Man in the moon - Man on the Moon
I’ve tatted my sister’s moon taken from her mobile pattern which is here, this is to celebrate the first time man walked on the moon 40 yrs ago tomorrow when American astronaut Neil Armstrong climbed down from the space craft and put his left foot on the surface of the moon and said these now famous words "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind".
As you can see this is a Blue Moon – does that remind you of a song? Yes of course it does from another famous American Elvis Presley and you can listen to it here
A common saying is “Once in a Blue Moon” meaning something doesn’t happen very often, a rare occurrence. But what is a Blue Moon? According to the popular definition, it is the second Full Moon to occur in a single calendar month. On average, there will be 41 months that have two full moons in every century. By that calculation 'once in a blue moon' means once every two-and-a-half years. However, there are rare examples of the moon actually appearing blue, after a volcanic eruption or unusual weather conditions.
A common saying is “Once in a Blue Moon” meaning something doesn’t happen very often, a rare occurrence. But what is a Blue Moon? According to the popular definition, it is the second Full Moon to occur in a single calendar month. On average, there will be 41 months that have two full moons in every century. By that calculation 'once in a blue moon' means once every two-and-a-half years. However, there are rare examples of the moon actually appearing blue, after a volcanic eruption or unusual weather conditions.
Going back in time to Mediaeval England and a work by William Barlow, the Bishop of Chichester, the Treatyse of the Buryall of the Masse, 1528, which is more commonly known by its first line, Rede me and be nott wrothe, For I say no things but trothe (if you can read old English!) includes a reference to a blue moon:
"Yf they saye the mone is belewe, We must beleve that it is true."
"Yf they saye the mone is belewe, We must beleve that it is true."
However, Neil Armstrong said that the moon was grey so perhaps we should believe him!
For those of you who are old enough to remember, oh yes and that does include me!
What were you doing 40 years when man first walked on the moon?
I was standing on my front porch looking through the neighbor's telescope trying to see Neil Armstrong, LOL! I do remember that! I was very little!
ReplyDeleteI have heard that definition of a "blue moon". I keep forgetting it, though...(maybe because a blue moon only happens once in a blue moon...ha ha ha ha!)
Thanks for the reminder!
What I love about this anniversary is that it seemed as though if for but a moment the whole world was united on something! :)
Lovely moon! I was watching in the lobby of my dormitory. It was my first summer in college... such excitement!
ReplyDeleteHi TattingChic - Ah so you were looking for the man in the moon! I think its a great anniversary and I agree with you it should be celebrated all over the world.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane - Well I just think that the 60's were exciting, but then thats when we were young!
What was I doing? Well, I do remember watching it on TV and being appropriately mesmerized, but my firstborn 4-month old daughter was my greatest miracle and source of amazement back then. It just seemed like the beginning of a whole new era - and it was - but the space program itself sadly petered out. We have a new building at work (Purdue, where Neil Armstrong and 12 other astronauts were educated) that is named after him and has a duplicate of the shuttle suspended inside as well as a statue of Neil outside the building. He spoke here at its opening, which I missed, but even so, I feel some pride in knowing he was here. Turns out I even have a relative who is/was part of the current "space" missions, David Wolf - 2nd or 3rd cousin, I believe. Purdue is having some special celebrations tomorrow I think.
ReplyDeleteYour Blue Moon In The Moon is fantastic! I love him. As for the first moonwalk, well...I hadn't yet made my debut into the world. I do love reading everyone's memories about what they were doing at that time.
ReplyDeleteEven though I know the definition of a blue moon, I've never seen it written in its true medieval origins. How interesting!
I must be the only person around who was very unhappy that we had landed on the moon. It made me sad that the mystery was somehow gone with that first step....... Sometimes I want to believe those conspiracy folks who claim it never happened! I am SUCH a dreamer! A hopeless romantic! Loved your commemoration piece, however - really cute! Fox : ))
ReplyDeletevery pretty moon,
ReplyDeleteyou do good work,
I was 15 at the time of the moon landing, I remember being glued to the TV news at watching it happen.
