Tonight, A Super Moon And Spring

On March 20, 2019, the plane of our planet will pass through the center of the Sun. It is an equinox day, a day when the length of light and darkness are just about equal anywhere on the planet. It also means the sun is directly overhead on the equator at the middle of the day. This year I don't care to get more technical about the facts. It's the first day of Spring that matters even if the northeastern U.S. could get nailed with another snowstorm and near hurricane winds in the next few days. There's something different about this year's first day of spring. Shortly after sunset tonight we can enjoy the Full Worm Moon casting it's silvery blue light across the planet as the last supermoon of the year.

Wen it comes to calendars and changing seasons, it's hard to beat the French Revolutionary Calendar (1793-1805) teasing us with the warmth and color of Spring. For starters the spring equinox marks the first day of the month of Germinal. Every day has a name appropriate for the season. A revolutionary idea, I'd say. So here are the fecund thirty days of Germinal (March 21 - April 19):

1. Primevere - Primrose

2. Plantane - Plane Tree

3. Asperge - Asparagus

4. Tulipe - Tulip

5. Poule - Hen

6. Bette - Chard Plant

7. Bouleau - Birch Tree

8. Jonquille - Daffodil

9. Aulne - Alder

10. Couvoir - Hatchery

11. Pervenche - Periwinkle

12. Charme - Hornbeam

13. Morille - Morel

14. Hetre - European Beech Tree

15. Abielle - Bee

16. Laitue - Lettuce

17. Meleze - Larch

18. Cigue - Hemlock

19. Radis - Radish

20. Ruche - Hive

21. Gainier - Judas Tree

22. Romaine - Lettuce

23 Marronnier - Horse chestnut

24. Roquette - Arugula or Rocket

25. Pigeon - Pigeon

26. Lilas - Lilac

27. Anemone - Anemone

28. Pensee - Pansy

29. Myrtille - Blueberry

30. Greffor - Knife

Wonderful imagery in those thirty words about the season of renewal. May your first day of spring be the harbinger of warm weather and wind in your sails.

Sources

Photos and Illustrations:

Allegory of Germinal, public domain, wikipedia.fr, French National Library and Bureau of Measures, Paris