Eostar, Spring Equinox, Ostara, or Oestarra - Winter is now over. Light is increasing. The day and night are equal in length at the equinox. Spring has arrived or is coming soon according to Wikipedia.
Eostar is the time of fertility, birth, and renewal. The ice is thawing, and the growing season for plants and animals begins. Growth is the theme of the day.
Other Names: Spring Equinox, Eostre
Date: March 21 (there about)
Celebration of: The God and Goddess begin their courtship
Related Holiday: Easter
Colors: Light Green
Symbols: Spring flowers
Notes: Light overtakes the dark. Rebirth of life. Contemplate new beginnings and fresh ideas. Serious mediation on your hopes and dreams for the coming year. Solar festival of fire, light, and fertility.
Vernal Equinox Northern Hemisphere
This year, 2017, timeanddate.com tells us spring begins in the northern hemisphere with the vernal equinox on March 20 at 6:29 AM EDt. (Sorry, southern hemisphere, this is your first day of fall. Stay warm!)
Ah, spring! This season brings increasing daylight, warming temperatures, and the rebirth of flora and fauna.
The word equinox is derived from the Latin words meaning “equal night.” Days and nights are approximately equal everywhere and the Sun rises and sets due east and west.
At the equinoxes, the tilt of the Earth relative to the Sun is zero, which means that the Earth’s axis neither points toward nor away from the Sun. (However, the tilt of Earth relative to its plane of orbit, called the ecliptic plane, is always about 23.5 degrees.)
Spring is also the time when worms begin to emerge from the earth, ladybugs land on screen doors, green buds appear, birds chirp, and flowers begin to bloom. The vernal, or spring, equinox signals the beginning of nature’s renewal in the Northern Hemisphere.
One swallow does not make a spring.
Bluebirds are a sign of spring; warm weather and gentle south breezes they bring.
In spring, no one thinks of the snow that fell last year.
Don’t say that spring has come until you can put your foot on nine daisies.
Spring-time sweet!
The whole Earth smiles, thy coming to greet.
Image: Courtesy of Wikipedia