Tag Archives: celestial events

Welcome October

by Sarah | Leave a comment

On the first Wednesday of each month we like to pause and take a look at what’s going on in the world around us, with a particular focus on animal activity, celestial events, and our farmers’ fields.

Last week we welcomed the official Autumn Equinox.  Katie and I both camped last week in our separate necks of the wood and I speak for both of us when I say how lovely it was.  It is truly comfortable outside.  I love fall for its cool breeze and warm sun.  If you’re a photographer you know that shooting during October sunsets is magical. The leaves are changing, the weather is perfect and the light is warm.

Hikes take more time in Autumn because there is so much to see.  Mushrooms are springing up after the first fall rains, flowers are both blooming and going to seed and animal activity is abundant.  I may be making this up (definitely am), but Autumn seems like everyone’s favorite time of year.  We are shaking off summer, enjoying the changing seasons and attending every fair and festival like it’s going out of style, which well, it is because in a couple months it will be winter, but we don’t have to talk about that right now.

Last year at this time, I stayed in a yurt with my sister Kristin and some friends and we had a little visit from Katie and her forest monster.  I hope you plan a little something to soak up the season this month 🙂

liveseasoned_fall14_octoberwelcome-1-21

Fields and Festivals

Farmer’s markets at this time of year are my favorite.  The weather is usually sunny, but there is a nice breeze, which means I can meander through the market and take my time with selecting which veggies I’ll purchase from which vendor.  Unfortunately it’s also the time of year when markets transition from two to one day each week.  Three local markets in my area have cut back to one day and while I really don’t need to go twice a week, I really do enjoy the errand.  Like we mentioned last month, this is the time of year when crops that need a full summer growing season and ready to be harvested and brought to market.  At my market in Carrboro, North Carolina, I’m see lots of  summer and winter squash including butternut, acorn and pumpkin.  There are also a wide variety of tomatoes,  apples, melons, and greens.  I’m contemplating joining a CSA for the winter. I know it will mostly be filled with kale, chard, lettuces, beets, carrots and turnips, but it might be nice to be forced (ok, gently prodded) to go to the market to pick up my box each week-even in the dead of winter.

Don’t have a favorite farmer’s market? Autumn is a fantastic time to pick wild mushrooms.  You should always pick with someone who is experienced in the craft, but if you’ve never done it before, you should try it this fall.  Look up a local mycological club, call an old friend (and mushroom expert) or attend a conference!  Make sure you know a little bit about mushroom etiquette before you hit the trails though.  Don’t pick on private property unless you have permission and know the rules about permits and such before picking in state and national forests.

Now that we’re talking about picking, I’m thinking about pumpkin patches.  I love outdoor autumn activities and picking my own pumpkin nearly tops the list.  I came across this website that lets you search pick-your-own farms by country, state and county.  While you’re out in the farmer’s field, I’m sure you can talk them into letting you take a few dried cornstalks home for decoration.  While we’re on the topic of pumpkins, I wanted to admit to a slightly shameful story.  Until 2010 I had always thought of pumpkins as decorations instead of food.  I would eat pumpkin pie and various other dishes made with pumpkin, but in my mind they registered as jack-o-lanterns and decorations rather than a good source of fiber and other nutrients.  It wasn’t until I worked with a group of Jamaican farmers (who grew lots of pumpkin) that I realized they were a great crop first and foremost and not simply a seasonal decoration.  Now I make sure to roast the seeds from my carved pumpkins and use any whole pumpkins before they rot on my doorstep.  Just some food for thought that I had failed to think about for the first 21 years of my life.

Along with flocking to pumpkin patches and going on hayrides, there are plenty of other festivals and activities to attend in October.

  • Watching the leaves change color in the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee attracts millions each year. (Fun fact: over 9.4 million people visited the park in 2010 making it the most visited national park. The second most popular is the Grand Canyon which had 4.4 million visitors in 2010)
  • Vermont is also a popular destination for leaf chasers, but really, any forest is bursting with color this month so where ever you are, you don’t have to drive far, tie up your boots and hit the trail.
  • There’s more than just colorful leaves floating around, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is in a few days!
  • October Autumn Fest is also this coming weekend in Fort Washington Park, Maryland.  If you’re in the area you should check out the ranger scarecrow building contest.
  • Astronomy day is on October 4th. There may be some events at your local planetarium or museum.
  • The Earth Harmony Festival is a free weekend celebrating eco-living & sustainability.  It’s held on the country’s largest EcoVillage located in Arizona. Did I mention that it’s free?  There’s also a kickstarter for the event if you believe nothing in life is free..
  • While September was packed with environmental holidays, October has only a couple official ones, including World Habitat Day.

