When I was a child attending Bradford Elementary School, we were taught that the first day of spring occurs on the vernal equinox, which is the date when the sun crosses the equator. This will happen on March 20 this year, although the date varies year-to-year. We receive nearly equal amounts of daylight and darkness on the vernal equinox, so I understand why it seems like a logical date to signify the onset of spring, but this policy never felt right to me. I always thought that each season: winter, spring, summer and fall, should be assigned three months apiece. So I decided that on the “Michael Hahn Calendar,” December, January and February would be the winter months; March, April and May would be spring; June, July and August would be summer; and September, October and November would be fall. This symmetrical approach seemed fair to me.

Some of my family and friends made fun of the Michael Hahn Calendar, pointing out that March and November often seem quite winter-like. Years later, I felt justified when I discovered that meteorologists officially recognize the same seasonal months as the Michael Hahn Calendar. Meteorologists, commonly known as weather forecasters, organize their calendar according to annual temperature patterns and the Gregorian calendar (the calendar that we all use in the United States and the majority of countries worldwide. We could debate endlessly about the merits of astronomical spring, based upon the movement of planet earth, versus meteorological spring, based upon time and temperature.

Whether or not you think that spring has sprung, there’s no denying that March is a roller coaster month, with sharply varying temperatures. We recently experienced a delightful warmup. The snow all melted from our field, and the temperature rose so high on one day that a tee shirt felt sufficiently warm. A few days later, snow blanketed the field once again, and a heavy parka was required to feel comfortable outside. Having felt the glorious comfort of the temporary heat, this return to wintery conditions might seem depressing. Don’t let it get you down! This too shall pass. Rest assured that the downturns of March are just as temporary as the heat waves. One thing that you can count on during March is the increasing amount of daylight each day, which, along with the higher angle and strengthening warmth of the sun, assure us that spring has sprung.

Michael Hahn Band varies in size from a duo to a six-piece band, depending upon the size and budget of the venue. They love to make music for any occasion. For bookings call 802-754-8889.

Upcoming Gigs:

Iron Rail in Woodsville, NH on Thursday, April 2 from 5 to 8

This will be an unplugged duo show, with Sid and Michael on acoustic guitars.


https://www.thebridgeweekly.com/rural-matters

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