Enjoy the Full Moon Tonight

I just realized that tonight is the Full Moon, so I thought I would share the traditional names for the full moon  in April. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, some Native American peoples referred this the April full moon as Full Pink Moon.  Lovely name, and it is NOT because of the color but rather because of a certain wildflower that has "pinked" petals! (Pinked means notched or serrated, like pinking shears if you know what those are!) 

Photographer: Bransford,W.D. and Dolphia,
Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center

Here in the eastern U.S., this full moon often coincides with the appearance of moss pinks, or wild ground phlox, a woodland wildflower. I remember seeing them on spring walks through the forest, back when I lived in the "real" country (now I have yard rather than a forest). I think they're usually pinkish or purplish, but our were actually pale pink, almost white sometimes. Here are some purple ones (Everything purple today in honor of Prince.)

The April full moon, according to the Almanac, was also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Fish Moon!

VICTORIAN SPRING challenge starts today!

I hope you will all link up a "Victorian Spring" creation for this challenge!  I am certainly feeling "spring fever" this year -- flowers are popping up everywhere, birds are singing and "twitterpatin'", the bunnies are hopping, and I am so restless and eager for the warmer weather.

Take this theme wherever you feel inspired to go, but let's try to make it "Victorian" (or Edwardian, antique, vintage,  heritage, etc...)
With so many wonderful signs and symbols of Spring, there are lots of possibilities -- flowers of course, and butterflies, bugs, gardening, Easter, Passover, April Showers, pretty dresses & fans, Earth Day, bunnies & chicks, eggs & baskets, flower fairies & Easter angels, and don't forget all the birds!
Lunagirl has thousands of Victorian/vintage images and digital collage sheets to choose from for all of these and more.

The Lunagirl Moonbeams Design Team will be working with some unique and beautiful images from my Garden Fantasy One collage sheet and also some chickies and children from my Easter Fun collage sheet.  Don't miss their samples below!

Here are the guidelines for this challenge:

• This challenge (#25) will end at Noon (Central Time) on April 20. 
• Any craft or medium is OK,
• No more than 3 entries from one person in each challenge, 
• Vintage style is encouraged, and 
• Please link to this blog and Lunagirl.com on your site if you have one.
• Prize:  The winner will be selected randomly to win a $10 coupon for Lunagirl.com! 

• Of course I love if you use at least one Lunagirl.com product, and I hope you'll go take a look at my collection... but that's not a requirement!  
• However, if you use a Lunagirl image, you will be entered TWICE in the drawing! I want to welcome everyone and every style but also give a little something extra to my wonderful customers!

An InLinkz Link-up

LUNAGIRL MOONBEAMS DESIGN TEAM:
Click here to learn more about my fabulous DT members and visit their blogs!  

MICHELE STORMS

PETRA BERENDSEN:
"For the new challenge I used one image from your Garden Fantasy One collage sheet and as I had printed the image twice I thought it would be nice to create two pieces which you could use together for a special occasion: a card and a tag."

MANDY CHILVERS

VICKI ROMAINE:
"This card is a perfect card for almost anything.  It has the Lunagirl image on top of a piece of Spring-looking designer paper.  It has a double mat-one light green and the other the designer paper. it is embellished with a cream-colored bow which has three loops on each side."

April Fool, April Fish?

I have quite a few "Avril" postcards that feature people holding fish! Little girls, ladies, even couples with big fish. What's with the fish on these old French cards?

In France, the victim of an April Fool's Day prank is called a "poisson d'avril," an April fish (which refers to a young fish easily caught!) 

Why is April 1st a day for fools and foolishness? Nobody seems to know for sure. There are stories about the change of calendars in the 1500s, but they don't hold up well because April Fool's celebrations existed before that time. Some people connect it to the unpredictability of weather and nature at this time of year. 

We do know that for many centuries, in many cultures, this time of year has been associated with celebrations of frivolity, lightheartedness, and sometimes pranks. (The Romans had a festival called Hilaria around the end of March.) Maybe it's just that the coming of spring after the long months of winter brings out our pent-up energy and silliness, and we need a day to let it out! Spring fever, I know it well.

April is named for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty and fertility. The fish is one symbol of Aphrodite, who was born of the sea. While she is called the Love goddess, her domain is more accurately described as the sensual passion and romantic attraction that draws couples together. She doesn't care if it makes good sense or ruins your life, she just wants you to hook up! Think how sly Aphrodite uses desire and passion to "trick" creatures into love or at least lust and fertility and a lot of work and trouble! Nothing can make a fool out of you faster than love and lust. In the Greek myths Aphrodite is one capricious and "tricky" goddess.

April 1 was the beginning of the New Year in some places in old Europe (right around the beginning of Spring), and that transition day from the old year to the new was frequently a time when the usual rules didn't apply and the world went topsy-turvy. Much of the tomfoolery associated with April Fool's Day could be attributed to this. Ancient customs allowed a few days when people could break the rules and get a little crazy, maybe to let off steam. Pretty wise, if you ask me.

"The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year."- Mark Twain

Verses for April

Sweet April showers
Do spring May flowers. --

Thomas Tusser, A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry, 1557

The year's at spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hill sides's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in his heaven -

All's right with the world!
Robert Browning, The Year's at the Spring, 1870

Beneath these fruit-tree boughs that shed
Their snow-white blossoms on my head,
With brightest sunshine round me spread
Of spring's unclouded weather,
In this sequestered nook how sweet
To sit upon my orchard-seat!
And birds and flowers once more to greet,
My last year's friends together.

William Wordsworth

Poisson D'Avril -- April Fool's Fish?

Why are there always fish on these French "Avril" cards? In France, the victim of an April Fool's Day prank is called "poisson d'avril," or an April fish (which refers to a young fish easily caught!)

Why is April 1st a day for fools and foolishness? Nobody seems to know for sure. There are stories about the change of calendars in the 1500s, but they don't hold up well because April Fool's celebrations date before that time. Some people connect it to the unpredictability of weather and nature at this time of year.

We do know that for many centuries, in many cultures, this time of year has been associated with celebrations of frivolity, lightheartedness, and sometimes pranks. (The Romans had a festival called Hilaria around the end of March.) Maybe it's just that the coming of spring after the long months of winter brings out our pent-up energy and silliness, and we need a day to let it out!

One interesting note: April is named for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty and fertility. One of her symbols is a fish, a symbol of fertility. Think how sly Aphrodite uses desire and passion to "trick" creatures into love or at least lust and a lot of work and trouble! Nothing can make a fool out of you faster. In the myths she is one capricious and "tricky" goddess.

Anyway, have fun and be careful! You could become Poisson d'Avril if you don't watch out!

Moon Lore: "Pink Moon"

The moon in April was called the Pink Moon -- not because of the color pink, but in honor of the "pinks" or wild ground phlox that are one of the earliest blooming woodland wildflowers.

Other names for the April moon include Sprouting Grass Moon or Egg Moon.

This month's full moon is on Sunday (20 April). Enjoy the bright moonlit nights this weekend!