Sorry for the lapse last week. Gotta love computers or not - which is probably closer to what I'm currently feeling. Anywho - while I was busy cursing my computer, spring happened. In the northern hemisphere spring officially started March 20 to be exact. According to the astronomical definition, spring begins on the Vernal Equinox (usually March 20 in the Northern Hemisphere and September 22 in the Southern Hemisphere), and lasts until the Summer Solstice (usually June 21in the Northern Hemisphere and December 21 in the Southern Hemisphere). Vernal Equinox is one of the two days of the year when the length of day and night are the same length.
We often start to spend more time outside in the spring because the temperatures are becoming milder. Although, it can also be a time of unpredictable weather. Tornadoes and heavy thunderstorms can ruin spring plans. Trees are starting to bloom, shrubbery is starting to leaf out and spring flowers such as daffodils are gracing our landscapes.
Some of you may even take up the challenge of spring cleaning. The tradition of spring cleaning has ancient roots tracing back to the Jewish and Iranian cultures. In Iran, the new year starts on March 21 or the vernal equinox. Iranians' celebration of the new year lasts two weeks and is a time of regeneration. One of the rituals of this time is called khaneh takani which literally translates to "shaking the house." Every part of the house of scoured and cleaned, nothing is spared. New clothes are even bought to be worn during this time. Once the house is shaken, then they are ready to welcome the new year.
Lastly, I'll leave you with a poem by William Shakespeare called Spring from his play Love's Labors Lost.
When daisies pied, and violets blue,
And lady-smocks all silver-white,
And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue
Do paint the meadows with delight,
The cuckoo then, on every tree,
Mocks married men, for thus sings he:
“Cuckoo!
Cuckoo, cuckoo!” O word of fear,
Unpleasing to a married ear.
When shepherds pipe on oaten straws,
And merry larks are ploughmen’s clocks,
When turtles tread, and rooks, and daws,
And maidens bleach their summer smocks,
The cuckoo then, on every tree,
Mocks married men, for thus sings he:
“Cuckoo!
Cuckoo, cuckoo!” O word of fear,
Unpleasing to a married ear.
The images from this post have been brought to you by the Trashion Team's labeled Spring.
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