Salute to the Worm Moon

In his final book (1881), Charles Darwin documented that worms literally move the earth in the process of their meanderings. He noted that their passage through the earth aerates the soil and the natural chemistry of their guts renders soil and plant matter into fertile pellets. As a by-product of their movements, worms deposit new soil on the surface, causing whatever was on top to slowly submerge. Thus, whole monuments may be buried over a period of decades. It is estimated that for a single acre of cultivated land, earthworms move 8 tons of earth in a year, enough to produce a new layer of earth 2 inches thick, rich in nitrogen, phosphorous and calcium.

Tomorrow, on March 9, 2020 at precisely 1:48 p.m. the Worm Moon will reach it’s peak fullness.  But, weather permitting, we at Merry Mount will observe the full splendor of the Worm Moon tonight as we listen for earthworms as they excavate the soil.

Worm Moon?  Native Americans (and others who were aware) noticed that in the Northern Hemisphere, the month of March was a transitioning month between Winter and Spring, and that earthworms often begin to surface due to the thawing ground.  The full moon was an important occasion for them and its splendor whetted their imaginations.  Their mystical beliefs prompted numerous traditions long before scientific knowledge eclipsed their beliefs.

Whether you believe the full moon brings forth the worms, or you know that the tilt of the Earth changes seasons, we can observe the beauty of the quality of the moonlight tonight.

We will call him Mr Ow.

He smiles at a Spoon and a Cow.

At this time of year,

Squiggly objects appear.

The Earth wakes up, here and now.

CPW

Don’t Let Democracy Die

Good morning.  I suggest you cut and paste the link below into a new server.

Enjoy (if you can).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ue5F57dZMU

CPW

A Place for Luna

Luna is Latin for Moon and according to ancient Roman myth “Luna” was the goddess of the Moon.  For centuries, humans have been infatuated by the moon particularly the ambience of a “full moon” (see blog post: A Place for “that Old Devil Moon”-February 2019).

Early this morning (at precisely 2:33 a.m. EDT) the moon became "full", but, if weather permits, we at Merry Mount should be able to experience it as "full" for a couple of more nights. As the moon revolves around Earth, it is illuminated by the sun.  What we see is reflected sunlight.

Thanks to an idea from my dear brother, Lee Thompson, with this blog post, I will begin a monthly “lunar series”. 

Native American folklore gives us names for every full moon of the year. 

The February moon has been labeled the “Snow Moon”.

Snow Moon

Its silvery glow pervades the landscape

The world is marked with cold shadows.

Silence is pure.

Over the meadows and fields

Stillness is deafening

Mystery overtakes the earth.

CPW

So tonight, as we on Junk Road look to the Snow Moon, let us also listen carefully for the distant howl of our own "Luna"- the canine goddess of Junk Road.

Luna Junk

References:  https://www.space.com/16830-full-moon-calendar.html & https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-names.

CPW

A Tale of Two Presidents

Once upon a time, there lived a six-year-old boy who received a hatchet as a gift.  In his excitement to use his new tool, the boy went to the orchard and chopped down a young cherry tree.  When his father found out about it, he called his son forth and asked him if he had done it.  The boy replied that indeed he had.  The father recognizing an opportunity to instill a life lesson upon his son, embraced him, and exclaimed that the boy’s honesty was worth more than a thousand trees.  The boy lived out his life placing great value upon truth.

Once upon a time, there lived a pampered boy who received a silver spoon from his father.  The boy exclaimed, “How deserving I am father!” to which the father replied, “And don’t you ever forget it”.  A few weeks later, the boy noticed that his sister had left her spoon unattended and he grabbed it for his own.  When questioned about the spoon, the boy exclaimed, “She gave it to me, besides, I am worthy of two spoons.”  The boy cocked his head and grinned a supercilious smile.  The father patted his son upon his golden hair and said, “What a fine boy you are.”

Centuries later, two Presidential Portraits hang in the National Portrait Gallery:

CPW