I don’t think any Muslim pays much attention to the moon except in Ramadan.

In the Quran it says that God created the moon and its phases to tell the passage of time, and last night, when coming out of the masjid after completing the taraweeh prayers, I saw that half the moon was visible, glowing in the clear night sky, dimming the stars around it.

Even though you see half the moon, it’s actually called the first quarter, where the right half of the moon is visible. It’s waxing, and in another week will be full insha Allah.

Then it will start waning and the last quarter, in the third week will show up as the left half of the moon, and then it will disappear for a few days to be ‘reborn’ at the end of the month. And they refer to it as being ‘born’ at such and such a time, when the first sliver, like a backwards ‘c’ will be visible above the western horizon, soon after sunset.

It is that rebirth that we are waiting for, that we will be fasting till.

And then after that, the feasting and celebrating of Eid day, when your plate is piled high with whatever delicacies your culture dictates.

My husband is from Guyana, South America, and they have their own special Eid foods. I’m typing this while I’m fasting, and just thinking of those yummy things is making my mouth water.

Pineapple tarts and vermicelli cake with cherries, raisins and almonds in them, the way my mother in law makes them!

And then my Pakistani roots show up with the other side of the family when we go visit them: pilau, korma, naan, and some international favourites like lasagne, chicken chow mein, Greek salad with black olives and feta cheese (that one of my daughters makes) and of course chocolate cake!

This Ramadan has been pretty hot and muggy. This morning the clouds rolled in and I stood by my open bedroom window enjoying the cool wind and watching it wave the treetops in all directions.

And for the first time this year I’ve felt fall in the air.

I love fall!