Now, on to this week's post:

August was named in honor of Augustus Caesar. The month of August was the time of several of his great triumphs, including the conquest of Egypt.

August is the eighth month of the year and has a length of 31 days. 

In common years, no other month starts on the same day of the week as August, but in leap years, February starts on the same day.

Those born in the beginning of August are under the sign of Leo, and those born after the 21st are born under Virgo.

The birthstone is the peridot or onyx, and the birth flower is gladiolus or poppy.

Important Days in August:

First Week in August--World Breastfeeding Week. 

                                     Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

                                     Indian Week for the Penobscot Tribe in Old Town, ME

                                     Pennsic War-a medieval gathering event of the Society for Creative Anachronism 

First Weekend in August--Twins Days. Celebrated in Twinsburg, OH.

                                            The Bon Festival. A traditional Japanese Buddhist custom which evolved into a family reunion holiday.

August 6--Wiggle Your Toes Day

August 13--National Left-handers Day (Thanks, Courtney!)

August 15--National Relaxation Day

August 26--Go Topless Day. Coincides with Women's Equality Day. The main rally will take place in Washington, DC this year, where they will present President Obama with a petition. Participants are welcome to go fully topless or to wear red tape over their nipples. (!)

August is the National Month for:

Immunization Awareness

Water Quality

Back to School (for some US districts)

American Adventures

Audio Appreciation

Happiness Happens

Panini

Catfish

Peaches

Harvest

Some Famous Birthdays:

August 1--Herman Melville (1819-1891)

August 2--James Baldwin (1924-1987)

August 4--Percy Blythe Shelley (1792-1822) Husband of Mary Shelley.

August 6--Lord Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)

August 12--Robert Southey (1774-1843) Poet laureate for 30 years, he penned the rhyme What are little boys made of?

August 22--Dorothy Parker (1893-1967)

                  Ray Bradbury (1920-2012)

August 24--Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)

August 30--Mary Shelley (1797-1851)

Fun Facts About July

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July, named after Julius Caesar, who was born on the twelfth of July, is the seventh month of the year. It is also one of seven months with 31 days. On average, July is the warmest month of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

July starts on the same day of the week as April in a common year, and the same day of the week as January in leap years. 

July's birthstone is ruby, which symbolizes contentment, and it's birth flowers are the Larkspur or the Water Lily. 

Those born in the beginning of the month are born under the sign of Cancer, while those born later in the month are considered Leo.

Famous Birthdays:

July 3--Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860)

July 4--Neil Simon (1927)

July 5-- Jean Cocteau (1889)

July 15--Iris Murdoch (1919)

              James Baldwin (1971)

July 21--Ernest Hemingway (1899)

July 24--Alexandre Dumas (1802)

July 26--Aldous Huxley (1894)

July 28--Beatrix Potter (1866)

July 30--Emily Bronte (1818)

July 31--JK Rowling (1965)

Events in July:

Pleasure Week. July 1-7.

Canada Day. July 1. Commemorates the day, in 1876, that three colonies were united in what is now known as Canada.

Stay Out of The Sun Day. July 3.

Independence Day. July 4 (US). Commemorates the day in 1776 when the United States declared its independence from Great Britain. 

Work-a-holics Day. July 5.

Video Games Day. July 8

Teddy Bear Picnic Day. July 10.

Different Colored Eyes Day. July 12.

Embrace Your Geekness Day. July 13

National Nude Day--which falls on the same day as...Pandemonium Day. (I wonder why!) July 14.

National Ice Cream Day. Third Sunday of the month. I'll be there for this!

Cow Appreciation Day. July 15. (which happens to fall on the same day as Ice Cream Day, so hug a cow.)

National Junk Food Day. July 21. Which is followed by...

Hammock Day. July 22. Which also happens to be...Parent's Day!

Pioneer Day. July 24 (Utah.) Commemorates the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormons into Salt Lake Valley in 1847.

All or Nothing Day. July 26.

National Cheesecake Day!!!!!! July 30.

July is:

National Baked Bean Month

National Ice Cream Month

National Hot Dog Month

Lasagna Awareness Month (I AM aware!)

Anti-Boredom Month

Hitchhiking Month (That can't be safe!)

National Picnic Month

National Pickle Month

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Fun Facts about June

June

(Source)

June, named after Juno, the goddess of marriage, is the sixth month of the year, and is one of the four months with a length of 30 days. Just like the month of May, no other month begins on the same day as June. This is also the month with the longest daylight hours of the year. 

June's birthstones are the Alexandrite, the Moonstone, and the Pearl. Its birth flowers are the honeysuckle and the rose.

Those born before June 20th are considered Gemini and those born after June 21st are under the sign of Cancer.

Famous Birthdays:

June 1--Marilyn Monroe (1926)

June 9--Johnny Depp (1963) 

June 11--Hugh Laurie (1959)

June 16--Diana DeGarmo (1987) Singer

               Denise Stanley (1962) Writer

               Erich Segal (1937) Author and screenwriter of "Love Story."

