Fading Ad Blog Rotating Header Image

Flatbush

Crocuses Herald the Arrival of Spring! – Flatbush, Brooklyn

© Frank H. Jump

Far from being an arbitrary indicator of the changing seasons, March 20 (March 21 in some years) is significant for astronomical reasons. On March 20, 2010, at precisely 1:32 P.M. EDT (March 20, 17:32 Universal Time), the Sun will cross directly over the Earth’s equator. This moment is known as the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. For the Southern Hemisphere, this is the moment of the autumnal equinox. – Infoplease dot com – Rite of Spring

A rose by any other name – Rose of Sharon seed – Hibiscus syriacus – Flatbush, Brooklyn

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

Rose of Sharon is a common name that applies to several different species of flowering plants that are highly valued throughout the world. The name’s colloquial application has been used as an example of the lack of precision of common names, which potentially causes confusion. Rose of Sharon has also become a frequently used catch phrase in lyrics and verse.

Hibiscus syriacus, a deciduous flowering shrub native to east Asia, the plant generally referred to in American English as “Rose of Sharon” and the national flower of South Korea. The specific epithet indicates that the plant was thought to originate from Syria. The flower’s name in Korean is mugunghwa (Korean Hangul: 무궁화, Hanja: 無窮花) meaning ‘immortality’. – Wikipedia

Don We Now Our Gay Apparel – Toll The Ancient Yuletide Carol – Global Winter Solstice 2009 – Flatbush, Brooklyn

Icelandic manuscript depicting Odin who slew the frost giant, Ymir. – Wikipedia

Site of the Goseck circle. The yellow lines represent the direction the Sun rises and sets at the winter solstice, while the vertical line shows the astronomical meridian. – Wikipedia

The Goseck circle is a Neolithic structure in Goseck in the Burgenlandkreis district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It consists of a set of concentric ditches 75 meters (246 feet) across and two palisade rings containing gates in defined places. It is considered the earliest sun observatory currently known in the world. – Wikipedia

A view inside the recently reconstructed wooden palisade of the circle. – Wikipedia

“Midwinter blót” (at Uppsala Temple), by Carl Larsson (1915) – Wikipedia

In Sweden and many surrounding parts of Europe, polytheistic tribes celebrated a Midvinterblot or mid-winter-sacrifice, featuring both animal and human sacrifice. The blót was performed by goði, or priests, at certain cult sites, most of which have churches built upon them now. Midvinterblot paid tribute to the local gods, appealing to them to let go winter’s grip. The folk tradition was finally abandoned by 1200, due to missionary persistence. – Wikipedia

An illustration of people hauling a Yule log from Chambers Book of Days (1832)- Wikipedia

A Yule log is a large wooden log which is burned in the hearth as a part of traditional Yule or Christmas celebrations in several European cultures. It can be a part of the Winter Solstice festival or the Twelve Days of Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Twelfth Night.

Yule or Yule-tide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic peoples as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. The festival was placed on December 25 when the Christian calendar (Julian calendar) was adopted. Some historians claim that the celebration is connected to the Wild Hunt or was influenced by Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival.

Terms with an etymological equivalent to “Yule” are still used in the Nordic Countries for the Christian Christmas, but also for other religious holidays of the season. In modern times this has gradually led to a more secular tradition under the same name as Christmas. Yule is also used to a lesser extent in English-speaking countries to refer to Christmas. Customs such as the Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, Yule singing, and others stem from Yule. In modern times, Yule is observed as a cultural festival and also with religious rites by some Christians and by some Neopagans. – Wikipedia

The Inti Raymi or Festival of the Sun was a religious ceremony of the Inca Empire in honor of the sun god Inti. It also marked the winter solstice and a new year in the Andes of the Southern Hemisphere. – Wikipedia

The Inti Raymi or Festival of the Sun was a religious ceremony of the Inca Empire in honor of the sun god Inti. It also marked the winter solstice and a new year in the Andes of the Southern Hemisphere. One ceremony performed by the Inca priests was the tying of the sun. In Machu Picchu there is still a large column of stone called an Intihuatana, meaning “hitching post of the sun” or literally for tying the sun. The ceremony to tie the sun to the stone was to prevent the sun from escaping. The Spanish conquest, never finding Machu Picchu, destroyed all the other intihuatana, extinguishing the sun tying practice. The Catholic Church managed to suppress all Inti festivals and ceremonies by 1572. Since 1944 a theatrical representation of the Inti Raymi has been taking place at Sacsayhuamán (two km. from Cusco) on June 24 of each year, attracting thousands of local visitors and tourists. The Monte Alto culture may have also had a similar tradition. – Wikipedia

The Winter Solstice occurs exactly when the earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 23° 26′. Though the Winter Solstice lasts an instant in time, the term is also colloquially used like Midwinter to refer to the day on which it occurs. For most people in the high latitudes this is commonly known as the shortest day and the sun’s daily maximum position in the sky is the lowest. – Wikipedia

Mosaic of Sol (the Sun) in Mausoleum M in the pre-fourth-century necropolis under St Peter’s Basilica. Some have interpreted it as representing Christ. – Wikipedia

Sol Invictus (“the undefeated Sun”) or, more fully, Deus Sol Invictus (“the undefeated sun god”) was a religious title applied to at least three distinct divinities during the later Roman Empire; El Gabal, Mithras, and Sol. A festival of the birth of the Unconquered Sun (or Dies Natalis Solis Invicti) was celebrated by the Romans on December 25. On this, the first day after the six day solar standstill of the winter solstice, the duration of daylight first begins to increase, as the sun once again begins its sunrise movement toward the North, interpreted as the “rebirth” of the sun. With the growing popularity of the Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth came to be given much of the recognition previously given to a sun god, thereby including Christ in the tradition. This was later condemned by the early Catholic Church for associating Christ with pagan practices. – Wikipedia

December 19th Blizzard – Flatbush – Liberty Snow 2009 © Frank H. Jump

Wikipedia references:

Other links:

International Day of Peace – Flatbush Turtle Doves – Brooklyn

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

Today is the International Day of Peace.  Talk about peace, even if it is deemed un-American by half of the country. Call your Representative or State Senator. Give them a peace of your mind.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

White People – Rogers Avenue – Flatbush, Brooklyn

© Vincenzo Aiosa

Buy One, Get One Free © Vincenzo Aiosa

White Person up close © Frank H. Jump

White Person up close © Frank H. Jump

Frisky Frolicking Flatbush Flies

© Frank H. Jump

Yeah Baby! © Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

More Flatbush Pussy Willows – Spring!

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

Flatbush Pussy Willow – Happy Spring!

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

Previous Vernal Equinox postings

Flatbush Blue Jay

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump

Blue Jay Way posting.

Flatbush Squirrel Eats Florida Papaya

© Frank H. Jump

© Frank H. Jump