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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Mad March - A Rhyme – The Months - Marzo Pazzo – Filastrocca – I Mesi

 

        

The months in photos from my Flickr Collection January to December, not necessarily all from the same year.

We are just about half way through the month that Italians call Mad March,( Marzo Pazzo) or Crazy March, (Marzo Pazzerello). It has certainly lived up to the name this year as we have experienced just about all the variations of weather that nature can provide.   We have had mild sunny, cold sunny, torrential rain, grey, damp drizzle, misty mornings, sleet, snow and strong cold winds! I know in English we use the expression that March arrives like a lion and leaves like a lamb. In Italy we seem to experience the lion and the lamb weather all jumbled together throughout the month and subject to sudden changes. It can be sunny in the morning and raining by later afternoon or vice versa. I have learnt to realise why the Italians always seem to carry an umbrella at this time of the year. There are also dramatic changes in temperature with it feeling pleasantly mild one day then penetratingly cold the next. I do mean cold, like in thermal undies weather.   This time of March weather is referred to as ‘fa brutto’ ‘ makes ugly’ and it sure does, with the Marta webcam Meteo Marta now on the website some of you may have noticed these dramatic variations already.  It is mild today and bright so I am off for a walk this afternoon when I have finished this post as tomorrow the temperature is due to drop dramatically again and rain, rain, rain is forecast but of course as this is Marzo Pazzerello it might well change again and again.

I discovered this lovely little  rhyme (Filastrocca) about the months of the year (I Mesi), when an Italian blogging friend of mine who lives in Scotland posted it on her blog An Italian Daily Journal earlier this year, which she says she does not mind me reproducing again here with no link back required, although I have included one. She does not have permalinks anyway on her blog, but I do hope some of you will visit to learn how an Italian likes living in Scotland.

Gennaio freddoloso
febbraio spiritoso
marzo pazzerello
aprile mite e bello
maggio sognatore
giugno cantatore
luglio nuotatore
agosto gran signore
settembre grappolaio
ottobre castagnaio
novembre triste e stanco
dicembre tutto bianco.

January the chilly
February the hilarious
March crazy
April mild and beautiful
May the dreamer
June the singer
July the swimmer
August the great lord
September grapes carrier
October chestnuts carrier
November sad and tired
December all white

Continuing on the same theme of the months March, Marzo was also the first month of the original Roman ten month year. Roman Calendar – Wikipedia  Roman writers claimed that their calendar was invented by Romulus, the founder of Rome around 753 BC.

It was originally :-

Martius                        March (Marzo)                 Named after Mars the God of War

Aprilis                         April (Aprile)                   Named after Venus the Goddess of Love

Maius                          May (Maggio)                  Named after Maia the Goddess of Spring and Rebirth

Junius                         June (Giugno)                  Named after Juno the Queen of Gods.

Quintilis                      July (Luglio)                    Known as the fifth month until 44BC when renamed Lulius in honour of Julius Caesar

Sextilis                       August (Agosto)               Known as the sixth month until 8BC renamed Augustus after first Roman Emperor

Septem                       September (Settembre)    The seventh month

Octo                           October (Ottobre)            The eighth month

Novem                        November (Novembre)      The ninth month

Decem                        December (Dicembre)       The tenth month

The remaining two months of the year were left unnamed until 700 BC when Numa Pompilus added them and made them the first two months of the year before Martius.

Janarius                     January (Gennaio)           Named after Janus the God of Beginnings

Februarius                  February (Febbraio)         Named after Februs the God of Purificati

 

 

Image with thanks to Squidoo.com where more about Ancient Mythology, and Meanings Behind Our Calendar can be learnt.

 

Finally my favourite photograph this month so far taken at 6.30am on March 11th from one of our first floor windows.

 

Copyright All rights reserved by LindyLouMac Photo Collection

20 comments:

  1. That was really interesting. I loved that final photo too.

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  2. Thanks for your visit today. I appreciate seeing your posts because my daughter and will be visiting Italy this year. She lived in Italy so has a little Italian but I only know a few words. I'd like to learn a little before we leave so I find the word of the day fascinating. Thanks!