 

Avian & Astrological Activity

From what I’ve gathered, beehive robbing is quite common during the month of October. What do I mean by robbing?  Robbing is when a beehive is attacked by invaders from other hives.  Robbing is a serious situation for beehives because the colony will fight to its death.  Also, if the invading army is stronger, it may steal all of the weak colony’s food, which it needs to survive the winter months.

I’ve been noticing lots of geese overhead this week and let me tell you, it never gets old.  Each time I hear their honks I’m looking skyward and pointing it out to those nearby as if I’m one and a half years old and just learned the word for bird (shout out to my nephew!). I recently stumbled upon this website and while I would like to paraphrase their information for you, they said it just right, so here is a continental update from BirdCast: “Favorable conditions this past week bring widespread light to moderate movements to the West and moderate to heavy movements to the Plains, while increasingly scattered moderate movements occur in the East in more summer-like conditions. Species on the move this week will include Cackling, Snow, and Great White-fronted Geese, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Hermit and Varied Thrushes, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creeper, Gray Catbird, Orange-crowned, Palm, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Savannah, LeConte’s, Fox, White-throated, White-crowned, Golden-crowned, Harris’s, and Lincoln’s Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Junco.” I will definitely keep my eye on this website in the future so if you forget, we’ll keep you informed.

Screen Shot 2014-10-01 at 12.35.08 AM

Now onto October’s astrological events, but first let me say that it is so. damn. hard. to find detailed migration information on the web.  The search terms alone make it pretty difficult (animal migrations, animal activity, animal movement) because it seems the web is only focused on african animal migrations to attract tourism, animal activities for children to act out and animal movements as in, movements to benefit various animal groups. If you have any reliable animal migration sites (or searching suggestions) I would LOVE to hear about them. Please, I’m begging you. Ok, now let’s talk space:

  • Uranus at Opposition. Uranus will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue-green dot, but nonetheless it’s the best time to view Uranus.
  • Total Lunar Eclipse. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes completely through the Earth’s dark shadow, or umbra. During this type of eclipse, the Moon will gradually get darker and then take on a rusty or blood red color. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America, South America, eastern Asia, and Australia. Check out this map so that you’re prepared.
  • Draconids Meteor Shower. The Draconids is a minor meteor shower producing only about 10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner, which was first discovered in 1900. The shower runs annually from October 6-10 and peaks this year on the the night of the 8th and morning of the 9th. Due to the full moon, the shower will be less than spectacular. I recommend focusing all your energy on catching the eclipse or the Orionids Meteor Shower.
  • Orionids Meteor Shower. The Orionids is an average shower producing up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Halley, which has been known and observed since ancient times. The shower runs annually from October 2 to November 7. It peaks this year on the night of October 21 and the morning of October 22. This will be an excellent year for the Orionids because there will be no moon to interfere with the show. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Orion, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
  • Partial Solar Eclipse. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon covers only a part of the Sun.  It can only be safely observed with a special solar filter or by looking at the Sun’s reflection. The partial eclipse will be visible throughout most of North and Central America. Check out this map to be better prepared.

Screen Shot 2014-10-01 at 12.36.07 AM

 

Looking back through past October photos, it is clear that this month deserves to be spent outside.  I think I’m finally going to treat myself to a trip to Asheville, something I’ve been meaning to do since July.  Have you ever been there? Any suggestions for me? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

*Migration forecast via + Lunar Eclipse chart via.

