On each of the four cross-quarter days, we tend to celebrate our Celtic heritage by having a dinner that may have been served in celebration of the seasonal days as recognized by our forebearers. Both Damsel and I have ancestry that traces back to ancient Western Europe, where the old celebrations may have taken place.
The name Imbolc derives from the Old Irish phrase i mbolg, literally meaning “in the belly,” which refers to the swelling abdomens or udders of pregnant ewes at the point of impending lactation. This etymology aligns with the festival’s historical association with early February, when sheep in Ireland typically began lambing and producing milk after winter, marking a key agricultural transition.
Saint Brigid of Kildare (c. 451–525), also known as Brigit or Bride, was a prominent Irish Christian saint, abbess, and founder of one of Ireland’s earliest monastic settlements at Kildare in the province of Leinster during the 5th century.
Both references above come from Grokipedia rather than Wikipedia; it is reference without the left-wing bias as in the latter case. Click on either link to view the Grokipedia articles about Imbolc and St. Brigid.
Our feast today will be Irish Guinness Beef Stew, modified for low-carb vegetables, of course. The feast will be posted on our food blog sometime later today.
Image above: Festive Cross of Saint Brigid adorning a feast table. Click to view enlarged.
After a couple of months waiting on the desktop tax prep software and the IRS to get their forms finalized and released (which is usual for every tax year) and also waiting for the release date for the last of our investment 1099 forms, we were able to put the numbers into the program today to finalize and send the 2025 Federal tax return to the IRS.
It so happens that our investment brokerage released our last 1099 form today which coincides with the first day that the IRS will accept 2025 returns on-line. We literally are filing on the earliest date possible given the completion of all necessary documents having been received and the IRS opening up the gate.
As is usually the case, we organized our income and other important items into a spreadsheet which allows us to forecast our impending tax situation with surprising accuracy. This year, thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill and the Senior Deduction Bonus, we took the impetus to manage the withholding during the latter part of the tax year such that we nearly broke even with what we owe versus what we withheld. I’m proud to say that our refund this year will be substantially less than $100.00. The bonus was nice, but we still feel that Social Security should be tax exempt, if not all seniors income should be exempt, but that’s another fight for another day. 