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  3. Ohhh, Linda, I love that photo so much. :-) It makes me want to bundle in a sweater, wrap an afghan around my shoulders, and cozy down into a couch with a good book and a steaming hot cup of something. :-)

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  4. I loved that little poem and all your photos were delightful, but, as you say, especially that last one taken on the 11th March. I'm glad it's not only us in England who get such variations in the weather from day to day! We actually had bright sunshin today, and it felt a LITTLE warmer :) Good post. Hope you enjoyed your walk.

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  5. I enjoyed today's post and I shared the rhyme with a group that is trying to learn Italian...and I referenced your blog to them.

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  6. Oh yes! It's definitely brutto here in Italy at the moment!!! Maybe it's becasue of this marzo pazzo that we are all sick!!!;)
    Hugs!
    Mara

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  7. Interesting post and that last photo is beautiful. One for beautiful world? Diane

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  8. Love your photo! I'm glad our March is typically the Lion/Lamb version :-)

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  9. What a happy post..You know the March uglies..here it is called "mud season"..what a mess. Snow melting and rain, not a good combo.
    If we get a wind, it helps dry things fast. I think it is so interesting to see how we all deal with different seasons..Your photo is beautiful..Have a happy rest of the week..xoxoRosebud/Carolyn

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  10. Your post reminds me my Sicilian grandfather who was used to say:
    "Marzo pazzerello, guarda il sole e apri l'ombrello".
    "Crazy March, look at the sun and open the umbrella".

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  11. Ciao Linda, in Italy we say "Marzo pazzerello, guarda il sole e prendi l'ombrello". But March has been quite crazy here in Scotland as well and we are experiencing all the four seasons in one day lately ;) We got more snow today, but the weather forecast says that tomorrow temps should be warmer of 15 C degrees, unbelievable!
    Glad you liked the "filastrocca", it was my fave as a child. :)
    Sweet dreams now.

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  12. Wonderful info to know, and the last photo is just beautiful!

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  13. What a lovely and informative post!!!!

    Yes, down here in this part of Italy we are experiencing much of the same!

    Today our trip to the Nola Market got canceled! I was so very disappointed as it wasn't even raining that much!

    Then one day DAZZLING sunshine....

    Then another day a storm with fury!!!

    Hugs,
    Lana

    PS I "lurked" around your blog for weeks (maybe a couple of months) since I learned of it at the beginning of the year. I was still in Alabama then. I try to come by and visit every week now!

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  14. I enjoyed the rhyme. I read it in my head with an Italian accent. :)

    The weather all over has been topsy-turvy. Even here... One day it's warm and sunny; the next cold and chilly!

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  15. I didn't know this rhyme!
    We're having torrential rain since last night, road and fields are flooded...I'm certainly not a big Spring fan!
    xxx

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  16. You live in a beautiful part of the world. I'm glad you're joining Mosaic Mondays - they are so much fun!

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  17. The poem is lovely.
    The weather is absolutely unpredictable here in Toronto too. As soon as I complained about the rain and the fog, the sun came up today. Your photo gives me the goosebumps-it is so beautiful!

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  18. I am not a fan of March weather here either but it is warming a bit and flowers are blooming. I love your lavender sky in your favorite photo.

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  19. Shelia@ When and where are you coming, delighted you like the word of the day!

    Rambling Tart@ Well yes I know what you mean but it was taken at 6.30am so going back to bed was my choice :)

    Patricia@ Thanks for mentioning my blog, it is a great little rhyme for helping to learn Italian.

    Mary@ We shall have to wait and see what the rest of the month brings but torrential rain here again today.

    Dona@ and Kia @ Thanks so much for sharing this lovely rhyme here with us. Also KIa for the "filastrocca"

    IcyBC@ Thankyou, delighted you found the post of interest.

    Lana@ torrential rain here again today. I love the fact that you are no longer lurking as now I can get to know you as well. :)

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