I’ve been tickled for weeks as January’s Full Moon falls on my birthday this year 🙂  How great is that…. a present from the cosmos!

The morning started off with total cloud cover, but the forecast called for clearing. Sure enough, when I took the dogs for their late afternoon walk the sky was beautiful and the temperature in the mid 60s.  I knew the moon would rise over the trees around 6:45 so I happily assured myself of a clear moon rise.

Jumpin’ Joe!  Where did all these clouds come from! Geesh, you go inside for dinner and all kinds of things happen outside!

This was the scene when I arrive at ‘the chosen spot.’ The moon was peeking out behind a  huge pine with nothing but clouds overhead.

But, as I painted, I was rewarded with the most beautiful light show on the clouds.  So, it was a two painting night! As the moon climbed the clouds departed.  I’m very happy for the extra gift of the clouds for my birthday moon 🙂 Not so happy with the mosquitoes that were biting….. in January!!!

The traditional Native American name for January’s Full Moon is Full Wolf Moon. Hungry wolves would howl during the snowy, cold nights of January.  Well….. luckily there’s no snow here in the lowcountry of South Carolina!  That’s why we live here 🙂 And, unfortunately, we don’t have any wolves.  I love the whole concept of naming moons after what’s happening in nature. January and February are very active months for our owls… Great Horned, Barred and Screech.  They are busy in their territories and it is the time of nesting.  Eagles are also very active.  I was going to call the moon Full Raptor Moon but decided to go with just the owls as they are a big favorite of mine.  What’s going on in your neck of the woods?  What would you name the moon?