The Season

Things come and go in seasons. These days, the year unfolds in 24 small seasons, each lasting about 15 days. Right now we’re in Vernal Equinox ◇.

■ Small Cold 1/6 Temperatures quickly drop

■ Big Cold 1/20 Ice thickens, hens huddle together

◇ Start of Spring 2/4 Ground thaws, fish appear under ice

◇ Rain Waters 2/18 Snow recedes, mist lingers in the air

◇ Insects Awaken 3/6 Bugs surface from hibernation

◇ Vernal Equinox 3/21 Sparrows start to nest, cherry blossoms bloom

◇ Clear and Bright 4/4 Geese fly north, rainbows appear

◇ Grain Rain 4/21 Reeds sprout, rice seedlings grow

● Start of Summer 5/6 Birds and frogs begin singing

● Small Blooming 5/21 Flowers bloom, wheat ripens

● Seeds and Cereals 6/5 Praying mantises hatch, fireflies emerge

● Summer Solstice 6/21 Longest days, irises bloom

● Small Heat 7/7 Warm winds blow, young hawks learn to fly

● Big Heat 7/23 Peak summer heat with heavy rains

◆ Start of Autumn 8/8 Cooler winds, thick fogs

◆ Lessening Heat 8/23 Rice ripens, summer fades

◆ White Dew 9/7 Dew drops on grass

◆ Autumnal Equinox 9/23 Day and night equal length, my love's anniversary

◆ Cold Dew 10/8 Temperatures drop, crickets stop chirping

◆ Frosting 10/23 First frosts, maple leaves turn yellow

■ Start of Winter 11/8 Ground begins to freeze, commerce intensifies for year-end

■ Small Snow 11/23 Light snow, last leaves fall, a mad rush to finish yearly tasks

■ Big Snow 12/8 Cold sets in, bears hibernate, reflect on the past

■ Winter Solstice 12/22 Shortest days of the year, work abates, we pull indoors

These seasons mark natural phenomena rather than fixed calendar dates. Adapted from Small Seasons.