March 21, 2028

The March Equinox is always between March 19th and March 21st  in the year 2021 it was on is March 19th 11:49 pm EST UTC -5 , it is the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere, fall in the southern hemisphere 
 share photos of art OR text of fiction 
 The photos can be to->sculpture/knitting or sewing/graffiti/tattoo or any craft depicting Black people in fall in the southern hemisphere, any country <south america/caribbean/africa/south asia/australia> OR  Black people in spring in the northern hemisphere, any country <north america/europe/northern asia> 
 The text can only be fiction based on the following: Black person or peoples at the first day of spring or fall  
AALBC STORY  
https://aalbc.com/tc/blogs/entry/261-march-equinox-art-or-text-craft-parade-good-news-blog/?do=findComment&comment=878  
Story 2 https://aalbc.com/tc/blogs/entry/261-eostre-art-or-text-craft-parade-good-news-blog/?do=findComment&comment=890   
Story 3 https://aalbc.com/tc/blogs/entry/261-eostre-art-or-text-craft-parade-good-news-blog/?do=findComment&comment=891  
 
AALBC
 
VERNAL EQUINOX TALE 2020

https://flickr.com/photos/kanaristm/29353776801/
It is the beginning of Spring in a small southern town in Mississippi. A home older than one hundred and fifty year, made to be a tombstone to an old world but used to bloom a new one, glisten in the light.  As movement abound in the house, floor boards creak. The man in the house awaken, with noise or confusion. The people in the house notice the noise and search for it. An axe break through old wood and light shine on the man in the house, for the first time in one hundred and twenty-four year. A strong male hand offer itself and the man in the house take it. The man in the house is fatigued, facing a clan in shock.
"Who is this?": a silver haired black woman ask.  A little boy and a teenage girl take a photo and post it online.  
"Stop that you two... I don't know grannie": a heavy-set man ponder what to do and ask: "who are you?"  
"...Jonas": The man formerly in the house reply.
"Where do you come from, how can we help you?": The heavy-set man ask.  
Jonas look at the house and reply: "This is my home, at least 124 years ago" All but one in the modern clan laugh or giggle. Grannie tell them all to shush and she think, and ask a question.
"Are you the Night warrior?"
Jonas look toward Grannie, incredulous. Grannie continue:"Our family have a tradition. One that was taught to me by my mother, it is of the telling of the Night warrior". Everyone look to Grannie. She begin to hum.
"Oh be a McDowell,  
oh run on the road,  
the ghosts are coming to kill you
don fret my girls, don fret
The Night Warrior will save you
waiting under the step, waiting under the floor"
waiting till one hundred and twenty four"
Jonas ask her: "Was more said?"
"No, but I never forget asking my mother the same thing, she said her mother told her, the same thing she would tell me, the Night warrior will know"
Jonas ponder the words from Grannie. Grannie gesture to everyone else with her hand and they all obey.
"Wait Chelle": she grab her grand neice:"help him get set up in the attic ok"
Chelle smile at Jonas.

https://www.blackplanet.com/riprene2002/photo/2000455418
She escort him to the attic and hand him toiletry and other items and tell him: "take it easy, grannie will be up here to explain more things"
...
Jonas worked all morning on the farm outside the house he was in, doing what he know how to do: till the land, work the land, be the land. It is the afternoon and Jonas ponder the world he is in. He ponder what became of his community. Grannie filled him in: disappearances, hangings, pain, fights he didn't agree with, fights he is sad were lost. He confessed to Grannie why he was put to sleep. He was meant to be a tool in a future that never was. A blooming that never became. A priestess from New Orleans asked the spirits to plant him the home, the house be his shell. He wanted an all-out fight but his sister said no. She had lost her husband and daughter and was not about to lose her niece, Grannie's mother. After one hundred and twenty four year he can arrive and start the fight. But Jonas realize, he has no one to fight alongside. The modern Black want to battle absent a physical blade. What does a warrior of the blade do? He see the heavy set relative to Grannie outside the Horse bin.  

