Happy Spring!
Blogs
03.19.2019
As most schoolchildren can tell you, the calendar year is divided into four quarters or seasons – spring, summer, fall, and winter. The precise point at which the seasons change is marked by four special days – a winter and a summer solstice and a spring and a fall equinox. Equinox is a Latin based word meaning literally “equal night,” and true enough, in most places in the world on the spring (or vernal) equinox the night and day are roughly the same length. This year the Spring equinox also happens to be the day on which the moon is closest to the earth. This makes it a “supermoon” thereby allowing me the legitimate use of one of my favorite words in this exciting sentence:
“On March 20th the moon will be at its perigee!”
Even more intriguing is the classification of this moon as a “Full Worm Moon.” Apparently a “supermoon” in March signifies warmer weather that presages the appearance of worms in the soil. Frankly, given the recent weather, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a penguin in my front yard; I don’t expect the worms to be joining us until the snows are cleared and the daffodils are blooming. There is something in the opening of a flower that defies winter and cold. The first crocus in the snow, the snowdrop flower banishing the snow – now there’s homeopathy for you!
Which brings us to Revels Spring Sing. Revels is big on paying attention to the seasons and celebrating. What we do is gather up bundles of forsythia and bring them into our hall where they brood for a little and then burst into flower – bright yellow victory flags signifying the beginning of Spring. And then in Revels fashion, we gather together and sing. Old songs and new songs, with children, Morris dancers, musicians, a funny mummers play, a nibble and a drink and when we go out of the hall into the world winter is defeated and spring is in the ascendancy. Oh yes, it may still be cold some days, perhaps even a snow squall yet to come, but we know that the dark has had its day and it is time for the light to come again.
Happy Spring!
Paddy Swanson
Revels Artistic Director
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