moon cycles

In a side-by-side, which was convenient

After sunset we traveled down the road many times but it was almost 10:00 p.m. before we spotted the full buck moon. We spoke about the reason for the name: the antlers of male deer reach their peak of growth around this time in July.

However, it was a bold orange and Ellie declared it the “Pumpkin Moon.” So it shall forever be.

Her friend came to spend the night, and it was late, so a promise of a 4:00 a.m. wake up call to take a walk was made.

However, at 4:00, fog obscured the moon. I turned on the TV and watched as Naomi Osaka carried the Olympic torch to its ultimate destination. In the girl’s bedroom, on the floor, were their glow necklaces arranged in their version of the Olympic logo, illuminating the dark. I broke my promise and let them sleep.

The next night we pitched a tent for a girl’s only camp out. We ventured out on the Gator, but no moon visible. On the way back to camp, Ellie spotlighted rabbits in the fields and we sang the Little Bunny Foo Foo song. She made shadow ears with her fingers in the flashlight. 

We then talked about what ‘moral of the story’ means, what goons are, and the delicious world of homophones and puns.

But still no moon.  We gave up, retired to the tent, and read Charlie Mackesy’s book until Ellie dozed off.

A while later as I gazed through the screened tent window, I noticed the pumpkin moon had made its way above the horizon as I drifted to sleep.

At 4:00 a.m. I woke Ellie to ride back to the house for coffee. Wrapped in damp blankets, barefoot, we slid onto the dew soaked seats of the Gator and as I was about to turn the key; we looked westward and there nestled in the walnut tree tops, the full moon. Finally.

It seems like this month wasn’t so much about walking when the moon is full as it was simply being together and being curious during our quest.

See you next month for the Sturgeon Moon.

The more the merrier

This month’s Walk When the Moon is Full included Ellie’s other grandmother, Nana (@thewisdomsanctuary).

Schedules didn’t allow us to gather in person so we used technology to share faces and time together under the same moon.

It was around 8:30 and I texted Nana to see if the moon had appeared over her house. I used the SkyView app to locate the position here and sent her a screen shot. Turns out she was doing the same thing at the same time. Totally unplanned, but fun.

I wandered around the neighborhood waiting for daylight to end and saw the neighbor kids being creative with chalk. Watched as a barge floated by and the sun set on the Ohio River. Walked among the lengthening shadows near the tree line.

We three walked our respective yards and roads together, under the same moon. We spoke about how some call this the Strawberry Moon, because now is usually the time of harvest. We noticed the colors in the skies and voted on whose was prettiest, even though it technically wasn’t a contest. Ellie spotted her cat, Buddy, in the window, observing.

Then we all saw the fireflies. Slowly rising from the grass, winking their tails in the ever darkening twilight. Lightning bugs dotting the shadows with sparkles of warm, yellow lights. The full moon as backdrop to their stage.

We said our good nights and good byes and blew kisses with promises of another walk in another month, at the next full moon.

We see the same moon, you and I. You in your world and me in mine…I find that comforting.”

—Mary Wade

A 4:00 in the morning walk is just as fun

While we waited for May’s super flower full moon to show up, Ellie and I walked over to the river and watched the sun make its dramatic exit.

She showed me her picture taking techniques and then modeled so I could practice. She wanted to know what was on the other side of the river. I told her it was Kentucky. She remembered the bridge we cross to get there. 

Later we used the SkyView app and spotted stars and constellations and talked about why Orion needed a belt. There’s a built-in compass and she watched it point different directions as she changed course while walking.

The app showed the moon still below the horizon so we played with staged photos. She is strong enough to hold the entire moon above her head with both hands.

By 10:00 p.m., the moon still hadn’t made an appearance and the suggestion we wake at 4:00 in the morning was met with glee, so I set an alarm. 

Wrapped in blankets we wandered into the front yard at 4:00 a.m. The cat performed figure 8s around our legs and the dogs bolted across the field to chase the startled rabbits.

We walked onto the road in our bare feet and noticed our shadows the super moon cast. We identified the flowery smell from the honeysuckle vines we had tasted earlier. We talked about why the grass was wet and why there was fog over the river.

Then we honored the quiet for a spell. No bird song. No frogs or crickets. No cicadas, yet. 

We noticed the blackness and whiteness of everything and spoke quietly about how color is an expression of light. When nearly all light is reflected, you see white. When no light is reflected, you see black. We went on for a while about shades and hues and the absence of light.

And that, my friends, is how you get a 7-year-old ready to go back to sleep.

Until next month’s full Strawberry Moon, may you make moments to create wonder and spark curiosity.