Leap Day Whimsy

 

Hi everyone. As you all know, 2012 is a Leap Year...but do you know why? I thought I'd share a few bits of historical Leap Year traditions and trivia with you today. 

• The earth turns roughly 365 and a quarter times on its axis by the time it has completed a full year's orbit around the sun, which means that periodically the calendar has to catch up — thus the convention of leap years. A leap year contains one extra day, February 29, for a total of 366 days. 2012, for example, is a leap year. (source)
• Persons born on leap day, February 29, are called "leaplings" or "leapers."
• It was once thought that leapling babies would inevitably prove sickly and "hard to raise," though no one remembers why. 
• In days gone by folks apparently believed that monkeying with the calendar like that might actually throw nature out of whack, even hampering the raising of crops and livestock. 
• It used to be said, for example, that beans and peas planted during a leap year "grow the wrong way" — whatever that means — and, in the words of the Scots, "Leap year was never a good sheep year."

Leap Year Traditions

That the reversal of gender roles was well recognized at the beginning of the 17th century as a leap year motif is reaffirmed by this passage from the Treatise Against Judicial Astrologie by John Chamber, dated 1601:

If the nature of anything change in the leap-year, it seemeth to be true in men and women, according to the answer of a mad fellow to his misstress, who, being called knave by her, replied that it was not possible, "for," said he, "if you remember yourself, good mistress, this is leap-year, and then, as you know well, knaves wear smocks."

Leap Year Celebration 
Olivia Brynn and are celebrating this Leap Year with a bang! We both have books coming out that week, and both books are about take charge women who are "sleeping with the boss". Company Ink  is a contemporary erotic romance about an inner office affair. My book, Pinch of Naughty is the story of a 19th century housekeeper who has "night duty" too.

 

If you have time, stop by and celebrate Leap Year with us. 

We're talking with readers and authors, posting excerpts, giving away books and having fun.

 Chat is @ Gems' Place on Friday, March 2nd @ 7:00 EST.

Hope to see you there!

gem

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