Be mindful of mood changes during this new moon

In belonging to a landscape, one feels a rightness, at-homeness, a knitting of self and world. This condition of clarity and focus, this being fully present, is akin to what the Buddhists call mindfulness, what Christian contemplatives refer to as recollection, what Quakers call centering down.

— Scott Russell Sanders

In the sky

The Cardinal Mating Moon waned into its final quarter on Feb. 14. It reaches perigee, its position closest to Earth, on the 19th and then becomes the new Snowdrop and Aconite Moon on Feb. 20 at 2:09 a.m. Rising in the morning and setting in the evening, this moon passes overhead in the middle of the day.

The sun: Today the sun reaches halfway to equinox. This landmark in the solar year is called Cross-Quarter Day. The sun enters the early spring constellation of Pisces at the same time.

The planets: Mars remains in Taurus, visible overhead through the night. When you look for Mars, you may also see the reddish star Aldebaran. The star twinkles; the planet will not.

The stars: By this time in February, Procyon, the largest star of Canis Minor, replaces the Dog Star due south near 10 p.m. Above it, the twins of Gemini, Castor and Pollux tell of early spring. To their right, Orion and the Milky Way have shifted deep into the west, and the Big Dipper has moved well into the northeastern sky, up from its low December and January position, and its pointers, the outside stars of the Dipper, are easily found. By midnight, the first stars of middle summer’s Hercules appear in the northeast.

Weather trends

In one of the most radical weather changes of the year, the weekly chances of an afternoon in the 60s swell from last week’s 1 in 10 to 5 in 10. Although below-zero temperatures can occur at this time of the year, February’s third quarter is the second-last period of early spring in which such cold might be expected. (March’s first week is the very last.) On the other hand, the new moon on the 20th will bring a chilly start to this new season.

The natural calendar

This week of February brings more substance to the natural history of the year, an increase in the number of flower, foliage, insect and bird sightings and bird calls, a weightier accumulation of change than that of last week. Such an accumulation contributes a little more to the seasonal heritage of each region, adds to the composite of time that helps to define the cycles of passage. What happens along the 40th parallel in one village is repeated in countless others clustered along that marker, reveals what has already happened in Tennessee, forecasts the future for Wisconsin.

At night, skunks wander lawns and streets looking for food and mates. By about the 10th week of the year, their breeding cycle comes to a close, their odor ceding to visual and auditory markers of the new season: the robin chorus before dawn, emerging pussy willows, rising daffodil spears, blooming snowdrops and aconites. Red and silver maples blossom, introducing welcome color to the early spring landscape, as well as offering eager bees.

In the field and garden

Along the 40th parallel, the ground temperature is moving above 35 degrees. That means the pastures are starting to grow again.

Under the dark moon this week, plan to seed bedding plants and early vegetables under lights. Plant onions and a handful of peas in the ground as soon as the soil is properly prepared.

Mind and body

During this new moon period (Feb. 17-24) be mindful of mood changes. Often pulse and blood pressure rise at new moon time. People and animals may bleed more easily. An uptick in violence frequently occurs, and psychic phenomena are said to increase. A few studies suggest that more males are born after full moon and more females after new moon.

Countdown to spring

Just one week to the first significant snowdrop bloom and to major pussy willow emerging season and the season of salamanders mating in the warm rains.

Two weeks to crocus season and owl hatching time and woodcock mating time.

Three weeks to the beginning of the morning robin chorus before sunrise.

Four weeks to daffodil season and silver maple blooming season and the first golden goldfinches.

Five weeks to tulip season and the first wave of blooming woodland wildflowers and the first butterflies.

Six weeks until golden forsythia blooms and skunk cabbage sends out its first leaves and the lawn is long enough to cut.

Seven weeks until American toads sing their mating songs in the dark and corn planting time begins.

Eight weeks until the peak of middle spring wildflowers in the woods.

Nine weeks until the great dandelion and violet bloom begins.