more new light, always arrives.
— Spencer Reece
This week
The Jerusalem Artichoke moon wanes through its third quarter through the week, entering its last phase at 3:56 a.m. on Oct. 11.
Venus and Saturn move into Virgo this October, keeping their place in the east before dawn. Mars rises in Cancer after midnight and moves to the center of the sky by sunrise. Jupiter lies in the southwest after dark in Capricorn, setting by the time Mars comes up on the other side of the horizon.
Weather
Average temperatures have plunged six degrees just since the end of September. Only five percent of the morning lows are above 60 degrees; only 15 percent are even above 50. Frost strikes one day in five. And the week brings one more pivotal step toward winter: for the first time in the autumn, the chances of a morning in the 20s rises to 15 percent.
Daybook
Today, Oct. 5:
In mild Octobers and Novembers, catchweed blooms. Cardinals briefly renew their late-winter songs. Cabbage moths reappear. Parsnips, violets, chickweed, celandine, dandelions, clover, sow thistles, and even forsythia sometimes bloom.
Oct. 6: Pods of the burning bush are open, and hawthorn berries redden. Wild grapes are purple, and the tree line that seemed so deep in summer just two weeks ago is suddenly poised to break into its final color of the year. Shagbark hickories, the tulip trees, sassafras, elms, locusts, and sweet gums change to full deep yellow, merge with the swelling orange of the maples.
Oct. 7: Just since Sept. 22, the sun has already fallen a fourth of its way to winter solstice.
Oct. 8: New hepatica leaves are dark and strong along the rocky paths. The tips of many spruce trees are putting on pale fresh growth. Long flocks of blackbirds continue their flights across the fields. Robin migration intensifies along the rivers.
Oct. 9: Middle Fall comes to Clark County as the week progresses, and leafturn surges. The maples are transformed, and the ash, locust, hickory, red mulberry, cottonwood, crab apple, redbud, box elder, buckeye and walnut leaves come down over the next few days. Ginkgo fruits, which will be on the ground by late November, are turning pink. Burning bush is bright scarlet in town and country.
Oct. 10: Start planting spring bulbs and transplanting perennials. All around Springfield, October is a more pleasant time for these activities than November. Also, dig up cannas, caladiums, tuberous begonias and gladiolus prior to heavy frost. Transplant new trees and shrubs, and then make sure they have plenty of water. Mulch all perennials and new transplants after watering. Heaping leaves around kale and collards can often keep these hardy vegetables alive through numerous frosts.
Oct. 11: Don't forget to plan for your birds: many birdseed outlets have special sales now. Attracting more birds to your property is not only fun, it also helps keep down the insect population.
Mind and body clock
Since the period of Middle Fall (between this week and the end of October) brings the most rapid and dramatic change in the landscape of the entire year, you may also experience some dramatic personal changes. Keep close track of your emotions, your heath, and your outlook on life during the next 20 to 30 days to see how you, your family and your animals adjust to the collapse of the canopy of leaves.
Moon and livestock
The waning moon is overhead after midnight (telling all creatures to eat) while it moves through its third quarter. By the time it reaches its final phase, it lies above Clark County just before dawn. Mornings, therefore, should be the best lunar times for fishing and hunting. Organize your outings so that you will be on the prowl as the barometer is dropping in advance of the Oct. 7, 13 and 17 cold fronts. But bring healthy snacks so you don’t go off your diet!
Bill Felker has been watching local weather and writing almanacks since 1984. Contact him at wfelker@woh.rr.com or visit his Web site at poorwillsalmanack.com.