https://www.blackplanet.com/AyeDrayDray/photo/2000434450
"Josh, I will take Mamba out riding": Jonas inform Josh.  
"ye ok"
The horse has one mind with Jonas and come to him. Jonas get on and gallop gently away. Josh shake his head, not knowing where this will end.
Jonas and Mamba are casual near the river when Jonas see a riverboat. The name strike him:" Cassie's Cry". He remember Cassie was the name of the priestess. She told him, he would have to look for her in the future. He only told his sister about it. Jonas tell Mamba to go home and jump into the river and intercept the riverboat. Two crewman guide him on the ship. He asks, do they know who this riverboat was named after. The two crewman do not answer, but take him to a sitting area, with some people gambling. Jonas sit patiently, alone, listening to odd machines. The door open and a hippy woman step in; she walk over to him and lean over, smiling in his face.

https://www.blackplanet.com/sexy_shyjade/photo/1101583505
"Interesting, leave us": she wave her hand and crew man leave, only a few customers present, and she continue: "well , Jonas, it is you , isn't it"
Jonas is excited and start to be inquisitive, but is interrupted.  
"I am not Cassie, she is my mother"
Jonas look surprised and the daughter to Cassie continue: "After what she did for you, do you doubt her abilities?... I can take you to her, but you will have to work on the riverboat, small labors, you may even enjoy the kind of world on this boat". Jonas accept and shoveled some coal and waited on customers, black or white on the way to Baton Rouge.
...
The Daughter to Cassie, escort Jonas from her riverboat to a simple house. She leave him waiting in a second floor room for Cassie. After a time, Cassie arrive.  
"Bonjour Jonas, it has been a while": Cassie sit next to Jonas and continue:"... yes I look a little younger than when you saw me last, it happens when you're a priestess"
"... It was a waste of time... a total waste": lament Jonas.
Cassie smile: "A waste, your wrong, if you had died, a rare person would had been killed to soon"
"Yes, but why didn't you save others": yell Jonas.  
"Everything in nature has rules, and the natural side unnatural are in nature, thus all have rules"
"So... what am I to do"
"Live your life"
"WHAT! I am told black children were found burned alive, not too far from here and your reply to me is Live Your Life"
Cassie snap her finger.  

https://www.blackplanet.com/Skyyee44/photo/2000440967
The room go colorless and Jonas is unstable at the sudden change. Cassie snap her finger and normal vision return.  
"... I just don't see what to do"
"My dear Jonas, bloom, you must bloom, a one hundred and twenty four year bloom, your bloodline still own that house, make it more"
Jonas is not convinced but he spend the day at Cassie's before he head back up river on the riverboat.
...
Days later  
Jonas is tilling the land, being one with the land. Grannie ring the bell for everyone to come inside for breakfast. Jonas bump into Josh, Chelle, side others. Everyone is hungry.  
Grannie ask Jonas to bring something from the refrigerator. Jonas acquire it, but is intercepted.  

https://www.blackplanet.com/Chocc115/photo/2000270158
"You are not boring, old man": the interceptor press against him slightly.  
"I need to bring the lemonade in": reply Jonas calmly.  
"what is wrong?": question the interceptor.  
"Nothing, but I realized I am a seed, I don't need to rush my growth, and your adopted mom, will not like you messing around with me"
 CAST
@Skyyee44 Cassie
@sexy_shyjade daughter to Cassie
@AyeDrayDray Josh, heavy set relative to grannie
@Chocc115 adopted daughter of grannie
@riprene2002 as Chelle grand niece of grannie
 
If you like more of my stories check out my Short story collection series
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=Richard%20Murray%20Short%20Story%20Collection&fcsearchfield=Series&seriesId=014c67c4-d29d-584e-ada0-62c0fa015714
And I am on Bookbub
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/richard-murray-16885e64-6c28-459e-bf5f-45c7d458ce49
 
Deviantart
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/journal/Vernal-Equinox-2020-tale-834328255
Tumblr
https://richardmurrayhumblr.tumblr.com/post/613000215536992256/most-times-when-the-spring-come-i-know-it-by-the
Tumblr Stories
https://richardmurrayhumblr.tumblr.com/tagged/submission
DeviantArt Stories
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/journal/?catpath=/
 
STORY 1
 
Most times when the Spring come, I know it by the trees. Many colors, many flowers, vibrantly coloring the world. It is a common arrangement. But, this spring , it is worse. It is one hundred and twenty-four days since the arrival of the first elf. Let me show you on my phone.

She just popped up surrounded by this white light. Did she drop into the white house? no. Did she drop into the United Nations, perhaps with a powerful electronic or mechanical assistant, perhaps even boss? no. Did she make herself known anywhere the television people or movie people alluded to in the past? no.  She made herself known in the women’s bathroom at the local park, at Riverside. Police and some three-letter people arrived but she seemingly had no worries or need to worry.  It took a while but someone asked her a simple question, why is she here?
She said it is a secret, and then disappeared, reappearing and disappearing per her desire throughout the one hundred and twenty-four day. Now, whenever you go outside you may see something like this stranger.

