PHASES OF THE MOON

The white light of the full moon every March shines through our uncovered windows and wakes me up. I think to myself, "Theo's Moon." The moon kept me awake many of the nights before Theo was born. Every year since then, the March moon casts its light on me as I lie trying to sleep, and fills me with memories of my thoughts and feelings just before Theo was born. Since March is also the beginning of Spring, I think this moon represents birth and rebirth. "Theo's Moon," for me, is a fitting name for March's moon.

I've been working through the exercises in The Curious Nature Guide by Clare Walker Leslie, who suggests naming the full moon each month after a personal experience. The date of the full moon each month varies because the moon rotates every 29.5305882 days, but some time during each month there is a full moon. How many other events in your life occur with such consistency?

Here are some Moon names I've been thinking about.

No wonder we are attracted to the moon. Circles are one of the fundamental forms that connect us together. I find myself using circles frequently in my artwork as a way to complete a picture. The circle seems to tie everything else together. 

Since the beginning of the year, we have been through three moon cycles. January, to me is "Lemon Moon," not because of the color of the moon, but because we harvest our abundant Meyer lemons in January. I call February's full moon, "Love Moon," not just because of the obvious Valentine's Day reference, but because Bill asked me to marry him on Valentine's Day.

Remember the Blood Moon last August? My name for the August moon is "Obon Moon," a reminder of our time in Japan. During the Obon festival there, people stretch out blue plastic tarps all over the parks and celebrate with moon-viewing parties into the night.  Last August so many people I know did the same thing when the huge Blood Moon rose. Do you take photos of the moon? Share them with us.