TIMES RECORD • March 20, 2025
“Vernalized” is one of my favorite words. It is the concept of nature springing forth in spring and doing so particularly strongly when it is held back in dormancy during the winter. This week marked the official beginning of spring — the vernal equinox. The defining factor of the vernal equinox is not temperature but light. After night and darkness have seemed to swallow up day for many months, now light takes over and becomes more predominant as the season continues. As all of this productivity explodes, marine animals also prepare for their big growth season. ~ Susan Olcott