“You’d be so lean, that blast of January Would blow you through and through. Now, my fair’st friend, I would I had some flowers o’ the spring that might Become your time of day.” — William Shakespeare, A Winter’s Tale IV-4
Would you believe spring is almost here? Even as of this writing I’m looking forward to yet another possibly icy trip down to Val Day, I observe that sunset is now after 6 pm at my latitude, and by the time this publishes we’ll be rushing headlong into spring.
In much of the Europe, spring has long been reckoned by the “Spring Equinox” which our friends in Locac call the “Autumn Equinox.” As mentioned last month, Stonehenge is, among other things, an astronomical calendar for the equinoxes. When I was living in China, “spring” was reckoned as the first day after Spring Festival, aka “Lunar New Year” (this year in January) on which the average temperatue was above 50-ish Farenheit (slightly imprecise, as they use Celsius).
Which brings me, fairly quickly this month, to my question to ponder: How would the seasons be reckoned for your persona? Is it purely solar? Do you reckon by a lunar month? Perhaps you consider the season when lambs are born, or perhaps you’re from one of those “little latitudes” where the seasons are of no consequence beyond “We get bad storms sometimes.” Do the Plum Rains come just before summer? Do March winds bring April showers? Are the two seasons “wet” and “dry?” Is there a time, after the ground-dwelling fledglings learn to fly, where you set the grasslands afire to encourage new growth?
By the time you read this, the Queen’s Prize will have happened. Quite unexpectedly, I wound up as a sponsor, so I’m scrambling to provide the best support I can. If you entered, I was the fellow in baggy garb wearing a MOAS badge asking “That looks amazing.
Tell me all about it.”
Finally, deputies in motion. Fujiwara no Murasaki has taken on the role of Constellation Regional MOAS. She’ll be the one poking you about missing reports and popping up asking you about the Cool Stuff you’re working on. I expect to see Audette at Pennsic in a comfortable chair enjoying a frosty beverage, but I know how hard it is for Pelicans to sit down. There’s no way I could do this job without a dedicated team. Thank you!
Whew! Well, I’ve got reports to worry about, upcoming deputy transitions, A&S Faire. Thank you all for your inspiring creations and your diligent research.
In service,
Tommaso Franceschi, OL
Minister of Arts & Sciences of the Middle Kingdom