Happy Saint Blaise Day

I learned from the Spin-Off wall calendar that February 3 is St. Blaise Day — the patron saint of wool combers — so I did a little research.  According to Wikipedia, St. Blaise was a 5th or 6th century Armenian physician who was martyred by being beaten with wool combs.  The combs are included in icons of St. Blaise, thus his association with the wool combing trade.

I prefer to celebrate the British myth that St. Blaise brought prosperity to England by teaching the people to comb wool.  I still haven’t learned to comb wool, so I will be getting out my drum carder to observe February 3 this year.