Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon?

Blue moon, corn moon, harvest moon...

Credit: Ganapathy Kumar

You have surely heard of blue moons, corn moons, and harvest moons. These are all speaking about the same moon, but where do these names come from, and what do they mean? They are all names given to the full moon, but they occur at different times of the year.

Many cultures around the world have names for the moon and its phases. In the U.S., the names of the full moons come from a mix of European and Native American traditions and have been popularized by the Farmers’ Almanac.

Credit: Michael LaRosa

Other names: Moon after Yule, Old Moon, Ice Moon.

The first full moon of the year was named after the wolves that howled near villages, searching for food. The proximity of the wolves led some Native American tribes to call this moon the "Stay-at-Home Moon."

Credit: Aditya Vyas

Other names: Black Moon, Hungry Moon, Bear Moon.

February is the snowiest time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and the moon’s name reflects this. Alternative names refer to the scarcity of food due to the weather and to the harsh hunting conditions. Because February is the shortest month of the year, it sometimes lacks a full moon, a phenomenon known as a "Black Moon."

Credit: Sean Thomas

Other names: Spring Moon, Snow Crust Moon, Sore Eye Moon.

As the snowy weather recedes in March, the first signs of Spring start to appear. The odd name for this moon comes from the appearance of worms in the thawing ground, a sign that better times are ahead.

Credit: steph

Other names: Budding Moon, Peony Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon

Wildflowers start to appear in April, inspiring the name of this moon, especially moss pink and creeping ground phlox, two of the earliest wildflowers. Alternative names for the April moon also refer to new growth.

Credit: Sergey Shmidt

Other names: Mulberry Moon, Milk Moon.

If the first sprouts inspire the April moon, by the time of the May moon, flowers are everywhere. Alternative names for this moon refer to the mulberries that have ripened in the trees and the cattle being moved to pastures.

Credit: Oliver Hale

Other names: Honey Moon, Windy Moon, Rose Moon.

The name for this moon comes from the wild strawberry, which at this time of the year is ripe and ready to be harvested. Found across most states, this plant was a spring staple. Alternative names refer to spring storms and other flowering plants.

Credit: Diana Parkhouse

Other names: Salmon Moon, Mead Moon.

Come July, young bucks begin growing their antlers rapidly in preparation for the fall mating season. At the same time, salmon start migrating upriver, and it’s time to start fermenting mead.

Credit: Anil Sharma

Other names: Moon of the Ripening, Grain Moon.

The sturgeon was once an important food source in North America. During August, these fish are abundant and easy to catch. Alternative moon names indicate that summer crops are ready for harvesting.

Credit: Christophe Maertens

Other names: Autumn Moon, Mating Moon.

Corn is still one of the main crops in North America, so it’s not surprising that the full moon during its harvest is named after it. Other names refer to this period as the animal mating season.

Credit: Viktor Talashuk

Other names: Hunter Moon.

The October full moon rises quickly after sunset, which gives farmers extra light to finish harvesting. This additional light was also helpful for hunters, who used the time to stock up for winter.

Credit: Francesco Ungaro

Other names: Freezing Moon.

Found in most of North America, beavers start building their homes around this time of the year. Some say the name of this moon comes from the beaver hunts that happened in the season. Alternatively, this moon is also named after the first frosts.

Credit: Joel & Jasmin Førestbird

Other names: Long Night Moon, Moon Before Yule.

By December, winter has set in, and the full moon is named after the coldest time of the year. Alternative names for this moon make reference to the long winter nights and to the festivities at the end of the year.

Credit: Kym MacKinnon

The Farmers’ Almanac follows the tropical year—from one winter solstice to the next—rather than the calendar year. In addition, the lunar cycle takes about 29.5 days to complete, slightly shorter than a full calendar month. This means that, every two or three years, a year will have thirteen full moons instead of twelve. The extra full moon is called a Blue Moon, which is the origin of the expression "once in a blue moon," meaning something that happens rarely.

Red flag: 10 signs it's time to take your memory issues seriously

Credit: Anna Shvets

Memory is one of the biggest concerns as people grow older. Small daily lapses in memory may make you suspect you are facing the first symptoms of a serious illness. How do you know if these are normal age-related changes or signs that require urgent medical attention? The brain, like any other organ, undergoes natural changes as the years pass. However, there are clear signs that indicate the need for professional help. Here are 10 signs of cognitive decline that you should not ignore.

Credit: CDC

When we are young, our brains are more plastic and can adapt and change easily. That’s why we are full of energy and can multitask. But as we age, our attention span starts to decrease.

Do you often go to the kitchen and suddenly forget why you were there? That's perfectly normal. However, you should start to worry if the lapses happen when you are supposed to be concentrating on just one thing, instead of when you are tackling five things at once.

Credit: Leeloo The First

We all forget we’ve made plans every once in a while, no matter how old we are. But if you're having trouble keeping up with your routine and the regular activities you've been doing for years, something else is going on.

If you recently forgot an important appointment with a friend or didn't remember to pick up your grandchild from school, don't be alarmed, but consult your primary care doctor as soon as you can to rule out any major issues.

Credit: Matthias Zomer

Occasionally forgetting where we have left our keys or where we keep our passport can happen at any time in life. However, misplacing important things regularly, like your credit card or your wedding ring, can be a worrying sign, especially if you have always been a neat and organized person.

Credit: Clément Falize

In addition to memory issues, another sign that can alert us that we may have Alzheimer's is experiencing vision changes. This can lead to balance or reading problems.

You may also have trouble judging distances and determining color or contrast, which can cause problems driving a car. For your safety and the safety of others, if you think you have any of these symptoms, you should consult a physician.

Credit: tam wai

Alzheimer's and dementia are not just about forgetting things. They are cognitive and behavioral diseases. In addition to memory loss, there are other important signs to consider, like depression, irritability, apathy, and anxiety, among others.

In many cases, these symptoms begin to appear several years before a diagnosis is confirmed, so it is important to pay attention to them as soon as we notice that something is changing in our behavior.

Credit: Marcus Aurelius

Have you ever struggled to find the exact word when talking? People with Alzheimer's or dementia may have trouble following or participating in a conversation.

They may stop talking in the middle of a conversation with no idea how to continue. They may even struggle with vocabulary, having trouble naming a familiar object or using the wrong name (such as calling a "pencil" a "writing stick").

Credit: Richard Bell

Absent-minded people tend to repeat the same stories and questions, and in most cases, it’s just a personality trait. It’s totally normal to ask again for an important piece of information if we were busy the first time we were told. But if you come across a person who wasn't always a repeater and lately keeps asking the same things over and over again, it's worth looking into it.

Credit: RDNE Stock project

The ability to be oriented in space, known as visual-spatial memory, can become impaired in the early stages of cognitive decline. Getting lost on familiar routes, such as the usual walk to the supermarket or to a relative's house for no apparent reason, is one of the most obvious signs that something is wrong.

These types of episodes should be considered a warning sign unless there were recent changes in your surroundings’ infrastructure.

Credit: Marcus Aurelius

Some people living with memory issues due to Alzheimer's or dementia experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan. They may have difficulty working with numbers or following a known recipe, for example.

If you feel you are having a harder time concentrating or it takes you longer than usual to handle everyday tasks such as paying monthly bills, then it’s time to consult with your doctor.

Credit: Steven HWG

Family history is a significant risk factor. If a parent developed Alzheimer's symptoms at an early age, there is a greater chance that their offspring will also face cognitive impairment at a similar age.

Nonetheless, an early diagnosis allows patients to implement lifestyle changes, adopt appropriate pharmacological treatments, and, in many cases, significantly delay the progression of the disease.