by Sid Baglini
Thursday, June 24th at 9:15 pm
We’ll be getting a late start this month because the full moon does not clear the horizon until 8:57 pm. The upside of that is that this month, we will walk in full darkness, which will be conducive to observing the moon, but also to spotting one of the high “lights” of the season—the Lightning Bugs or Fireflies. For the fourth month in a row, we will be treated to a Super Moon, but this will be the last one for this year. We still have a Blue Moon in the line-up, but sadly, no more Super Moons.
The Algonquin name for this month’s full Moon is The Strawberry Moon. Those who love the crimson fruit know that the season is short and June is the month to eat your fill! While we dine on the plump commercial fruits, a sharp eye will spot the ripe wild strawberries growing in many lawns that have not been sprayed with herbicides. These little gems inspired Native Americans to christen a full Moon in their honor.
As always, we have other names that apply including The Fruits Are Small Moon (Mohawk) and The Green Corn Moon (Cherokee). European and Colonial names include Mead Moon and since many choose to marry in June, The Honeymoon. There are still references to The Egg Laying Moon and The Birth Moon, which reflect the prodigious new life during this time of transition from spring to summer. Not to be omitted is The Hoer Moon, a warning to those of us who garden or farm that the crops need tending or the weeds will prevail. Finally, there is the all too accurate name The Hot Moon, though the forecast for Thursday night predicts a delightful evening in the low 70’s–perfect for a walk under the full Moon.
We hope you can join us at 9:15 in the parking lot of Malvern Arts.