Loveliness
Word of the Week
Loveliness (love-lee-ness): A group of ladybugs! It comes from the Old English word lufliness meaning "lovableness." Ladybugs do seem lovable if you ask me!
Hello, hello!
An old European legend tells of farmers praying to the Virgin Mary, asking her to help protect their crops from aphids. They believe she sent swarms of tiny red beetles to devour the pests! Voila! Ladybugs!
So. . . why the ladybug theme? Why not? Let's learn a little more about them. . .
Ladybugs are actually beetles belonging to the Coccinellidae family.
Most are red with black spots, but they actually come in a wide range of colors.
They do have two eyes, but their vision is poor. They only see light and dark.
An average ladybug eats 75 aphids daily.
They can fly up to 37 mph!
The ladybug is the official insect for Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Tennessee!
Their spots don't tell us their age. Instead, they make others think they taste bad.
Perhaps it's because ladybugs help us eliminate so many insects that we find we kind of like them. Many beliefs surround these colorful little friends.
Italy: If a ladybug lands on a baby's cradle, they will lead a life full of luck.
Belgium: If a ladybug lands on a woman's hand, she will soon be married.
England: Ladybugs mean good weather.
France: When a ladybug lands on you, any illness or pain you have will leave with it.
Have you heard any other beliefs? Overall, it seems fair to say that ladybugs are associated with good luck. Now, if I asked you what number you consider to be lucky, what would you answer?
We connect a great deal of meaning to the number seven. There are 7 colors in the rainbow. There are 7 days in a week. There are 7 Wonders of the World. There are 7 notes in a musical scale. There are 7 continents! Mathematically, 7 is both an odd number and a prime number, making it very appealing to many.
For this week's simple project, I want you to create your own loveliness for the fridge. Naturally, I made 7! All you need are bottle caps, paint, paintbrushes, glue, and magnets. Have fun, and I hope they bring you a little bit of extra luck!
Until next time. . .
Gram