               Joyce Carol Oates (1938) Author of books, plays, poetry, and essays.

               Stan Laurel (1890) Actor

June 18--Paul McCartney (1942)

June 22--Meryl Streep (1949)

June 25--George Orwell (1903)

June 26--Derek Jeter (1974)

June 27--Bob (Captain Kangaroo) Keeshan (1927)

Events in June:

Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee. Celebration of the Queen of England's 60 year reign.

Adur Festival. The annual arts event in West Essex, England runs the first two weeks of June.

National Rocky Road Day. My favorite flavor of ice cream!

Applesauce Cake Day. June 6th.

Father's Day. First Sunday in June.

Kamehameha Day. June 11th is a Hawaiian state holiday honoring the first ruler of the one-time kingdom.

Flag Day. June 14th commemorates the adoption of the American Flag.

My Birthday. June 16th is an international celebration commemorating the birth of the loveable writer and blogger.

Eat Your Vegetables Day. June 17th.

Go Skateboarding Day. Celebrated on June 21. Yeah, I might do that.

Kitchen Klutzes of America Day. June 23rd. (Haha!)

Icelandic folklore says that bathing naked in the morning dew on June 24th will keep aging at bay.

National Chocolate Pudding Day. June 26th.

June is:

LGBT Pride Month

Audiobook Month

Flag Month

National Dairy Month

National Candy Month

National Hunger Awareness Month

National Seafood Month

National Iced Tea Month

~*~

Don't forget to enter my Birthday Giveaway! 

Contest ends June 17th at midnight. 

~*~

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Fun Facts about May

May, named for the Greek goddess Maia, is the fifth month of the year, and one of seven months that contains 31 days.  I found this tidbit interesting--No other month begins or ends on the same day of the week as May!

May's birthstone is the emerald, which means love or success. The birth flower is the Lily of the Valley. Those born before May 20th fall under the zodiac sign of Taurus, and those born after, are considered Gemini.

Holidays and Events:

April 29-May 5--Known as 'Golden Week' in Japan. A combination of 4 national holidays gives workers up to 10 days off.

May 1--Feast of St. Joseph

            May Day

May 3--Lumpy Rug Day (Why you would celebrate this? I do not know.)

First Saturday--The annual Kentucky Derby, the most famous horse race in the US is held.

May 5--Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in honor of Mexican heritage and pride. (This is also my hubby's birthday. Feliz Cumpleanos, Juan!)

May 6--Finally seeing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Oops! That's just me. :)

May 10--Clean Up Your Room Day (Children, this can coincide with the holiday that lands on the Second Sunday!)

May 12--International Nurses Day. (Thank a nurse!)

Second Sunday--Mother's Day in many countries. (Don't forget to honor your Mother!)

Last Sunday--The Indianapolis 500 race.

Last Monday--Memorial Day commemorates the fallen service members of the United States.

Second Week--Bicycle Week, a yearly international event advocates bicycling as a means of transportation.

May 25--Towel Day, in tribute to Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

National Month For:

The Incredible Edible Egg

Brain Tumor Awareness

Military Appreciation

Skin Cancer Awareness

Strawberries

Hamburger

Correct Posture

Share A Story

Famous Birthdates:

02 May 1903—Dr. Benjamin Spock (108) Author of parenting books.

05 May        ---Courtney Rene (none of your business) Author of Shadow Dancer and Shadow Warrior.

06 May 1868---Gaston Leroux (143) Wrote Phantom of the Opera.

08 May 1940---Peter Benchley (71) Author of “Jaws”

09 May 1873---Howard Carter (138) Uncovered the secrets of King Tut's Tomb

21 May 1916---Harold Robbins (95) Steamy novelist.

22 May 1859---Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (152) Author of Sherlock Holmes novels.

25 May 1927---Robert Ludlum (84) Wrote “The Bourne Identity”

27 May 1894---Dashiell Hammett (117) Wrote “The Maltese Falcon”

28 May 1908—Ian Fleming (103) Wrote 14 James Bond novels.

30 May 1908---Mel Blanc (103) Voice of Bugs Bunny.

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Fun Facts about April

April is the fourth month of the year and is one of four months with a length of 30 days. April starts on the same day of the week as July and ends on the same day of the week as December.

April's birthstone is the diamond the the birth flower is typically the Daisy or the Sweet Pea. Those born before April 21st are born under the zodiac sign, Aries, and those born April 21st and after are considered Taurus.

Holidays and Events

1st--April Fool's Day

2nd--National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day

5th--Rubber Eraser Day

7th--Passover begins

8th--Easter Sunday

11th--Eight Track Tape Day

15th--Tax Day

17th--Cheese Ball Day

22nd--Earth Day

24th--Pigs-In-A-Blanket Day

26th--Pretzel Day

Last Friday in April--Arbor Day

Fourth Thursday in April--Take Our Sons and Daughters To Work Day

National Month for:

Jazz Appreciation

Poetry

Sex

Pets Are Wonderful

Gardens

STDs Education and Awareness (Goes hand in hand with the third one on this list.)



