Eliza Daley ~ Wordcraft & Musing on Home & Hope
When I chose this week's word prompt, I thought that the spring planting would be nearing completion. Silly me... I have nearly everything yet to do. And we have one more potential frost to dodge on Thursday, so the work is paused. Mostly in the upstairs guest bedroom where the tomatoes are thinking about flowering… Continue reading The Daily: 20 May 2026
Today is St Dunstan's Day. Dunstan was a beloved bishop of Glastonbury in the early 10th century. He used his skills at casting bells and crafting music to bring beauty into his church. He believed music both glorified god and brought more people into the fold. Today, he is the patron of bell ringers, and… Continue reading The Daily: 19 May 2026
What a difference a day makes. I wrote Sunday's post mostly on Friday evening, in the middle of the long, cold rain. At that point, few of my jungle trees had mature leaves. On Saturday, the clouds cleared off for most of the day and the temperature warmed to about 70°F. Then on Sunday, it… Continue reading The Daily: 18 May 2026
The Greening Moon went dark yesterday afternoon, but the trees have not quite embraced the green growing season. Many shrubs are leafed out and the grass is putting on inches every day, but most of the trees are only just hinting at leafy shade to come. The maples are still blooming, dropping their buds everywhere.… Continue reading The Daily: 17 May 2026
We don’t like mothers very much in this country. Yes, today is Mother’s Day, but how do you feel about that? Obligated to make a phone call, a Zoom meeting? Did you slap your head, remembering that you forgot to get a card? Did you then remember that cards aren’t really a thing anymore in… Continue reading The Daily: 10 May 2026
The Feast of St Julian of Norwich Julian of Norwich has been having a renaissance. Everybody knows the "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well" quote. Her books are ubiquitous. Her name tops the list of Medieval women writers, mystics, and famous people. But... we… Continue reading The Daily: 8 May 2026
The name for the month of May may be derived from Maia, the wife of Vulcan and mother of Mercury, Roman goddess of the green growth of spring. Roman Maia may have been a native deity to the Italic peoples, possibly representing spring, though no myths survive to shed light on this shadowy ancient deity.… Continue reading The Daily: 6 May 2026
Today, it is the exact cross quarter day of Beltaine. It happens at 7:42am in my part of the world. In other words, today is exactly halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. This may not mean much to most folks, but it does show that our holidays are rather more flexible than… Continue reading The Daily: 5 May 2026
May the 4th be with you! Hawthorn Day May 4th is Hawthorn Day. This is the traditional day to tie clooties on hawthorn boughs over magical springs. It's one of the days when villages compete to make the most astonishingly elaborate display of greenery and white flowers. It's the Feast of Bona Dea when we… Continue reading The Daily: 4 May 2026
the thorn queenshe waxes full in fertile gracequeen of quick and fay, she reignsin mantle green and seemly facequelling fear and mortal painseternal mother, ever maidundying wisdom in her glancedeathless weird is on her laidto spin th' unceasing wheel of chanceagain, she comes in crown of thornto lave the earth in blessed dewsthrough her travail… Continue reading The Daily: 1 May 2026
By My Solitary Hearth 