Thoughts on the Spring Equinox

And today in Martinez Lake, Arizona ...

Floating on the Internet uncaptioned. Artist unknown.

Happy Spring Equinox, everyone! The moon is waxing crescent in the Northern and Western Hemispheres.

Here in Marin County, the sprawling oak grove in which I live is exploding with leaves on every tree. There are pin oaks, valley oaks, coastal oaks, magnolias, birch trees, and ornamentals with flowers in every color. A pair enormous red-shouldered hawks nested in female pin oak. The nest is the size of a medicine ball. As soon as they arrived, other birds starting nesting, and we have twice as many species as last year. I wonder if they feel protected by the hawks—which are, BTW, an amazing watch. Flap, flap glide … and the glide can go one more than 10 minutes as the winds come over the coastal range and meet the San Francisco Bay.

The Anna’s Hummingbirds wintered over here, as they do every year. They are nesting eggs now, and they will hatch soon, and then there will be the squawking of hungry little ones, who will fly off in six weeks. Then the parents will build new nests for the rest of the summer. They never nest in the same place, but they will “steal” fibers from the nests of their friends and relatives, spreading family connections. Their nests are made in part of tiny twigs and leaves, but they are largely made of silks they steal from spider webs, which is why they are so light and yet so strong.

Meanwhile, from the latest episodes of Madness Takes over America, I have a few notes to pass along.

• Yesterday, in the sleepy desert town of Martinez Lake, Arizona, the temperature topped out at 145 degrees Fahrenheit, a record for March for as long as records have been kept.

• Presidents’ faces aren’t allowed on coins as long as they are alive. Trump found a way around that. In the same vein of gold in which he coated everything, thinking it makes him look rich (though the effect is quintessentially tacky), Trump has endorsed a 24-karat gold commemorative coin to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Here it is. Barf bags can be located in the seat pocket in front of you.

• To wit, the anniversary celebration will be a CHRISTIAN REVIVAL. Yeah, must rapidly hit those Evangelicals soon, or you’re toast in the Midterms, buddy!

• On a related topic, some of the United States commanders are framing the Iran War as the biblically-predicted Armageddon, and they’re just hopping with excitement.

• Trump says the war is winding down but is sending 2,500 combat Marines and three more warships to the Persian Gulf.

• Experts say that Kharg Island can’t be taken from the air and that clearing the Strait of Hormuz will require ground troops.

• Meanwhile, Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is never, ever, ever, ever going to return to the warm-and-fuzzy tropical passage it once was.

• Trump is threatening that failure to pass the SAVE (read: EVISCERATE) Act will mean loss of the Midterms for Republicans. No shit, Sherlock. Any fair election is going to dump you guys into the gutter. In 36 special elections since the Mango Mussolini took office for the second time, Democrats have won all 36. And since 2000, Republicans have won NO presidential elections not attributable to election gerrymandering or tampering.

• Trump signed an executive order shelving a planned Women’s History museum at the Smithsonian.

• The Kennedy Center is closed for two years for “renovation.” Like hell it is. It’s closed because the artists and orchestras closed ranks and refused to play for him. Here is the living definition of bleeding from the artistic jugular. Refusing to play ball with Mr. Deflategate himself:

— Hamilton: a touring production of the Broadway musical canceled its run at the Kennedy scheduled between March 3rd and April 26th.

— Philip Glass: the acclaimed composer withdrew the premiere of his new symphony.

— Chuck Redd: the leader of the Kennedy Center’s annual “Jazz Jams” Christmas concert since 2006 canceled the 2025 staging of the show. Kennedy Center leadership is now seeking $1 million in damages from Redd.

— The Cookers: the jazz supergroup canceled a pair of shows scheduled for New Year’s Eve 2026.

— Stephen Schwartz: the Wicked composer withdrew as host of the Washington National Opera Gala set for May 16th, 2026. A representative for the Kennedy Center denied that Schwartz was ever officially booked for the gig, even though tickets listing his name were for sale on the center’s website.

— Renée Fleming: the legendary sopranist canceled two concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra scheduled in May.

— Issa Rae: the Insecure star canceled a sold-out March 16th, 2025 stop of her “An Evening With Issa Rae” tour at the Kennedy Center.

— Béla Fleck: the Grammy-winning banjoist canceled a trio of concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra scheduled for February 2025.

— Rhiannon Giddens: the Grammy-winning musician canceled a May 11th, 2025 concert at the Kennedy Center.

— Low Cut Connie: the Philadelphia rockers called off a February 2025 performance at the Kennedy Center.

— Peter Wolf: the artist canceled a book launch event set at the Kennedy Center in March 2024.

— Kristy Lee: the country singer canceled a concert scheduled for January 14th, 2026 at the Kennedy Center.

— Sonia De Los Santos: The Grammy-nominated children’s performer has canceled a pair of concerts scheduled in February 2026.

— Martha Graham Dance Company: America’s oldest dance troupe has canceled a concert scheduled in April 2026.

— Doug Varone and Dancers: the dance troupe will no longer perform at the Kennedy Center in April 2026.

— Balún: the electronic indie band canceled a February 2025 concert at the Kennedy Center.

— Amanda Rheaume: the Canadian musician scrapped an April 2025 concert at the Kennedy Center.

He’s poison. In February, star American violinist Hilary Hahn and cellist Seth Parker Woods announced their withdrawal from three upcoming performances at the Kennedy Center. The duo were scheduled to perform the world premiere of Carlos Simon’s Double Concerto Suite for violin, cello and and orchestra alongside the National Symphony Orchestra on 12, 13 and 14 March.

Woods said on social media: “We have chosen to withdraw from our concerts at the Kennedy Center this March. We are sorry to not be with our friends and colleagues at the National Symphony Orchestra and hope to perform with them again in the future.

Uh-huh. Like I said, he’s poison. He attacked the arts, he attacks intelligence, he attacks knowledge, he attacks history, he attacks DEI and women. And he will be abandoned by all of us.

OK, that’s it for today.

Love you …