For centuries the Moon has captured man's fascination and imagination. I count myself among those who relish the light of the night sky. A moon shining in the summer sky, a big, orange ball harvest moon, or the icy halo around a wintery moon all have held my gaze.

The Moon with all its phases (New Moon, Waxing Crescent Moon, Quarter Moon, Waxing Gibbous Moon, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous Moon, Last Quarter Moon, Waning Crescent Moon) illumines the sky with either a full round ball or varying crescent shapes. Did you know the New Moon always rises at sunrise, the First Quarter Moon at noon, the Full Moon at sunset, and the Last Quarter Moon at midnight?

The Moon affects our lives and our yards. The women in my family offer caution each month as the Full Moon approaches. This lunar event seems to justify increased aches, pains, moods, and odd behaviors. Even our dog training coach concurs that the Full Moon makes dogs' behavior more unpredictable.

Likewise, our yards ebb and flow. Planting of various trees, shrubs, seeds, and vegetables is recommended during specific phases of the Moon. The guidelines say to plant crops that flower or those that bear fruit above ground during the increasing light of the Moon (New Moon to Full Moon), and plant root bearing crops (biennials, perennials, bulbs, roots) during the decreasing light of the Moon (Full Moon to New Moon). Some lore still with us today advises, "Do not plant on the day of the New Moon or the Full Moon. Plant potatoes during the dark of the Moon. Plant seeds within two days before the Full Moon. Pull weeds and cultivate during the 4th Quarter."

My young granddaughter overnights occasionally. When this coincides with the Full Moon, I take her out on the stoop to moon gaze. Encouraging a child to observe is important to his or her development. I'm a champion of experiences in nature that do not use electricity or need batteries. As we stare into the heavens, I often sing. Most often the song is one from my childhood camp days: "I see the Moon, the Moon sees me, The Moon sees somebody I'd like to see. God bless the Moon and God bless me, and God bless the somebody I'd like to see." After these repeated moments, she now requests the song when she sees the Full Moon. This, no doubt, has been etched in her memory.

If you have similar memories, take time to relive them when the Full Moon comes around.. If not, be still, gaze at the Moon, and create some memories.