Eliza Daley ~ Wordcraft & Musing on Home & Hope
The ancient world of the Mediterranean and Near East has a great number of interesting mythological beings. Some are related to old gods and tutelary spirits. Some are fairly accurate illustrations of the anxieties of humankind — or maybe mankind, since women didn't have much of a voice. Some are just ludicrous. One of my… Continue reading The Daily: 29 September 2026
Well... life has been rather trying for me of late. The weather has at least been properly autumnal, with foggy mornings and bright blue skies for the rest of the day. The trees are turning, if not vibrant Vermont autumn, then at least a bit more color than brown. We even had a frost warning… Continue reading The Daily: 28 September 2026
I read quite a lot of folklore, mostly tied to the ritual year in temperate climates, mostly those regions where I understand the languages and cultures, mostly places I have lived or have personally known through family and friends. So, mostly those places influenced or reshaped (as in my own country) by EuroWestern colonial culture.… Continue reading The Daily: 27 September 2026
The Harvest Moon is full today at 12:49pm my time. Curiously, it is also about true east and west, not always true at the equinox. So it will look even bigger than normal Harvest moonrise. Moonrise, at 6:25pm tonight, follows the Moon's fullness by about six hours and precedes sunset by about ten minutes, eliminating… Continue reading The Daily: 26 September 26
The sun passed the ecliptic on Tuesday, September 22nd at 8:05pm (EDT), ushering in the autumnal equinox. The 23rd was what some folks call the first full day of fall, though in reality it is the middle of the season. Yesterday, the sun rose and set as close to true east and west as it… Continue reading The Daily: 25 September 2026
Today is the Feast Day of Hildegard of Bingen, one of the greatest influencers in medieval Europe. Her works were read and promulgated by bishops, kings, and popes. She led the western world in matters ranging from medicine to music, and her unique philosophy of life is still fresh and inspirational. This essay was inspired… Continue reading The Daily: 17 September 2026
I'm having a delightful autumn... Can you hear the sarcasm? Should I have employed scare quotes? Because it is sort of scary... I am learning what happens when one contracts the lettuce bug and lets it run its course without seeking medical attention. Back in July, I had the runs, just like seemingly everyone else… Continue reading The Daily: 8 September 2026
Today is Labor Day in the US. This first Monday in September is the day that our country dedicated to honoring the working classes after the powers that be decided that May Day, the original Labor Day, was too closely tied to the actual labor movement. A parade of organized laborers was held in New… Continue reading The Daily: 7 September 2026
The Feast of the Assumption It is the Feast of the Assumption. In the Church calendar, this is the day Mother Mary was taken bodily up to heaven without the inconvenience of dying first. But in the older calendar of Europe, this was the time when it was recognized that the heat of summer was… Continue reading The Daily: 15 August 2026
I just wanted to get your thoughts on something... Yesterday, I woke up to multiple headlines saying that Wednesday's total eclipse was a "once in a lifetime experience" for those who spent a long lunch hour watching the skies go dark. And yes, an eclipse is stunning, magnificent, humbling and thrilling and totally worth headlines...… Continue reading The Daily: 14 August 2026
