Monthly Musing – August 2023 – Blue moon
After all the rainy days and nights we’ve had recently, it was a joy to be able to look out of the window and see the big beautiful super blue moon last night. It wasn’t literally blue, of course; it’s just called that because it was the second full moon of the month and it’s “super” because the moon is at its closest point to the earth so looks bigger and brighter.
Growing up, I didn’t take that much notice of the moon, other than that I could see the “face” clearly sometimes and not at other times of the month when the moon was waxing or waning. I didn’t even know what “waxing” and “waning” was – they seemed like old fashioned words, country lore; something that I’d find in one of the old books that my Mum would bring home from charity shops from time to time. I can vaguely remember my Dad talking about planting in line with the moon but I was more interested in eating what he grew at the time, especially at this time of year when his rows of pea pods would be fat and ready for picking – my favourite!
Nowadays, the thought of living in tune with the moon’s phases is nothing out of the ordinary – there are books, websites, videos, and social media accounts dedicated to how the moon affects us on a daily basis. It makes sense that we would be affected as much as the sea and the tides given that we’re a good percentage of water ourselves, and it’s certainly true that the full and new moons bring a different flavour to our emotions – I’ve seen that over the years in my Facebook groups! – and I think that anything that helps us live a calmer, more peaceful life is a good thing.
I think the strongest emotion when I see a full moon, and especially one as big and bright as last night’s, is happiness. It makes me really happy to see that big golden disc shining brightly up the in sky, throwing light across the garden and the fields and reminding me that no matter what happens in my day to day life or even in the events of the world, the moon will just keep on circling the earth. There is comfort in the lunar phases that always follow the same form, waxing and waning (I know what that means now!), new moon to full moon – in the same way, wherever I am in the world, if I can see the constellation of Orion, I know that I’m OK and not so far from home.
I’m always telling people who worry that it’s too late to start knitting socks that we only ever come to things when we’re ready for them, and I think that now, I am ready to take more notice of the moon than I ever did when I was little. I’m not so good at keeping lunar journals or remembering which astrological house relates to which phase of the moon, but I am good at being grateful for the beautiful moon and taking a moment to stand in the silver light and breathe and be happy. Blue moon, super moon, or just an “ordinary” moon, long may they light up our lives!
Super blue moon August 2023 from Camperdown Park, Dundee
Source: @paul_vinova, Instagram
I was looking at the moon last night, it was so bright and beautiful. Since I was a child I have always loved the moon, it fascinates me. As for knitting socks , I have always got some on the go to knit in-between other projects.
This is lovely, Christine. I just listened by chance to a podcast series the BBC did called “Witch” and someone mentioned doing things in line with the moon phases – letting go or winding things down at full moons, and embarking on something new at new moons. I might try casting on a “someday” project at a new moon, to give me some extra oomph because I worry I’ll lose momentum.
I’m so glad I’ve discovered sock knitting in the meantime, though. I’ve got a 7-hour train journey coming up this weekend and I’ve found nothing passes the time like sock knitting, and a podcast!
Beautiful musings on the moon – and the photos are beautiful – it was too cloudy down south – so sadly we have to wait until 2039 for the next one that is that close etc etc.
Sock knitting is brilliant – always knit them in between bigger projects and always find someone who wants more handknitted socks.
That’s a beautiful photo! I must pay attention to the moon phases more…it might help me understand/predict my mood ‘swings’ as I’m sure they go in cycles with the moon.
Sock knitting keeps my hands functioning! If I don’t do any in the evenings whilst watching tv, I find my knuckles are stiff the next morning! It’s a fine balancing act between knitting enough to keep my hands working but not too much that it aggravates my bad shoulder/neck 🙄 oh, the joys of getting old! 🤣🤣🤣
I’m finding Saturday mornings are becoming Winwick Mum Moments…I read the new post then get side tracked with the ‘you may also like’ links at the bottom…this morning’s extra read was the January 2015 Doing Less post…which had me nodding along in agreement- definitely starting to realise this and cut back on what I try to fit into a day…hubby and I have been noticing recently that if we finish 2-3 tasks well during the day, we feel a lot better at having achieved a good result rather than having done bits of several jobs and not completed any 🙂
My daughter says that at certain times of the month some children in school are much more agitated and/or badly behaved, usually around the time of the full moon! She can see it has an effect on some people.
I am going to research planting by the moon phases as I’m sure there is something to it that we have ‘unlearned’ over the years.