I was doing something around the house the other day, the radio was on in the background, and I thought I heard the voice on the radio say "the first day of spring is only two weeks away". Then today I heard it again: "spring starts next week" or something like that. This time I tried to listen a little more carefully: the spring in question is something being called meteorological spring. Traditional spring is what, astronomical spring? Is this concept of meteorological spring being used in other areas, or is it a peculiarity of our local weatherman? Jim McKenney Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where titmice, cardinals, mourning doves and Carolina wrens are singing and lots of things are blooming.