Have you ever heard of a Tong Shu? No, it’s not a relation to Jimmy Choo - or anything to do with shoes for that matter. It’s a Chinese Almanac and farmers in particular, religiously reference it in much the same fashion that devout folk reference the bible.
Read moreFEAST OF APPLES - SAMHAIN
I’ve no doubt candy filled bags of loot and masks of the ghoulish variety are all that’s on the minds of kids. If Halloween fancy dress isn’t your jam, then here’s the download on the true meaning of Samhain. With some very on point cross cultural synergies with Humble apple.
SO WHAT IS SAMHAIN?
Halloween or 'Samhain' (pronounced SOW-win) as Celts called it, was first and foremost a celebration of the end of harvest time and the beginning of a dark half of the calendar year. Naive Irish speakers will know that the calendar months of May and November are called Beltaine and Samhain respectively (oh and August is called Lunasa). These are three of the four Cross Quarter days on the Wheel of the Year, Imbolc in spring completes the quartet. Witches know these markers as Great Sabbats. These power points are Midpoints or Culminating points of a given season - Samhain occurs between the Fall Equinox and Yule (Winter Solstice).
Read moreNational Gardening Month
An Almanac was a must have for Gardeners in times past. Without the wisdom of our agricultural godfathers we would be flummoxed and bewildered by the ways of the lunar lady and ne'er a Farmers Almanac would exist
It's a Receive 收 (Shou) day in the Tong Shu (Chinese Almanac) and it's ideally used to open your arms and receive. Be it harvest, the fruits of your labour, abundant returns, monetary or love and friendship.
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