Famous Birthdays:

April 2--Hans Christian Anderson (1805) Danish author of many famous fairy tales.

April 3--Washington Irving (1783) American author of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."

April 4--Maya Angelou (1928) Poet

April 5--Booker T. Washington (1856) Educator, author and founder of Tuskegee University

April 8--Buddha

April 10--Joseph Pulitzer (1847) Publisher and creator of the journalism prize.

April 12--Tom Clancy (1947) Author of novels about war and intrigue.

April 13--Eudora Welty (1909) Author of short stories and novels about Mississippi life.

April 15--Leonardo daVinci (1452) Brilliant scientist and painter.

April 20--George Takei (1937) Played Mr. Sulu on Star Trek, and has a hilarious Facebook page.

April 21--Charlotte Bronte (1816) Author of "Jane Eyre."

April 22--Vladimir Nabakov (1899) Author of "Lolita."

April 23--William Shakespeare (1564) Writer of comedies, tragedies, and histories.

April 28--Terry Pratchett (1948) UK's best-selling author of the 90s.

                Harper Lee (1926) Author of "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Fun Facts For February

First, I want to share my good news! My poem, "The Beast," appears on SNM Horror Magazine's website for the Feb/Mar issue of  Dark Poetry. Although I am not a horror writer, I leave that to the professionals I know (Rebecca Besser, being one of them) I have written some dark poetry on those dark days when I've felt less sunshiney than usual. I just happened to have The Beast on hand and ready to go, when I stumbled upon the website. I was thrilled to get an acceptance and I'm almost looking forward to having another one of those less-than-happy days to see what else I can come up with. Well, enough about me, let's talk about:

February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The Romans originally considered winter a monthless period!

February is the shortest month and the only month with fewer than 30 days. February has 28 days in common years, and 29 days in leap years. 2012 is a leap year!  In leap years, February is also the only month that ends on the same weekday it begins.

People born before February 19th are born under the sign of Aquarius. Those born on and after February 19th are considered Pisces. Their birth flower is the violet and the primrose, and the birthstone is amethyst. Amethysts symbolize piety, humility, spiritual wisdom, and sincerity.

Some Events in February:

February 1

St. Brigid's Day is celebrated in Ireland. St Brigid is the patron saint of cattle and dairy. Here's a link with instructions on how to make a St. Brigid's Cross.

February 2

Imbolc is the festival of the lactating sheep. Seeds are blessed and agricultural tools are consecrated. Traditional festival activities include candle lighting, stone gathering, hiking in the snow, and lighting bonfires. Imbolc marks the halfway point of winter and is believed to be the origin of--

Groundhog Day.  Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog that lives on dog food and ice cream in a town library, is transported to Gobbler's Knob once a year. The United States and Canada await his forecast of how much longer winter will last.  

February 14

Valentine's Day, a day commemorating love and affection, is celebrated in most countries by giving loved ones hearts, candy, and flowers. The US Greeting Card Association estimates that 190 million valentine cards are sent each year in the US. According to the Society of American Florists, over 110 million roses are sold each Valentine's Day in the US.

February 20 (2012)

Presidents' Day,celebrated in the United States, on the third Monday in February, is combined holiday, commemorating  George Washington and Abraham Lincoln's birthdays.

February is National...

Embroidery Month
Chocolate Lover's Month (Hmmm. I wonder if this is somehow connected to Valentine's Day.)
Black History Month
American Heart Month
Pet Dental Health Month
Grapefruit Month
Blah Buster Month and
Return Carts to the Supermarket Month.

Famous Birthdays in February:

February 2
James Joyce (1882)-Irish novelist and poet. Author of Ulysses, Finnegan's Wake, and many others.

February 3
Norman Rockwell (1894)-American painter and illustrator.

James Michener (1907)-American Pulitzer prize winner, who wrote more than 40 novels including, Tales of the South Pacific and Centennial.

February 7
Sinclair Lewis (1885)-American writer, playwright, and Nobel prize winner, known for Babbitt.

Charles Dickens (1812)-Considered the greatest English novelist of the Victorian Era.

Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867)-Author of the Little House on the Prairie novels.
February 8
John Grisham (1955)-American lawyer and author, best known for his legal thrillers, such as The Firm.
Jules Verne (1928)-French author, known for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea and A Journey to the Center of the Earth.

February 12
Judy Blume (1938)-American children's and YA author, known for Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret, and many others.


February 18
Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848)-American artist and designer, known for his creations in stained glass.

February 21
Anais Nin (1903)-A French-Cuban author, best known for her journals and erotica.

February 23
Donna J. Stone (1933)-American poet and philanthropist.

February 26
Victor Hugo (1802)-French writer and author of Les Miserables.

February 27
John Steinbeck (1902)-American Pulitzer prize winner of The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and Of Mice and Men.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807)-American poet whose works include Paul Revere's Ride and The Song of Hiawatha.