Sitting on the porch watching the Mexican cliff swallows zoom in and out as they refurnish their mud nest in the southwest corner of the porch roof, we realized that in a day or two we will pass through the Vernal Equinox.

The old Celtic grandfathers in Northwest Europe called it Ishtar. That sounds a lot like Easter doesn’t it? So, we get that it’s a time of rebirth. It’s a time of rebirth of spiritual strength. It’s also a time of planting, and rebirth of green crops. Birds and cattle are starting the new cycle of nesting and calving to produce a new crop of younguns.

It’s kinda cool and mystical for those of us who mostly live outdoors that this equinox comes with a full moon. Now we get longer days and even a night light! These warmer days will get the grass growing and our horses will start to shed winter hair and fatten up again.

Of course my mind goes to having trail rides. The Spanish plums and wildflowers are already perfuming the soft spring air, and bright green leaves are starting to dress up the oaks, ash, and elms. I guess what’s being reborn in a cowboy’s heart is all the natural world around him. Winter is over and we can get back to the business of living outdoors, sitting on a good horse at sunset. “Thanks, Boss!”