Eliza Daley ~ Wordcraft & Musing on Home & Hope
St Nicholas December 6th is St Nicholas' Day. Nicholas is an interesting figure, or perhaps collection of figures, as the case may be. The official Nick was a bishop of Myra. His legends claim that he was born in about 270CE to wealthy parents in Greek Lycia. While still a child, he was orphaned by… Continue reading The Daily: 6 December 2023
It is Krampusnacht. Tonight, the long-tongued goat-man goes running through the streets, sometimes tagging along with the kindly old St Nicholas, sometimes striking out on his own, always seeking the naughty kids. He carries iron chains, a birch bough and a sack. Sometimes a good lashing is all it takes to straighten out the nastiness.… Continue reading The Daily: 5 December 2023
St Andrew's Day St Andrew by Artus Wolffurt (1581-1641) Today is St Andrew's Day. Andrew, whose name means simply "a man" (though it can also be glossed as "virile" or "manly"), was the brother of St Peter. Both were fishermen and, as such, were part of the backbone of the local economy. He is imagined… Continue reading The Daily: 30 November 2023
The Winter Sleep Moon, also known as the Beaver Moon (Old Farmer's Almanac), is full today at 4:16am. We are moving into the waning of the Winter Sleep Moon. In calendars from the Northern Hemisphere cultures that didn't write things down (for many reasons), the waning of the first moon after Samhaine is probably when… Continue reading The Daily: 27 November 2023
Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your holiday! However you celebrate! Cheers!
If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it. — Shakespeare, Twelfth Night November 22nd is St Cecilia’s Day. Nothing of her story bears repeating, but through it she became the patron saint of musicians. And maybe there is more in that story of a feisty Roman girl that we… Continue reading The Daily: 22 November 2023
Last weekend, it was cold and wet outside, with blowing snow and ice. The porch wind chimes were never silent. So despite having a bit more garden work to do before winter really settles in, I did the only sensible thing and began the holiday cooking. The cranberry sauce is done. I baked my usual… Continue reading The Daily: 21 November 2023
Early this morning, the Hunter's Moon went dark. I suspect that in the luna-solar calendars that tied the new year to the end of the growth season, this thirteenth dark moon in a solar cycle would have been considered New Year's Eve with the new year beginning with the sighting of the crescent moon and… Continue reading The Daily: 13 November 2023
Martinmas On November 11th at 11 in the morning, we practice a moment of silence for two minutes to remember the day we reached an accord and agreed to lay down arms after the brutality of World War 1. A century ago we stopped fighting. Soldiers came home. It was a time very like this.… Continue reading The Daily: 11 November 2023
It has been nearly three years since the ideas for this blog coalesced, and one year to the day since I began posting "The Daily". I originally thought this oh-so-clever. The daily Daley and all that. I did not consider how the name might make it feel obligatory to post something every day. I've always… Continue reading The Daily: 7 November 2023
By My Solitary Hearth 