Welcome September!

by Katie | Leave a comment

On the first Wednesday of each month we like to pause and take a look at what’s going on in the world around us, with a particular focus on animal activity, celestial events, and our farmers’ fields.
september_banner

With school starting, September always feels like the actual start of the new year. Of course I want to start by restocking my office supplies when I see the fresh school supplies in the stores, don’t you? Yet while I’m looking at the zillions of new pens it’s also the moment I start to mourn the end of summer. It’s good to make a little list of everything to look forward to, like the start of sweater season, cozy evenings inside, afternoons baking apple treats! This month’s Seasoned View provided another nice reminder to perk up – did you see how green those photos were? Yet another reminder that while the nights are getting cool, the days are still plenty warm.

liveseasoned_fall2014_welcome6

When I was living on the East Coast, September was always such a fun time to explore the woods. As you know, Sarah and I are year-round hikers, but after a dry hot summer, we could usually count on more rain to arrive with the cooler days in September. With that rain, the woods came alive as all sorts of fungus pushed up through the leaf litter. It was always such a spectacle with colors that were almost too vivid for my camera to handle! {Sarah here: Last week while playing frisbee golf in the woods, I was constantly admiring the various mushrooms.  I started to annoy my bf because I kept making him ‘come look!’ at all the different types, every two minutes} It’s also a time rich with animal activity as birds are migrating overhead and mammals are scurrying through the woods looking to collect food and bulk up for the winter months. Now that we’re in the mountains, I’m excited to see how September’s weather changes our hiking trails.

Earth and Sky

This section is going to be all about keeping your head up, looking and listening for September’s migrating birds and celestial activity.

September falls in the middle of peak activity for migratory birds. So many species are on the move – from the shore birds that started their journey towards the end of summer to a variety of warblers, orioles, hawks, and even owls that are moving throughout North America. Rather than talk about a few specific species this month, I thought it would be a great time to talk about what we can do to help the migrating species, mention some fun facts, and provide a few resources if you would like to learn more and follow along with the migrations in your area.

There are a number of things that you can do throughout the migration seasons, and even throughout the year, to help ensure a successful trip for the birds in your area.

  • Keep your feeders stocked. Provide quality, energy dense feed to fuel their journey (add more black-oil sunflower seeds to your mix, put suet feeders out). This includes your (dye-free) hummingbird feeders too!
  • Provide clean water. Quench their thirst, and make it attractive to them by keeping the water moving either with a bubbler or pump.
  • Keep pets indoors during this time. If the birds have landed in your yard for a meal and a rest, you don’t want your pets to disturb or kill them.
  • Provide native habitat. Depending upon the current state of your yard, this may require more work and time than the previous points, but it’s one of the best things you can do to attract birds (and bonus – your native yard will likely require less work and water than one planted with non-native species!). Native plants provide both food and shelter for the birds.
  • Reduce or eliminate pesticide and other chemical applications. It’s a problem for the entire ecosystem, including birds, our waterways, and us. ‘Nuff said?
  • Turn off your lights at night! Many migratory birds fly at night, using the stars as their guide. By eliminating light pollution you’re helping them navigate.
  • Reduce window reflections. Millions (500 million on average) of migratory birds die every year by flying into windows. This is especially a problem in cities with tall glass-covered buildings. An article this past spring discussed work that’s being done to try to remedy this by using glass that deters the birds. If you find that the windows in your house are targeted by birds, closing the curtains or putting up large decals (at least for migration season) on those windows may help.

If you’re interested in following along with this season’s migrations, the Cornel Lab of Ornithology produces a bird migration forecast. It discusses what species you should expect to see moving in different regions of the United States. After reading one forecast, it becomes clear that migrations are dependent upon current weather conditions. Some of the best times to see large populations of migrating birds is directly after a cold front passes, leaving clear cool and rain-free days and nights in their wake. A more detailed discussion of the interplay between weather and migrations as well as a discussion of day versus night migrants can be found here. As I mentioned above, many species migrate at night, landing around dawn to feed and rest for the day. If you really want to increase your chances of seeing a wide variety of migrating birds, get out early (when the dew’s still heavy on the cobwebs) and look for the closest native habitat with water.

liveseasoned_fall2014_welcome7

Still holding your eyes to the sky, you’ll see September’s full Harvest Moon on the 9th. The first official day of Autumn occurs on September 23rd (Bruce Springsteen’s birthday!) when the sun is directly over the equator and there are nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. Then it’s bye bye sun for us in the Northern Hemisphere. This month’s new moon occurs on the 24th, making it a great evening to get out and look for faint objects in the night’s sky. If you’re looking to find a planet this month, you may have some luck finding Saturn. On September 28th around midnight EDT, the moon will pass just north of Saturn in the constellation Libra. Let us know if you see it!

