March 21, 2007
Happy Vernal Equinox!
Isn't that the loveliest word ever? "Vernal Equinox"? Did you know that even in Australia they refer to this amazing day when an egg can balance on its thin end as the vernal equinox, even though it's really the beginning of their autumn?
Our great friend, Pam Houston (kick-ass writer of many fine stories, novels and essays) says "As a person who finds her faith in the consistencey of the patterns of the universe, and as an acute sufferer of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), I consider this a big day. Maybe the biggest. On December 21 I feel a measure of relief, because even though I have most of the winter in front of me, I know that the days, unbearably short as they are, will get a little longer as each one goes by. On September 21 I feel nothing but flat-out panic that we are about to enter the long slide into darkness that feels like an annual survival test. People think June 21 should be a seasonal-affected person's happiest day, but it's really joy mixed with trepedation. June 21 may be the beginning of summer, but each day will get a little shorter from then on. March 21 is the only truly joyful day; twelve hours of daylight and nothing but clear sailing ahead." I say "Glow in the dark plastic angel, it's the first day of spring!" And hooray for all things spring. Hooray for crocuses and abandoned solitary mittens. Hooray for broken snow shovels you leave till next November to fix. Hooray for empty mouse traps which demonstrate that the mice have left your kitchen in search of warmer climes, in, say, your barn.
We are celebrating spring by playing a show at the little theatre at Cheney Hall in Manchester, CT on Friday (this Friday) and we could not be more pleased and excited. We promise to sing new songs and all your old favorites. Ditto to the show at the Homegrown in Needham, MA on Saturday where not just our mother will be, but also our sister, Abigail and her husband Mark and our aunt Sarah.
Like the good Irish lass that she is, Lila got her first tooth on St. Patrick's day. It was immediately followed by her second tooth. She is a drool fest. She also climbed our entire staircase out of the blue yesterday. Please send letters of congratulations and tooth fairy contributions to The Nields PO Box 744 Northampton, MA 01061-0744 (ok, kidding about the donations but homemade cards would be fine).
See you this weekend! Happy spring!
Love, Nerissa
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