Ken Lassman has been keeping this almanac for over a decade, He invites you to share your observations and photos in the comments section. You can find his book Wild Douglas County at The Raven Bookstore and The Community Mercantile in Lawrence.
Deer Mating Moon – October
The Osage called this time Deer Mating Moon to commemoratee the very noticeable ree-appearance of the bucks, who are beginning to “rut,” which they literally do with their hooves. They find a prominent place and scrape the groundcover clear of vegetation as part of their mating ritual.
Hackberry, ash, box elder and elm trees are the first to turn yellow this month, providing nice contrast to the reds of sumac, poison ivy and Virginia creeper as their green chlorophyll plays out leaving either the yellow or red chlorophylls to collect the shorter day’s sunlight. Mid-late month spells the end of the growing cycle for annuals with the first killing frosts coming then most years. Mid-month is a great time to find native prairie patches, looking for the coppery colored grasses that distinguish them from the greens of cool season grasses such as brome, fescue and, of course, wheat.
Bird migration is building all month, with seagulls that breed in Canada passing through the area, along with pelicans, geese, and various ducks. A trip to Clinton or any other area reservoir, or the Wakarusa Wetlands is almost always a rewarding outing, whether it be for the migrating fowl around sunrise or sunset, or the changing colors of fall. This is the favorite time of year for many folks who like to be outdoors–what are you waiting for?
Ken: I am so glad that Linda Evans told me about this post that you do every week! One question: on the moon info, what does “Moon south” mean? Thanks for your good work! -Nancy Hawkins ________________________________________
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“Moon south” refers to the moment the moon is at the southernmost point in the sky. Like the sun, the moon rises in the east and sets in the west, and like the sun, “noon” is the southernmost or half way point in the path it takes across the sky from rising to setting. If the sky is clear, it’s easy to know when the sun is at its southernmost point/noon, but the moon’s “noon” moves later almost an hour each day in relation to the sun’s “noon.” But it’s also the time when the moon is highest in the sky, so if it’s a decent time of day, it can be a good time to look for it. Right now, with the moon just past full, I love to watch it setting in the west in the morning. By the time it gets to last quarter moon (next week), it’s a good time to look to the south and see the shrinking moon hanging high in the south during the morning times listed in next week’s “Moon south” column. Let me know what you think!
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