It is Rosh Chodesh Adar II. That is, the new moon of the “second” Adar, the leap month added to the Jewish calendar to keep it in synch with the solar calendar. The solar cycle says it will be the first day of spring¹ at the full moon of Adar II (give or take some hours²). And, of course, the full moon of Adar (II) is Purim–a time of revelry and celebration that marks the end of winter. Now, how cool is that convergence!³

Local observation suggests it is already spring.

Yes, it really is that green around here. And we have patches of orange and yellow poppies and purple lupines and other (unknown, to me) purple flowers and masses of dainty white flowers all over the finca. I have not seen a spring like this in our six here!

Most of the fruit trees of the corralito are now in bloom.

And even the almond tree–whose unreadiness for spring back on the full moon of Shevat was one of the clues that we must be in need of a leap month,⁴–is now at (or just past) its peak bloom.

Yes, the poppies that are practically engulfing the little almond tree really are that orange and yellow!

I have even smelled a few citrus blossoms this week.

Spring is here!

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At sunset, planting time, the new moon was not actually visible yet.
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1. In the northern hemisphere in which the Land of Israel, as well as Ladera Frutal, are located. [↩]
2. Thirty-one to be precise; the equinox comes first, so this Pesach (Passover) is technically the second full moon after the start of spring. And I assume this being a Jewish leap year explains why Easter–Sunday following the equinox–will come (rather illogically) before Pesach. [↩]
3. The answer is: pretty cool! But I suppose not as cool as the total eclipse on Purim a year ago. (There was also a total eclipse in Adar (I) this year.) Alas, I missed both eclipses, either due to timing or weather. [↩]
4. After all, Pesach, at the full moon of Aviv (Nisan), must fall after the vernal equinox. [↩]