h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

'Official' as in 'commonly agreed amongst pedants'. The MP's harrumphing was all sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Well, you can't get much more pedantic than me, and I would always have considered 1 March to be the start of Spring in the UK.

Yeah...but if you believe in following with the natural ebbs and flows of natural earth cycles in a vague, pagany-twaddle sort of way...1st March is too bloody cold!

I always thought that March, April and May were the months of Spring.

'there was a film or drama series featuring the Heil Hitler flowerbed, but I can't remember the name of it.' Oh, the first I heard of it was my colleague telling me of a newspaper report. If you remember what it was, do tell!

My French teacher, against all American precedent, has declared the spring months to be avril, mai et juin.

I count first March as spring, but gardeners who are bothered about these things count the start of spring and winter etc from the amount of days at certain temps.

That's interesting! Is there a Guide Entry in that?

hmm, maybe, although I'm not sure I could make an entry about the temp a couple of times a year.

Your French teacher is right, EMR, according to the American system, since in America and mainland Europe spring starts on 21 March and ends on 20 June, so most of June is Spring.

If I ruled the world, every day would be the first day of spring...

On the island of Gnomon, it is always 4pm.

You *like* to be stuck an hour and a half before going home time?

Don't blame me, blame Clive Barker.

http://www.answers.com/topic/abarat-1

But as it happens, I normally go home at 4pm so it is very fitting.

In the kingdom of the blind, Gnomon is king.

"This is your country. Close one eye and be king."

'Gelb' as in light tan, presumably. The French do the same: 'Les souliers jaunes.'

"Never trust a man with grey shoes."

Do you know the play "Der Besuch der alten Dame"? It comes from that. When the townspeople decide to do the dirty deed and kill yer man, they all start buying neue gelbe Schuhe with the money they will get.

Hmm, I've changed my mind. I've always thought of the beginning of spring as the equinox, so I'm not sure why I said that.

Generally I think of March as the start of Spring. Logically the equinox would be a sensible date.

Why would the equinox be a sensible date?