March's Notable Days

This third month clearly reminds me of Sousa's band music...the delightful 'March of the Penguins'...and the adage that 'if March comes in as a lamb, it exits as a lion'!

And it is this time of year when Mother Nature makes a seasonal transition.

Be of Good Faith: “No Winter Lasts Forever”

and that no Spring skips its turn. (Hal Borland)

Or perhaps you believe as Charles Dickens: “It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold; when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.”

According to my March calendar's colour photo of Yellow Warblers:

Medium-sized, they they are found throughout most of Canada during their breeding season in overgrown fields, pastures as well as in wet thickets and areas of regrowth. Yellow warblers migrate to Central America and northern South America for the winter months. Named for their striking yellow colour, some suggest they are the brightest yellow of North American wood-warblers.

March 1 is Movie Night in our complex's Common Room at 7 p.m.

Scheduled is “Defiance” starring Daniel Craig.

March 8 celebrates International Women's Day: the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a 'call to action' for acending gender parity.

March 11 is change to 'Daylight Saving Time' for Canada (except Saskatchewan) beginning Sunday at 2:00 a.m. Whereby local clocks are turned forward one hour. There will be much more light in the evening for farm operators and city-dwellers.

March 15: “Movie Night at 7 p.m.in the Common Room ~ Salmon Fishing in the Yemin`

Never iron a 4-leaf clover because you 'don' want to press your luck!

March 17: St. Patrick's Day ~ also known as the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration of this saint honouring the foremost patron saint of Ireland. It's also the day when I'm another year younger and another year wiser!

March 20 marks the First Day of Spring which no longer falls on March21. Now the vernal equinox for the Northern Hemisphere) comes at 2:15 p.m. Enjoy the Spring Equinox facts, folklore and photos

March 22, World Water Day focuses attention on the importance of universal access to clean water, to sanitation (washing) facilities in developing countries. The day focuses also on advocating for the sustainable management of fresh water resouces.

March 25: Palm Sunday when many Christians in Canada remember Jesus Christ's triuimphant entry into Jerusalem which marks the beginning of Holy Week ~ being the Sunday before Easter Sunday.

March 25: “Around the Bay Race in Hamilton is a 30 km. And 5 km. length. It is the oldest race on the continent. The first race was in 1894 ~ 3 years before the Boston Marathon. In 2005, The Around the Bay Race partnered with St. Joseph's Healthcare Foundation and for the first time, became a fund-raising event.

March 30 is Good Friday and when Passover begins.

March's History

Since March was the first month of the New Year in ancient Rome, some historians believed the Romans named March after Mars ~ the Roman God of War. According to the Julian and Gregorian calendars, March is the third month.

Aquamarine is the modern birthstone for the month of March.

Aquamarine is a variety of beryl which is the same gemstone family

as the emeralds and morganite.

Bloodstone is sometimes considered an alternate birthstone

since it is the zodiac stone for Aries (those born March 21-April 20)

Special People Born in March

Vincent van Gogh ~ March 30, 1853 (painter)

Albert Einstein ~ March 14, 1879 (German scientist)

William Shatner ~ March 22, 1931 (Canadian actor)

Elton John ~ March 25, 1947 (American musician and singer)

Mariah Carey ~ March 27, 1940 (musician)

Jessica Biel ~ March 3, 1982) (actress)

Justin Bieber ~ March 1, 1994 (Canadian singer/songwriter)

Eric Clapton ~ British musician

May Good Luck be with you wherever you go

and your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow.

A Weird Conjecture (?)

Have you ever noticed?

Especially, after watching Olympic Games broadcasters...regular television pesonalities...and friends with whom you are having coffee: how greatly they 'talk with their hands'! This habit I've noticed for years (as perhaps you have). It was definitely noticeable how persons' hands, seem to aid the 'teller' in telling his story (they most surely must believe). But what is so characteristic these days is that not only does media coverage display this type of 'body language' it has become an everyday-type of habit which I find disconcerting! Picture this:

What we see are 'claws' which I find unsightly!

Instead of keeping their fingers together intact with their hand(s), many display fingers totally outspread, along with the thumb giving the hand, often a distracting gesture...

and with these integers (or whatever they're called) they draw attention to these claw-like hand positions...waving before you or in front of the cameraman or televsion screen.

To me, hands are beautiful and should increase ~ rather than decrease their presentation.

These hand displays strongly remind us, how truly we belong to the 'animal world'!

Best solution? Sit on your hands until habit is broken!

Written by Merle Baird-Kerr...March 1, 2018

Comments welcome: mbairdkerr@cogeco.ca or inezkate@gmail.com