By Patricia Finn
It’s March. Because of the association with the March Hare, I call March the “harebrained month.” March is wonderful because it acknowledges both the March hare and the Ides of March. I for one have no idea what either of these refer to, but because I am dedicated to helping readers stay informed, I will research these March icons and also take a look at St. Patrick’s Day, Daylight Savings and the First Day of Spring.
For starters, hares and rabbits are not the same. Skipping the scientific differences, I can tell you that hares have pointed ears and rabbits don’t. The beloved term “harebrained” can be traced to the hare and its quirky behavior. (We may be on to something here.) March is hare mating season so we will fast forward to the Ides of March and give our harebrained friends some privacy.
The Ides of March is somewhat scholarly and a bit serious. Preceded by the daunting admonition to “beware,” this deserves research. “Ides” refers to the new moon and in March the new moon generally occurs around the 15th of the month. Historically, March 15 was also associated with the payment of debt. (I thought that was April 15.) Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, which adds to the idea that it is a date to BEWARE and considered to be bad luck by those who are followers of luck.
Related: Good Humor: “Hello, gorgeous, my name is Frank.”
If you survive the 15th and make it to the 17th, it is St. Patrick’s Day. I was past sixty when I learned that St. Patrick was British and not Irish. I will leave you in suspense to explore this shocking truth on your own. The reality of St. Patrick being British is one that leaves my Irish heritage set in a state of confusion. Did he have a British accent? I may never adjust to this.
Moving on to Daylight Savings on March 10, I can think of no other tribute to “states rights” in America than Daylight Savings. I spent a few years in Arizona, and they did not, would not, and flatly refused to apply Daylight Savings time within the state borders. Way to go Arizona! No confusion there. In 2022 additional states dropped the time change. (We are proud to be American but don’t ask us what time it is.)
I am starting to sound crabby, but March is sort of a crabby month until March 19th, the first day of spring. For those of us who like the predictability that calendars can give, April and May are next and we can relax because they do not have to deal with animals who have pointed ears or scary numbers.
