It's Spring! Yay!

Spring is here! On Saturday at 1:30 in the afternoon, the Sun crossed directly over the Earth’s equator and marked the Vernal Equinox, when day and night are of equal length. The Vernal Equinox occurs anywhere from March 20^th to the 23^rd—this year it was on Saturday, March 20^th.

It's appropriate, therefore, to celebrate the arrival of spring by taking a hike on the green hills of the Bay Area, just now blooming with wildflowers.

Traditions

People have celebrated the Vernal Equinox for thousands of years. The Sphinx of Egypt gazes directly at the rising sun on this day. The Persian New Year, Nowruz, begins on this day. The first sign of the astrological zodiac, Aries, starts on March 21^st—it’s the sign that contains all potential, like a seed about to sprout. Some British Isle pagans believe the earth quickens with certain energy during this time, which they called Eostre (long before Christians celebrated Easter). 

“The ancient trackways, the ridgeways, were said to be the backbone of the dragon,” writes British author Glennie Kindred; perhaps it is especially good now to walk the ridges of hills and mountains—Skyline Boulevard of San Mateo County, Mount Tamalpais of Marin, Twin Peaks of San Francisco.

Winter is over in the northern hemisphere. Plants are sprouting new leaves. Flowers bloom, eggs hatch, animal babies are born. The equal length of day and night recalls the Chinese yin and yang symbol of dualities: male and female, hot and cold, dark and light.

It’s a good time to start a garden, or just get out among the wildflowers.

Enjoy the season!