Fields and Festivals

Have potatoes popped up at your market yet? If not, they should soon! This is the time of year when those crops that require the full summer growing season are finally ready for harvest. You can include apples, pumpkin, and other winter squash on that list too. It’s also a time when the mid-day temperatures start to cool off enough to allow farmer to grow a wider variety of greens again. That’s in addition to the watermelon, summer squash, peppers, and cucumbers that you’ve been enjoying for a few weeks now!

liveseasoned_fall2014_welcome

It was a couple Septembers ago when Sarah and I volunteered at our farmshare’s sweet potato harvest. If you have the opportunity, I think it’s always worth visiting a farm to see how your food is grown and harvested. This farm uses draft horses for anything that would typically require a gasoline-powered tractor. On this day, the horses pulled a plow that would overturn the dirt, unearthing the sweet potatoes in the process. It was our job to follow the plow and separate the potatoes into “firsts”, those without any blemishes, and “seconds”, those that were cut by the plow, nibbled on by mice, or damaged in some other way. Once separated, the potatoes would have to sit out to cure for a couple of days before going into storage. Curing dries their skin, minimizing the chance of the potatoes getting moldy while being stored. What a relaxing, yet invigorating morning that ended with fresh-baked sweet potatoes for lunch!

Since the fair and festival season is dying down (although our favorite Bloomsburg Fair is still to come!), we thought it would be fun to highlight a few of the nature-related holidays that are on the calendar this month.

So much going on, and plenty of days on that list reminding us to take a moment and appreciate this great planet. We hope you’ll do something that makes it a better place this month. Maybe even something that takes some thought and time, like biking to work, planting something native for the migrating birds, or taking those shorter showers.  And of course we hope you celebrate the season’s bounty too – with jugs of apple cider, piles of potatoes, and bushels of beans!

Welcome July!

by Katie | 2 Comments

Can you still say welcome when we’ve already passed the big fourth of July mark? Usually we post our monthly welcome on the first Wednesday of the month, but last Wednesday was a bit crazy. After a late night flight on Tuesday, Alex and I woke up in our new home (rental) in Boulder! We were so excited to be here that we took off on our Taga for a ride around the city and Sarah filled in beautifully with her killer pizza post.

So I’m finally here with a late and lazy welcome, but isn’t that how everything should be in the middle of summer? Fashionably late and a little drowsy from a day out in the sun? Toss in a slice of watermelon and that’s what our house looks like every day around closing time.

liveseasoned_summer2014_welcomejuly1

Earth and Sky

Last month we shifted gears and told you about some of the more extreme migrations taking place across the globe. Wondering what’s going on with those animals now?

serengeti-migration2

The poor wildebeest are just reaching the first big hurdle of their migration, the Grumeti River. The rains make this river particularly deep, which would be challenging enough, but the river is also full of crocodiles waiting to take advantage of the herds as they cross. And the wildebeest aren’t the only animals taking the plunge, zebra and other antelope will cross the river as they follow the same migration route.

Muellerf_caribou09_web

The caribou from the Porcupine herd have begun moving off of their summer calving grounds along the coast of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. They are moving with their calves into the foothills and mountains south of the coastal plain as they seek out cool, breezy areas that will give them relief from the mosquitos along the coast. In this post you can read more about what sounds like a beautiful day when the image of the caribou that I posted here was taken.

Arctic_tern_nest_2_25JUN10

If they haven’t done so yet, the Arctic Tern’s eggs should hatch very soon. Both parents will care for the young, feeding them a steady diet of fish. After about 21-24 days the chicks will fledge, meaning that they’ve now developed the muscle strength and feathers for flight. Soon after, they will begin to learn to feed themselves, which requires plunging into open waters to catch fish!

Turning our heads to the sky, it’s a rather uneventful month. There’s a full moon on July 12th and the new moon on the 26th. The Delta Aquarids meteor shower peaks towards the end of the month from July 28-29th with about 20 meteors per hour. While that’s not a spectacular show, between the dark moon and warm summer nights, it should make for some great meteor viewing!

