Spring is here
March is off to a start and rolling fast as the past months, January and February, have both done. The days have gone by so quickly since the first of the year. I hope it slows down just a little bit. March is the beginning of Spring, which is why it has always been one of my favorite months.
On the second Sunday, March 12, everyone must remember to set their clocks forward because of Daylight savings time.
The Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act unanimously on March 15, 2022, which would have made daylight saving time permanent starting in 2023. It would have ended the twiceannual changing of the clocks. But the legislation stalled in the U.S. Congress to make daylight saving time permanent.
March is named for the Roman god of war, Mars. It was named after the Roman god because it was the time of year when the Romans resumed military campaigns interrupted by winter.
March 17 is the day set for St. Patrick's Day. It is the anniversary of St. Patrick's death in the fifth century – a celebration that the Irish has observed for over 1,000 years. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and its national apostle. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. He is also well-known for explaining the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover, the shamrock.
When clovers cover the ground, I can't help but look for a four-leaf clover if I have time. I remember as a child trying to find one before my little sister found it. Then I would keep the four-leaf clover, thinking it brought good luck and put it in one of my mother's books to keep it forever. There is no telling how many four-leaf clovers my mom found hidden in her books.
March 20 is officially the beginning of Spring. On this day, the sun stands directly over the earth's equator. It is called the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, and in the Southern Hemisphere, the date marks the beginning of fall.
March 22 marks the start of Ramadan. It begins at sundown. In Islam, it is considered a holy month, and a month-long, sunrise-to-sunset fast is observed.
It is a beautiful month. I've started hearing the birds singing in the early morning and have seen the beautiful buttercups peeking through the ground. Some have even started blooming. The other day I saw a field of daffodils that seemed to lay out a sidewalk up a hill, and if you followed them, they possibly would lead you to the front porch of a house. It reminded me of my mother.
My mother loves daffodils. The hillside by our house had many different varieties. Her favorite was the `Spring Cheer' daffodil. It has 15-20 scented blooms that cover each stem. We would pick some and bring them to Mother. She would put them in a beautiful vase and set them on the kitchen table.
One of my other favorite early spring flowers is the Hyacinth. The sweet smell brings back memories held close to my heart.
Enjoy the warmer days.