I could had asked, did you know, flowers are growing around you, blossoming more by the second. I did not ask. At least like so many of the others, he seemed content with the magical green flung all over the city. But I forgot his plight quick, when I saw her. This big chocolate orange leaf floating around little orange leaves.  

She paid me no mind, and was totally focused on playing with her fellow leaves. I pushed myself on her and asked her name. She said, Onluleon. I loved the way she sounded it better than the way I thought it. Onluleon I watched for hours playing with the leaves, never tired or concerned with any other. I left my bench and went back over to her, asking. You know it is the beginning of spring. She looked at me dumbfounded. But, she didn’t ignore me, and took me by the arm. She went to a purple tree where a songbird was grabbing nectar.  

She asked me: “isn’t she lovely”
“The tree”: I replied.
“No, the tree is a he, I meant the songbird”
I guessed she was right. I was happy just getting this time in. The songbird suddenly fell onto the ground and bloomed into a woman. The purple leaves coating her, with some sticking to her hair.

I asked the former songbird; how does she feel. She simply stared at me and whistled away. I tried to go after her but I felt stiff. Too stiff to move fast. Onluleon ,I bet an Oriole at one time in her life, started sniffing me and I realized I had a flower growing out of me. I hobbled back to where I saw that guy and I realized he was no longer there, but a small blossomed tree sat in his general location. I wondered if he even comprehended me and how long did I have to be comprehended. I called for Onluleon and shook her faintly. I was frightened as I saw my vision covered in leaves. It all occurred to me, that spirit was going to turn the human into the plant, and the non-human into the human. One hundred and twenty-four days to bloom, and we all missed it. I missed it. If I can no longer think like before I settled my mind knowing that I will have time as a tree to bloom into something else later. A cardinal, turned into a ballerina for my last sight. 
 
 
STORY 2
 
Once long ago, a beautiful forest bloomed in spring. But what few humans knew back then and fewer know now is that the trees can make the fairy folk bloom. But it cannot be any fairy, it has to be the one hundred and twenty fourth fairy in line from the last one bloomed. Meaning, if a fairy bloom, only her 124th descendant in line can bloom after her and so forth. Fairies are tiny and thus sometimes, a bloodline end and only special magic can force a blooming. But that special event is for another story. This story is about Asukume, and how her bloom survived. Asukume was the 124th descendant of the last fairy to bloom with the beautiful forest and she was very happy. She imagined all the great things her blooming can do. Unlike most fairy folk born from the flowers in a forest, when a fairy bloom, that child is not a fairy but a umoyuswi. They can make fairies even stronger and thus lie the danger. Some fairies betrayed their parents and seek to control nature, not serve her. One is Queen Itshe. Normally in stone.
She is no bigger than a walnut, safe from human eyes but kept hidden by her allies the squirrels. She placed a spell on herself to rise every 124th blooming to acquire an umoyuswi. When she rises she is a deadly grey color. 
But her intent is clear. To take a umoyuswi's power, energy, and use it to not only revitalize herself, but extend her control. Forcing more to be here allies in the red-blooded tribes: humans, bears, et cetera.
Asukume knew the danger, and always kept moving to make sure she was never in one spot long enough for Itshe or her squirrel spies to find her. Fortunately, Asukume had her baby. And in time it grew and blossomed into a fine umoyuswi.  Her butterfly wings glittering everywhere. But she was still young. In her newness, she wanted to talk to everyone and forgot the warning her mother gave about talking to squirrels, and she talked to one. The squirrel informed Itshe and she came floating in. Asukume daughter was scared at the dull white sight of Itshe, but the squirrels held her down and Itshe began to absorb the energy of Asukume daughter. 
Itshe was reveling in getting her color back, intoxicated with a success that had to wait thirty thousand year. In her hubris, she forgot one key weapon, a name. Asukume daughter had not given herself a name, per the custom of umoyuswi. Asukume did not know the rule but a flower did and it spoke to Asukume daughter while being drained. It told the child to choose a name. The squirrels were to slow in chopping the flower down and Asukume daughter chose a word she heard her mother use, dodging through the expanse of the forest. Her mother always called the forest an ocean. And so, Asukume daughter named herself Ulwandle. With her name, she could do more and since Itshe had stolen so much color, she figured she needed to keep it and she turned her into a flower, a carnation. She turned her squirrel servants into one being, a dog. And after that Ulwandle, butterfly wings flapping, flew high up and promised her mother a safe return from the school in the moon.
   

