Bingo!

Another wait on the chilly porch yesterday morning and this time, I got the equinoctial sunrise I'd been hoping for. 

Clear sky, mostly . . .

And here comes the Sun!

 

The Great Wheel Turns

For the past two mornings, I've sat on the porch waiting for the sun to show itself in the center of the horizon.

There's a nice glow in the expected spot.

A promising beginning--but before the sun actually peeked over the Blue Ridge--down came the clouds.

 

The Vernal Equinox

The sight of the sun rising due east, right in the middle of our horizon is a welcome sign of Spring's arrival--even if Winter

is still hanging about like a particularly annoying ex.

 

Almost There

The Vernal Equinox (March 20) is a week away and I'm trying to pinpoint just where the sun will rise. Right about in the middle of our view (which is due east.)

Three months ago, at the Winter Solstice, the sun rose all the way to the right/southeast (1), next week it'll be rising in the center (2), and by June and the Summer Solstice, it'll be way over to the left/southeast. The back to the center for the Autumnal Equinox.

I find it hard to believe that it wasn't till we moved here that I actually paid attention to this yearly transit and realized how great the distance was between summer and winter sunrise. Of course I "knew" it happened -- the tilt of the earth, etc. ; science classes had explained the whole thing with pictures and diagrams and even scale models.

I really do know about that. Nevertheless, as I watch for the sun's rising throughout the year, I cherish the (totally erroneous and unscientific) image of the sun as a chained lion, pacing back and forth on the horizon -- from winter, when he has fled south to the farthest reach of his celestial chain, taking much of his warmth and light with him, to summer, when he travels north, bringing with him longer, hotter days to the northern lands. 

I could imagine an ancient tale of a time when the Sun Lion

was free to roam as he would . . . seasons were chaotic, agriculture impossible . . . till one brave soul captured and chained the lion, thus regulating the seasons. 

Now I have to go look for similar myths -- did I make this up or is it an echo of something I read once? Nordic mythology? African folk tales? Native American story?

And what will happen if the lion is loosed again?

The Vernal Equinox -- And It's Spring!

First Day of Spring

The vernal equinox! The sun has returned to the center of the eastern horizon . . .

The willow is erupting in fountains of greeny-yellow . . .

Willa is harassing chipmunks and reveling in her freedom  . . . 
her tail wags constantly . . .
 
A pretty little woodpecker -Downy or Spotted, I'm not sure -- is visiting . . .

The cows have been turned into the mountain pasture to enjoy fresh new grass . . .
And the forsythia, oh, the forsythia! A celebration of yellow! 

 

Vernal Equinox - The Wheel Turns Again

Alas, I'm  on the road today -- not at home to salute the sun at the vernal equinox.

This shot from our house is from a previous year. 

Chanson Innocent

Sunrise, and Spring is here!

Yesterday was the Vernal Equinox . . . daffodils grew yellower still . . .

A few things were planted . . .

And John installed the new tuteurs (made for my birthday) in the box garden.

Spring is always a time of such infinite promise and ambition and joy . . . a time to celebrate with e.e. cummmings' s goat-footed balloon man . . .

in Just-

spring when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman

whistles far and wee
and eddieandbill come

running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer
old balloonman whistles
far and wee

and bettyandisbel come dancing
from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's
spring

and
the
goat-footed

balloonman whistles
far
and
wee