Fields and Festivals

Oh, there’s so much going on out there! July is a big month for festivals of all sorts. Showing a little PA pride, Sarah and I love the Boalsburg People’s Choice festival with PA-only venders.   There’s a fine art and craft festival at this weekend’s Boulder farmers market that I’m excited to explore.  Any fun or odd festivals going on where you live?

liveseasoned_summer2014_julywelcome2

Expect your farmer’s fields to be bursting with produce. What’s in season? It’s easier to list what’s not (rhubarb, you’re gone in a flash! apples, we’ll be seeing you soon.). It’s time to buy local, buy ripe, and enjoy every nutritious bite! Not sure what to do with your market score? Our rosemary roasted veggies are a great place to start. I’m missing our farm-share like crazy, but am already researching local farms for next year. In our house it’s going to be a whole lot of farmers’ market visits this month and next. We’re going to the Boulder market for the first time tomorrow. We hear that in addition to the farmers’ stands there are great food truck options for dinner, so we’re hoping to make an evening of it.

liveseasoned_summer2014_julywelcome3

If you’re looking for a farmers market in your neighborhood, I found this handy directory from USDA. It probably doesn’t list every market, but I tested it for a few locations where I’ve lived, and was happy to see my favorite markets listed.

Get out there and fill up on everything delicious, because those overflowing produce bins won’t last forever!

Wildebeest image from here. Caribou image by Fritz Mueller. Arctic tern eggs from adakbirding.com.

 

Welcome June!

by Katie | 1 Comment

On the first Wednesday of each month we like to pause and take a look at what’s going on in the world around us, with a particular focus on animal activity, celestial events, and our farmers’ fields.

liveseasoned_summer2014_junewelcome2

June! From the Seasoned perspective, summer has arrived! We are so excited for everything this season brings, particularly in the way of fresh foods, afternoon naps in the hammock, the way our hair is oh-so-perfect after a day in the ocean, and of course, the care-free feeling that comes with these long, warm, sun-soaked days. But if you see us on the beach this month, working on our tan, know that behind those dark shades we’re actually thinking big thoughts about 1. the crazy wildebeest migrations just starting up (see below), and 2. just what are we going to do with all of that mint we planted.

Continue reading …

Welcome May!

by Katie | Leave a comment

On the first Wednesday of every month you will find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar and what’s going on outside. 

I almost started this post complaining about our long cold spring, but caught myself in the nick of time. Most days it still seems to be unseasonably chilly. Case in point, we walked down to the baseball fields for concession-stand-dinner tonight (our new favorite dinner “out” with Alex), and I found myself bundling up in my vest and cozy winter hat! So while I could grumble, I would be doing just as much complaining if the weather were warm, because we don’t have time to enjoy this year (apparently I’m a complaining ball of fun these days). There’s packing to do! As I got ready to write this post, thinking about all of the creatures just ending their spring migrations, I’m reminded that we’re just starting our migration west, and at least for the next month, I hope time stands still outside so I don’t miss all of the action.

Of course, I want to quickly point out that while I’m calling this an unseasonably cold spring, it’s just that I’m used to the warm, early springs we’ve experienced over the past few decades. Records show that spring is arriving an average of 25 days sooner than it did a mere 40 years ago!

liveseasoned_spring2014_welcomemay2_wm

Continue reading …

Welcome April

by Katie | Leave a comment

On the first Wednesday of every month, you can find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar. 

Well, Punxsutawney Phil was not joking this year! March never quite warmed up, did it? As I sat down to write this month’s welcome letter, I thought about how almost nothing has happened in our backyard, but that just means we have so much to look forward to in April!

The snowdrops and winter aconite that I mentioned last month timed their bloom to the first day of spring. Sarah reports that the forsythia and magnolias are blooming in North Carolina.  And we can feel the warmth moving north as our mom’s crocuses bloomed last week in Virginia, while mine started blooming just two days ago in PA. With everything off to a slow start, April will be bursting with flowers. I’m a big proponent of picking flowers and bringing the beauty inside. A vase of cherry blossoms, daffodils, hyacinth, and tulips creates the perfect early spring mix! And if we’re lucky, that will be followed by vases of lilacs and tree peonies.

Continue reading …

Welcome March!

by Katie | Leave a comment

On the first Wednesday of every month, you can find us checking in with what’s coming up on the calendar, both literally and figuratively. 

It’s 50F as I type this. I’m at the kitchen table, and the ground outside is covered in a blanket of snow, but there’s a steady drip of water as the snow on the roof begins to melt.

