I’ve been watching the moon for the past two days. At 5 pm it’s been high in sky.
No matter how I try to follow it, the moon’s path in the sky continues to be a mystery to me. So tonight, I expected it to be visible soon after I started the Bonfire at 4:30 in the barnyard.
Clouds covered the sky for most of the day, there was even some snowfall. But by this evening, as the sun was setting, Vermont’s Green Mountains were shaded in pink and the sky was clear.
Jon and I warmed by the fire, waited for the moon to appear. At 5:21 Suzy sent me her monthly photo of the full moon as it crested the treetops behind a cemetery near her home in Pennsylvania.
I looked to the sky jealously.
By now the fire was dying down and Jon was getting cold. He went back to the house and about 20 minutes later the tips of the treeline in front up me lit up.
Rising right over the apple tree whose branches I was burning in the bonfire, was the Full Wolf Moon. I watched as she inched her way out of the treetop into a bright circle the same color as the snow beneath my boots.
I sat till the fire turned to embers, watching the moon throw shadows on the snow as it got higher and smaller in the sky.
I first felt a pull to the moon years ago when I took a walk at night with my dog Lestat. On the way home, I felt the moon burning warm on my cheek. I heard the words, The moon is my mother and never forgot.
When I found out there would be a full moon on my birthday and it was a Wolf Moon, I knew I needed to do something to celebrate it. (I legally change my name to my maternal grandmother’s maiden name, Wulf, when I got divorced. After having two last names I didn’t choose I thought it time to pick one that I wanted)
What better way to celebrate the Full Wolf Moon coinciding with my birthday than with a bonfire.
Happy Birthday Maria, and I hope there are many birthdays and they will all be heartwarming with satisfaction and great love for the Earth you love. You are a good steward for her. Veronica
Thank you Veronica.
Wow what a beautiful photo! Happy Birthday to you. I read your blog every day.You are such a talented artist. Thank you for your blog and videos
Thank you for being there Debra.
Happy Birthday Maria. My daughter is the same age as you, it was a very good year. Hope you have a great year.
THanks Uta.
“Happy Birthday, Maria”
What a beautiful, and peaceful, way to celebrate……
Thank you for sharing. ❤
Catherine
🙂
What a beautiful way to celebrate your birthday! Blessings on and in you on your day of birth!
🙂
I noticed your moment of discomfort about howling. I live in Colorado. We howl a lot! When quarantine first started, whole communities howled every night at the same time. I live in the mountains where you can hear far away neighbors howling. We love the howl!
Oh That is wonderful Terry! Now I feel in good company. 🙂
Belated Happy Birthday, just saw the video on Jon’s blog, so glad you had a lovely day, got to sit out by the bonfire, and see the Wolf Moon – we looked out for it, but too cloudy here last night, sadly.
Love the firewood ‘dream’ too, if the donkeys don’t cooperate, maybe you could get a little lightweight battery powered electric chainsaw, (my Dad just got one and loves it), and spend some time clearing the path, cutting the wood to length, and building a log pile in the woods, then on future walks, take a big backpack, and bring it out in small quantities?
Hope you have a creative day!
my neighbor got one of those small chainsaws Hannah. I’m mulling it over. Thanks!
Gorgeous photo of Mother Moon, highlighted with the burning embers. I am now going to pay attention where and when the moon appears, it has always been a mystery to me too. Paul Winter would get his whole audience howling like wolves at his Winter Solstice celebration at the Cathedral of St John the Divine. I would always howl along.
Oh Sharon, I wonder if I was there howling the same time you were. I saw only two Paul Winter Solstice Celebrations at the cathedral. I remember being embarrassed to howl the first time, but did the second.
What a beautiful way to celebrate and I love how it all unfolded. Happy Birthday!
Thank you Barb. I can imagine you’d appreciate it.
Love the picture of the moon. I saw it too. It’s been so cloudy this winter I rarely get to see the moon. but it was clear that night and I was surprised by it.
I was expecting the moon Penny, but I especially love when I’m surprised by it like you were. Makes it even more special somehow.