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The Countdown Continues

By Melissa Freelend Feb 25, 2021 | 2:07 PM

Well, for me, I’ve been counting down the days since the start of Winter…

Spring is almost here!

In trying to distract myself and make a few more folds in my grey matter, I decided to look up some Spring facts. And boy-howdy, did I find some interesting ones!

Let’s head down this nature knowledge trail!

The first day of spring is called the vernal equinox. The term vernal is Latin for “spring” and equinox is Latin for “equal night.”

The fall and spring equinoxes are the only two times when the sun rises due east and sets due west.

While springtime brings flowers and warmer weather, it may be the worst time for human babies to be born. A large-scale study found that babies born in the spring are more likely to develop schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and anorexia.

One long-term study found that, at least in the Colorado Rocky Mountain region, spring begins, on average, about three weeks earlier than it did in the 1970s. 

The first spring flowers (in North America) are typically lilacs, irises, lilies, tulips, daffodils, and dandelions.

For the Japanese, the cherry blossom’s opening, Japan’s national flower, in March or April signals the start of spring.

The term “spring fever” refers to both psychological and physiological symptoms associated with spring arrival, including restlessness, daydreaming, and increased sexual appetite. While the exact cause is unclear, scientists believe that increased light, more exercise, and more bare skin influence hormone levels.

According to Greek myth, the return of spring coincides with the return of Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, who is the goddess of plants and fertility.

The early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx to point directly toward the rising sun on the spring equinox.

Every year on the first day of spring, people in Poland gather to burn an effigy and throw it in the river to bid winter farewell.

Honeybees are more likely to swarm during the spring. They swarm as a way to start new colonies from successful ones. Surprisingly, swarming honeybees are very docile and the most friendly they will ever be all year.

At Chichen Itza, Mexico, the Mayans celebrate the first day of spring with “The Return of the Sun Serpent.” During the spring and fall equinoxes, the shadow cast by the angle of the sun and edges of the nine steps of the pyramid, combined with the northern stairway, and the stone serpent head carvings, create the illusion of a massive serpent descending the pyramid.

The first day of spring also marks the beginning of Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The celebration lasts 13 days and is rooted in the 3,000-year-old tradition of Zoroastrianism. It is celebrated in Iran, the North Caucasus, Kurdish parts of Turkey and Northern Iraq, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and other scattered populations in Central Asia.

Spring cleaning is a ritual. This annual practice is actually rooted in various ancient traditions from around the globe, dating back centuries. While most common with Jewish, Iranian, and Chinese cultures, spring cleaning became important in American history in frontier homes to remove soot accumulation from winter oil lamps and stoves and dust. The earliest use of the term “spring cleaning” is said to have been in 1857.

After learning so much, I think I have a spring in my step! My brain is blooming! Which gives me a sunny disposition! … I’ll quit the puns now and leave you with a few sweet words, dear hearts:

She turned to the sunlight /And shook her yellow head / And whispered to her neighbor / ‘Winter is dead.’

– A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young