Monday, March 16th, 2015

Good Morning Readers!

I hope your Monday is going well. I am a little bummed about the return of cooler weather this week, but living where I do I should be used to it. This week we will be counting down to the New Moon and the Spring Equinox on the 20th. Until then we remain in the last moon of Winter and as she phases through her fourth and final cycle we are urged to let go and prepare for a new month. The Moon will be void-of-course from 4:02 am to 6:14am when it enters Aquarius.

Lenten Moon

The last full moon of the winter season was also known as the Lenten Moon by settlers the origin possibly deriving from the season of lent.

4th quarter, Waning moon

the Waning Moon is the ideal time for banishing or releasing things. The New Moon is also known as the "Dark Moon" (also known as the “Black Moon.") This is the time of greatest power for banishing negativity and releasing yourself from all that binds you.

Void- of Course: 

When the moon is void-of-course expect the unexpected. This is because the moon will be moving between two different signs. This can lasta few seconds, minutes or hours and it can sometimes last a day or two. When the energy is faulty and unexpected, refrain from making decisions because judgment could be faulty because you would be making a decision when all the factors are not known. Do not sign contracts, shop or promise anything during this time. Dont sweat the small stuff, when the moon is "void-of-course"  it is better to embrace the spontaneity. It can be plenty of fun if you work it right!

Moon in Aquarius:

The moon continuously moves through the twelve signs of the Zodiac, from Aries to Pisces, changing signs every 2-1/2 day, picking up various influences from each of the astrological signs. Good metaphysicians usually take this information into consideration when planning their rituals, as do earth workers (gardeners and farmers.)Aquarius is an Air sign, and so pertains to ideas, concepts and communication. It as relates to the social side of life in terms of the protocol that guides how we interact with each other. Aquarius is also a Fixed sign, which gives qualities of focus, perseverance and endurance.

Thursday, March 12th, 2015

Good Morning Readers: 

Another beautiful morning in the Midwest, The Worm Moon is upon us here as I sit in my backyard listening to the birds singing as they search for their morning meal. The Snow has almost completely melted and the ground has begun to thaw bringing the  anticipation and the promise of abundance to avid gardeners. the Waxing Gibbous Moon gently reminds us to release that which we do not need in order to make space in our lives for the bounty to come. It is time to plan Spring Cleaning projects or to ready our tools for the gardening to come. Today the moon remains in Sagittarius, our energetic athletic sign of the zodiac, making it a perfect time to stroll the neighborhood  dream of our plans for Spring. Today is also a harvest day, so it may be a good day to trim back those kitchen herbs that have gotten a little straggly.

March: The Worm Moon
Snow slowly begins to melt, the ground softens, and earthworms show their heads again and their castings or fecal matter can be found. Other signs of spring gave rise to other variations: the cawing of crows (the Crow Moon); the formation of crusts on the snow from repeated thawing and freezing (the Crust Moon); and the time for tapping maple trees (the Sap Moon). Christian settlers also called this the Lenten Moon and considered it the last moon of winter.

Waxing Gibbous Moon:

The illustration may look a little complex at first, but it’s easy to explain.

Sunlight is shown coming in from the right. The earth, of course, is at the center of the diagram. The moon is shown at 8 key stages during its revolution around the earth. The moon phase name is shown alongside the image. The dotted line from the earth to the moon represents  the line of sight when looking at the moon. The large moon image shows what you would see at that point in the cycle. For the waning gibbous, third quarter and waning crescent phases you must mentally turn yourself upside down when imagining the line of sight. When you do this, you’ll “see” that the illuminated portion is on your left, just as you see in the large image.

One important thing to notice is that exactly one-half of the moon is always illuminated by the sun. Of course, that is perfectly logical, but you need to visualize it in order to understand the phases. At certain times, we see both the sunlit portion and the shadowed portion — and that creates the various moon phase shapes we are all familiar with. Also, note that the shadowed part of the moon is invisible to the naked eye; in the diagram above, it is only shown for clarification purposes. Finally, please realize this diagram is only meant to demonstrate how the phases work; the small inner moons in the diagram do not show the fact that the  same side of the moon always faces Earth.

So the basic explanation is that the lunar phases are created by changing angles (relative positions) of the earth, the moon, and the sun, as the moon orbits the earth.

Moon in Sagittarius:

When the moon resides in the sign of Sagittarius, we all subconsciously become Sagittarius. Optimism, vitality, generosity, good intention, striving for protection intensify, as well as a desire for philosophy, expansion of  our horizons or just a desire for a walk somewhere.

These days are favorable for studying, work, teaching, and also expansion of the area of interest,

Sunday, March 8th, 2015

Good Morning Readers.

