It's March 1st, a very important day in the gardener's year here in Chicagoland. March 1st marks the start of Meteorological Spring. Although there probably will be more snow and cold, winter is over (finally).
The name "March" comes from the Roman deity Mars, the god of war. It is quite fitting that March is named in honor of him, as March represents the last battle of winter and spring, with spring (hopefully) victorious at the end. The uncertainty of the outcome of this war in March is reflected in the old saying about March: in like a lion, out like a lamb; in like a lamb, out like a lion. The funny thing is, this old maxim is often accurate. I certainly hope it is, as it is only 13F out there right now. But the days are getting longer, and the sun is getting stronger. Who knows, in a couple of weeks I could be wearing shorts.
Click here to visit Carolyn Gail, the hostess of Muse Day, at Sweet Home & Garden Chicago.
27 comments:
So if it is sunny and mild, but COLD, isn't that lamb-like, as compared to cold and windy or cold and snowy? Here in my garden it is sunny and mild and cold, so that's lamb-like.
I guess I'll know in 31 days what today means in terms of future weather...
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
It's so cold!! Damn that sun shining down, fooling me. I can't wait to go muck about outside without bundling up so much. March is going to be a big tease, isn't it?
March is roaring in on the wind here this year. The sun is shining but the wind is blowing 20-30mph. Brrrrrr I keep looking outside to see if the crocus would open their buds but they aren't fooled by the sun. They are clasped shut.
I hope you're right about the shorts! I'm happy shedding sox :) Happy March!
March is in like a Lion here. It's so cold windchill factor at 1:36 p.m. 30 something!!!
It was 17F cold degrees here this a.m. Now, we're up to a balmy 34F. Come on little lamb, I'm ready. Happy Muse Day, MMD.~~Dee
Hi MMD, 13 sounds pretty cold to me, sort of like a cold war! It is hard to believe March is already here and we will be wearing flip flops by the end of the month if not before. Hooray!
Frances
Our March is coming in like a lion with this winter storm we are expecting tonight. Unusual for us but not unheard of in the history of this area. By the end of this month temps should be mild & spring will definitely be here. :)
I WISH winter were over. But the sun lacks promise and we are waiting for another snow storm. My GBMD post is up.
Those temperatures you're having qualify for lion weather in my book MMD. I'm thankful we've had lots of sun but it hasn't helped much with daytime temps struggling to get out of the 20s. Just hoping we have springtime lamb weather by the end of the month! Happy GBMD to you too.
Ann
If you're wearing shorts in a couple of weeks, I want pictures!! I'm sure there'll be no shorts here for 2 months:))
It's warmer with you than it is here, but we did have bright skies and sunshine to go with the stiff breeze. For me spring does not start until the spring equinox so it's still a few days off :) Shorts are still some considerable time off !
I had no idea March was named after a God of war. I too think it is fitting. I love that saying "in like a lamb out like a lion or vice versa". Hubby and I were just talking about it today. I came to the conclusion it only made sense in Maine where I grew up. He came to the conclusion it only makes sense to kids. Ha! We were at least on the same lines. I do hope March goes out like a lamb for you.
Well, most of the day it was sorta lamblike here, but tonight we're supposed to get snow, freezing rain, and then rain. So I think we're actually coming in like a cranky ol' polecat. That's my best guess, anyway.
Love the aconite buds. They won't grow in my wet clay, so I'm glad to see you with them.
MMD, I was going to ask about the buds in your photo (which are stunning, by the way) but Jodi answered my question. I've not ever had monkshood.
Does it do well for you? Do you think I'd like it? Great muse... you've had your thinking cap on and provided us something to muse upon. :-)
Shorts?! I'd almost forgotten that I have a drawer with shorts in it! ha.
I wouldn't get those shorts out just yet:) I'm not sure what today was, but I'll count it as a lion's roar--cold, very windy, and snow flurries.
I knew that March was named for Mars/Ares, but I hadn't thought about the significance of the war between winter and spring--very interesting!
MMD, I do like the photo you're showing us today...new growth is always exciting and sometimes other worldly! it's beautiful to my eyes. Well Mars in March just roared in here with and dumped snow on outlying counties and left us sub-freezing temps. No easy transitions this year! I must put my battle gear on to go outside and survey the losses.
Gail
Hi MMD, altho I'm never able to do much in the garden in March, it is a exciting and hopeful time. We always get some terrible weather in March, but it's never so discouraging because we can see light at the end of the tunnel.
Marnie
Carol - as far as I'm concerned, if it doesn't feel mild & spring like, it's lion weather.
Arythrina - March is known for offering beautiful balmy days, and then snatching them away, just when we start to get used to them.
Lisa - at least you have Crocuses in bud!
Joey - I remember several years when it was in the 80s in March. That's not a good thing.
Darla - that is cold where you are!
Dee - just think, it in couple of weeks we'll be putting away those mittens!
Frances - it's amazing how quickly the weather can change in March.
PG - it's kind of ironic that your heaviest snowfall has waited until March.
PL - but the sun is much stronger now! I didn't have to shovel the driveway, because the sun melted it all away.
Ann Travers - you've just got to keep beieving in that lamb!
FD - it's happened before. Two years ago we had 2 days at the end of March when the high was 79.
Anna - I'm hoping that I won't need shorts until May, but you never can tell.
Tina - hey, I believe in it & I'm sticking to it.
Jodi - I have a confession to make. That photo is from last year. I expect the Aconites to make their appearance in about a week.
Shady - the buds are actually Eranthis, not Aconitum, but they both do well here, although the Monkshood gets diseased.
Rose - I don't know if March was named for Mars because of the weather, but that's my theory.
Gail - I hope you didn't sustain any losses. The early spring flowers are pretty tough.
Marnie - absolutely true. I mind March snows much less than those in April.
I hope we are all wearing shorts in a couple of weeks. March is in like a lion here so I am hoping for the best and the best for you also. Love those little blooms? Erianthus?
What a wonderful photo -
Hope you will be in shorts soon :)
K
Very interesting info about the 'meterological year'...somehow I don't remember learning about that.
March has arrived in lion-form for us in VA...just a couple of days ago I was digging in the garden..which is the topic of my GBMD post.
13? Ha ha ha--we have 14! Yea, baby. And speaking of war, I was so glad to hear that as of this June, my niece's husband is done with the Army. He just got back from his third tour in Iraq and will stay in CO til he's done. He's then going to college on the GI bill. SHe's very relieved and happy!
P.S. Meteorological spring? Wuzzat?
I'm always in favor of shorts if it's even close to being warm out. Once winter is over I wear shorts spring through fall. I grow tired of wearing sweatpants all winter long. I do like prolonged spring and fall weather though.
Layanee - I'd prefer to be wearing jeans & a sweater. And yes, that is Eranthis.
Thanks, Karen!
Jan - one of the local meteorologists, Tom Skilling on WGN, frequently mentions the meteorological seasons. I'm sorry you got so socked with snow.
Monica - the meteorological seasons have to do with weather patterns rather than astronomy.
Cinj - it's so rare to get prolonged spring-like weather around here. Too often we seem to go straight from winter to summer.
Years back it might have been WGN's Roger Triemstra who used to try to cheer up Chicagoans every March 1st with the 'Meteorological Spring' reminder, MMD, and it probably was annoying to someone out shoveling Meteorological Winter.
Our local NPR station celebrated March 4th Day by reminding us to "March Forth to the Garden"!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I remember Roger Triemstra. That goes way back now. I Marched forth to the garden today to cut back my grasses. It felt wonderful.
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