A subtle stirring as February turns to March and winter becomes spring.
February 25, 2026
A mix of sun and clouds, kind of warm (49°F) but rather windy. So windy that it was difficult to open the balcony door and the cats quickly turned away once they felt the force of the air blowing in. The sunlight is a bit muted and only making the occasional short burst through the cloud cover.
It’s not quite winter and it’s not quite spring. I should go for a walk and check on the bulbs that were coming up but I feel like hibernating today. Maybe later if it warms up a bit more. I’ve noticed an up tick in the bird chatter on the hillside, along with a few squabbles, and birds chasing each other through the air. Overall, there seems to be a general increase in bird activity and I am hearing more voices join the chorus than before.
By chance, I spotted a pair of Turkey Vultures, Cathartes aura, in the sky. My first sighting of the season. Despite their somewhat ominous size, these birds are typically scavengers, and play a large role in nature’s clean up crew. This distinction means that they don’t actively hunt for prey but instead feed on carrion. Thus, they are generally not a threat to small animals, like chickens or pets. According to AllAboutBirds.org, their stomach acid is so strong, it allows them, “to eat carcasses tainted with anthrax, tuberculosis, and rabies without getting sick.” Charmingly, their scientific name translates to, “cleansing breeze” or “golden purifier”1.
Image from Unsplash.com; Photo Credit: Tyler Donaghy
Thursday, February 26, 2026
Absolutely crazy weather today! I woke to find unexpected snowfall with big fluffy flakes still coming down. Everything outside was covered, the world transformed by a blanket of white. The snow only lasted as long as it continued to precipitate. After around 9 am, it began to melt rapidly. By 2pm there was sunshine and blue skies, not a trace of snow to be found.
Such a dramatic change was rather unreal to behold. I realize this type of extreme weather shift is not unheard of for this region but it was my first time experiencing it. From winter to spring all in one day!
On my last nature observation walk, I noticed that the tulips were showing significant growth, but they are still all leaves and no buds yet. The grass and other “lawn” plants, such as clover, remain dormant. There is not a dandelion or wild violet to be seen.
Monday, March 2, 2026
The weather forecast had threatened more snow but instead we have freezing rain. Also known as, “wintery mix,” and just the worst kind of precipitation. It’s so subtle that I didn’t even notice it until I went outside to move the trash bins to the curb (and almost slipped). There is a thin layer of tiny ice pellets covering the ground, although, with the temperatures predicted to get above freezing I doubt it will stick around long. We are expecting rain from today onwards for over a week. That is a lot of rain, perhaps it will encourage a flush of spring growth.
Narcissus
With their stunning yellow trumpets, I just had to talk about these sunny beauties! Daffodils, also known as Narcissus or Jonquils, are a popular perennial flower native to Europe and the Mediterranean. However, nowadays they are enjoyed all around the world.
The name Narcissus is of ancient Greek origins. As the mythological story goes, a hunter, known for his extreme beauty, was cursed to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Refusing to leave, he died and a daffodil sprouted in his place2. The flowers droop downwards as if to look at their own reflection, mimicking the doomed man. Consequently, it’s also the root word for ‘narcissism.’ They may not have the nicest scientific name, but I love them anyway.
While often seen as a welcome sign of spring, its important to note that these flowers are toxic to both humans and animals. Surprisingly, I’ve read that daffodils, when placed with other cut flowers, can shorten their lifespan.3. To be honest, I never really paid much mind to these things when I was younger because who eats daffodils? However, nowadays I feel that it is important to know which plants could potentially be harmful to my cats if I were to bring them into the house. Indoor only cats don’t always respond how you would expect and will sometimes ingest things that they shouldn’t. Naughty little muffins!
The Space Between
We are still lingering in the in-between season, with one foot in winter and the other in spring. In the first week or so of March, Cincinnati has seen 1.5″ of snow and over 4″ of rain. Newly sprouted bulbs are starting to fill out and I am finding tiny green leaves budding on the honeysuckle, but no flowers yet. Instead there is a strong sense that things are going on beneath the surface that remain unseen, like a slow filling dam waiting to burst (into color).
What to do in the meantime? In my personal journal, have a practice of choosing a word to appreciate and reflect on each month. The “Word of the Month,” as I like to call it. When I went searching for March, one word in particular kept coming up and I decided to stick with it. It was the Japanese philosophical word, “Ma,” which felt fitting for the season.
Ma (間) embodies the idea of “active emptiness,” in both time and space. In English, the most common translation is likely, “negative space,” but that doesn’t really do it justice. It describes intentional empty or blank space that enhances our appreciation of what is present. It’s a concept commonly used across examples of Japanese aesthetics such as theater, poetry, works of art, architecture, garden design, or in the minimal decoration seen in traditional Japanese homes, often centered around a reserved display area called a tokonoma (toko-no-ma).
To put it as simply as I can… Less is often more. Silence says as much as sound. A pause does not equate emptiness. Ma makes us more aware of what is present in this moment but also of what is intentionally left out4.
Please Note: This is an extremely simplified explanation based on my limited understanding. If you would like more in-depth information, please see the links in the footnotes section below.
The word “Ma” helps to describes how March feels to me. It’s akin to that moment when you first wake up in the morning. You aren’t asleep any more, but you aren’t fully awake yet either. The air is a bit too chilly and you know the floor is cold. Rather than getting up straight away, you snuggle back under the covers just a little bit longer. A momentary “pause” where life is beginning to stir. March is the space between winter and spring, when Mother Nature is taking her sweet time getting out of bed. (Or perhaps she is pitching a fit, because the weather has been SO crazy?!)
All of this relates back to how we experience this season on a daily basis. March shows us that it’s okay to move at a slower pace. To allow things to unfold in their own time. That pauses are meaningful and there is no need to rush. In my case, it’s a reminder that recovery is not a linear process and often goes much slower than I’d like. Sometimes you feel like you’re going backwards and getting no where, but just like spring, healing will come in due time. Life is forever teaching me that patience is a skill I have yet to master.
Image from Unplash.com; Photo Credit: Tomas Malik
Inspired by Japan
Why do I keep touching on Japanese philosophy? For quite a few reasons, actually. Far too many to outline here, so I will try to keep it brief.
One, much of the original inspiration behind Seasonfold came from studying the 72 microseasons of the traditional Japanese calendar. I have mentioned this in the About section, as well as my Introducing Seasonfold post on Substack, and again in my blog post What Are Microseasons?.
Two, traditional Japanese culture and living seasonally are completely intertwined, so it often makes for a good point of reference.
Three, I have had a strong, long-lasting personal interest in Japan and Japanese culture for over a decade. It’s philosophies and approach to wellness have had a significant impact on my journey with chronic illness. I have even done some self-study of the Japanese language to deepen my level of cultural understanding. And yes, I like watching anime, but that came much later, and was not what initially drew me in.
Last but not least, I would be remiss if I did not mention Candice Kumai. A Japanese-American author, chef, and journalist. She has long been source of inspiration, Japanese cultural wisdom, and wellness5.
I could go on, but I will stop here for now.
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”
― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
- All About Birds – https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Turkey_Vulture/overview ↩︎
- Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_(mythology) ↩︎
- Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_(plant) ↩︎
- Ma – https://www.toki.tokyo/blogt/2023/8/9/the-profound-philosophical-concepts-of-japan-hansei-kotodama-and-ma
https://kyotojournal.org/culture-arts/ma-place-space-void/ ↩︎ - CK – https://candicekumai.com/ ↩︎