Vernal Equinox Marks First Day of Spring Today (20th March)

On this special date, the length of the day and night are about the same for most of the planet. The amount of solar energy delivered to the Northern and Southern Hemisphere is also equal.

What happens on March 20 is that the sun moves from south of the celestial equator to north of the equator. The days, which have been getting longer since winter solstice on Dec. 21, now equal the nights in length, which is why this is called the "equinox" — Latin for "equal nights."
From now until the summer solstice on June 21, the days will gradually get longer because the sun will be higher in the sky, giving more hours of daylight. As spring wears on, the Northern Hemisphere will receive more sun than the Southern Hemisphere, creating the familiar seasons in each region.

What happens in the Southern Hemisphere when the sun crosses the equator into the northern sky? There the days grow shorter and the temperature drops. Today is in fact the southern autumnal equinox, heading towards winter. The seasons in the Southern Hemisphere are a mirror image of the ones in the north.
Anyway, enjoy the longer days and warmer weather.

Extracts from : www.space.com

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Imperfect is Perfect

I was at Suhani Pitte's store in Hyderabad last week and as I was trying on a choker, the sales lady interrupted me to say "Madam, this would look good on a long necked woman." I found myself thinking " yes, I know, but??? At my second stop, the clothing store "Elahe", I was about to decide on an Anamika Khanna saree when the sales person placed a 5 inch sandal in front of me. When I gave her a questioning look, she quickly informed me " Madam, the real look of this saree comes when you add that extra 5 inch". So I stood there and wondered about people like me who are just about 5 feet tall and have a short neck. Are we meant to be neglected? Is looking good only a tall person's prerogative?
And at times like this, my favorite lines from Christina Aguilera's song "Beautiful" come to mind.

I am beautiful no matter what they say, I am beautiful in every single way, oh no- you don't bring me down today.........

And as we celebrate WOMEN this month , I want to tell all my readers that it's okay to be imperfect, it's okay to have laugh lines, crow's feet and grey hair. What's important is to embrace these imperfections gracefully and be happy in one's skin. Height, weight and skin color are all trivial and what actually matters in the long run is a positive attitude, a good heart and self confidence!!

- Sage and Slingback

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