March madness...

"It was one of those March days
When the sun shines hot
and the wind blows cold.
When it's summer in the light 
and winter in the shade."
Charles Dickens

Ah, yes, March...the kind of month which can have 4 seasons in an hour.
Much has been said of the Mad March Hare.

(illustration by John Tenniel)

(Tim Burton's fabulous updated version)

(Arthur Rackam's illustration from 1903)


Made famous in Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" where it seemed everyone but Alice was stark raving mad.
The term originated somewhere in Europe, centuries  ago, when people would witness
wild hares, seemingly going mad in March.

This is, of course, the beginning of their mating season and keeping in tune with most other animals, (including humans) they tend to get a wee bit crazy...
Hares, being usually shy and secretive, have been observed
boxing, flipping in the air and generally acting
Hare Brained.

(painting by Julia Cassels)

They aren't really going mad, but just cavorting to attract.
The boxing is done between male and female, a sort of lovers waltz.
Understandably, March is associated with power.
Named for the god of war, Mars.
When you witness a typical March day with weather coming at you from all sides, 
you can see why!
Mars was also the guardian of agriculture, which makes sense, since it's this time of year that gardeners start to get that itchy feeling 
of getting out there,
hands in the soil, foot on the spade.
We've had quite a bit of this wild weather in the past few days.
A kind of spring cleaning of earth and sky, with things blowing about and being washed down over and over.

 But there will be a time soon when calmness speaks and the crocus crowned maiden has closed the door on her northern gale cousin.
The wind will quiet down enough to hear the dawn chorus of birds again and pussy willows
will be felt across rosey, wind kissed cheeks.