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Spring Equinox

anna.

colors your eyes with what's not there
I've been working in the garden. My lilies, roses, daisies are blooming. The blueberry bushes have lots of new berries. I live in Southern California where this time of year all the hills are green and I just love, love to see them. The rest of the year they're brown, but right now they're gloriously green, with splashes of purple lupine and yellow and orange California poppies.
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
The daffodils are about to die off here. Every year we have a break from doom and gloom at this time where we have a few nice days of sunshine. Two days ago the weather hit a record high here. When our daffodils bloomed I used to get a bit ticked off at the weather before I realized that they evolved to bloom in this sort of weather. If it was raining and the daffodils were blooming you knew that within a day or two it was going to be gorgeous. The flowers are one of the few plants blooming at that time and they need bright attractive flowers to attract the few pollinators out at that time. And their timing is always meticulous. Once they die off we have another couple of months of rain.
 

TransmutingSoul

One Planet, One People, Please!
Premium Member
Happens Tue, Mar 19, 2024, 10:06 PM
Central Time

Anyone celebrating? (Planting seeds, time in nature, etc.)

Anyways, happy springtime everyone.
Yes indeed, it is the Baha'i New Year. Our fast ends the day of the 19th and New year is the 20th.

Regards Tony
 

Spice

StewardshipPeaceIntergityCommunityEquality
I've been busy raking and collecting downed limbs, etc. Still have a lot to do, but there's a small gathering around the fire pit scheduled for Thursday night, if wind/weather permits, to officially welcome Spring.
Screenshot_20240319_122824_Gallery.jpg
 

☆Dreamwind☆

Active Member
I'm celebrating a wee bit later because of a string of appointments this week, but I'm looking forward to it. It's been a beautiful spring full of rainy days and gentle sunshine.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
According to the Arboretum's latest Spring Bloom Report:

Unseasonably warm temperatures are making spring blooms unfold about three weeks ahead of normal. The first magnolias and viburnums have begun flowering, along with an increasing number of daffodils and the earliest of native wildflowers in the Arboretum’s East Woods.​

And they have a great coffee shop!
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
I always make these:

OIP.yANlR6fX3RcMdb-syOhL-wHaE5


And they turned out great this year, but perhaps a wee bit too salty. Should've put a touch less salt in. Using local eggs - that just have much yellower, tastier yolks than those gross factory farmed ones - really makes them amazing.
 

idea

Question Everything
It was a busy week, but I brought fresh local fruit for my students on Tuesday (most of the Ramadan folks have been streaming class from home). A coworker brought sunflowers - the kind that grows from bird seed, and a little group of us spent time planting together in the community garden. I want to get a Ukrainian flag to put in our Sunflower plot. One of our dogs is on their last few days - took her on a slow walk through forest behind our home. Everything that is or has died through the winter mixed with bright green new life. Yin/Yang, equal day and night, balanced changing.
 

The Hammer

Skald
Premium Member
I attended a local pagan temple gathering, where we held a ritual honoring Blodeuwedd and her story; constructing our own flower Goddess effigy. We ended with a potluck.

Afterwards, I went home and did my own personal ritual at my fire pit in the backyard. Giving a few sacrificial offerings and also placing a bit of food at the corners of my property for the land Spirits.
 

Truthseeker

Non-debating member when I can help myself
Happens Tue, Mar 19, 2024, 10:06 PM
Central Time

Anyone celebrating? (Planting seeds, time in nature, etc.)

Anyways, happy springtime everyone.
I'm late here, but on the afternoon of March 20, the Baha'is in my area celebrated Naw-Ruz. It was originally a Zoroastrian observance, but celebrated in Iran among the Muslims there, adopted by our faith. It is year 181 now for us.
 

The Hammer

Skald
Premium Member
I always make these:

OIP.yANlR6fX3RcMdb-syOhL-wHaE5


And they turned out great this year, but perhaps a wee bit too salty. Should've put a touch less salt in. Using local eggs - that just have much yellower, tastier yolks than those gross factory farmed ones - really makes them amazing.

What are these? How did you make them :) ?

My wife and I colored these eggs this year using homemade natural dyes.

IMG20240330231203~2.jpg
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
What are these? How did you make them :) ?
They are tea eggs - Chinese in origin. There are different ways to make them but in simple terms:
  1. Hard boil a dozen eggs. Sit them to cool overnight in the fridge.
  2. Next day, craze eggs gently with back of spoon. Place eggs in large saucepan or crock pot (I use a crock pot).
  3. Put just enough water over eggs to cover them, usually 4-5 cups liquid. Add to the brew:
    1. 1-2 tbsp kosher salt
    2. 2 tbsp dark soy (do NOT substitute light soy)
    3. 2-3 tbsp strong black tea (assam CTC works very well, as does PG tips)
    4. various spices - I use about 1-2 tbsp star anise and 1 big stick cinnamon; some recipes put in other chai-type spices too
  4. Cover and simmer for 4-6 hours; this is to let the brew seep through the crazed eggs and into the eggs. Try not to eat eggs early as the yummy spice aroma wafts through house.
  5. Remove from heat, allow to cool. Leave 'em in the shell until ready to eat. Consume within 2-3 days.
There are definitely variations on the recipe but this simple one is what I learned. Some call for sugar if you want sweet on top of the savory, some add in rice vinegar for sharpness, some add in white wines for... I dunno, I don't do alcohol. Some call for some light soy, but blech... I tried that one year and it was just not it. Dark soy is a very different beast and one does not just sub dark soy with light soy in a recipe...
 
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