Hello Folks,
Aunt Eunice here. Saturday March 7th will begin Daylight Savings Time (technically it is really Sunday March 8th at 2:00 in the morning, but that has always seemed like it is still Saturday night to me!!). According to CNN – There’s an age-old myth that Daylight Saving was a practice adopted to give farmers extra time in the sun to work out in the field. But, that’s not really why dozens of countries follow it.
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a system to reduce electricity usage by extending daylight hours. For eight months out of the year, the US and dozens of other countries follow DST, and for the remaining four months, revert back to standard time in order to take full advantage of the sunlight. On the second Sunday of March at 2 a.m., clocks move forward one hour. Then, on the first Sunday of November at 2 a.m., the clocks turn back an hour. A good way to remember it? The time shifts match the seasons: Clocks “spring” forward an hour in March and “fall” back in November.
During the summer months, the sun is out for longer periods of time, so you can rely on daylight to avoid switching lights on. The clocks revert back to standard time for the winter months so the sun can rise earlier and the world starts the day off with sunlight – otherwise some places wouldn’t see the sun come up until almost 8:30 a.m. The current March-November system the US follows began in 2007, but the concept of “saving daylight” is much older. It’s debated who originally came up with the idea, but Benjamin Franklin appeared to have first mentioned it in 1784, when he wrote a letter to the editor of the Journal of Paris.
But not everyone has opted to follow DST. Only 70 countries around the world “save daylight” every year. In the US, states are not required by law to follow DST — Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe it. Other states — like Florida and California — are working to observe DST year-round (rather than just between March and November).
I will appreciate the daylight whenever it comes. I will have some light to take a walk in after I get home from the farm. You never know what you will find on a walk in my neck of the woods. There is plenty of wildlife like whitetail deer, squirrels galore, peregrine falcons, hawks, pileated woodpecker, blue heron, a multitude of other bird species, rabbits, chipmunks, fox, bear (no close encounters, fortunately), a fisher, a muskrat in the pond and much more. Sunsets can be particularly lovely. It is a quiet time after the rush and crush of a busy work day. Peaceful times such as that help foster creativity. This extended time of daylight will also allow some minutes to enjoy my lovely porch, a wonderful retreat especially on a rainy day. Swing on the hammock, curl up with a good book in the rocking chair or pull out one of the mats and stretch out for a cat nap. Whatever your preference is, revel in the daylight and the approach of spring. That’s all for now, folks. Take care and talk to you soon. Aunt Eunice