All kinds of celebrations greet the arrival of spring

By Alonzo Weston

We survived a not-so-harsh winter and now spring is here. Since it’s a Leap Year, officially spring begins on March 19. In other years, the equinox happens on the 20th or 21st.

Yes, we have an early spring this year. I know when it’s spring when the daffodils our daughter, Nicole, planted in grade school bloom.

I’ve come to love something about all the seasons. Spring signals the start of baseball season, storms, tornadoes, planting and new green on trees and plants. The earth awakens from its winter slumber and blossoms with greenery and freshness.

Springtime is celebrated with a diverse array of traditions around the world emphasizing rebirth and resurrection. Christians celebrate Easter as a sign of spring with the resurrection of Christ. Other cultures observe celebrations of fertility gods and other mythical creatures and deities.

During the pre-Christian era of the Roman Empire, people worshipped Cybele. The Cybele religion emerged from the area that is now Turkey. Cybele’s companion was Attis, the god of fertility.

The Greek deity Persephone is said to be the goddess of greenery, and a bountiful harvest is another symbol of spring.

In ancient Mesopotamia, the coming of spring was a time for a grand celebration with elaborate rites and rituals that paid tribute to the wonders of nature.

The Farmer’s Almanac lists a variety of spring lore and advice. For example, thunder on April Fool’s Day will bring good crops of corn and hay. A cold May and a windy April yields a full barn. A heavy dew at night promises a good day to follow. The louder the frog, the more the rain.

Spring also has its mythological horrors and beasts. Sri Lanka celebrates with a demon-worshipping dance called the Kohomba Yak Kankariya. North Dakota has the red-haired buffalo-like Miniwashitu. Wisconsin has Boogg, an exploding, weather-predicting snowman.

North Carolina and Appalachian folklore has it that if you get your head wet in the first rain of May, you will not have a headache all year long. They also have sayings such as “Poorer than a crow in spring” and “As thin as a whippoorwill in spring.”

For me, spring means a new Royals baseball season, March Madness and planting our gardens. It’s a time of new dreams and beginnings.