Natural world
Milk moon
From my bedroom window last night, Photoshop effects added
The May full moon is known as the Milk Moon or the Hare Moon. This month’s moon reached its full at 2.11 GMT this morning according to the always fab Bean Sprouts.
I love to look up these full moon names, but I haven’t yet found out the meanings behind the names. Perhaps that’s good, as it involves creative interpretation.
Hare Moon may refer to hares boxing as part of their mating dance, although May seems a little late in the year for that. I’ve only once seen them boxing, years ago when I lived in a remote country village. It taught me a lesson about vanity, because this was the reason I was not wearing my glasses, so I didn’t see the hares’ magic very clearly and they were gone before I could whip my specs out.
As for Milk Moon, perhaps this name refers to the milk upon which all the young mammals born during the Spring are now growing strong in their burrows and dens and on our farmlands. Actually, there is a substance called moonmilk: it’s that crystal deposit found in natural caves that is like cream cheese when wet, and powdery when dry.
If anyone knows what the names officially signify, I’d be interested to find out. I found a really interesting post about Native American full moon names and their symbolism, but nothing so far about Celtic or other traditions.
What I do know is that now I am living more intentionally and slowly (at least most of the time!), the cycles of the year are increasingly important to me. The wheel of the year, with the individual lunar cycles and quarters contained within it gives us connection over all the centuries with all our many ancestors.
Talking of the wheel of the year, only a month to go to the Summer Solstice. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of making my video for the Winter Solstice, so look out for a matching one for summer on the 20th June.
Discussion
5 comments for “Milk moon”
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i have no idea what the real interpretations of the moon names are, but i thoroughly enjoyed reading your creative musings
your winter solstice video was fabulous, so i greatly look forward to the summer one!!
intentionally and slowly feels like a really nice place to be. xoxoxoox
Thanks for saying nice things about Bean Sprouts! I agree that living more slowly and intentionally seems automatically to lead to becoming more aware of the cycles of nature. The earth’s procession around the sun, the moon’s spinning around the earth, the tides and seasons that follow them, and the effect they have on ourselves. These things come into focus. Nowadays I always know what phase the moon is, even if I haven’t seen it for a while, just as I always know what day of the week it is (well, usually!) But not so many years ago if you asked me what phase the moon was in I wouldn’t have had a clue unless I was looking right at it.
Lovely photo and effects. To me, this does look like a milk moon. I think some of the names should be taken literally. (Although I can even suggest what makes the May full moon “milkier” than the one in June.)
oops that should be “can’t suggest”
Thank you all.
Elaine, I will watch with interest to see how ‘milky’ looking June’s moon is.
Meantime, at Beyond the Fields We Know, you will find a lovely full moon post and more names than you could shake a stick at:
http://kerrdelune.blogspot.com/2008/05/flower-moon-of-may.html