The Full Moon Report is written by our good friend Jim “Possum” Foret. Enjoy everyone…
Full Butterfly Blast Moon
Saturday (full moon rises 6:15 as sun sets @6:45)
Happy autumnal equinox y’all. I nearly let it pass, I knew it was there and it almost slipped away unannounced. A good buddy refused to let it happen and reminded me. Once the cat was out of the bag I made a point of telling all of my 160+ students. Sadly very few know much about the natural world. Y’all, so much work to do and so little time, I so wish I had started my journey earlier.
Why Butterfly Blast Full Moon? I thought you would never ask. My buddy Charles lives near Pitkin, on the edge of the Kisatchie. Charles gardens for butterflies and hummers (prairie-savannah). His gardens are a delight for young and old. This weekend is his annual butterfly festival the “Butterfly Blast at Allen Acres” a fun event with the whole family in mind. Butterfly tagging, IDing, watching butterflies, hummingbird moth watching, bonfire, oh, and Ms. Susan’s great cooking. Her Chinese food is especially excellent. I’m bringing a car load of granddaughters and I’m sure everything will be a huge success.
I keep looking here for Monarch butterflies, but have seen few. I have lots of everything else. I do remember the fall of 1996, Annapolis, fall parents weekend, cool air, blue skies, lots of family made the trip, and migrating monarchs everywhere you looked. Now that was the end of September, so perhaps my wishes are premature. I’ll try to be patient.
My buddy John tells me that one of his Mandeville customers while walking in the state park for exercise noticed trees draped with monarchs one past fall near the lake/bayou intersection. It was similar to the scenes of what it looks like where they overwinter in Mexico, not that they were overwintering, but they could have been “staging” or just resting before flying across the lake en masse as even I have witnessed. That long-past lake crossing was reminiscent of what I saw in Maryland but with many more individuals. Anyway I hope to see some at Allen Acres this weekend.
Haiku-Man, Vic Hummert sent me a e-draft of his new book of haiku poems, “Earth is our Teacher”, a collection of his best Earth protecting haiku. Vic continues to amaze me with his continuous flow of poetry. These poems definitely speak to me. Here is a recent one he sent me, #11,179.
Thank you Vic that one is fine.
I’m reading Janisse Ray’s book “The Seed Underground” all about seed saving and why. On the cover it tells that she is a poet too. I am liking her writing so I decide why not look over some poems. Her book of poetry “A House of Branches” is excellent in a whole ‘nother direction. Try on this one.
Can the fire of monarchs be blown out,
could all the monarchs be gone?
Nice Janisse! Now how about a haikuish one?
Moon-Set at St. Marks
I was in the woods this week and witnessed warblers in the trees, must be fall migration. Lots of changes happening, seems raptors are more active too.
It was about the time of the last FMA when a co-worker waltzed into the break room announcing that the ruby throated hummers were here and that they had hung up a feeder at his house. The smartie that I am, I asked where he had been all summer, commenting that they were about to leave.
Gotta watch what I wish for, my yard is now empty and it is not even October yet. I feel certain P and I will get another wave of them before they leave for good. You just never know. Another friend told me they had a rufus HB hanging around the feeder, kind of brick shaded and a bit smaller, and normally a winter visitor.
I have mixed family news, We lost my uncle Lynn Foret this past week, he was younger than my dad, a WWII vet, of the Pacific theatre, a robust marine, champion swimmer, backstroke I think. He was always larger than life in my eyes. Swimming champion, baseball coach, great fisherman, an excellent wing shooter and he always made me feel important. I’ll miss him, so will family, last count 19 great-grandkids, most under 6!
The other news is that my nephew Andrew Garbarino has asked the lovely Abigail Hook to marry him. This is a beautiful, smart, talented couple. Attending Harvard, they are. We are excited, and she fly fishes, now how cool is that.
With all of this beauty surrounding me, I have to stop and say that I have the best job in the world. 20 year olds are so much fun to teach and interact with. I do appreciate them, they are the future, Some of them are actually headed right, ready to change things for the better. So get out of the way, here come another bunch!
During Integrated Pest Mmanagement class the other day the reverend Dirt an older student ( I call them Agin Cajuns) who lived in Oregon part of his thirty plus years told us about the slugs there that if you touched them to your tongue would make your mouth numb (?????), Well that interesting comment lead to this poem by the much younger Rachel Younge.
a requirement for this class is a haiku poem per class period all semester, that is 15 poems folks.
Full moon Saturday, rises at sunset. Don’t miss it. Load up your station wagon with your kids and your old people. Head for open country, bring snacks, mosquito dope, a blanket. Raise tbat moon up with love, and stories and when it is hanging there full and beautiful, pause and just watch it and think good thoughts.
Peace and love y’all,
bt