Spring has sprung officially, at least according to the calendar. The weather has not been cooperating all that much here in Central Texas, so I would not say spring is in the air. Lately, what has been in the air are trampolines, lawn chairs, roof shingles, and dust to the high winds. The entire state of Texas has been acting like Amarillo.
The four seasons can get mixed up, especially here in Texas.
I always thought the warmer seasons happen because Earth is nearer the Sun, and the colder seasons happen when Earth is farther from the Sun. Well, that is incorrect. I am sure I learned the reasons for the seasons in high school, but obviously I was not listening,
It’s all about the Earth’s tilted axis that causes the seasons. The axis is always tilted in the same direction. So, as the Earth orbits the Sun over the 12 months of the year, different parts of Earth get the Sun’s direct rays.
Here is what Mr. Google told me:
The start of a season depends on the position of the Earth in relation to the Sun. More specifically, either a solstice (for winter and summer) or an equinox (for spring and autumn) marks the start of each season.
Equinox: Day and night are of equal length, marking the onset of spring (vernal equinox) and autumn (autumnal equinox).
Solstice: Marks the beginnings of summer (longest day) and winter (shortest day).
Equinox occurs twice a year, while solstice also occurs twice a year.
Equinox is when the Sun crosses the plane of the Earth’s equator, while solstice is when the Sun’s path is farthest north or south from Earth’s equator.
So, there you go, a quick lesson on what causes the four seasons. Something I’m sure you already knew but it’s always nice to get a refresher!
There are things I like about all Four Seasons. But for me spring is a time of renewal, opportunity and change. Obviously, all of that can happen at any time of the year, but there’s something about the grass greening up, flowers blooming, and the trees beginning to bud that adds anticipation and optimism. I guess that is what people are referring to when they say, “spring is in the air.” It’s a sense of newness.
George Harrison of The Beatles wrote the song, Here Comes the Sun in 1969. It is The Beatles’ most streamed song of all of their hits. Harrison wrote the song while visiting his good friend Eric Clapton.
It had been a long, hard cold winter in London, Harrison was suffering some health issues and dealing with the band’s massive popularity and its business dealings had weighed him down.
“It seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So, one day I decided I was going to skip a business meeting and go over to Eric Clapton’s house. The relief of not having to see all those dopey accountants was wonderful and I walked around the garden early morning with one of Eric’s acoustic guitars and I wrote, Here Comes the Sun.”
The guy sat down with a friend’s guitar and in a matter of minutes he cranked out one of the most popular songs ever written.
Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo
Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s alright
Little darlin’, it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter
Little darlin’, it feels like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo
Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s alright
Little darlin’, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darlin’, it seems like years since it’s been clear
Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s alright
So, spring is here and it’s all about the earth’s axis. But it is also a state of mind. A sunrise brings hope for a new day and another chance to get things right.
*****
Todd Howey is a columnist for BrownwoodNews.com whose articles appear on Fridays. Email comments to thowey63@gmail.com.