By Alan Knight
Photo Credit: eaglesgymnastics.com |
Spring is the season of new beginnings. Fresh buds bloom, animals awaken from winter
hibernation ― indeed, the entire earth seems to come to life again. Farmers and gardeners plant their seeds as
temperatures slowly rise. The degree of
weather changes varies depending upon location, because most equatorial regions
see fairly constant temperatures throughout the year.
What most people call spring, as well as the other three seasons, is due to astronomical occurrences between the spring equinox
and summer solstice. Caused by the angle
of the Earth's tilt toward the sun, astronomical spring is marked by the
equinoxes and solstices.
The equinoxes are special days during the year when day and
night are almost equal. There are two equinoxes, one the spring and one in the
fall. The spring, or vernal equinox
occurs around March 21st in the northern hemisphere and around September 21st
in the southern hemisphere.
Photo Credit: wildheretic.com |
During the summer solstice, in the northern hemisphere, the
North Pole is tipped at its greatest angle toward the sun, which occurs around
June 21st. In the southern hemisphere, it’s
around December 21st, when it’s the South Pole's turn to be nearer. (Yes, I
know. It seems peculiar to us northern hemisphere inhabitants that from
November through February is actually summertime in lands below the equator.
Similarly, June through mid-September is wintertime in places such as
Australia and other countries well below the equator.)
Warmer temperatures mean the ground, which may have frozen over
during the winter months, grows softer and more yielding to plants. Spring is often marked by increased rainfall,
which helps to water the infant seeds taking root in the ground.
Photo Credit: askville.amazon.com |
Animals that spent the winter in hibernation come out of
their dens, while those that traveled to warmer regions return. Many animals give birth in the spring. Winter coats are shed by those animals that
sported them, and some animals may change coloration to blend in with their new
surroundings.
Many cultures celebrate the return of spring, or the rise of
the vernal equinox. Passover is
celebrated by those of Jewish faith.
Linked to the Book of Exodus, Passover commemorates when the Jewish
people were freed from slavery in Egypt.
The holiday falls on the first full moon after the northern spring and
lasts for seven days.
Celebrated by Christians, Easter takes its roots from the
Jewish Passover festival. The
celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion, Easter usually
falls around the same time as Passover. The actual day changes because Passover
follows the Jewish calendar, which is different from the standard one we
commonly use. Today, many ways of
celebrating Easter ― Easter eggs, baskets, and bunnies ― have risen from celebrations
of the vernal equinox and the start of spring to combine with the religious
holiday.
Photo Credit: country-art.com |
May Day is a spring festival born from a Celtic festival,
though as Christianity spread through Europe, some of the older pagan elements
were dropped. Celebrants might wind
ri bbons around a May pole as they dance around it.
Mark Twain wrote, “It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want ― oh, you
don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart
ache, you want it so.”
Robin Williams ― oh, how we miss him ― once quipped, “Spring
is nature's way of saying, ‘Let's party!’”
So here we are.
Spring has sprung! We have so
many thoughts, plans, wishes and desires that go through our head. We, too, want new beginnings.
Let's take “remodeling” for example. The term identifies a need in many homeowners
take their “model” home to make it even better ... to redo the home they
initially loved and add new concepts to make it even more fantastic.
Photo Credit: tubking.com |
At Tub King’s frequently visited booth, there were several
different models of its elegant porcelain/cast iron bathtubs, offering Slipper Tubs,
Double Slippers, Dual-ended, Pedestal tubs, deep soaking tubs and traditional
designs.
The safety-featured Walk-in tub brought attention to the
needs of our current senior population who have special needs in their bath tub arrangements. Along with available hydrotherapeutic features such as water jets and air jets, and ergonomically
controls, the Walk-in tub can serve as anyone’s personal Jacuzzi.
Photo Credit:tubking.com |
Take time this spring to visualize how you can make your
home more special. Adding a new bathtub or shower in your home will make a
positive impact in your life, that’s for certain. Spring can be an exciting time. Harriet Ann Jacobs, the celebrated
abolitionist speaker and reformer once wrote, “The beautiful spring came, and
when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.”
Party on!
The Tub King Difference
In this article, I discussed why spring time is a season of
renewal, for animals and humans alike. I shared information about the
astronomical causes of spring, and highlighted two of its major holidays. I also talked about Tub King’s recent
appearance at the Jacksonville Spring Home & Patio Show this past March,
discussing its three main products: porcelain/cast iron bathtubs, Walk-in
bathtubs and its new Safety Suite Showers.
If you found this article useful, please share it with your
family, friends and co-workers. If you have a comment related to this article,
leave it in the Comment section of this blog. To find more articles like
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Alan Knight is the owner of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville,
Florida. He has many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub
industries. HIs companies not only provide superior products, they are also
award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award” four years
running. If you’d like to contact them, call (800) 409-3375 or (800) 843-4231;
or send an email to alan@tubking.com.
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