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February 24: Arcangela Tarabotti was born on this day in 1604 in Venice, Italy. I thought of giving her a cane because her father sent her to the convent because she was handicapped and thus unmarriageable. But, I thought it was more important for her to have a pen and books. History is vague on what handicap she had. Maybe it was asthma or just a weak immune system. Because the subject matter she wrote on was so similar to Betty Friedan's, I almost gave her the same pen and book. Then I remembered, 1600's! She'd use a quill. She is quoted as "When women are seen with pen in hand, they are met immediately with shrieks commanding a return to that life of pain which their writing had interrupted, a life devoted to the women's work of needle and distaff."

February 25: This day was Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday. It marks the start of the Carnival season. It's a day celebrated in Louisiana with masked balls, parades and king cakes. Everything is decorated in purple, gold and green. I have Nikki wearing a crown not only for the Mardi Gras royalty chosen at parties but for the little fleur des lis. She also wears strings of beads that can be caught at one of the parades.

February 26: This is Fairy Tale Day. In honor of this day, I dressed Nikki as Little Red Riding Hood. There are many different tellings of this tale. In some, the wolf eats the grandmother and tricks Red into eating some of her. In some, Red gets eaten and that's the end. In some she manages to get away on her own. In some she needs rescuing. Some see it as a cautionary tale, some see it as a metaphor of the girl becoming a woman.

February 27: Samella Lewis was born on this day in 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana. There aren't many pictures of her. Dr. Lewis would rather you looked at her paintings than her, it seems. Still, the Afro and sweater look like something she wore in the 70's. She was the first black woman to earn a PhD in fine art and art history. She views art as an essential expression of the community and its struggles. She is quoted as “Art is not a luxury as many people think – it is a necessity. It documents history – it helps educate people and stores knowledge for generations to come."

February 28: February is Feed the Birds Month. This is a month to educate the public on the hobbies of bird watching and wild bird feeding. February is a difficult month for birds as the cold makes it hard for them to find seeds and bugs. Do they like chestnuts? Well, blue jays, rooks, magpies and woodpeckers eat nuts and they're high in fat, good for getting energy in the winter.

February 29: 2020 is a Leap Year. This means February has one more day than usual. I have Nikki surrounded by animals that leap such as deer, cats, foxes, tigers, frogs and bunny rabbits. Traditionally on Leap Year, women could propose marriage.

March 1: March is a month that comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. In Louisiana, every day in March is in like a lion and out like a lamb! Starts old cold and wet then becomes sunny and warm. I'm ready for spring!

What's next? Tomorrow is Read Across America followed by the Japanese holiday Hina Matsuri. The week will also celebrate the invention of the telephone and Women's History Month. Look for it all next week!

Week 40: www.deviantart.com/le2/art/Wee…

Description
February 24: Arcangela Tarabotti was born on this day in 1604 in Venice, Italy. I thought of giving her a cane because her father sent her to the convent because she was handicapped and thus unmarriageable. But, I thought it was more important for her to have a pen and books. History is vague on what handicap she had. Maybe it was asthma or just a weak immune system. Because the subject matter she wrote on was so similar to Betty Friedan's, I almost gave her the same pen and book. Then I remembered, 1600's! She'd use a quill. She is quoted as "When women are seen with pen in hand, they are met immediately with shrieks commanding a return to that life of pain which their writing had interrupted, a life devoted to the women's work of needle and distaff."

February 25: This day was Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday. It marks the start of the Carnival season. It's a day celebrated in Louisiana with masked balls, parades and king cakes. Everything is decorated in purple, gold and green. I have Nikki wearing a crown not only for the Mardi Gras royalty chosen at parties but for the little fleur des lis. She also wears strings of beads that can be caught at one of the parades.

February 26: This is Fairy Tale Day. In honor of this day, I dressed Nikki as Little Red Riding Hood. There are many different tellings of this tale. In some, the wolf eats the grandmother and tricks Red into eating some of her. In some, Red gets eaten and that's the end. In some she manages to get away on her own. In some she needs rescuing. Some see it as a cautionary tale, some see it as a metaphor of the girl becoming a woman.

February 27: Samella Lewis was born on this day in 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana. There aren't many pictures of her. Dr. Lewis would rather you looked at her paintings than her, it seems. Still, the Afro and sweater look like something she wore in the 70's. She was the first black woman to earn a PhD in fine art and art history. She views art as an essential expression of the community and its struggles. She is quoted as “Art is not a luxury as many people think – it is a necessity. It documents history – it helps educate people and stores knowledge for generations to come."

February 28: February is Feed the Birds Month. This is a month to educate the public on the hobbies of bird watching and wild bird feeding. February is a difficult month for birds as the cold makes it hard for them to find seeds and bugs. Do they like chestnuts? Well, blue jays, rooks, magpies and woodpeckers eat nuts and they're high in fat, good for getting energy in the winter.

February 29: 2020 is a Leap Year. This means February has one more day than usual. I have Nikki surrounded by animals that leap such as deer, cats, foxes, tigers, frogs and bunny rabbits. Traditionally on Leap Year, women could propose marriage.

March 1: March is a month that comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. In Louisiana, every day in March is in like a lion and out like a lamb! Starts old cold and wet then becomes sunny and warm. I'm ready for spring!

What's next? Tomorrow is Read Across America followed by the Japanese holiday Hina Matsuri. The week will also celebrate the invention of the telephone and Women's History Month. Look for it all next week!

Week 40: www.deviantart.com/le2/art/Wee…