October was so rainy and overcast during the full moon period that I wasn’t able to get a glimpse of the moon, never mind a photo. I settled for a post celebrating the fall harvest, Dining With the Three Sisters. November has begun by blessing us with some sunny weather and the moon has been beaming down in the evening. The November full moon is variously called the Hunter’s Moon, the Beaver Moon, the Frost Moon and the Snow Moon.
Of these choices, the Frost Moon seems the most appropriate. We have been having our first taste of waking up to a landscape of white frost and windshields that need scraping in the morning. As the season progresses, each morning the frost seems a little heavier, a little more persistent. Thank goodness Snow Mooon is not yet the order of the day. No doubt by the time the December full moon is shining, Snow Moon will be more timely.
Hunter’s Moon is said to be a reflection of European traditions, when the November full moon provided light for shooting migrating birds. Native Americans also benefited from the light of the November full moon as they stockpiled resources for the upcoming winter. This perhaps led to the name Beaver Moon, as November was a time to set traps for beavers, before swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm furs for the winter. Another interpretation is that Beaver Moon refers to the beavers’ own industrious preparations for the oncoming cold season.
Whichever name you prefer, viewing the full moon always seems to have some primeval appeal. The last mild evenings of the year make watching the November full moon a melancholic pleasure as we anticipate the arrival of cold weather.
Willow House Chronicles 