The vernal equinox

The world sunlight map says it all. Every person, penguin and other living creature on Earth will have approximately 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark today. The vernal equinox was yesterday, and this is the first full day of spring. Day and night are equally balanced, but about to tip over to the side of light as we head toward the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere.

The Eternal Struggle
Angela Jayne Barnett

Easter will be late this year-- April 24th. Why? In 325 AD, the Church Council of Nicaea established the date for Easter as the first Sunday after the full moon following the northern hemisphere's vernal equinox. That is a mouthful. The date of Easter has been a source of controversy for centuries, but for most Christian countries Easter Sunday is observed sometime between March 22nd and April 25th.

Did you see the supermoon this past weekend? Rain and clouds are back today, but on Saturday the sun finally showed in Seattle. It wasn't warm, but at least bright and cheerful for the first day of spring.

Cloister Lilies
Marie Spartali Stillman