If January’s New Year resolutions have fizzled out, tune into the Chinese New Year’s as the Year of the Wood Dragon amps up on 9/10 Feb. 2024. Lunar New Year follows Moon (Luna) cycles therefore commencing with a New Moon. The upcoming lunation is first New Moon AFTER the Winter Solstice which dictates the beginning of a Chinese New Year. It also kick starts the more widely known and celebrated of the Lunar New Year festivities - beginning a two week long Spring Festival. Li Chun is a Solar Festival marker and technically occurs on 4 Feb 2023, when the Chinese Solar New Year begins.
Read more19th Solar Term :: 'Winter is coming'
To Game of Thrones devotees the ubiquitous phrase - ‘Winter is coming’ carries meaning, but I’m guessing the Chinese had first dibs on the phrase! In Chinese culture, Seasons commence about one and a half months before the comparative seasons in the Western Civil calendar. The 19th Seasonal Node nods to ‘Winter’s Coming’ or the ‘Beginning of Winter’(Lì dōng 立冬) as it’s also known. This solar term is the one of eight key nodal transition points, it denote the midpoints between the equinoxes and solstices. Commencing on 8 Nov 2023, we also prepare to welcome the swine of the Chinese Zodiac - the Yin Water Pig. And the 10th Lunar month begins on 13 Nov. 2023.
Read moreSlow Mother's Day and Flowers
Happy Mother’s Day, to all the lovely Mums out there. Mothering Sunday falls on the second Sunday of May (8 May 2022) each year in Australia/NZ/U.S. But if like me, you’re an expat this is our second opportunity to celebrate Mother’s Day. A few weeks ago the 4th Sunday in Lent (27 Mar. 2022) Mum’s in Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Nigeria and the United Kingdom celebrated. Who doesn’t love a double celebration?!
Read more