If a lot of the mass is at the bottom of the broom itself, you can stand it up. With the broom standing up, it is the center of mass as well. You should be able to stand the egg upright once you find the particular point where you can balance out the forces. Eggs have a sharp curved end and a lesser curved end, so you have the center of mass pretty close to the bottom. McCollum said you can balance a chicken egg if the center of mass, which is pretty low, is just right. Sue Hagan is marketing and communications manager for Preservation Parks of Delaware County."Chicken eggs are just chicken eggs," he said. Additionally, Gallant Farm will offer programs on seed swapping, blacksmithing, homemade soap, an alternative to mowing, and the "natural pharmacy" all around us. Then, as we move deeper into spring, programs on wildflowers, the rainforest, birds, springtime noisemakers (birds and frogs), geology and much more beckon. For more information, check out the program calendar at. This program is free and does not require advance registration. to enjoy nature activities along the trails and streams. Families are invited to drop in at Shale Hollow Park between 1 and 4 p.m. Today's program, in fact, focuses on the vernal equinox. And we are ready, with more than 50 programs and events scheduled March through May, most of them free. We know the winter-bound among us can't wait to get out into the parks: Trail use and shelter reservations increase, and attendance at nature programs multiplies. It is reflected in the Christian celebration of Easter, which is itself symbolized by eggs and lilies - images associated with rebirth and purity.Īt Preservation Parks, the advent of spring means a switch into high gear. An ancient Celtic festival was linked to rebirth and fertility, and served as a welcome to spring after a long, cold winter. The vernal equinox pops up in cultural traditions worldwide: In ancient Persia (modern-day Iran), for example, the earth (symbolized by a bull) and the sun (a lion) are considered equal in power on this day. If anyone tries these, let me know if they work. Folklore has it that eggs will balance perfectly only on the day of the vernal equinox, and that a broom - standing up on its bristles - will do the same. Some other factoids about the first day of spring are fun to think about, as I walk the park trails enjoying the launch of the new season. Today, the actual equinox, we have 12 hours plus eight minutes of sunlight. Here in Delaware County, the date with equal day and night was Thursday, March 17, with sunrise at 7:41 p.m. So we get a little extra light-time from first sliver to last. But sunrise begins when the first sliver of sun shows over the horizon, and sunset happens when the last sliver sinks below it. The easy explanation for this is that the equinox happens when the center of the sun crosses the equator. Through some quirks of science, the day when sunset occurs exactly 12 hours after sunrise doesn't fall on the day of the equinox. As we all learned in school, equinox means a time of equal day and night (literally, from the Latin, "equal night") and this is almost true. On the day of the vernal (spring) equinox, the sun crosses the celestial equator on its way north. Unlike in autumn, when plants are pulling nutrients down into their roots, in spring they are pushing up, up toward the sunlight to nourish themselves and the wildlife that depend on them. Something as simple as the scent of clean, fresh air borne on a soft 70-degree breeze stirs our souls, and makes us breathe deeply and stand with head held high. The equinox epitomizes the start of something new, a renewal in nature and our sense of well-being. The astronomical first day of spring - that's today, March 20 - is a cause for celebration. There is something special about the vernal equinox, even in a year like this with its mild winter.
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