It’s hard to imagine in our highly-scheduled age, but there once was a time without ticking clocks and calendars. Rather, we counted the passing of days via simple observation – watching the Sun and the Moon.

Instead, our wacky Gregorian calendar marks time such that we rely on mnemonic devices (30 days hath September…). On the other hand, marking time by the moon is undeniable. Either it’s new or full, waxing or waning. We only have to look up at night to see it.

And each moon has its own season, depending on where you live. Place-dependent and based on personal observation, renaming the Moons is a fantastic way to forge a deeper connection with the particularities of nature in the place that you live.

Call it natural time. And make it playful.

I happen to live in a fairly lush canyon in northern Arizona, so here are my Moons.

January: Icy Moon
February: Flooding Creek Moon
March: Cherry Blossom Moon
April: Iris Moon
May: Planting Moon
June: Scorching Moon
July: Monsoon Moon
August: Blackberry Moon
September: Harvest Moon
October: Moon of the Colored Maples
November: The Moon of Woolly Sweaters
December: Long-Nights Moon

Tell us where you live and how you name your Moons!

Image: Envios

The post Set Your Calendar to the Moon appeared first on EcoSalon.

Looking for an interesting, educational, fun and non-battery operated toy for your children? Look no further than OWIKit’s 6 in 1 Educational Solar Building Kit. It’s the latest in a line of solar toys for kids that OWIKit has been manufacturing for a few years now.

The 6 in 1 Educational Solar Building Kit, due for release next month, is designed to teach children (and adults, too) how to use solar power to drive a small motor. Consisting of 21 snap-together parts, the kit allows you to build six different working models – an airboat, a car, a windmill, a puppy, and two different planes.

Priced at about $13.95 each, these kits are bound to be a hit with both kids and parents alike. And parents in particular will love the fact that no batteries are required.

The post Teach Kids to Think Green with a Solar Power Building Kit appeared first on EcoSalon.