The Autumnal Equinox

Hi, neighbors. Thursday was the first day of fall. Here is some info about it from the website of The Old Farmers Almanac, founded in 1792.

The first day of fall is also called the autumnal equinox and falls on the 22nd, 23rd or 24th, depending on the calendar. This is the start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. (No wonder birds fly south in fall!)

The word equinox means "equal night," meaning night and day are about the same length of time.

During the equinox, the Sun crosses what we call the "celestial equator" from north to south. At this point, the amount of nighttime and daytime are roughly equal to each other.

Another aspect of fall is the nights of below-freezing temperatures combined with the days of temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. From here on out, the temperatures will begin to drop, and the days will start to get shorter than the nights.

Nights and days are actually not perfectly equal on the equinox, meaning 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of nighttime. The split may be off by a few minutes. Why does this happen?

It depends on where you live. On the equinoxes, the very center of the Sun sets just 12 hours after it rises. However, the day begins when the upper edge of the Sun reaches the horizon (which happens a bit before the center rises), and it doesn't end until the entire Sun has set. Not only that, but the Sun is actually visible when it is below the horizon, as Earth's atmosphere refracts the Sun's rays and bends them in an arc over the horizon.

It's not "The Old Farmers Almanac" without some pithy old folks quotes.

There's an old weather proverb that states, "If autumn leaves are slow to fall, prepare for a cold winter." This means that leaves that hang onto the tree indicate a colder winter to come.

"Autumn days come quickly, like the running of a hound on the moor." -- Irish Proverb

Trees snapping and cracking in the autumn indicate dry weather.

"If, in the fall of the leaves in October, many of them wither on the boughs and hang there, it betokens a frosty winter and much snow. Spring rain damps; Autumn rain soaks. Of autumn's wine, now drink your fill; the frost's on the pumpkin, and snow's on the hill." -- "The Old Farmer's Almanac," 1993. To visit the "Old Farmers Almanac," visit http://www.almanac.com/.

For most of us, fall means packing up and buckling down for winter. Outside repairs are tackled. Harvests are finished and canning, freezing or smoking of foods is done before the end of fall.

Although many people like outdoor winter sports, many people enjoy spending the shorter days at home. Soups, chili and casseroles all become popular foods again, as the oven helps warm the house. If you aren't certain about how to best utilize the foods you have grown, check with the Missouri University Extension Office in person or online. For instance, how do you roast pumpkin seeds? Not only do they taste great, but pumpkin seeds furnish a lot of healthy nutrients and can be a snack as well as used in cooking many dishes.

I learned to roast pumpkin seeds from a friend of mine who passed recently. Her name was Ronda, and she had a wild mane of red and yellow hair. I teased her once that she looked like Boadicea, the Celtic queen who fought the Roman legions.

Together, Ronda and I fought many battles. Not against the Romans, of course, but against aspects of our jobs that we thought could be better.

Although some people think a good friend is someone you see everyday and know all about, I disagree. Ronda was a dear friend of mine, although we might have gone years between running into each other. We would always take time at these fleeting meetings to catch up on each other's lives, talk about our children and recommit to our friendship. We would part with sincere vows to meet more often and keep in better touch, but chance meetings were all we ever truly planned or needed.

I know she liked autumn, when all the world was the color of her hair. Perhaps it was fitting that she left after the harvest. I will think of her when I need a smile, a little more patience with my children or a more contented look at my own life. I will miss her.

She was a good woman, both strong and kind, with a contagious smile and that banner of hair that called out "come on, let's go!" Not just yet, Ronda, my friend. Not just yet. I'm sure we will meet again when an unexpected chance meeting reconnects us.