Event details

Easter is always between March 22nd and April 25th .Easter was April 12th in the year 2020, the name is derived from Ēostre the real or unreal germanic goddess but the date and most modern traditions refer to Pascha which roughly translates to passover, the Jewish holiday. But, I want to focus on  Ēostre. For easter, include the real or unreal traditions attributed to Eostre, like rabbits, or make your own.You can show photos of art OR text of fiction 
 The photos can be to->sculpture/knitting or sewing/graffiti/tattoo or any craft depicting Eostra real or unreal traditions 
 The text can only be fiction based on the following: Real or unreal traditons of Eostre. Orthodox catholic easter comes a week after roman catholic easter.  
Story 1 https://aalbc.com/tc/blogs/entry/261-eostre-art-or-text-craft-parade-good-news-blog/?do=findComment&comment=892  
Story 2 https://aalbc.com/tc/blogs/entry/261-eostre-art-or-text-craft-parade-good-news-blog/?do=findComment&comment=893  
 
STORY 1
It is April 12th 2020, Ess Mae Murard walk by her Easter painting aside her grandchildren.  

The boy ask: “I never seen that painting before”
“No you have not Hakim, it is one I did a while back but I only present it for Easter”: gently replied Ess Mae.  
“Why grandma S?”: reply a girl.  
“I was going to ask that Shaniqua!”: cut in Hakim.
“No need to shout Hakim, it was a good question anyway right?”: Grandma Ess tickle Hakim and Shaniqua, either laugh.  
Grandma Ess continue: “to answer the question you both want to know, I must go back to earlier days”. She take a photo off a desk.

“Grandpa Clay!”: reply both children in unison.  
“yes, your grandfather with me before church,1947, I was a little sad, a commission I was hoping to get was obtained by D. Scott, made me quite mad”: recall grandma Ess, and she continue: “We went to church, your grandpa Clay had to do some work in a white man’s house, So I chose to go to St. Nicholas park and sit to gather my thoughts and that is when I saw her…”: the children are attentive:“Eostre”:the children interrupt Grandma Ess.
“who is Eostre”:ask Hakim.  
“yes, please tell us grandma S”: Shanique pull on her grandmother’s arm.
Grandma Ess continue: “… hmmm, well, at first I did not know who she was and I said, nice hat, she found that amusing and seemed interested in what I had to say… I learned she was the Earth”: the children look confused and Grandma Ess continue: “well, the spirit of the Earth who once every turn around the sun makes an appearance as a human to humans”
Grandma Ess look to the children who are still confused, and smile. She continue: “think of it like this, we live on a planet, called Earth, and she is living so, she has a spirit, but her spirit is special, not like a humans, her spirit can inhabit many kinds of bodies.”
“why grandma Ess”: ask Shaniqua.  
“The earth is very old and powerful, I can not explain all in why Earth reacts the way it does in any way… but we talked about many things, and when she was done she offered me a chance to paint her”
“So that is her, the spirit of Earth”: ask Hakim.  
“hmmm rather, that is the form the spirit of Earth took”: reply Grandma Ess.  
“but why only show it during easter”: ask Shaniqua.
“well”: a car horn cut off Grandma Ess, and she speak to the matter: “you two, lets go , we can talk about it later ,lets go outside”: she take a photo.
The three leave the house and meet a woman waiting by a wall.

“come on Ma!”: speak the woman.
“coming chile, now go on you two, go to your mother”: suggest Grandma Ess, but Hakim shake his head and Shanique tighten her grip.  
“So you two want to bother your grandmother about something, alright, but just get in the car, ok”: and after the mother speak, the grandchildren usher into the car quiet and wait for grandma Ess.
…
while driving to church Grandma Ess was active on her tablet and asked the children: “you two ready to learn why that painting can’t be shown”.
“I see now what is going on”: the children’s mother smile.
“Don’t say anything mommy”: request Shaniqua.
“yeah, we want to hear it from grandma”: demand Hakim.
“ok ok, may I listen to”: ask the mother, and the children nod.
Grandma Ess smile and say: “take a look at the image on the tablet”: and she hand the tablet to the children in the back seat. Hakim plus Shaniqua look at the image.  

