When I was young, Shirley Temple movies were shown on TV quite often. I loved her movies which were always entertaining and uplifting. One of my favorite of her films was with her friend Bill Robinson who was a fabulous dancer himself. He appeared as a dancing butler in movies with young Shirley Temple. Click the photo if you would like to purchase Shirley
Temple - America's Sweetheart Collection, Vol. 3 (Dimples / The Little
Colonel / The Littlest Rebel) (1936)
In this video Bill "Bojangles" Robinson dances the stairs with a young Shirley Temple From "The Little Colonel" (1935)
"The Day the Music Died", dubbed so by Don McLean's song "American Pie" refers to the tragic aviation accident that occurred on February 3, 1959, near Clear Lake, Iowa, killing rock and roll musicians 22 year old Buddy Holly (Peggy Sue), 17 year old Ritchie Valens (La Bamba), J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson (Chantilly Lace), and the pilot Roger Peterson. Singer Don McLean memorialized Holly, Valens and Richardson in the 1972 No. 1 hit “American Pie,”
Ironically, Holly, who influenced such artists as Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney, and his band, the Crickets, had just scored a No. 1 hit with “That’ll Be the Day,” and his last single was "It Doesn't Matter Anymore."
"...with each passing decade, the myth of Buddy Holly has grown by substantial degrees." ~Claire Suddath, Time
Buddy Holly's career only lasted a year and a half with only one number one single, yet his influence on early rock 'n' roll is almost unmatched.
"Both John Lennon and George Harrison learned to play guitar in part by listening to Buddy Holly records. The first Rolling Stones' single released in the U.S. was cover of Holly's "Not Fade Away." ~Claire Suddath, Time
Buddy Holly and The Crickets - Peggy Sue - Live on The Arthur Murray Party (29th December, 1957)
Today is the festival of St. Brigid, the beginning of the old Celtic season of Imbolc, or Imbolg (pronounced i-MOLK or i-MOLG ), also called (Saint) Brigid's Day, a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of spring. Christians, especially in Ireland, observe February 1 as the feast day of Saint Brigid (of Kildare), one of the patron saints of Ireland. St. Brigid's Blessing "Go down on your knees, do homage, and let blessed Brigid enter the house" May Brigid bless the house wherein you dwell. Bless every fireside, every wall and door. Bless every heart that beats beneath its roof. Bless every hand that toils to bring it joy. Bless every foot that walks its portals through. May Brigid bless the house that shelters you.
Brigid is also referred to as the "triple goddess of Smithcraft (with Celtic warriors invoking her protection before battle), Healing, and Poetry and the Arts. In folklore St. Brigid became the principal focus of the feast of Imbolc.
Imbolc - the coming of Spring - the great wheel of the year turns again on February 1st, with the ancient sacred day of the Celtic goddess Brigid - Mother Goddess of Ireland - also called Brigit, Bride, Brighid, and Brigantia. The root of her name means 'bright' or 'exalted', and possibly 'firebrand'." ~Hamish Burgess Celtic Artist
Reference to this holiday is found in some of the earliest Old Irish literature, from the 10th century. It was a festival of the hearth and home, and a celebration of the lengthening days and the early signs of spring. Celebrations often involved hearthfires, special foods, candles or a bonfire if the weather permitted. Fire and purification were an important part of the festival. The lighting of candles and fires represented the return of warmth and the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months.
St.Brigit's Cross
The wickerwork cross, known as St.Brigit's Cross, has been a popular talisman of St. Brigid since the 17th century and it is widely believed to be a Christian symbol. But its origins lie in much older traditions and folklore. It is thought to have origins in the ancient symbol for the sun. Many rituals are associated with the making of the crosses.It was traditionally believed that a Brigid's Cross protects the house from fire and evil. It is hung in many Irish kitchens for this purpose. The cross is usually woven out of rushes and sometimes straw. It
consists of a central square surrounded by four arms at right angles and
adorns the doors and rafters of Irish homes, usually in the kitchen,
warding off fire and evil. Traditionally, before being placed the crosses "would sometimes be blessed with holy water, a ritual with connotations simultaneously Christian and Pagan."
This video will show you how to make your own St. Brigit's Cross: