March 21, 2010

• First Day of Spring

  Today, March 21st, is traditionally the first day of spring.  Technically, the vernal equinox occurred at 2:35 AM Saturday morning, so yesterday was the first day of spring scientifically.  Many centuries ago (actually, in something like 380 AD) a church council established March 21 as the first day of spring, and that’s what it still is in canon law.  Why would the Church care about such a thing?  Well, it’s necessary for calculating the date of Easter each year.  Easter is always the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox, and in the pre-scientific days when March 21 was chosen, they didn’t know any better.

  So, spring is finally here.  So why is it still so cold in Northwest Florida, and along the Gulf coast generally, that we’re still running the heat and still wearing jackets when we venture outdoors?  We had a warm and sunny day yesterday, but it’s cold today.  I went to a nursery to buy spring bedding plants this afternoon, and I was so cold that I cut short my search for plants to hurry back to my car.  I’m not one of those people who don’t believe the scientists about global warming, but, frankly, this winter and spring have tested my faith in science.  We’re a major Spring Break destination, and it’s been so cold that people I know who engage in surfing haven’t dared go in the water without wetsuits.  I don’t know what the economic impact of our very cold (for us) winter and spring has been, but I bet businesses that cater to the Spring Break crowd are hurting.

  ED

  • 6:27 pm
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