Eliza Daley ~ Wordcraft & Musing on Home & Hope
Things to look forward to... clean laundry You might think me odd — well, additionally odd — but I like doing laundry. I love clean laundry, of course. Who doesn't? But I like the process as well, with one caveat: I don't much like the dryer. I've made my peace with owning the machine, but… Continue reading The Daily: 31 July 2024
The last two weeks have been an object lesson in the embarrassing subconscious bigotry of white men. First, I encountered an essayist that said he didn't read much written by women, even as he admitted that women write more than half of the printed words. He excused himself by claiming that most of the writing… Continue reading The Daily: 30 July 2024
The goldenrods began blooming this week, the potatoes are starting to yellow around the edges, and the cucurbits are getting unruly. If that isn't enough evidence of a sea change, the weather here in central Vermont has been heavenly. We've been treated to a growing strand of kind blue days that open in cool fog… Continue reading The Daily: 29 July 2024
Crom Dubh Sunday In many northern communities, July is a hungry month. The spring flush of greens and quick-growing roots like radishes and beets may still be trickling out of the garden, but most have bolted and run to seed. However, those that remain are long on fiber and short on calories, and little of… Continue reading The Daily: 28 July 2024
The point is that in almost every instance of our lives, our social lives, we are, if we pay attention, in the midst of an almost constant, if subtle, caretaking. ... This caretaking is our default mode and it's always a lie that convinces us to act or believe otherwise. Always.— Ross Gay, The Book… Continue reading The Daily: 26 July 2024
The Romans had concerns about drought at this time of year. Three very old festivals were grouped together at the end of July to honor deities who presided over watery things. The first was the Lucaria, the clearing of the groves. This was an ancient observance even in Varro's time (116-27 BCE), and little is… Continue reading The Daily: 25 July 2024
Things to look forward to... someone to vote for Okay, this one was not in the book. Actually, this week was skinny dipping, which on further analysis is probably not something I can get behind. Not that I don't like the idea, it's just that how do you even do stuff like that anymore? At… Continue reading The Daily: 24 July 24
Neptunalia Today (or tomorrow, or both) is the ancient Roman (or Phoenician) holiday of Neptunalia, one of three obscure Roman festivals that honored watery deities in the last days of July. Neptune was the Roman god of both freshwater and the seas, but this festival, which shares many similarities with the Jewish Sukkot, is focused… Continue reading The Daily: 23 July 2024
The Old Farmer's Almanac says that it's time to start paying attention to the potatoes. In my garden you can hardly not pay attention to them. The potatoes are reaching out and grabbing attention. Passers-by are rubber-necking the veg. The potatoes are so prolific this year, I'm afraid there might be accidents. It's starting to… Continue reading The Daily: 22 July 2024
Today at 6:17am the Hay Moon was full, so tonight's moonrise is the closest to full. This ninth moon of the year is also called the Corn Moon. Though I have already written off summer and moved right on to fall, today the season of Midsummer shifts to Lughnasadh, fair season, gathering season, a time… Continue reading The Daily: 21 July 2024
By My Solitary Hearth 