DID YOU SEE THE MARCH WORM OR LENTEN MOON?

The full March moon, also known as the worm moon and the Lenten moon -- was scheduled to arrive for viewing, in our area, on the evening of Sunday, March 28, 2021.

 

As rain was forecast for Sunday – and past experience has shown – any time we have full moon – we generally also have overcast skies. Well, it did rain last night and today – and the skies were overcast all day and in the evening too!

 

As Saturday – the previous evening was clear – I went out to our backyard – shortly after 9:15 p.m. – and when I looked in the westerly direction – over our neighbor’s double lot -- there it was – our moon – shining brightly -- behind the leafless trees. As, I am always camera ready – I took a number of photographs.

 

The composite shows four photographs. Going clockwise – the first photograph shows the moon seen through a leafless maple tree. The second photograph is seen through a leafless dogwood tree. I then moved outside our gate – went across Cooley Avenue – to the south side of the Jefferson Park. Needless to say – Smokey (the mother) and her son – Gingy – our two outdoor cats were just as excited as I was – and they made a dash too – as if we were in a wild setting. I had to send them back – this time they obliged – sometimes they don’t. I am just concerned for their safety from the traffic. And of course our Galena (golden retriever with a curly tail) who was present at the sighting of the February snow moon – this time was watching the March moon from her Rainbow Bridge – she was recently diagnosed with a chronic ailment and last week said goodbye to Spaceship Earth.

 

The third photograph – showing the moon to the left is through another leafless maple tree.

 

The last photograph in the composite shows the moon lighting up the white façade (partial view) of our house.

 

The four photographs have also been shown separately.

 

According to the Internet, the March moon “is most commonly called the ‘worm moon,’ because this is the time of year when the cold ground thaws and earthworms start slithering up from the soil as spring arrives”. Since we are in Lent – the six-week period leading up to Easter – the old English/Anglo-Saxon name for the March moon is Lenten moon.

 

Spring arrived on Saturday, March 20, 2021 – and within a week – some of the spring flowers – crocuses and daffodils have started to bloom.

 

As it was too early to start planting for the coming summer season – I did not inspect my pots for earthworms. Since I see them all summer and during the autumn season – I am sure my pots are full of earthworms.

 

It was truly remarkable – as I was photographing the moon – a celestial object – created nearly 4.5 billion years ago – and three of us (Smokey, Gingy, and me) – two species of earth-bound mammals developed from earlier forms – starting about 210 million years ago – were just moon-struck.

 

The next three moons are going to be supermoons – moons that will appear larger than usual – because the moon which travels around Spaceship Earth in an elliptical orbit – will be closer to earth than normal:

 

April 26 – super pink moon, May 26 – super flower moon, and June 24 – super strawberry moon.

 

Enjoy the rest of the spring!