April moon and long legged spiders

The months are quickly changing and I’m trying to keep up with the moon cycles. It’s not for any particular reason that I attempt to be in the know, as frankly I’m not tuned into astrology, moon influences on watering my indoor plants or recycling days or any of that. It’s simply a matter of marvel when I see a full moon riding over the crest of the earth and soaking the high stand of hardwood forest on the far ridge. It’s in these wow moments that I feel it to be only good manners to greet the moon by name. Although the moon operates under various aliases that humans have given it, Harvest Moon, Wolf Moon etc., instead of a simple throwaway line like hi Moon or Full or Quarter or Half a moon, I prefer to offer it the courtesy of a more personal welcoming. As far as I have learned from astrologers and space travellers, it’s the same and only moon of many names and it’s a regular visitor to my neighbourhood, down here in the hollow of Slab Creek. Besides, it keeps a more reliable schedule than I am capable of. So there you have it.

All of the above is about warming up to the Pink Moon cycle, or so they call it apparently in reference to flowers, eggs, fish and the return of spring. Meanwhile maple syrup farmers claim it’s about the boiling sap and grapefruit harvesters down south say it’s all about them and whatever. I just say bring on the Pink Moon if it means hanging up my snow shovel for a month or two at least.

While it is the start of a new cycle, I haven’t even finished contemplating the former moon’s meaning. You see, many refer to the March moon as the Worm Moon interpreting it to define the rising of the worms from their winter abode and the timing of the arrival of the robins. Now, if I was a worm and there was the double threat of a late frost or being devoured by a bird, I think I would chose to hang out below ground and wait to see what the tulips decide first. Not to take away from the importance of worms, but apparently the reference comes from the Dakota People’s description of beetle larvae, which sense temperature change and begin to emerge from under the cover of the bark of trees and the like. Not sure, but maybe the bugs give the ‘all clear’ sign just before the woodpeckers land on them. This bit of info is derived from the journal of Captain James Carver, who travelled through the west and was greeted by various tribes of First Peoples in the 1760s.

Where I’m going here is that I buy into the theory of bugs surfacing because as I look out of my window and see the robins hoping up and down to sound out the worms, inside I have been noticing small black ants coming out of a crack in the ancient wainscoting in my writing room. I only mention this as a loose connection with the moon mainly because I get very easily distracted and find my attention steered away from my computer keyboard. Additionally, the ant has prompted me to take note that there is apparently a spring hunt on ants among long legged spiders that have also arisen with the moon. I now find myself watching a cat and mouse game—or rather spider and ant contest—unfold before my very eyes and all I can say is that this has as much attention grabbing influence as a world soccer tournament minus the politics. By the way, I’ve bet on the spider.

And so I am now hoping that the folks down here in the ’hood will stand by me as I petition whoever is in charge of moon naming to simplify the naming of this orbit and refer to it as the return of Spidermoon. On the other hand, it just could be that the spring tides have come in and I’m moonstruck. It can happen to anyone.