Eliza Daley ~ Wordcraft & Musing on Home & Hope
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 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
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
Lessons from the Hurricane Houston before and after Beryl (Images were acquired on July 5 and 9, 2024, by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite instrument aboard the joint NASA/NOAA NOAA-20 satellite.) According to NASA EarthData, "2.3 million utility customers of CenterPoint Energy (out of 2.6 million total customers) lost power during the storm [Hurricane… Continue reading The Daily: 19 July 2024
St Swithin's Day St Swithin's day, if thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain; St Swithin's day, if thou be fair, For forty days 'twill rain na mair. In the last week, my sister down in Phoenix has seen a long chain of daytime highs of over 115°F (46.1°C) with nighttime temperatures never… Continue reading The Daily: 15 July 2024
Flood Update... I am angry that I have to post this exact heading on July 11th, 2024, as on July 11th, 2023. Could we now possibly do something about NOT MAKING THINGS CONTINUALLY WORSE? My rain gauge had 6 inches in it this morning. Not completely full like last year, so maybe it stopped at… Continue reading The Daily: 11 July 2024
I have embraced some of the sillier "holidays" in The Old Farmers' Almanac's calendar. Today, they say, is National Blueberry Muffin Day. I have no idea where they get these things. Perhaps this is a nod to King Arthur Baking, which is almost as venerable a New England tradition as the Almanac. National Blueberry Muffin… Continue reading The Daily: 11 July 2024
New Hay Moon The Strawberry Moon went dark at 6:57pm yesterday evening. So today there will be a very thin new moon closely following the sun as it sinks into the western horizon. This is the Hay Moon, the ninth moon in the cycle that begins on All Hallows. This is the moon of reaping… Continue reading The Daily: 6 July 2024
Things to look forward to... visiting a museum The Dog Days begin today. This is when Sol and Sirius shine together all day long, creating blast-furnace heat. Or maybe that's just carbon... Either way, it is the hottest time of the year in northern climes. My mother keeps calling to tell me the latest and… Continue reading The Daily: 3 July 2024
It's politico season again. This is more than a little depressing. Two doddering old white guys, neither of whom can string together more than three words that make sense. Is this really the best we can do? I find I have a very hard time caring. Yes, I know Biden is preferable in every way… Continue reading The Daily: 2 July 2024
By My Solitary Hearth 