Black Moon tonight!

 On December 30, there will be a new moon, the second new moon in December.  This is called a black moon.

 We call the second full moon in a month a blue moon.  And like blue moons, black moons don't happen very often--about every 32 months.

You can read  more about Black Moons here  at  Space.com.

There is nothing occult about black moons. It's a coincidence of our calendars and the cycles of the moon. but it's still a marvelous  thing.  And if you want to interpret the black moon as an energy shift, a new beginning, and a new year, that's also a good thing. 

We need the positive energy as we begin the New Year. 

Happy Black Moon, and all the best in 2025! 

December Solstice

 

December is here--Counting the days on the Advent calendars.  Some people put up  holiday lights and decorations over the weekend, when the highs on Sunday reached the mid-50's. There was much leaf-raking and leaf-blowing, too. The  trees are almost bare now.

Winter is here. Meteorlogical winter began on December 1. What we call meteorological winter begins at the December solstice on December 21.  Ideally, with some snow for Christmas.

But for those who use the really old calendar, the Celtic or pagan calendar, it's been winter since the first of November, and the December solstice marks the point of midwinter.  After the solstice, we gain a little more daylight each day. 

Sunday marked the earliest sunset of the year in Chicago, around 4:21 p.m.  Monday’s sunset will be roughly one second later. Not much, but it's a start!

You can read more about the December solstice from EarthSky, here.