penandpatience

WRITERS WORDS: “Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars.”- J.R.R. Tolkien

JUNE 2022 MONTHLY MUSING

MOON AND MOONSHINE – FACTS & FUN

            On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon placing the United States Flag there. The quote: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

The moon, in its various stages, travels along with us no matter where we navigate on this earth. An ancient phenomenon that, hopefully, lasts forever.

The moon’s astronomical place is within the constellations in the celestial sphere. It’s earth’s only proper natural satellite, the largest natural satellite in the Solar System and the second brightest object in the sky after the sun. The moon’s position within the Zodiac is its astrological place. A note on Astrology…it’s a tool to plan events according to the placements of sun, moon and planets in the twelve (12) signs of the Zodiac. (i.e.-Gemini (May21-June20; Cancer (June 21-July22) I digress. Some psychics utilize the Zodiac to advise on future events in clients’ lives.

However, the moon is much, much more than horoscope predictive usages. Neil Armstrong was just the beginning of moon exploration. February, 1971, Alan Shepard became the first man to hit a golf ball on the moon. (FORE😊 and then, on April 21, 1972, Apollo XVI astronauts John Young and Charles Duke drove an electric car on the surface of the moon. It’s still there along with expensive tools and some film they forgot. (Tsk! Tsk!)  And, a few days ago, Marcia Dunn, The Associated Press, wrote an article that appeared in the local Daily Gazette. An excerpt: “For the first-time, scientists have grown plants in soil from the moon (lunar dirt) collected by NASA’S Apollo astronauts.” This scientific research is ongoing and, to me, growing food on the moon is a mind-boggling thought!!!  Perhaps, a future world farm???

Some Fun Facts, Folklore: (Source-The Old Farmer’s Almanac)

Astrology has named full moons.  A few: Blue Moon, Harvest Moon, Black Moon, Supermoon, Beaver Moon, Wolf Moon, Flower Moon, Strawberry Moon, Buck Moon. In Native American and early colonial times, the January full Moon was called the Wolf Moon because wolves tended to howl more often at this time.

·       Clothes washed for the first time in the full Moon will not last long.

·       The full moon is an ideal time to accept a proposal of marriage.

·       To have a project prosper, start it during the new Moon.

·       A halo around the Moon predicts wet or stormy weather.

The Moon is a focus for many love songs sung by famous artists: “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra, “Galveston” by the late Glen Campbell, “Moon River” by Barry Manilow, and a real oldie, “How High the Moon” by Les Paul and Helen Forrest. A full moon along with a starlit night, music softly playing and two lovers sharing favorite beverages. Ah, What a beautiful evening!

I muse. There is another old-time interpretation of Moonshine…. back in the day, Bootleg Liquor was nicknamed “Moonshine.” Why? Because this (ahem) alcohol was produced and distributed illegally during the nighttime to avoid detection. During Prohibition (1930s) many folks died drinking this high-proof, unaged whiskey.

May the earth’s Moon glow on all dads this June. H APPY FATHER’S DAY!