Belated Happy Spring my fine friends! I had originally hoped for this to be a Vernal Equinox post, but alas we are a little more than 2 weeks in to the new Season now. Well, I guess (actually I know, 😂) I could be doing much worse. I had also hoped to squeeze in an Ode to Winter ‘25/26 post as well, but I’m now too far past that idea and figure perhaps the notion can be a segue for when Autumn turns to Winter at the end of this year. (Don’t worry, I have lots of journal notes to bring me back to my thoughts at the time that they occurred!) And seeing as how my previous correspondence was quite a story, perhaps it is good you’ve had a little break from me, haha!
There is one thing I do want relay in relation to the Equinox that I read on that day from The Weather Channel this year, that funny enough, I never actually had fully realized. Now, I have for many years known that on both Equinoxes, it is the occurrence of the Sun passing directly over the Equator, bringing relatively equal parts day and night to both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere’s. So, 12 hours day and 12 hours night for everyone, right? Not exactly, thus the phrase “relatively equal parts.” But, this I was well aware of also.
If you happen to be as much of a geek as me and investigate these types of weather and astronomical events, you know that the further North or South you go from the Equator, the more drastic the differences between day and night get. Thanks to the curvature of the Earth and the slight tilt on our axis, as you move North to South, and East to West for that matter, the Sunrise and Sunset times are never exactly the same for everyone, everywhere (outside of your neighbors within a several mile radius at least).
For instance, where I live in Central/Northeastern Pennsylvania, we experience our “personal equinox” day (that is, equal 12 hours of both day and night) usually on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th, a few days prior to the Astronomical Vernal Equinox. Now, if you think about it🤔, depending on your latitude and longitude, the day that you actually experience this equality of day and night is going to differ all around the globe.
Ok, now for what kind of blew my mind and simultaneously made me feel silly for not thinking of or cognizantly realizing it anyway… Despite these slight variations in one regions’ time variations to another’s, on the occurrence of the actual Astronomical Equinox (Vernal or Autumnal) - We are all, everyone of us on this Planet, for one brief day experiencing the most equivalence of day and night to one another as can be possible! That is to say, from the North Pole to the South Pole and everywhere in between, we cannot be any closer in the relationship between dark and light that we experience than on that day! How cool of a concept is that!!!🤯🌎🌍🌏😁
Whew, ok, enough of the science lesson. I just really wanted to share that idea of equality, as it really did strike a cord with me of how awesome that it really is.
I do hope this finds you all well and enjoying the onset of Spring! In my neck of the woods it has been, for the most part, a prototypical late March / early April - an ongoing battle between Old Man Winter, wanting to hold on, and the Jubilant Face of Youth, eagerly ushering in. This Great Tug of War will typically settle over the coming weeks of April, though bouts of cold and even snow are not that uncommon for us even well into May.
What I have noticed that alarms me a little more this season is the warmth we have had in the overnights on several occasions. A high 70’s March day or early April hitting low 80’s for short spurts certainly isn’t crazy but, I feel like when we have had those days this season, the nights have also stayed very warm - a few high 50’s and low 60’s, which IS kind of crazy for this time of year! And I feel like it has helped some of the sensitive early bloomers get going perhaps a little earlier than they would have after our Winter. And, of course, with an inevitable hard freeze looming tonight, I can’t help but think - if those nights had cooled more appropriately, would these blooms be in a safer boat as unopened buds???… I am sending you positive vibes (and maybe a little wind to help keep the frost off!) my fresh beauties!
Alright, I have a lot of Photo Spotlights, stories, and fun stuff I want to share throughout this Spring, so I am going to pause my thoughts here for the time being and let you enjoy this seldom showcased beauty of an early Spring dawn…
“Rise and Shine” - My Father’s Woods, PA
Photographed April 4th, 2012
Mamiya RB67 w/ 65mm lens (wide-angle)
F32 for 1 second
Professional Fuji Velvia 50
This is the first of a few photographs I intend to share with you this Spring that the location will be titled “My Father’s Woods.” There aren’t grand tales of near peril or epically long days on the trail to go along with them. They are, nevertheless very near and dear to me. They are photographed on my Dad’s property in Central/South Pennsylvania. Several acres of gorgeous mixed hardwood hillside nestled in a peaceful valley along the Juniata River and facing the Tuscarora Mountains which boast an array of bounties throughout all seasons. In particular though (and same with Dad), I have often found no other Season finer here than Spring.
The abundance of naturally occurring Eastern Redbud, Cherry, and Dogwood Trees in amongst this ridge, and throughout the valley sides to be honest, is a brilliant burst of long awaited, eye-popping, exclamating beauty come Winter’s end and signaling the birth of Spring!
I love to steal a day and night or two here if I can during this gift of splendor. Every year is different, of course, but if the stars align - The spatter of soft white Cherry Blossoms will still linger as fresh, vibrant green begins to dot the hillsides and the unreal, basically magical pink/purple flowers of the Redbuds appear in waves through the wood and throughout the valley, only to be finally complemented alongside the brilliant white glow of the Flowering Dogwoods. And, as if one need more, as your eyes delight in being amongst this wonder on a warm April eve, perhaps an early scent of Lilac wafts through the air. Yes, my friend, you have indeed stepped into a Fairytale Forest and are now spellbound…
Rise and Shine, creatures of all ilk, Spring is here!
All my best,
Brandon