🌞 Vernal Equinox 🌑

[Breanna]

Hi guys!

It's a typical cloudy, cool March day but a rather happy one for those of us looking forward to the warmer months ahead. If you were lucky enough to glimpse the sunrise this morning, set your bearings because that was due east. Happy first day of spring!

Since I'm still fairly new to this side of the world, my clock still ticks on Chinese time so I thought it'd be fun to share some of the things I'd usually be doing at this time of year in Beijing.

On the Lunar calendar, this day marks the beginning of a period called 春分 (Chūn fēn), which pretty much literally translates to "Spring division." There are 24 of these periods on the calendar, but most people don't follow them all that closely. 

It's right about this time of year that you can collect the tender shoots of the Chinese Mahogany tree. In my experience, carrier bags full appear without warning so you better get to liking them fast!

No chance to get sick of eating it as they're really only available for one or two weeks a year. Without a doubt, it's one of the weirdest green vegetables and best consumed stir-fried with eggs and green onions, but no soy sauce. It's taste is quite nutty but can leave a very icky chalk-board feeling on the teeth if not cooked properly.

This is also the time of year when we'd make kites for the little ones to try outdoors. To be honest, I'm not sure how the weather worked when this calendar was made, but I've never experienced a Chun Fen where the weather was nice enough for it. Nothing beats watching 3 year olds trying to get a kite off the ground though!

As for this year, I'm looking forward to testing out the growing season in Yorkshire and building some outdoor space for my cats so they can chill in the garden while I work.

Any plans in your books for spring? 💮🌷🐞

[Enlli]

In the old traditions this time has many names. Ostara / Alban Eilir / Spring Equinox (Pagan, Wiccan, Druid) - Also known as Eostre. Regarded as a time of fertility and conception. In some Wiccan traditions, it is marked as the time when the Goddess conceives the God's child, which will be born at the winter solstice.

We are clearing and planting in the garden but in three weeks we will be off to spend a week at a small festival (no more than 499 people) so prepping our campervan for the first outing of the year.

[Breanna]

I knew about Ostara but not the others. Amazing all the ways we see the world throughout history.

Hope you'll enjoy the festival @Enlli! I've committed to an event in August and I'm dreading it already...