Conversation – 35

PACZKI DAY

The sweet holiday of Paczki Day takes place the day before Ash Wednesday. The Polish tradition of indulging in fried dough filled with jams, custards or other sweet surprises dates back to the Middle Ages.

FASTNACHT DAY

With deep roots in Germany, Fastnacht Day is a pre-Lenten celebration that takes place the day before Ash Wednesday.

Fastnacht means “fast” and “night” in German. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, Fastnacht represents an entire season of festivities leading up to Shrove Tuesday. The traditions are rooted in the same pre-Lenten celebrations that have taken place for centuries. Those fasting for Lent used up the rich foods they would be giving up in a feast.

One of the traditional items to come out of the celebration was a pastry made from potatoes and yeast. This delicious doughnut known as fastnacht came the U.S. by way of the Pennsylvania Dutch. In their settlements, the pastry is one of the principal food traditions. The sweet treat is often cut into a triangle or square. Along with fastnacht, the celebration in Pennsylvania Dutch country includes a sumptuous feast before the long 40 days fast.

FAT TUESDAY

The last day of Carnival and the day before Ash Wednesday, Fat Tuesday is the intertwining of a period of festivals and feasts that lead to a time of fasting and reflection. Also known as Shrove Tuesday and Mardi Gras, this enduring celebration has many traditions and deep roots around the world.

Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) dates back to an ancient Roman festival honoring the deities Lupercalia and Saturnalia which took place in mid-February. When Christians arrived in Rome, they incorporated the festival into Lenten preparations.

For centuries, this solemn feast prepared Christians for the season of Lent and used up valuable meat and supplies they would be abstaining from in the days to come. Traditions surrounding the day have changed through the ages. Through time and culture, the practices of Lent and Carnival, Mardi Gras, and Shrove Tuesday have varied and become incorporated into regional customs.

In the United Kingdom, Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Day. Pancakes are the perfect menu item when the future includes abstaining from fats, eggs, and sweets! In Russia, they celebrate the entire week during Shrovetide as Pancake Week.

NATIONAL RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS DAY

Each year on February 17th, National Random Acts of Kindness Day grows in popularity. It is celebrated by individuals, groups, and organizations nationwide to encourage acts of kindness.

🌑 A rare eclipse era is beginning!
From 2026 to 2028, the world will witness an incredible sequence of six solar eclipses a mix of dramatic “Ring of Fire” events and breathtaking total solar eclipses. This powerful alignment is happening because multiple Saros cycles are overlapping, creating a back-to-back run of major eclipses across different continents.
🔥 Annular Eclipses (Ring of Fire)
• Feb 2026 — sweeping across Antarctica
• Feb 2027 — visible in parts of Chile, Argentina & West Africa
• Jan 2028 — crossing the Galápagos and Spain
🌒 Total Solar Eclipses
• Aug 2026 — touching Iceland, Greenland & northern Spain
• Aug 2027 — stretching across Spain, North Africa & Egypt, with exceptionally long totality
• Jul 2028 — crossing Australia & New Zealand, including Sydney
Unlike the 2008–2010 cycle, when many eclipses occurred over oceans, this time the paths travel across populated and iconic locations. For skywatchers and eclipse chasers, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity three total eclipses on three continents in less than two years.
And it all begins with a blazing ring of fire over Antarctica. 🌞🔥

Tuesday Mantra…

@taci

I enjoy reading. I love saying I visited that city or country because of the novels that I picked. It’s like being on vacation. No, I have not read any books by the novelist Richard Osman. You are not the first to recommend his books and therefore he is on my wish list.

I found a couple of walking sticks in hubs closet. I tried using them a few days ago and it works. So much easier to use those as a cane rather than hubs walker which you need to lift to take the steps. I refuse to use tennis balls on the rear legs. The weather here has started to change to spring. Good time for me to be outside without dealing with the humidity issues along with the higher temps. Yesterday’s weather was something else.

Again, thank you for taking the time to offer another great author.

@oodiebom,

Good Evening I am glad you are feeling better. 💕😎I love the book you recommended
and I have been following both Nicole and Jamie on this series. I never miss a Nicole Kidman
or Jamie Lee Curtis Movie. 💕😎

Everyone is talking about this series and books. Thanks for the heads up as I know the
series starts some time in March.

Oodie I would enjoy some warm tea with this one. I always like to read the books before I
see a movie or series so I will let you know what I think of it. This will be after the Olympics.

I feel like I am doing a double axle. 😎💕

Here is to a easy evening. 🎈😎

Be cool Peeps. 😎

@shoelady60,

Good Evening I have very busy days. I intend to watch everything I don’t want to miss
anything. 😎💕

Hey here is to a good evening any way you choose. 😎

Sweet Dreams. 💕😘

“Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still” (Chinese Proverb).

Peace Out Peeps enjoy your evening. 😎🎈

Oodie, Have you read RIchard Osman’s Books. If not take a look.