Approximately 12 times a year, the Vineyard is treated to the glory of a full moon dominating the night sky, spilling its light across farm fields, ponds and ocean when the weather is clear. Nov. 13 was the full moon for November, tagged the Beaver Moon by the Old Farmer’s Almanac, that trusty yellow handbook now in its 217th year.

I like the Old Farmer’s Almanac and continue to hold it in high esteem. But the naming of the full moons got me thinking recently, about our beautiful night sky on the Island, inky and unspoiled by light pollution.

Why not have our own full moon names that are more appropriate to the Vineyard?

I feel it is time to take some liberty and make some changes.

I humbly offer the following:

For the January full moon, named the Wolf Moon by the Old Farmer’s Almanac (there are no wolves on the Island), I propose the name Ice Moon. As the year begins it will rise over Uncle Seth’s Pond in West Tisbury, which will more than likely be frozen.

I can concur with the almanac choice for February: Snow Moon. There is little debate that February is peak snow month on the Vineyard, as it is in New Hampshire, where the almanac editors no doubt reside.

In March we need a change (in more ways than one). The almanac tags the full moon for March Worm Moon, but on an Island that barely sees spring there are no worms moving yet. Our worms move in April and May. So I have a better name — Mud Moon. Beware of the Mud Moon. It leaves tracks in your kitchen, your hallway, your living room.

And April? I don’t want to quibble with the old almanac editors sitting around desks, arguing that April is their Pink Moon. But here everything in April says yellow to me. The first signs of the growing season are yellow, and while snowdrops may presage spring, it is the daffodils that act like the town crier with their bright proclamation of spring. Therefore I am proposing Daffodil Moon for April.

In May we can lighten up a bit — the long winter is over and weddings are on the horizon. Therefore I am proposing that we replace the almanac’s Flower Moon with the romantic Island notion of a Honey Moon. I picture couples walking the beach, with the moon rising over the Atlantic.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac calls June the Strawberry Moon. Now some Vineyarders may want to argue the point on this. But whether you like strawberries or not, you’ve got to concede, summer comes with June. Summer Moon is for June.

In July it is easy to depart from the almanac’s Buck Moon, and replace it with the Fisherman’s Moon.

Ditto for August — who has seen a sturgeon recently? In August on the Vineyard we can replace the almanac’s Sturgeon Moon with the Sailor’s Moon.

I return to agreement with the almanac when it comes to September. No explanation required. Harvest Moon it is.

In October when I see the orange moon rising over Sweetened Water Farm in Edgartown, I can only think one thing: Pumpkin Moon. So goodbye to the almanac’s Hunter’s Moon.

November must again turn to the sea for inspiration. The Beaver Moon may be appropriate up north, but here two words are synonymous with November: bay scallops. Let’s have a Bay Scallop Moon in November.

December is the Cold Moon, the almanac says. But that’s too easy, too generic. Surely we can come up with something better, something more joyful. Why not the Holly Moon? There are many beautiful native hollies that grow on the Island.

New Englanders have their traditions, many of them passed down from generation to generation. I do not wish to challenge the Old Farmer’s Almanac, which at $6.95 is a bargain treasure, and I will continue to read its loaded pages for inspiration.

And of course, whenever two full moons occur in one month, we can all agree and celebrate the rarity of a Blue Moon.