Thursday, July 22, 2010

Many Moons.....

I was standing, staring up at the night sky one evening last week.  Because we live out in relative boonies, the sky here is a beautiful, inky, blue-black velvet, and the stars seem impossibly crisp and bright.  As I stared at the partial moon just above the trees, it occurred to me that I now believe I know why the Native American tribes had names for the various months that referred to something particular about that month.

We are now in the Moon of the Tiger lilly, a few weeks ago, we were in the Moon of Lupine.  These are my names, not those of any particular indigenous culture.  In June I saw an exceptional number of loons on lakes around here.  I don't really think their population has exploded, just that I was in the right place at the right time.  But, if I had the inclination to re-name June, I might choose the Moon of the Loon.

If I was feeling particularly churlish this month might get re-named, Moon of the Deer Fly.  But, if I gave in to that single tiny impulse toward negativity, it might also lead to a slippery slope thereafter.  February could easily slide from the Moon of Blowing Snow, to Moon of Snow-blowing, or even Moon of Most Suicides ....or, God help me,  Moon of Time Shares.  See what I mean?  And it's all downhill from there.  What's to stop me from veering off into social and political issues?   December could become the Moon of Smoking Credit Cards.  September--the gridiron ritual's return-- might become the Moon of Broken Heads.  November could devolve into the Moon of Idiots Running. 

No, it's better that I just keep it positive.  Besides.....which month would qualify for Moon of Gushing Oil, when it has gone on for a full quarter of the year?

1 comment:

Linda Starr said...

I'm gonna think of this month as Moon of the languishing heat, and think of sipping a mint julep or lemonade in chair, dreaming of cooler air. I've always liked the expression, many moons ago, when referring to this or that happening in the past.