The recent full moon
was the Lenten Moon or the Snow Moon as the Americans call it and,
true to form, there were a few flakes drifting down this morning but
they soon vanished with the sunshine. The cold bright sunlight has
brightened the post winter gloom and Spring does seem on its way.
The
aconites, snowdrops and crocuses are out as are the hellebores.
The Christmas Rose
(helleborus niger), the earliest of its kind is past
now but the Lenten Rose (helleborus orientalis) is in full
flower.
Poisonous, its name
means "harmful to eat", it has many legends surrounding it.
In witchcraft, it is used to summon demons. In Greek mythology it
was used to save the daughters of the king of Argos from madness and
was supposed to have been used to poison Alexander the Great. That
such a delicate flower could be so toxic and yet so appealing makes
one reflect on the nature of things.
Full moons are
supposed to induce madness or lunacy though scientific evidence seems
to suggest that this is all moonshine... unless you are a werewolf!
There is still something bewitching... there's that magic word
again...about full moons.
The next full moons
will be the Egg Moon in April, the Milk Moon in May and the Flower
Moon in June......and in May there will be a Blue Moon but that's
another story.
As Lent approaches,
what will I give up?
Not moon-watching anyway.
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