March is truly a month of transitions as we leave winter behind and take that first confident step into spring. Of course, there were a few warm days towards the end of February that hinted at the coming spring, and Mother Nature has started to make her move.

liveseasoned_spring2014_welcomemarch_ice_wmDeciduous trees and shrubs that have stored sugars and nutrients in their roots all winter begin sending it up their trunks to their outer branches as the days warm. That stored energy will be used to open the tree’s buds, making leaves and flowers. It’s during this time of year, that we tap the sap from the maple trees and boil it down into syrup. Maple syrup festivals abound throughout the tapping region and follow the slow warming of the east coast beginning with festivals in Virginia in early March and PA and NY festivals in mid to late March. Along with the maple trees, the opening of the Cherry blossoms are a cause for celebration throughout Japan and here in the US. The month-long National Cherry Blossom Festival begins in DC on March 19th.

Even before the deciduous trees fill out, the earliest of bulbs begin to flower. Crocus may be the typical early spring bloom that pops into your mind, but they are preceded by winter aconite (Eranthis) or snowdrops (Galanthus) bloom.  Of course, all of these will soon be followed by daffodils, hyacinth and tulips.

Snowdrops
Winter Aconite

March is a month of intense activity for many of our migratory animals, including some of our favorites: the monarch butterfly, whooping crane, and ruby-throated hummingbird. Monarchs* are leaving Mexico and southern US for their multi-generation trip north. The endangered Whooping Crane, which is North America’s tallest bird at around 5 feet, take off from their Texas wintering grounds in mid-March. Ruby-throated hummingbirds that flew all the way down to Panama for the winter are now well into their migration north. Many have reached the Yucatan peninsula by now where they will gorge on insects before making the non-stop flight across the Gulf in early March. From there they will continue north following the blooming flowers they rely on for nectar.

Robins have already arrived in central PA. They differ than the other species we’ve mentioned in that they don’t have a direct north-south migration, and their movements are not well understood. They move in large flocks, avoiding areas with deep snow, looking for the availability of fruit in the fall and then returning to their summer breeding grounds as the soil warms and earthworms are available.

The vernal equinox and first official day of spring occurs on March 20th when the sun is positioned directly over the equator. While it may be the most anticipated, that’s not the only fun celestial activity this month. Coincidentally, also on March 20th an extremely rare event will take place shortly after 2 a.m.. An asteroid known as 163 Erigone will pass in front of the bright star Regulus in the constellation of Leo, causing the star to disappear.  This event is even more special because it will only be visible (invisible?) along a 45-mile-wide path that begins in the span between New York City to Oswego, NY and continues northwest into Ontario, Canada. If you’re in the center of this path, the star will remain invisible for 12 seconds.

March’s full moon occurs on the 15th. The native american tribes of the US named the full moons in order to help them keep track of the seasons, most names have to do with natural phenomena or seasonal activities. Many of the moons have a single name, but March’s moon takes the cake in naming. It’s known as the Worm Moon because earthworm casts appear (with the worms feeding the aforementioned robins). The more northern tribes referred to the moon as the Full Crow Moon or Full Crust Moon; the cawing of crows signaled the end of winter, and as many readers can probably relate to this year, the carpet of snow still present in the north thaws during the day and then forms a hard crust overnight when it freezes.  In conjunction with the tapping of the make trees, March’s moon has also been called the Full Sap Moon.

liveseasoned_spring2014_welcomemarch_beer_wm

Back in the human realm, Mardi Gras was celebrated yesterday on March 4th (maybe you’re still recovering? or still snacking on those donuts?). Daylight savings time begins at 2:00 a.m. on March 9th; spring ahead lovelies! March 14th is Pi Day. March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day, don’t worry, we’re doing the heavy lifting and planning a little beer review for you. This year the 17th also happens to be India’s famous Holi Festival, also known as the Festival of Colors, celebrating the coming of spring and the victory of good over evil. If you can’t make it to India, there’s a festival on March 8th in LA and the 29th-30th in Spanish Fork, UT.

Finally, just a little warning from Scottish folklore ~ the last three days of March have a reputation for being stormy, and the story has it that these days were borrowed from April. So if the sun is shining today, enjoy it, but be prepared for the end of March and those pesky April showers.

So, that’s a little bit of what’s going on around here, what we’re excited for, and what we’re looking for in our backyard. What’s on your agenda for March?

*Have you heard that the overwintering populations in Mexico are at record lows? This is a concern that we thought was worth acknowledging here, but we would love to discuss it in more detail in a future post.