Spring Equinox

[poliphilo]

Winter always goes on just that little bit too long.

I don't hate winter. I like snow and bad weather and Christmas tree lights.

And the winter stars. I love the winter stars.

But there always comes a time when I've had enough.

And it's always several weeks before winter finally packs it in.

But here's the Spring Equinox at last. Yesterday wasn't just mild, it was hot. Walking down the street, we passed a tree full of cock sparrows all flapping and pecking and skriking at one another. I guess love was in the air.

And today I looked into the back yard and saw a hen blackbird with moss in her beak go dodging into a clump of honeysuckle and ivy.

Nest-building. Yay!

Comments

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Do you understand why it's the Spring Equinox today, rather than tomorrow? I thought it was always March 21st? *puzzled*

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I find it useful to have "preparing for spring" rituals that tide me over the winter -- although, like you, I enjoy some winter, especially for the coziness it brings.

My rituals involve wintering over tender perennials indoors -- I think of my home as an ark in a sea of cold, and the plants come in two by two so that if one succumbs to the household conditions the other might possibly survive.

Another ritual involves cutting greens for Christmas that may root in water -- my big three are rosemary, dusty miller, and a broadleafed evergreen that may be a Japanese holly. I can watch them for rooting progress and then pot them up.

Here in Philadelphia, as you know from reading my Livejournal now that we're on each others' Friends lists, we have the Flower Show in early March, which is another thing to look forward to. This year I looked at beautiful displays of flowering bulbs forced by an enthusiast and realized I could probably do the same thing on a more modest scale by potting them up in fall and leaving them in our unheated back house, then bringing them in and putting them under my basement grow lights. (Forget windowsills; they're all full of holiday cactus, coleus, and rosemary.)

I envy you a back yard that has a clump of honeysuckle and ivy. And blackbirds, too. All we have in the way of wildlife are English sparrows (finches, actually), pigeons, and rats. Oh, yes, and the occasional squirrel.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Spring at last! Hooray! I thought, four weeks ago, that it would never be warm or pleasant outdoors again.

Birds are everywhere, and chickadees are building a nest in the green birdhouse out front (I saw one going in and out yesterday).

Nest-building and bird-singing: I love it.

[ibid.livejournal.com]

Still hasn't hit Scotland properly :(