April's full moon, also known as the Pink Moon and Sprouting Grass Moon, brings a jolt of vibrancy to a special night when by chance it is also a blood moon.  It almost sounds as if pink is referring to the reddish color we see of this unique occasional splendor, but the nickname "Pink" is inspired by the moss pink flora, some of the first flowers of spring.  The name is pink the moon is not.

 --This particular moon period inspires gardeners to make the best of their horticulture tasks.--

There is color in the sky and there is color on the ground.  April is full of color.
I am surrounded by bluebonnets, red poppies, and bright yellow wildflower fields.  This is the perfect moment to recount a description of my favorite flower's function:

When the trees died in my neighborhood everyone started chopping them down.

I planted Morning Glories around mine. 

Now there is a thick braid and different colors and stars to see every glorious morning.

Sometimes only the dark purple ones open, I don't know why...

... and when the blue ones open the violet & purple flowers close.

It flickers a different color every day!

White Bloom Day

Blooming Blues

This is my favorite blossom because blue is rare in nature.

White with Blue

Blue with White

White and Blue

and heart shaped leaves

Cascading and Flowing

Braiding Up & Weaving Down

During one of our mask-building workshops, one of the students gave me a small spaceship and said:

 “here … I don’t want it … I just wanted to get it out of my mind”. 

I couldn't agree more.  I could relate to what this 7-year-old boy was saying to me.  He was so lucky to have been able to create what was on his mind and celebrate the feeling of completion.   He has motivated me.  He has inspired me.  He has also made it easier for me to explain the reasoning behind my own projects.  Now I can simply answer: “had to get it out of my mind.

Out-of-my-mind-accomplishments not always come from a completion of a project but as a projection in a visual format, like a sketch, diagram, journal, or notes.  At our home, we have a notebook we use for collecting ideas.  Every time visitors start describing some invention they wish existed we make them write it down with drawings and all.  They always find it interesting to review their thoughts.  It at least takes care of the initial hesitation.

It sounds like a great idea.  There is something special about completing a task by the light reflected from the surface of the moon.  It also sounds recurrent, incessant, it needs to be...limited.  

We can enhance creativity as we resolve and conquer a challenge.  I try this all the time with students.  It really is more fun when there is a dare, like when the instructions are to only use slits on the paper to connect a paper structure.  No glue, no tape, no problem.

There is nothing better for a creative boost than working with what you have, limited tools, or materials that have not been used before.  We could define limits on styles, options, time frames, budgets, even moods and feelings.  Another way to create a limit is to have a sense of categorization, which reminds me and takes me back to my original point:

I’m thinking about those who don't consider it a second or main job but it really is, and they share personal ideas, crafts, kid's activities, hobbies, or thoughts and views without thinking much about how time consuming and technically demanding it can be.  I’m glad you are all out there. Because of you we learn something new every single day.  As for me, I have decided to set a limit on how much time I can devote to this moonlighting practice.  I know a blog can be unstructured and untimely but for mine I have decided to create a limit, a pattern, a beautiful, monthly, enjoyable pattern:  blogging with the moon.

     Twice, a log, by the light of the silvery moon, will talk          nineteen to the dozen soon, not long.

 I heard so much about full-moon influence.  Such common stories come from fishermen guidelines and lunar gardening enthusiasts.  I will too try to keep it as a guide line/light.  How can I forget, every month I will be reminded by a New or Full Moon (or both).   I hope this limitation will fill this mind with motivation, inspiration, and imagination. 

  So sleep tight, satellite.  I will see you soon, sweet old moon.