Grandma Ess begin to finish her story: “well… once long ago, great birds existed, these birds could be ridden like a horse. Humans lived well with adult ones but could never breed children, but it didn’t matter for they continued to be born in the wild, until one day…”: the children gasp in preparation and grandma Ess continue: “the earth changed. These birds had only one nesting ground, and it was destroyed in a great earthquake, that burned the sky so none could fly away… the humans who used these birds was very angry cause these birds was the only way they could reach some of the remote locations where they lived. They asked the Earth to make more of the birds to restart their bloodline… but the Earth refused. The humans who rode these birds, became very angry and cursed all our mother… do you have an idea why the painting can not be seen now?”
Hakim think, but shake his head. Shaniqua think and say:“ the eggs? ”
“Yes, Shaniqua”: smile Grandma Ess, Hakim cry out in agony, their mother laugh.  
“But, those little eggs in the painting are the eggs of those huge birds”
“no, but they are the map… The Eostre made a map of eggs, utilized correctly, which I will not say how, they provide a map, the painting gives clues to those who know, thus the spirit of Earth demanded I not make that publicly shown… and I have kept my promise, and as your mother has kept it , I demand you two”
Shaniqua plus Hakim smile: “yes grandma Ess”
“Ok guys, we at church your”
“Daddy!”: yell the two children in unison cutting off their mother’s instruction. The mother open the car doors and the children are out; she blow a kiss to her husband.
“You know my sweet Roe, you can make a few more eggs for me to tell my story too”: explain Grandma Ess to her daughter.  
“Momma , I am not going to be laying tons of eggs, I know you and Rick been talking and plotting, now enjoy your church, I will be back to take us all to Black Fort for lunch”: say Roe, as she watch her mother exit the car and meet up with the husband plus kids.
 
STORY 2
 
Each child from Earth is part in a community and between each perihelion the Earth must speak to each child's community at least once, per the agreement with the Sun. In the oldest swamp from Earth the human season come again, the time of Eostre, when the spirit in Earth take a humanoid form to speak to her human children. She slowly form the body deep in a swampland so thick, the morning sun seem a sunset.
It is said if you are lucky to witness the spirit of the Earth before she settles her form, the Earth will allow you to take a piece from in her. But, I myself have never been able to witness such a thing to prove it myself. 
The spirit of Earth, after forming the body, begin to walk out from the swamp to speak to the humans. She meets a hare, basking in the sunlight. The hare turn to look to her and cognize her immediately. It hop to her feet and ask:" what can I do for the earth Spirit". The Eostre ask the hare:" please take me to the human tribe". The hare bow and escort The Eostre out the swamp, out the wood and into a human roadway. A human man turn a sharp corner near the wood exit and is astonished at the figure before him. He ask The Eostre if he can take a photo of her. She nod her head. He ask her to take a look at it.
He ask her name, and she look down at the Hare, who head shake in disagreement. The man sulk off looking at the photo. 
The Eostre look down at the road and ask the hare: "how far are the humans from their.... road"
"Not far earth spirit, about ten thousand hops, but beware humans wearing odd smelling metal clumps"
And The Eostre leave the hare, at the side of the road. 
The Eostre walk and walk, observing the humans in cars going by. In the late morning, she observe a small human girl carrying eggs in one hand, picking up an egg in the other. The Eostre go over to the girl and ask: "why did you take that egg and have an egg basket?"
"Its easter": the little girl reply.
"YEs, I know but egg is meant to be cared for not, thrown about, you never know what kind of life it may bring"
The little girl stand confused or bored. The Eostre ask her to sit the egg she just found down. After the little girl did, the Eostre tap her foot once and the egg grow, and grow, wiping away decorations and a small dragon pop out.
  The little girl is very happy, even though the baby dragon tried to snap her finger off; she place the baby dragon in her egg basket. And, grab The Eostre hand and say: "Please, come home, my parents will love to meet you, my dad does magic and my mom loves dragons"
"you think it is wise for your mom to see a dragon"
"yes, lets go": and the little girl drag The Eostre to her home. The little girl ask The Eostre to notice the eggs on the table and say: "my dad made them"
The Eostre look at the eggs and smile. You know, it will be good to talk to your parents. And The Eostretime happened successfully, albeit an initial shock of nudity from the parents to the little girl.  

Event details