The February Moon has traditionally been called the Snow Moon due to the heavy snowfall typical of the season. The National Weather Service corroborates that, showing on average, February is the snowiest month for the U.S. Other names used by the Native Tribes were Hunger and Bone Moon. There was so little food that the people gnawed on bones and prepared bone marrow soup. With names like Snow, Bone and Hunger for the seasonal moon, it is obvious that winter was a tough time for the northern Native Tribes.
Life is not as tough on us moderns, at least as far as food is concerned. I can walk a few blocks to the grocery store and even in the small town I live in, buy fresh produce from all over the country and even the world, no bone soup for me. Winter is still a tough time for me, I like to be outdoors and love the feel of the sun on my shoulders. What would you name the February Moon? Long Nights Moon, Baby It’s Cold Outside Moon, Too Cold To Fish Moon or Window Scraping Moon.
The February New Moon was yesterday, right smack in the middle of winter. This morning it is around 15 degrees. I am reacquainting myself with snow and winter. Before retirement, we lived in South Texas for over 25 years and winter does not really show up there, very often. Even after retirement we went to Texas for the winter and came back to the High Planes in the spring.
In South Texas the Snow Moon is the best Bass fishing time of the year and most of the time you can go fishing in shorts and sandals, getting sunburned the problem, not staying warm. This year we did not make the pilgrimage to Texas with all the other Snow Birds for the winter, we stayed here on the High Planes of Eastern Colorado.
So, from the Snow Moon, it’s 44 days until Spring. The forecast says 4 degree temperatures and snow for Wednesday, that is the low of course but it is going to be near 80 degrees in Houston. Perfect weather to go fishing, shorts, sandals and a cold beer to cool down with after catching a half dozen scrappy 5 pound bass; that is what last year looked like.
We will see what the Snow Moon brings this year, but the forecast says more winter and gloom lie ahead for the next few weeks. On the plus side though, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow on Groundhog Day, (February 2nd). According to legend, that means we will have an early spring. I don’t put much credence in Phil though, historically he has been wrong more often than not.
Baby It’s Cold Outside
This is the first time in 30 years that I have spent the Snow Moon at a latitude that actually has winter. I used to fly into and out of winter quite a lot during those years, Alaska, Sakhalin, Newfoundland and Calgary, but I never lived there. A quick in and out, burrrr, then back to the sub-tropics, shorts, sandals and IPA. I think winter has slowed me down a bit, I have become more introspective and meditative. My body has slowed down too, objecting to physical activity, preferring to consume calories, like a hibernating bear. In literature the winter season often provides the setting for painful messages including despair, loneliness and death, among others. If we look to nature instead of literature, we see a different message, one of rebirth and renewal. All the snow that collects during the Snow Moon, slowly melting as spring takes hold, providing natures own irrigation system to all the new green shoots, stretching towards the robin egg blue sky. It’s all about perspective. The days are getting longer with less winter before than behind. I am optimistic that the Snow Moon will provide the impetus for a beautiful Spring Renewal.