The old saying goes "Once in a Blue Moon." however Blue Moons aren't all that rare . A blue moon occurs approximately every 33 months, or about 41 times in a century. Blue moons aren't blue, as with a Supermoon, this night's Blue Moon, is also a supermoon, there is no real change to on the moon itself.
A blue moon can be either the the second full moon in a given month also which is called a calendrical Blue Moon. The 4th Full moon in a season, like this Blue moon, is a Seasonal Full moon .
The first full moon of September is often is often called the corn moon....and yes there is blue corn, it is not dyed that color as some might believe. The Hopi were growing bluecorn when the Spanish arrived.
It creates a poetic image of a late August night, filled with stars and graced with with the second full moon of the month. A full moon that would otherwise have been known as the Corn Moon. I am more than sure that the first full moon name I learned was the Corn Moon, and was mightily confused by it. "How did the moon know when it was time to pick corn?" A logical question for a 6 year old,way back in the early 50's. Add to that it was the first time I had ever seen the multi colored ears of the variety called Indian Corn.
The Magical History of corn
There are plenty of myths and legends about the magic of corn.
By Patti Wigington
Updated on April 28, 2019
Of all the grains eaten in the world, corn–or maize–probably is surrounded by more legends and folklore than any other. Corn has been planted, tended, harvested, and consumed for millennia, and so it’s no wonder that there are myths about the magical properties of this grain. Let’s take a look at some of the customs and traditions surrounding corn.
Corn Folklore
Parts of Appalachia are rich in superstitions surrounding corn. Some farmers believe that if you miss a row while you’re planting corn, someone in your family will die before harvest season. Likewise, if you see kernels of corn lying in the road, it means that company is on the way, but if you brush the kernels away or bury them, your visitor will be a stranger. If the husks on your corn extend far beyond the ear itself, it's a sign you're in for a long hard winter. Burning the cobs, husks, or kernels will bring about drought in the coming season.
In late August, we celebrate the beginning of the Corn Moon. This moon phase is also known as the Barley Moon and carries on the associations of grain and rebirth that we saw back at Lammastide. August was originally known as Sextilis by the ancient Romans but was later renamed for Augustus (Octavian) Caesar.
During the westward expansion of the nineteenth century, settlers in some Midwestern areas believed that if a girl found a blood-red corn cob among the yellow ones, she was sure to marry before the year was out. Forward-thinking young men occasionally planted a few random kernels of red corn strains among their crops. In Kentucky, it’s said that blue kernels found on an otherwise red corn cob will bring the person who finds them very good luck indeed. Longfellow alluded to this custom, writing, "In the golden weather the maize was husked, and the maidens blushed at each blood-red ear, for that betokened a lover; but at the crooked laughed, and called it a thief in the corn-field."
In parts of Ireland, it's believed that burying a sheaf of corn while uttering a curse will cause your enemies to die–they will rot from the inside as the corn decays in the soil.
Some Native American tribes planted beans, squash, and corn in an arrangement known as Three Sisters. In addition to being a self-sustaining ecosystem, in which each plant helps the others, the planting of this trio is associated with the concept of happy families, abundance, and community.
Corn also features prominently in Native American folklore. The Cherokee, Iroquois, and Apache all have tales about how corn came to be part of man’s diet, and these stories usually involve an old woman presenting corn as a gift to someone young.
Tonight at 9:35 EST it will officially be the second full moon of August 2023, also a supermoon. A Full moon represents accomplishments to some and to others it is a fresh start.
I will be watching it as it climbs over the eastern horizon, climbs about the treetops and glides across the starry sky. And thinking that we are all looking at the same moon, no matter where we are.
llher's Choice/Getty Imagse
