The REAL First Day of Spring

Somehow, I can never quite accept the date of the vernal equinox as the official first day of spring. This is probably because, living in upstate NY, the weather generally bounces all around the dial until the end of May.  We have a nasty tendency to go straight from 38 degrees and snow flurries to 80 degrees in a matter of days, thus eliminating the need for spring weather. (I do not exaggerate - I can remember one Mother's Day when we had about 6" of snow on the ground! That was a particularly trying event, because I had called my mom in Ohio, and she chirped on about how it was 70 degrees, and she had her windows open, etc., etc.  All this as I glumly watched snowflakes sift down and cover what should have been flowers.  We were not amused.) Still, ever the optimist, I celebrate the first day of spring on April 1.  Once the calendar says April, I can allow myself to believe that spring really is on the way.   After all, you can always rely on the winter aconites, the snowdrops and glory-of-the-snows no matter what the weather conditions. And if you're patient enough, suddenly the crocus and early daffodils appear.  Then comes the happy day when I look down and see my tiny sweet violets in the beds, and I know there's no stopping it - spring is here, baby!  In your face, winter!