The July Full Buck Moon

Above: Wednesday evening's July Full Buck Moon taken from a high point in Hampstead

London. Apparently it was the largest of three of this Summer's Supermoons,

being at it's closest point in it's orbit around the Earth.

And for a while it was shrouded in cloud on Wednesday evening, but with a little

patience it soon showed itself fully.

Below is my favourite Full Moon taken earlier this year over the Easter weekend. And this

one was called a Pink Moon.

It's amazing how our Full Moons were given their names by early American Native Indians.

Apparently many tribes kept track of time by observing the seasons and the lunar months.

Below are some familiar words from a Cree Indian Proverb.

A Spring Roundup.

Spring arrived early in March although the daffodils at the front of our house are long gone.

Below is the big plant tub I created last Summer. And thanks to our mild Winter all

our plants from last year are simply coming back round again, even our Red Geraniums.

I did invest well in filling up the big blue container with Winter hardy plants.

In fact it's so overgrown now I'll need to cut some of it back to make way for some Summer colour.

Above left is the popular Pink Sea Thrift which can now be seen growing wildly

all over our sea coastal areas. And I always remember how the Thrift comes into peak

during May down in Cornwall.

Above right is last year's hanging basket of mint herbs. It looks like it's tearing away

and will soon trail down to the ground.

Above: Just one of several grand houses that line the little side streets that lead into

Hampstead Heath. 

Around about March 21st I just happened to visit the Heath and was surprised to see the

local Magnolia tree in full bloom. Clearly the mild Winter brought things forward.

Had I visited a week later and I might have missed it.

Late March brought the first of our warm Spring days. And picnics were to be seen everywhere.

Above: Hampstead High Street.

Below is The Clock Tower (1873) in Heath Street opposite Hampstead Tube Station.

The Tower was used as a Fire Station right up to 1915.

Whitestone Pond Hampstead. And on one side the Sun was going down, while on the

other side of the Pond the Easter Full Moon was rising.

Above: Dusk at Whitestone Pond.

Below: Jack Straw's Castle Hampstead.