Signora Sheila

January 29, 30, and 31 are generally considered the coldest days of the year here, especially in northern Italy. They are also known as the Days of the Blackbird (i Giorni della Merla). And this can be traced back to the Italian Legend of the Blackbird.

Different areas of Italy have their own variations of the Blackbird Legend. But the most common version is it that during these coldest days a beautiful white bird and her white chicks took refuge in a chimney to protect them from the cold. On February 1, they came out all gray because of the soot. According to this legend, from that moment on, all female blackbirds and their chicks became gray, and the males black.

The Days of the Blackbird are also used as a method to predict the weather, much like Groundhog Day. It is generally believed that if these three days are especially cold, we’ll have a nice spring. But if they are warm, the arrival of spring will be late.

We don’t know what kind of weather the blackbirds will see this year. But so far this January has been really cold in much of the northern hemisphere.

So why not have a Family Fun Night and build some houses to keep our feathered friends warm? Here are some resourceful ideas to get you started. They’re thrifty and eco-friendly too, because they use unused art supplies or salvaged recycling items you might have around the house.

And now just for fun, watch the following Italian tale about the Days of the Blackbird. Put some food out for the birds, grab yourself a hot drink, snuggle up under a blanket, and enjoy this little video. Don’t worry, I managed to find an English version!

📷 Image credits: blackbird