Candles and Hedgehogs and Demons, oh my

Well it's Candlemas Day, again.

And since Punxsutawney Phil is predicting the continuation of Winter for a time (and who knows, in what-was-Saxony, some hedgehogs may have been dragged out to reenact the original Groundhog/Hedgehog tradition), it seems most appropriate to light some candles, enjoy the shimmering light in the gloom. However, some base their prediction on the weather rather than indigenous wildlife:

If Candlemas Day be dry and fair
The half o' winter's to come and mair
If Candlemas Day be wet and foul
The half o' winter's gone at Yule

Which would mean that for Baltimore, the worst of the winter is over :-)

Anyhoo, with Candlemas in mind, I was looking at some manuscript illuminations this morning. The Morgan Library & Museum (cue: reverential pause) opened an exhibition recently: Demons and Devotion: The Hours of Catherine of Cleves. It's a lavish feast for the senses, even online, where you can view the whole digital facsimile of the prayer book (for the real-life exhibition, the book has been disbound - a daring decision).

As illuminated manuscripts go, this one is a treat, filled with unusual marginalia (butterflies, flowers - to be expected - but mussels? peas?) and glorious suites of miniatures. You can glimpse the Holy Family at home: Mary weaving, Joseph on a woodworking project, and the baby zipping around in a walker.

And of course, demons and hell mouths abound!