Saturday, March 20, 2010

Can You Really Balance An Egg On The Equinox?

Can you really balance an egg on its end on the vernal equinox?

I have heard this all my life but I have never tried it. Since I am now in possession of more eggs than anyone needs, I decided to try it today as the equinox approached at 1:32 p.m. and here is what I discovered: Yes. You can.

It's easy-peasy.

But only on dirt.

I took an egg all over the yard and had fun setting it on its end and watching it balance. It took no patience or manipulation. I would just set it down and boom! it balanced.
But when I tried it on a piece of wood or Mr. Moon tried it on the big metal heat pump thing or when I tried it on the wood of his work bench or the rubber of the mat there (even though it is ridged), no way.

But every place I tried it in the dirt, it balanced easily.
I did it on soft dirt which some may say had something to do with the ease of the balance. Perhaps the dirt supported the egg.



And then I took it out to a slanted place in front of the garage where the dirt is hard-packed clay. So hard that it's like brick. And it sat up and begged for attention.

This makes no sense to me at all because dammit, that clay surface was slanted and the surface was far less grippy than that ridged rubber mat.

Finally, just for fun, I set it in the garden between two heads of lettuce.

And yes, the dirt there is soft but I brushed it flat and sort of patted it down with my hand. I left it there and a few hours later it had fallen over.
"The wind," said Mr. Moon.

It is not a windy day.

And then I took it around and tried to balance it in the dirt again. The exact time of the equinox had passed. I could still do it, but I swear to you on the Bible of the Church of the Batshit Crazy (whatever book I am reading at the moment which I adore) it was not as easy.

And tomorrow I'll take the same egg out and see if anything has changed.

The internet assures me that the egg's ability to balance on its end on the equinox is a myth which began, quite possibly with the Chinese.

And Easter, of course, is the Christian take-over of the Pagan celebration of spring which had everything to do with fertility and lust and the joy of the coming-together of the sexes to create new life. I really wish I could have been present at Stonehenge during a Pagan equinox celebration. Or hell, Chichen Itza for that matter. But what represents all of this better than the egg? And what does the Easter Bunny bring? And why did that egg which one of my chickens laid this morning balance like a little trouper in the dirt all over my yard today? And will it do the same tomorrow? And if so, does that make the miracle any less miraculous?

Stay tuned. We shall see what is what tomorrow. I promise you I will report faithfully and truthfully. Because that is what you expect here at Blessourhearts. And that is what you shall receive.

Meanwhile, if you have not celebrated Spring with a fertility ritual, I beg you to do it now. It's not too late.

I have done my part and I hope you will do yours.

As Always...Ms. Moon

17 comments:

  1. my husband has been begging me for a fertility time ritual all day. i am sure he is not referring to balancing eggs!

    that's exactly what he says, "it is not too late!"

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  2. Oh, the picture with the lettuce made me laugh. It reminds me of the garden gnome who flies everywhere and sends home pictures of himself having adventures! The only thing missing is a hat.

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  4. That was me. Let's try again, shall we?

    I tried the egg experiment because it sounded like so much fun! The only place it would balance was on the wet ground.

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  5. I am too tired to do anything else.
    Today my rites of Spring started really early, photos tomorrow if I remember to take some, but, planted the window boxes, planted the sweet peas, moved the fig trees - with Matthew first and then with B.Loved.
    Had a stern talk with the Akebia and showed her who is boss - she is. First lesson about herding cats is to try to make an Akebia follow orders. Tied the roses that are as unruly as they come, moved the lemons all together by the house wall instead of all over the patio. Died in bed with two bags of ice on my back and I many never get up again. Love you and your balancing egg. I probably have better luck balancing an egg than balancing my act these days...sigh.

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  6. I've never heard of this.I love your eggsperiment :)

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  7. It's autumn where I live. I celebrated by going for a long swim and taking the dog for a walk. I don't know, that still felt...fertile. In a way.

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  8. Amna- Hello and thank-you for coming by! Yes, my egg was like that little garden gnome, only without a face or hat. He was everywhere in the yard yesterday.

    Nicol- Mmmmm. Strange.

    Allegra- Might I suggest you DID TOO MUCH yesterday? Possibly? Rest, dear.

    Jo- The ancient Chinese can't be wrong.

    Nigel- I thought about you and autumn when I wrote that bit about "wherever in the world you are." Happy Autumn, dear boy!

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  9. I love your egg experiment and anxiously await the follow up report.
    I love the image of you running around with an egg and your camera and Mr Moon joining in on the fun.
    Cute!

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  10. me and my mom did that once on the spring equinox when I was young, and it balanced too. :) but then the next day we coudn't get it to balance.

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  11. You're a never-ending source of amazement, Mary Moon. Damn, I wish I'd known yesterday about balancing on the equinox.

    Denny believes in equinoxes like some people believe in Christmas, a sort of native belief in the rightness of balance in the universe. The notion appeals to me too. Although I never would have thought of balancing eggs as a ritual. My rituals usually have more to do with wine. Or chocolate.

    Hope your coming days are happy yellow.

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  12. Yup, I do this , too. works eveytime.

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  13. There's a task! Even though I've already been fertilised, I will consider it. ;-)

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  14. That is the craziest thing! I have never heard of this egg balancing thing, but I am so impressed.

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  15. We loved our rite of spring today. We didn't balance any eggs though.

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  16. Your science lesson and photos were...Great! Now you do church and school....Pagan myths...History lessons too.
    Thank your the smile on my face this morning!

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