February Moon

February is here and what will it bring?  If the names of the February moon are any prediction then we can expect ice and snow.  February has been referred to by the Algonquin tribe as the "Make branches fall in pieces moon."  I imagine this is because of in times of heavy snow many branches will break due to the pressure.  We experienced this while cross-country skiing on the Banadad last winter.  The Arapaho called it the "Frost sparkling in the sun moon."  There isn’t anything prettier than the sparkles the sun creates on a snowy surface and in order for there to be sparkles, there needs to be sun.  The Chippewa call it the "Snow-Crusted Moon."  Usually the top layer of snow begins to harden and if you’re lucky then you can walk on it without breaking through every step.  February is the month in winter when the temperatures are milder and we can still expect a fair amount of snowfall.  I’m hoping for more snow than last year’s February snowfall of 16 inches, 20 inches or more would be just fine with me.  It looks like we are off to a good start with this morning’s fresh snowfall of over an inch, just keep it coming!