 Spring, or at least  the promise of it has come to the Midwest.This morning the dawn broke illuminating  each frozen dew drop  as if the fairies themselves had blessed them  just for me.Today the magic continues as  we remain in the March Maple Sugar Moon so named for the  only time of year the tree shares its sweet bounty as  sap flows, allowing us to enjoy its bounty.The Waning Gibbous Moon shining brightly down upon us reminds us to let go and release anything hurtful or harmful in our lives making ready for the coming New Moon Cycle. Today is also a  perfect day to sit back relax and enjoy the day currently the moon is in Libra, an air sign which favors creating balance and harmony and following that  our moon is Void-of-Course from 9:25 pm until Monday morn. Light and Lover readers. and until tomorrow, Blessed Be.

Sugar Moon:

According to Anishinabe legend, this month 3rd moon of winter is called the Maple Sugar Moon, aptly named for the only time of  year sap flows from the maple trees. In the hilltowns of Western Mass., steam pours from sugar shacks and fresh maple sap is boiled down to make maple syrup. Many sugar shacks invite families to their annual pancake breakfasts during these weeks to enjoy fresh maple syrup and share in the process of making syrup.

Waning Gibbous:

Three and a half to seven days after the Full Moon. The Moon appears to be more than one-half but not fully illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the Moon’s disk that is illuminated is decreasing as it phases to the coming New Moon. This is the Moon of the Earth Mothers. Demeter, Ceres, Korte, Danu (Anu), and Bast. What work has been done is now gathered in and the crop offered as a sacrifice to the Mother who so freely gave. It is the time to harvest, time to renew.This spirit can be embraced in our spirit as well as we review endeavors and correct mistakes.It is the time to settle disputes and make amends. A time to rid oneself of obstruction, or habits you know longer need.A time for self-analysis, rest, recuperation, meditation and preparation for the energies of the New Moon. The third quarter or the moon ideally brings illumination to the influences of the entire lunar cycle.

Moon in Libra:

The moon in Libra allows us to express our people skills, This is the time to allow yourself to make a positive  changes in terms of your  relationship with  loved ones. The Moon in Libra bestows the  qualities of tact, kindness and gentleness.You may find yourself harnessing a natural charm which will enhance your abilities to be a great listener today. It is  a perfect  day to heal a broken relationship or to make a new one. .

For myself I intend to enjoy an extra cup of tea and call an old friend on my back porch!

The Monthly Moon: March

PLANTING DAYS OF MARCH

MARCH 7, 2015 | WENDIW | EDIT

The Ole Farmers Almanac  has been a resource for advice and lore for decades. As a Midwestern Farmers daughter, I was familiarized to at my Grandparent’s knee. Both my grandmothers were avid gardeners, recognized as the families elder for food storage and health. The Almanac was the most important book in the house concerning planting, harvesting and storing of the families food, as well as folk remedies for  every ailment known to man.  Both my Grandfathers were  renowned for their skill as ” Water Witches”  or ” dowsing.”  They, as farmers/ ranchers, were in charge of the large planting and butchering and general animal husbandry for the farm as was common among the  farmers of that time. They  consulted the “Almanac” as well before starting any major endeavor. I remember the Almanac dog-eared and stained poking from the pocket of his overalls as we walked the fields in the Spring.

The Farmers Almanac sections of Gardening by the Moon Calendar is determined by our age-old formula and applies generally to regions where the climate is favorable. Because the gardening calendar is based on the phase and position of the Moon, it is consistent across all growing zones. Recommended dates are still “weather permitting,” and you should talk with your local greenhouse or agricultural extension office for the optimal window of time within which to use these dates but the Almanac has always been the primary source of information for all things concerning planting.

6th-8th Fine for sowing grains, hay, and forage crops. Plant flowers. Favorable days for planting root crops.
9th-10th Start seedbeds. Good days for transplanting. Excellent time for planting root crops that can be planted now. Also good for leafy vegetables.
11th-13th Barren days, do no planting.
14th-15th Any root crops that can be planted now will do well.
16th-17th A barren period, best suited for killing plant pests. Do plowing and cultivating.
18th-19th Good for planting cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, and other vine crops. Set strawberry plants. Good days for transplanting. Favorable days for planting beets, carrots, radishes, salsify, turnips, peanuts, and other root crops.
20th-21st Cultivate and spray, do general farm work, but no planting.
22nd-23rd Favorable for planting crops bearing yield above the ground.
24th-25th Seeds planted now tend to rot in the ground.
26th-28th Excellent for sowing seedbeds and flower gardens. Best planting days for aboveground crops, especially peas, beans, cucumbers, and squash where climate permits.
29th-31st A most barren period, best for killing plant pests or doing chores around the farm.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac that contains information about the  weather, the tides, planting charts, and astronomy. It also contains recipes, and articles on a number of gardening and farming techniques, as well as the general agri-community life. The book also features anecdotes and a section that predicting trends in the coming year.

Released the second Tuesday in the September that precedes the year printed on its cover,The Old Farmer’s Almanac has been published continuously since 1792, making it the oldest continuously published periodically in North America