Wow, what an interesting post. Thanks. You’ve managed to educate your poor old older sister!!
ReplyDeleteCool Blue Moon! And thanks for the Olde English lesson.
ReplyDeleteWhat was I doing during this historical event? I was 4 years old and I do recall many memories at age 4. But not that one....sadly. ;)
XOXO NOS
Very interesting post. What was I doing...well we were living in Dar Es Salaam, we listened to BBC World Service but there was no TV! had to go to the cinema to see it.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for sharing where you were when this momentous event happened (except for Steph!), they were all so very interesting.
ReplyDeleteFox there is nothing wrong in being a dreamer and a romantic, the world could do with more people like you.
I was hard at work at my first job! - it was between 10-11 am or thereabouts in Sydney, and the boss had hired TV's for each department - but we were only supposed to glance casually at the screen while continuing to work! Hmmmm...I have much more vivid memories of Sputnik in the '50's, that was "it" for me!
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of your Bishop of Chichester, I have made a note to look him up!
Maureen thanks for your interesting account, at least in Sydney it happened at a reasonable time of the day! In England it was first thing in the morning. It was certainly the 50's and early 60's when space exploration was at its most exciting.
ReplyDeleteHi Sally!
ReplyDeleteI was DELIGHTED to read all your posts about the stars, sun and moon! VERY informative! I especially appreciated your post about the 40th anniversary of the Moon Landing. I featured the anniversary in my two recent posts, and described my recollection of where my husband and I were at the time. I found it ironic that the moon was completely hidden from view in North America on the 20th!
In my July 17 post I wrote the story of how the 20th anniversary of the moon landing in 1989 is ‘connected’ to my tatting history! I hope you can check it out.
I had the feeling that I was the only tatting blogger who found the Moon Landing anniversary noteworthy – and then in browsing this morning, I found your wonderful blog and posts! In the comments section it was fun to read other tatters’ recollections of the day! I was amazed at Gina’s “Purdue” connection!
Then I discovered that your sister is none other than Jane Eborall (one of the Superstars!). She is such an amazing tatter and designer and I’ve often visited her website and blog. So much creativity and enthusiasm for tatting. And you obviously have the same talent!
How wonderful to be able to share the same hobby with a sister!
Thanks so much also for posting the photos of the tatted star, sun, and moon! I was trying to make up a ‘moon’ motif on the 20th of July while watching ‘moon-related’ movies on our classic movie channel, but I couldn’t come up with a motif; plus my silver thread wasn’t being cooperative. I want to add some tatting to my label on the afghan. I will soon be tatting Jane’s pattern!
I’m now trying to catch up on all your posts – which will take awhile! I noticed you were born on the 4th of July, and it was sweet of you wish us Americans a happy day!
I’ll definitely be visiting your blog from now on – and will comment on Jane’s, also. I’ve always meant to do so!
Some trivia: The song Blue Moon was written in 1934 by Richard Rogers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Mr. Hart re-wrote the lyrics four times(!), and the final was the big hit. As teenagers in 1961 we loved the rock 'n roll version by the Marcels!
Not sure Rogers and Hart would have liked it, though!
Hi Kathy,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely surprise to hear from you "great minds think alike" as the saying goes, mentioning the anniversary of the moon landing in our blogs. I've just been over to yours to read about your tatting history (so far!) and what you were doing in 1969, and that amazing car! Gosh you must have had some fun with it over the years.
Yes Jane is my big sister, we don't see much of each other I live in another part of England but she encourages me to tat and nagged me, yes nagged me, to start a blog! Hence it is pretty new! But Jane is far more experienced than me and a great designer. What I particularly like about a tatting blog is that I'm now in contact with so many tatters throughout the world who do some amazing work, and because of that get ideas and even more encouragement. I also like writing so it fits both elements.
Thanks for the info on the song Blue Moon, I thought it wasn't Elvis who wrote it so thanks for enlightening me.
Thanks for you comment and I hope you enjoy making the moon.