I couldn’t put the punctuation markings over the vowels correctly with WordPress but those first words are supposed to be in Latin….They are the immortal words of the Bard, a warning given to Julius Caesar about impending doom (which had occurred when Caesar was assassinated by conspirators on March 15, 44 BCE). Now, of course, Shakespeare knew that date so it was more a case of ‘Monday morning quarterbacking’ than a portent, but March does seem to be an unsettling month overall, doesn’t it?

Just think about the weather. . . how many have heard the old saying “In like a lion, out like a lamb”?   The beginning of the third month of the year is firmly entrenched in winter, with storms, both snow and rain, expected. By the end of the month, spring has arrived. Some of the worst Nor’easters in my area on the East Coast have arrived in March, one I remember because it began on my sister’s birthday on March 14 and ended on the 15th, dumping more than a foot of snow on us.

Then, just after mid-month, there are the dueling saints — the Irish have St Patrick first and they do things like drinking, partying, singing Irish songs and other fun things like turning the Chicago River green! And, in his honor, Southwest airlines offers passengers free beer to celebrate… On the other hand,

the Italians have St Joseph and they go to Mass, cook big family meals and pray.  A different approach for sure!

And after all the feasting, a day of balance in the universe known as the vernal equinox, a day of equal daylight and night, the end of winter and the beginning of spring!  The earth wobbles back up straight on its path in the other direction, giving the northern hemisphere more hours of day as the southern hemisphere. Again, doesn’t sound like a stable time of the year to me!

But, brighter and warmer and longer days are nearly here! March leaves like a lamb, all the uncertainties and unsettledness behind us and the calmer, gentler winds of April approach. The weather eases, the winter wimpers away and our moods and days lighten.

So, though many think of the warnings about March, I see the opportunity of change and the expectations of the future.  I welcome the winds at the beginning of the month, but also the calm breezes at the end.  How about you? Do you hope for the end of winter and the beginning of spring?  St. Patrick or St. Joseph? Portent of doom or opportunities abounding? Leave a note telling me what you will miss the most about the winter or what you look forward to the most about the spring and I’ll pick two people to receive copies of my upcoming Harlequin Historical anthology – Pleasurably Undone.

While lamenting the end to the the terrific snow season, Terri is also looking forward to her new releases – PLEASURABLY UNDONE! is an April release from Harlequin Historicals.  Then in May (April 27th actually!), her novella A STORM OF LOVE will be part of a Kensington Brava anthology that includes Susan Johnson and Mary Wine. Visit her website at www.terribrisbin.com to find out about the new books and her upcoming appearances!