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The Full Moon Series
A Year of the Moons Over New England
During the course of the year, the moon
changes as do the seasons. Long ago, the Native Americans kept track of
the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon.
Different tribes used variations of the moon names although it was the
lunar timetable set by the monthly full moons that was a common guide to
every day life and farming schedules. Even now, farmers and gardeners
alike use the moon and lunar events and refer to the Farmer’s Almanac*
for guidelines.
I have been captivated by the energy and
the mystical nature of the full moon and have spent the course of a year
observing and creating paintings reflecting the power of the moon, the
seasonal changes, and nature’s correlation to the time of month the
full moon appears. |
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VIEW > the FULL MOON SERIES
READ > 'Full Moon Fever', an article about Robin and the Moon Series
The following is a list of moon names that
applies to each full moon painting done by month. I have focused on the
names chosen by the Algonquin tribes of New England.
- Full Wolf Moon – January
Deep snows and hungry wolves kept Algonquin Villages on the lookout this time
of year.
- Full Snow Moon – February
Harsh weather conditions, heavy snow falls.
- Full Crow Moon – March
Cawing of the crows signals the end of winter.
- Full Pink Moon – April
The return of phlox, one of the earliest widespread flowers of spring, has
arrived.
- Full Corn Planting Moon – May
Flowers are abundant everywhere and the planting of crops begins.
- Full Strawberry Moon – June
It is harvesting time for strawberries.
- Full Thunder Moon – July
Thunderstorms
are most frequent this time of year.
- Full Sturgeon Moon – July (sometimes in
August)
This is a prime time for lake fishing, also the moon can be seen rising in a
sultry haze.
- Full Fruit Moon – August
This moon is reserved for those years when the Harvest Moon is very late in
September.
- Full Harvest Moon – September
This is the full moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox. At the peak
of harvest, farmers can work late into the night by the light of this
moon.
- Full Hunter’s Moon – October
Leaves have fallen, fields have been reaped and hunters can easily see.
- Full Frosty Moon – November
Swamps freeze and wildlife prepares for winter.
- Full Cold Moon – December
Winter
cold fastens its grip, and nights are the longest and the darkest.
- Lunar Eclipse – October 2004
This was the second lunar eclipse within a year, and the last one until March
2007. It also was the night the Red Sox won the World Series!
- Lunar Eclipse – November 2003
This was a special lunar event I observed which lead me to the beginning of
the Full Moon Series of paintings. The beauty of the moon was revealed
to me on this night.
*references and moon facts have been taken from the Farmer’s Almanac
< 'MOONS' NOTECARDS |
