Carpe Diem #56, Full Beaver Moon

Today it's full moon. The full moon of November is called 'Full Beaver Moon', and today that's the prompt. Why is it called Full Beaver Moon?

A Beaver moon is, according to North American weather folklore, the first full moon which occurs in November. This full moon occurs in fall in the Northern Hemisphere. The moon may also be called the Frost moon or the Frosty moon.

Two reasons are given for the coupling of the November moon with the flat-tailed aquatic animal: (a) November is a month when many hunters used to set leg hold traps for beaver, and (b) November is a month when many beaver families are especially active in rebuilding their beaver lodges and dams. Much of the mammals' building and repair work takes place by moonlight, because the beaver is primarily nocturnal. Both explanations implicate November's position as the last full month before the coming of winter, as beaver (which do not hibernate) need to have ready access to food during the cold months, and need to grow an especially lush pelt of fur so as to be prepared. By the traditional valuation standards of the fur trade, a late-fall beaver pelt was worth more than a pelt harvested during other seasons of the year. (Source: Full Beaver Moon )

Credits: Full Beaver Moon

And does this creature has a spiritual meaning? Yes it has ...Beavers are ingenious builders, orchestrating megalith dams that can change the flowing course of entire rivers. This impressive aspect along with its association with water makes the beaver an analogy for building our up dreams.
In essence, the beaver tells us to believe in our dreams as if they were real. Build on them as if the dream is your reality. Change the course of your life flow by structuring your life with a goal to coax your dreams into your physical reality. (Source: Spiritual meaning of the Beaver )

Well ... isn't it a wonderful creature? 

Credits: Beaver

OK ... back to our goal ... writing haiku ... for your inspiration I have written the next haiku:

chasing your dreams
like a beaver building it's dam -
make your reality

make your reality
keep on dreaming like the beaver -
full beaver moon


In the Classical Japanese Seasonwords November 28th is also Bashooki or Basho's Memorial Day. Today they have a festival in honor of Basho's Memorial. So I love to share a few haiku written by Basho in this post.

Credits: Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

how wild the sea is,
and over Sado Island,
the River of Heaven

on Buddha's birthday
a spotted fawn is born -
just like that

Credits: Spotted Fawn

on Buddha's deathday,
wrinkled tough old hands pray -
the prayer beads sound

where's the moon?
as the temple bell is -
sunk in the sea

Credits: Prayer Beads

This prompt will stay on 'till November 29th 11.59 AM (CET). I will post our last Carpe Diem Special later on around 10.00 PM (CET). Another haiku by Issa for your inspiration. I will reproduce this (last) haiku by Issa hereafter:

catching its breath
on the pine tree's root...
plum blossom

I have granted Bjorn Brudberg our Carpe Diem Award for November for his continuing post every day in that wonderful cascading form. Thank you Bjorn for sharing your creativity with us here on Carpe Diem. Congratulations!!

Our Award winner for this Carpe Diem month is
Bjorn Brudberg