This will be the last full moon in our first year in “lock down.” It is the final full moon of Winter.

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US Covid News

“Fauci warns progress in COVID fight appears to have stalled .
“At the White House COVID response team briefing Friday, top U.S. health officials warned that recent progress in declining case numbers appears to have stalled and that restrictions shouldn’t be eased until the U.S. baseline is much lower.

Numbers have fallen precipitously since early January, but the seven-day case average still hovers around 70,000. That rivals last year’s summer peak and threatens to push the U.S. in the wrong direction.” ABC News

Meanwhile, most all restrictions have been lifted off local businesses here. Despite only a very limited number of people being vaccinated, life around the Metro seems to be suddenly returning to “business as usual”. With local governments’ blessings, people in general are starting to behave as if the pandemic is now over. The bars are packed and have no crowd limits or required closing time. Indoor dining, etc, etc has also removed any group restriction numbers. Although the State of Missouri has never had a mask ordinance nor other restrictions, the state’s two large cities (and some of their close, surrounding counties) have had some COVID ordinances in place to protect their people. Those ordinances have suddenly now be rescinded. To me, this all is surprising and perhaps not so wise.

Because I am not properly vaccinated, we aren’t going with this local flow. Instead, we are listening to Biden’s health officials and to Fauci. We are continuing to maintain our “safer-at-home” lifestyle. I doubt we’ll change anything until after I’m vaccinated; plus COVID numbers really do reach a lower level – not merely plateau at a fairly high level.

I remember how bad things got last May after this same area lifted its restrictions. As a result COVID case numbers and deaths rose dramatically. Local government officials were then forced to put a lot of those restrictions back into place because of the sharply rising COVID infections pushed hospitals close to a breaking point. So many people died during the Summer and then the Holidays.

New COVID infections currently are remaining at a higher level than what they were back even during the Spring & Summer coronavirus waves of disease & death. What will now happen next – as restrictions are again put aside - remains to be seen. Looking at the history of this past year tends to evoke genuine concern.

Hopefully more people can quickly get fully vaccinated; plus the hospitalization & death rates won’t pick up again. Unfortunately, mass vaccinations still could be months down the road. At this point, it is now up to each individual to decide (without any government guidance) what may or may not be safe behavior. Without people being vaccinated - plus without COVID numbers properly be down enough for everyone to behave as if coronavirus didn’t exist – what is really okay to do right now remains to be seen. Each person’s decision will affect the entire community; not just them alone.

At this point, we’re still staying out of the equation as much as possible. Although my husband is fully vaccinated, I’m not. There is a light at the end of this tunnel, but IMO, America has not yet reached that light. We’ve been able to safely make it this far; so we can wait & see a bit longer.

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“We’re getting even more snow this month … in the form of a full moon named after the weather, that is! In the early morning hours on Saturday, Feb. 27, this month’s full Snow Moon will reach peak illumination. February’s full Snow Moon will be at its brightest at 3:19 a.m. ET, NASA has noted.” Hearst TV

“Why is it called the snow moon? For millennia, people across the world, including Native Americans, named the months after nature’s cues. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, full moon names in our part of the world date back to the Native Americans who lived in the northern and eastern U.S.

"The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon," the almanac said. "Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred."
“Although much of the snow from last week's ferocious rounds of winter weather has melted across the nation, this month is the snow moon because of the month's typically heavy snowfalls. Calling February's full moon the snow moon is right on target: On average, February is the USA's snowiest month, according to data from the National Weather Service.” USA Today

Another take on this month’s full moon: “When the full Snow Moon takes place, it will help you tap into the power of your ancestors and everything they did in order to survive the icy cold of February. Their blood runs through your veins, and though you may not be battling the harsh elements the way they were forced to, you may still be dealing with strife in your own way. Let this full moon reveal your ability to survive anything.” Elite Daily.

We will survive this pandemic.

I find it interesting how each time I photograph another full moon, the moon looks a little bit different.
Weather and atmospheric conditions probably have a lot to do with that.