Once In A Red Moon

Everyone has heard the phrase, "Once in a blue moon." It is a simple idiom meaning, "very seldom." No one really knows how the term originated, but it has been reported that many hundreds of years ago an enormous volcanic eruption sent plumes of ash far into the atmosphere, which made the moon appear bluish for some time.In 1946, a national magazine erroneously reported a blue moon as being, "the second full moon in the same calendar month." In reality, a blue moon is the third full moon in a single season that has four full moons. By that definition, a blue moon occurs about once every 2.7 years.But this tale is not about the science of astronomy. No, this account involves the sweet taste of rightful revenge by a number of young boys on their unsuspecting victims under the watchful gaze of the man in the moon. Regardless of what definition is used, the folks of Jefferson County, Kansas, would never use the term "blue moon" after witnessing the final full moon on the 31st day in October, 1960.R.T. Budd is the author of two full-length novels: Knight's Blessing and The Deepest Wounds of War. As a young boy, he lived in Winchester, Kansas--a small town in rural Jefferson County--while his father, a career soldier, was stationed at nearby Fort Leavenworth in 1959-1961. R.T. is a retired, combat-decorated, Army veteran, and currently resides with his wife, Sue, near Hershey, Pennsylvania.

About the Author

R.T. Budd is the author of two full length novels, "Knight's Blessing," and "The Deepest Wounds of War." He resided in Jefferson County, Kansas as a boy when his father, a career soldier, was assigned to nearby Fort Leavenworth in 1959. R.T. is a retired, combat-decorated, Army veteran of 23 years, and currently lives with his wife, Sue, near Hershey, Pennsylvania.

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