Trees, herbs are sprouting. — Egyptian hymn
The Almanack Horoscope
Moon Time: On Feb. 18, the moon enters its final quarter at 2:33 p.m. Lunar apogee (when the moon is farthest from Earth) also occurs on this day.
Sun Time: Feb. 18 is also Cross-Quarted Day, the day on which the sun reaches a declination of 11 degrees 53 minutes, its halfway point to equinox and enters its early spring sign of Pisces.
Planet Time: Venus and Mars are the evening stars. Find Saturn in lanky Ophiuchus, rising several hours before dawn.
Star Time: If you are looking for the North Star tonight, the Big Dipper has moved well into the northeastern sky — up from its low January position, and its pointers, the outside stars of the dipper, are more easily observed.
Weather Time: Throughout Clark County, early spring fills the six weeks between the middle of February and the end of March. This period links the deep winter cold with the lushness of April, and it is made up of constellations of color, motion, sound, and of new sprouts and leaves, birds, insects, mammals and fishes. In the Deep South, this season can arrive in the middle of the year's first weeks; along the Canadian border, it comes in May. In Springfield, it typically arrives today.
The Feb. 20 Front: Although high pressure does sweep across the nation near this date, the low that precedes that front often brings some of the warmest temperatures of the month. Even when it passes through, the system rarely brings major difficulties to travelers or farmers.
ELWELL: Warm winter could trigger early start to severe weather season
The Feb. 24 Front: After the benign days of February's third week that often force snowdrops and aconites into bloom, the chilly Feb. 24 front almost always pushes Snowdrop Winter deep into the Ohio Valley. Since this high often clashes strongly with the moist air of early spring, snowstorms, flooding and tornadoes are more likely to occur now than at any time since the 15th.
Zeitgebers: Events in Nature that Tell the Time of Year: When you see the first snowdrops and aconites flowering together in the warmest microclimates beside prophetic hellebores (Lenten roses), you will know that skunk cabbage is blossoming in the swamps.
When you see earthworms coming out of hiding and crossing sidewalks and roads in the mild night rains, then salamander mating season will soon take place in the slime and snake basking season will be opening in the sun.
And when you see common chickweed and henbit budding in the alley or garden, you can be sure female red-winged blackbirds will soon be arriving from the South.
Farm and Garden Time: When you see the first dandelion in bloom, force branches from flowering trees and inspect preserved food for spoilage. Test your field and garden soil and prepare to spread fertilizer as conditions permit.
When you hear spring peepers peeping, complete all winter pruning, and seed cold frames with lettuce, chard, and spinach.
And as soon as you can work the soil, plant a few peas, onions, radishes, rutabagas, asparagus crowns, spinach, turnips and carrots on milder afternoons for the earliest harvest of the year.
Marketing Time: Passover takes place from April 10 to April 18. The Jewish market is usually best after religious holidays come to a close. Lamb stew is a traditional Seder dish at Passover Seder dinners.
Mind and Body Time: Your almanack horoscope is favorable this week! The waning moon and the approach of early spring offer an auspicious outlook for people and pets. Take examinations and schedule interviews; work with your animals; have conversations with your parents, children, boss and co-workers; go to the dentist or doctor, and do almost any other activity that you've been putting off because of seasonal stress. On the other hand, don't overdo it: some studies show that health challenges increase during seasonal transition periods.
Creature Time (for fishing, hunting, feeding, bird watching): Take advantage of the approach of the dropping barometer to go fishing (with the moon overhead in the morning) after the Feb. 14 cold front has moved well into the East and when the Feb. 20th cold front approaches. Weather patterns at this time of year encourage bird migrations of robins, bluebirds and red-winged blackbirds. From this point forward, watch for a change of visitors to your bird feeders.
Journal
In the woods this afternoon at 4:00, temperature of 45 degrees, the sky robin’s egg blue, I listened to crows and peeping robins and a pileated woodpecker. The frozen river had softened to decaying floes shifting away from shore, but ice still held along the curve of the banks. Under the trees, melting had revealed thousands of box elder seeds, lying in the snow, like a new hatch of winged insects.
My path west into the low sun had lost its hard slickness, was slushy and easy to walk. Edges between spring and winter were everywhere. Extensive holes in the snow cover had opened around scattered tree trunks and plants, showing clumps of leaves, chickweed and sweet rocket, ragwort and great mullein, innumerable honeysuckle berries. By the time I got home, dozens of pussy willows were opening along the sidewalk.
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