Tuesday, September 16, 2008

September's Harvest Moon

It's my favorite moon of the whole turning year, and the one I have the most trouble capturing on a memory card. September's moon should be so bright and intensely golden that it hurts the eyes to gaze on it, and although there is gold in this photo, it falls abysmally short of the brilliant moonrise we watched last night from the garden behind the little blue house in the village. Try as I might (and always do), my September moon pics leave much to be desired. It's a a kind of cosmic joke - I love this moon beyond all others, and I have never been able to take a good photo of it.

Think of Orion climbing above the trees on the southern horizon with his sword and belt all atwinkle, of rivers of stars flowing across the inky deeps over our heads, the taffeta rustle of the Northern Lights as they whirl and spin on cold clear nights. Sky gazing in northern autumn lands is a chilly exercise, but it is one worth undertaking, for the region of the winter stars is magical, and it is dazzling beyond words.

Think of pumpkins, hay, scarecrows, apples and cider. Think of harvest, reaping, gathering and completion. Think of migrations, of rest, renewal and sweet moonlit dreams.

We also know September's magnificent moon as the: Acorns Cached Moon, Big Chestnut Moon, Blackberry Moon, Blood Moon, Changing Season Moon, Chrysanthemum Moon, Corn Ripening Moon, Drying Grass Moon, Falling Leaves Moon, Harvest Moon, Hunter's Moon, Ivy Moon, Joins Both Sides Moon, Kindly Moon, Leaf Dancing Moon, Leaf Fall Moon, Leaves Change Color Moon, Leaves Full Moon, Leaves Turning Moon, Maple Moon, Michaelmas Moon, Daisy Moon, Middle Finger Moon, Moon of Acorn Gathering, Moon of Changing Season, Moon of Falling Leaves, Moon of Long Hair, Moon of Poverty, Moon of Changing Season, Moon of First Frost, Moon That Turns the Leaves White, Moon the Birds Fly South, Moon When Deer Rut, Moon When Quilling and Beading is Done, Moon When the Corn Is Taken in, Moon When the Geese Leave, Moon When the Water Begins to Freeze on Streams, Moon When They Store Food in Caches, Moon of Winds and Frost, Nut Moon, Raking Moon, Shedding Moon, Small Trees Freeze Moon, Song Moon, Striped Gopher Looks Back Moon, Strong Moon, Ten Colds Moon, Travel in Canoes Moon, Trees Felled by Fire at Butt Moon, Trout Moon, Turkey Moon, Wait until I Come Moon, White Frost on Grass & Ground Moon, Wilted Moon, Vintage Moon, Wine Moon, Winter Coming Moon.

I am very fond of Kindly Moon, Leaf Dancing Moon and Moon of Falling Leaves..

3 comments:

Sky said...

this post and photograph are stunning! i don't think i have seen a more impressive image of a golden moon. i can't believe i did not see the moon last night. someone should have called me! :(

daringtowrite said...

I enjoyed this photo and post and am in awe of your high standards.

Anonymous said...

I think you captured it beautifully, as always.