Everett Taylor: Taylor's Yarns

Even an extra day for Leap Year doesn't keep February from being the shortest month of the year, but it still has more of what might be called "special observance" days than most others.

One of those already has elapsed - the Feb. 2 observance of Groundhog Day. That event gets an awful lot of attention considering the fact that the outcome is one of the most predictable one might imagine.

A majority of the time, the groundhog sees his shadow, as he did this year, and pops back into his burrow for six more weeks of winter. Even if old groundhog doesn't see his shadow some years, it is not a good idea to put the winter garb away immediately.

If you happened to forget about Groundhog Day, there are plenty of other days in the month that have been designated for special atte-ntion.

The list incl-udes Ash Wedn-esday on Feb. 6; Lincoln's birthday on Feb. 12; Susan B. Anthony Day on Feb. 15; President's Day on Feb. 18; State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance Day on Feb. 19; and Washington's Birthday on Feb. 22.

It is an impressive list, but, except for President's Day, they don't qualify as genuine holidays.

While most businesses seem to operate on an "as usual" schedule on President's Day, don't bother going to the mailbox or the bank. It is a national and state holiday and those facilities are closed.

Officially, Feb. 18 will be observed as "Washington's Birthday," which for years was a federal holiday on Feb. 22, Washington's actual birthday.

But when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act went into effect on Jan. 1, 1971, it moved the Washington's Birthday holiday to the third Monday in February. More recently, the day has become widely known as "President's Day" in a number of states.

Perhaps the most obscure observance on the February list for most people is the state of Texas Anniversary Remembrance Day on Feb. 19.

It was on that date in 1846 that the Flag of the Republic was lowered at the State Capitol. Gov. James Pinckney Henderson formally took office and the Republic of Texas ceased to exist.

On the other hand, "St. Valentine's Day" on Feb. 14 likely is the special date in February observed by the most citizens in some manner. The Valentine exchange has become big business, along with other expressions of the heart such as flowers, candy and telephone calls.

In connection with that occasion, Feb. 10 through 16 this year has been designated as a special time at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals across the nation.

Established as an official VA program in 1978, this week is known as National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans and is an annual event designed to increase awareness of hospitalized veterans and the sacrifices they have made for our nation.

Columnist Ann Landers initiated a movement several years ago encouraging school children and adults alike to write a special note of thanks to hospitalized veterans in a Valentines Day greeting.

In Houston, the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center welcomes such cards and it distributes them to veterans and displays them throughout the hospital during this week. In many cases, students deliver their Valentines in person, the hospital reports.

Cards come in every shape and size and are made with everything from baseball cards, stickers and colored doilies to crayons, construction paper and stamps. One thing all of the cards have in common "is they are made with love and respect for our nation's veterans," a hospital spokesperson said.

When doing their Valentine shopping this year, people are urged to remember National Salute and consider sending a card to a hospitalized veteran, or visiting a veterans' care hospital if that is an option.

That could help make the occasion this year more special for all involved.

Everett Taylor
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