The sturgeon or green corn moon is here! This is a beautiful moon, worth watching. The names for full moons occurring at different times through the year are interesting. Early day people named them for good reasons, long ago when we lived closer to nature.
The moon exerts a pretty powerful pull on the earth, causing the tides. Does it also influence people? We are, after all, from 50% to 75% water. So, it stands to reason, doesn’t it? That could explain how children’s behavior changes under a full moon. As a kindergarten teacher, I dreaded those days when the moon was full, the lunchroom had doughnuts for breakfast, and a party was scheduled for the afternoon. Those were definitely two Excedrin days.
Songs, poems, and books have been written about the moon or moonlight. It excites the imagination, but, does it really cause changes in animal and human behavior? It seems to me it does, but then, people tend to look for corroboration of their beliefs and ignore ideas that don’t jibe with their own.
“We had a full moon the other night,” Dink said. “Did you notice?”
Oh, yes, I had noticed.
Without waiting for my answer, he continued, “Not that I’m superstitious or nothin’ like that, but, well, the full moon sure affects some people some times. There’s an old story that on the night the Decker man died, the moon was as bright as day, and, if I’m not mistaken, there was a full moon the night Javin Granger died too.” – Moonlight Can Be Murder, page 87.
That was from the first “Moonlight” series. Here’s an excerpt from the second book:
Glancing out the window at the moonlit yard, I stopped, blinked, and looked again. Something was wrong with the serene picture of trees, newly rebuilt carriage house, and covered well. It had to do with the well curb, that brick platform and steps surrounding the old hand-dug well in my side yard.- By the Fright of the Silvery Moon (Coming in 2017: the 2nd Ned McNeil Mystery!)
So, what do I think about moonlight and the full moon? It is beautiful. It is also a wonderful backdrop for any number of cozy mysteries!
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