Waking for Spring
“March is an especially refreshing month. Flowers are beginning to bloom in fields, leaves are sprouting on branches, and the birds who migrated south for the winter are returning north, singing along the way.”
From 1-800 Flowers Petal Talk
Flu season is finally over
Cold and flu season, marked about November through February, is mainly over. COVID transmission rates go down as we spend more time outside. With all those positives, we are already in better health just thinking about it!
Longer days entice us outside and the clock springs forward
At the beginning of March, the sun officially rises around 6:30 am and sets near 6 pm. By the end of the month (by official measure) we have lost about 45 minutes of morning light and gained almost 25 minutes at sunset — thanks to Daylight Savings time kicking in Sunday, March 10, 2 am. I know, the math does not work out… But no matter. The Spring Solstice is March 21, when day and night are equal — and the math works — before daylight starts to get longer than darkness until fall.
The weather grows wonky
Peak tornado season in Missouri falls during April, May, and June each year. Get ready by connecting yourself to weather alerts described in the blue box at right. They will work no matter where you are: find out if your summer house or residence at the lake is under an alert through connection to the Gasconade County site; or find out if you are under an alert wherever you happen to be with the FEMA app. FEMA’s Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) also work wherever you are — if you recall, that system was tested last November. The larger Federal system taps into all communication devices including radio and TV.
Ides of March
March 15 is “The ides of March,” a day on the ancient Roman calendar. It is now associated with misfortune and doom because it is the date Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 B.C.E. It is further immortalized in the tragedy Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. The term Ides derives from the Latin word iduare (Latin: “to divide”), because the full moon falls in the middle of each month. In the time of Julius Ceaser, it was simply mid-month when he died.
Wearing of the Green
March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, a religious and cultural holiday with roots in Ireland. Originally St. Patrick’s color was a particular blue in his depictions. Over time, because Ireland is known as “the Emerald Isle,” the holiday color morphed to green, echoing the color of the shamrock itself. St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity of Catholic teachings. The clover often appears in his depictions. Early on, people wore shamrocks in lapels on St. Patrick’s Day.
In 1798, the United Irish Uprising, shamrock and Irish green was translated into a political statement — a uniform color. After that, “wearing of the green” on the holiday became a symbol of Irish nationalism. New York City is probably most famous for their long-standing parade because many Irish immigrants came through Ellis Island between 1841 and WW II, ending up living and working there. Green beer and rivers spread the cheer everywhere across the US — and world — these days.
Watch for loud bugs
Cicada broods on 13 and 17-year cycles will crawl out of the soil across the Midwest this spring. So many awakening at one time has not happened for 221 years!
Oh, and National Puppy Day
March 23rd is a day that raises awareness for all homeless animals, especially those currently sitting in animal shelters. If you are looking for a fuzzy friend, that’s the day!
Get ready for Turkey Firearms Season
Youth portion is 6 and 7 April, then April 15 to May 5. Black Bass Catch-and-Release starts March 1 in most streams south of the Missouri River. Season is open all year for Black Bass in impounded waters and non-Ozark streams.
