Pull up them socks!

Rain, rain go away - don't come back for many a day!  That's the song we are singing here in Manitoba.  We have had more than enough rain and cool, if not downright cold weather to last us for awhile.

We started out our spring very dry, but I think we have more than made up for the lack of rain last summer and fall.  Now we need some serious heat.  I'm serious.  I'm sure I can see my plants shivering out there!

One good thing about rainy days, however, is that it makes one stay indoors and work... or maybe sleep... depending on the "One".  I will admit to taking several naps, but I did work too.

I got quite a few garters made, and also finished my garter order which will be picked up tomorrow.

Here are the two for the order.

Because most brides don't like to give my garters away, they usually order 2, one to wear and keep and one to toss to the single men in the crowd.

Do you know why this is done?

Here is what Wikipedia has to say:

There is a European wedding tradition for a bride to wear a garter to her wedding. As part of this tradition, towards the end of the reception, the groom will remove his new wife's garter, which he tosses to the unmarried male guests.  Historically, this tradition relates to the belief that taking an article of the bride's clothing would bring good luck.^[1] In the middle ages, the groom's men would rush at the new bride to take her garters off her as a prize.^[2] As this often resulted in the destruction of the bride's dress, the tradition arose for the bride to surrender articles of her clothing, which were tossed to the guests, including the garter.^[1]Nowadays, the privilege of removing the bride's garter is reserved to the groom, while the bride will toss her bouquet.

Another superstition that has circulated is the male equivalent of the bride throwing her bouquet to the unmarried ladies. According to this superstition, the unmarried male wedding guest who successfully catches the garter will be the next man to be headed to the altar from the group of single men at that wedding. Traditionally, the man who caught the garter and the lady who caught the bouquet would share the next dance.^[1]

Garters were popular in the 1930s and 40s, and were a convenient way for ladies to carry small valuables, in place of a small purse.

And did you know that men too wear garters?  I swear it's true... 

In Elizabethan fashions, men wore garters with their hose, and colorful garters were an object of display. 

In male fashion, a type of garter for holding up socks has continued as a part of male dress up to the present, although its use may be considered somewhat stodgy.

I'll Say!