Cord Byrd: “Monday, March 20, marks the vernal equinox and the first day of spring. On Monday, night and day are equal in length…”

“Monday, March 20, marks the vernal equinox and the first day of spring. On Monday, night and day are equal in length, marking the midpoint of our climb out of the dark winter into the glorious long days of spring. Lovely, lovely spring. It takes a cold heart indeed not to love the springtime. Spring is the morning of the year, And summer is the noontime bright; The autumn is the evening clear, That comes before the winter's night. The Golden Rod, by Frank Dempster Sherman. Though most of the United States has enjoyed an unseasonable winter with mild temperatures and even thunderstorms in February, it is comforting to see the plants and animals around us heeding the celestial timetable even if the mercury in the thermometer is not. Right on schedule, this year as last year and in all the years before, the crocus and the daffodil burst through the leaf mold and lawn thatch, staining the subdued winter landscape with vibrant color, like Easter eggs hidden in the grass. In time for Saint Patrick's day, the grass put on a deep cloak of Irish green. Day by day, the skeletal tree limbs and branches are swelling and budding with soft, new leaves whose iconic color can only be named ``spring green.'' Next week, the Nation's Capital will be celebrating the Cherry Blossom Festival.…”