Happy international women's day to you all. We have a saying: 'It is women's hands that build.'
Grey and staying that way, but at least it's not bucketing down. Lots of catching up to try and do. Yesterday got hijacked by the discovery my new workshop 'enterprise' which was being so encouraged, and I was being asked to expand, is actually potentially about to be closed down, and trying to see if there was any way to save or relocate it. Decision Monday by the looks of it, but not looking good.
@noodlezoodle Someone else can probably explain this a bit better than me, but my understanding is the 24 point calendar in the link is the solar terms in a lunarsolar based calendar and originates from the Chinese 'Ten Thousand Year Calendar.'* * https://bazisifu.com/what-is-xiali
My very basic understanding is the 24 points connect to points 15 degrees apart on the ecliptic (Earth’s annual journey around the sun - a 360 degree circle)
It takes just over fifteen days for the sun to move from each point to the next with the sun needing 365 1/4 days to complete its cyclical journey. (leave the exact maths to those who can, this is just my rule of thumb ball park)
Each of the months of the year contains two points, but, because a lunar month has only 29 1/2 days and the two points cover that plus an extra 3/4's of a day, sometimes a lunar month doesn't actually contain both points, and then the insertion of of an extra month happens. Other cultures do similar with extra days or shortened months to try and make it all balance.
There was a position in the Chinese Imperial court of Calendar Master, who as far as I understand would be tasked with creating all sorts of methods to deal with the differences between the solar and lunar year using different formulas including eclipses and planetary events and experimental math's systems. They clearly had a lot more understanding of planetary systems than some cultures at the time, and where the writers of the almanacs of their day, but getting it wrong could be fatal for them. (Our 'magi seek the star' stories, (not three wise men, whole caravans and all that was needed to support them) note a calendar master as one of those traveling.)
@thebabessavedme I'm sorry you're going through it and I hope things do pick up for you and as @RainbowZebraWarrior has said it's ok to feel whatever is felt. It is also ok to have no money but enjoy others expensive acquisitions that are so VN. Hence I will show off my Higgedy knock offs and attempts at creating subtler scented candles based on some of the unobtainable for us luxuries that I am genuinely so glad to get to be part of hearing about and seeing and discussing regardless. (I will never forgive anyone who hides their 'Aerin savoy orange blossom candle' because I have come round and they are embarrassed at their ability to enjoy extravagance, instead of showing and telling me all about it's good or not so good points!)
As a family we never recovered from the loss of those around us, and what the Covid lockdowns did to us and all we'd created despite also mis-starts in life. To still be here was the best we could hold onto.
I was given my copy of CC by a lovely lady on these threads at a point where I couldn't consider the cost of even a 2nd hand copy, but had been previously silently reading this thread without joining in, and taking huge comfort from it and wanted to let the people on it know how much it meant to others quietly reading it in difficult times.
It's scary, but here we are, on what often feels like a long slide down as we continue to adapt to ongoing reducing circumstances in the face of where it's all left us, exacerbated by the current climate and an inability to become less disabled or younger, and have mainly returned to simpler ways and pleasures and are still seeking joy and appreciation wherever it can be found.
Listening to you, I'm willing to bet you will do more than adapt. x
@DameProfessorIDareSay thank you for that. It's a very beautiful view.
@SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense I wouldn't expect the liquid to be rainwater unless your system doesn't have a closed top... What I have is actually just a very adapted compost bin, but it's been really successful, lead to a second one, and now to ambitions to purpose build something better for both them and us.
How fab to have lived in both China and Japan!
@RainbowZebraWarrior Oh well done getting the picture, he/she is very neat.
And yet again; many thanks for all your work that holds us together here - again: 'It is women's hands that build,' and we also have ' It is such woman who gathers, makes thread, and then cloth, and brings into being substance.' 🙏
@martha79 Quietly envious of the ability to immerse yourself in baby goats. Have a lovely meeting with them. (while I was writing the rest of this you already had! They're lovely.)
(I just know that 'not a euphemism' is going to get me the next time someone starts talking about pruning their hydrangeas!)
@ExquisiteDresses Lovely picture. Our Ramsons colonise everything given half a chance. We're on a hill, and where one of a number of gardens in effectively a mass garden landslide here, and several neighbors gardens are now also being systematically colonized by all the bulbs that where scattered downwards.
@piscofrisco I didn't know today was Covid memorial day. Thank you as I'm sure there are others around me who will be very aware.
I remember your attempts to get to Marrakesh and what stopped you. Fingers well crossed for you.
Very little sleep but I seem to have a lot to say this morning!