Spring is upon us. The 23 degree tilt in Earth's axis together with the ellipse of it's orbit have combined to pass the threshold of the equinox and for the next 3 months our days will grow in length until the next solstice when day length peaks and then begins to decline again. For the next six months we, in the northern hemisphere, will experience more daylight than darkness. It was today that the sun rose at it's eastern most point in the sky, and will set the closest to due west that we will see until the first day of autumn. The first day of both Spring and Autumn are also known as "Equinox's", a term which literally means "equal night" alluding to the fact that the sun is up in the sky for precisely 12 hours, or half the day, with an "equal night" of 12 hours. For those of us north of the equator, the arrival of spring ushers in weather that grows gradually warmer, the arrival of migratory creatures (mostly birds and insects), the awakening of hibernatory creatures, and the budding and blooming of plants of all kinds.

Spring has come to symbolize a time of hope as it is the time when the day outgrows the night, thus the symbolic victory of light over dark. It has historically been a time of relief as well, for it means that we have survived the winter's harsh weather and that we can enjoy several months of more comfortable weather, and the arrival of fresh crops and better hunting.

For those of us in Southern California, however, it merely means slightly less rain. Happy Spring!