SOUND Asleep

Rachel continues with her goal of softening the sounds in her living room... this time by making a fabric window curtain.

Darwin modeled rest and relaxation.

Margaret creates a backing for her beadwork while helping Jean and Debra

write the collophon for their Dave's Words book

and then helped Darwin get ready for the night's contra dance!
This is the new moon of Kislev the ninth month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year. In New England, this new moon will wax into the Beaver or Frosty Moon. It is a time when beavers (and all rodents) are very actively preparing for winter.

Egg Curtons

To soften the sounds
in Rachel's living room
we made wall curtains
out of egg cartons.

Then we watched
Debra's movie:
Dave's Words

of Jean's latest
Art of the Book assignment,
a 5X5inch accordion book
on the topic of words

while Darwin entertained us with ukulele tunes.
This was the first evening of Cheshvan, the eighth month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year. In New England, this new moon will wax into the Hunters' or Blood Moon. As we near the end of our pasture season, our cattle are in prime condition for slaughter. Cooler weather also means fewer flies and good temperatures for hanging fresh meat to cure. Now is the time to finish filling the freezer and for smoking meats.

Rosh My Blues Away

In honor of Rosh Hashana, we threw bread in the stream to represent washing away anything we don't want in our lives any more... old emotions, habits, problems that no longer serve us well. Rosh Hashana is one of at least 4 Jewish New Years. Rachel tells us that, that way we get many chances to start over! We also talked about forgiving each other for anything we may have done to hurt the other during the past year.

Back at the house we dipped apples (from trees in Rachel's yard!) in honey and ate them for a sweet year.

This was the first evening of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year and the holiday of Rosh Hahanah. In New England, this new moon will wax into the Harvest Moon. Gardeners will literally be reaping the fruits of their labors; drying, freezing, and canning our harvests for winter use.

American Woman

For August's New Moon, Debra and Nita traveled to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to view an exhibit of the American Woman as perceived by the world from the 1890s through the present. Starting post-Civil War with the corseted "heiress" with exotic hairstyles and foreign-made ball gowns; through the outdoors-athletic (but still corseted!) image of the "Gibson-Girl" look; through flowing tunic Bohemian styles; through the pale frail Flapper style; through WWI and Suffragette movement; through the tough, rough, and sexy Movie Stars of the 30's; right into a changing photo collage of the many individual choices of fashion for today's American Woman including Michelle Obahma in her inaugural gown, and minimally clad swim champions.

Looking at the garb for riding sidesaddle and swimming at the turn of the nineteenth century, we wondered at the torturous discomfort and actual physical danger women endure (and enforce among themselves) in order to maintain a "respectable" image in the eyes of men. Even with our relative economic, political, and sexual freedom of today, how do these attitudes continue to affect our lives? It was interesting to note that until very recently, the "American Woman" has been considered to be white, of European descent, and quite wealthy.

The August new moon was the beginning of Elul, the sixth month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year. In New England, this new moon will wax into the Grain or Green Corn Moon. We are already enjoying a bountiful harvest of juicy sweet corn and fresh tomatoes!

Please visit Motherhouse.us to learn of other gatherings.

Lunar Essence

This month,we celebrated the "birth" of the Hay-Makers Moon with another picnic at Local Farm. Rachel and Darwin went to a Wolfe Clan reunion. Alicia used the dark phase of the moon to draw out the essence of morning glory to add to her growing collection of flower essences. For Alicia, creating flower essences is an intuitive process, connecting her to Life. She plucks a single blossom that "speaks to her," puts it in a clear glass container, pours fresh water over it and sets it out under the night sky. She brought by some of the resulting "stock" the next day us to sip... To preserve her essences for later use, she mixes 1 part brandy to 1 part essence and only uses a few drops at a time for its subtle healing properties.
This year, the July new moon coincided with a full solar eclipse. It was the first evening of Av, the fifth month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year. In New England, this new moon waxes into the Hay Moon or Thunder Moon. Farmers will be mowing, raking, and baling hay in the strong drying days of sun... then hurrying to get it stored under cover before one of the many thundershowers of this time of year.

Chickened Out

After a full day of EGGS-periencing Chickens ala Motherhouse Old Style Life-Skills Series Workshops, we gathered for an early supper in the cowshed at Local Farm.
The June 12 new moon marked the first evening of Tammuz, the forth month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year. In New England, this moon will wax into the Strawberry Moon or Honey Moon. We can expect to find strawberries ripening on their low three leafleted plants. Beekeepers will be extra vigilant for swarms as their hives burst with nectar-gathering activity.

Please visit Motherhouse.us to learn of other gatherings.

What A Card!

Darwin and Rachel hostessed. Darwin showed us it's not (c)hard...
Bea showed how to fill our teeth with the wool thing.
Margaret wooly showed us how to comb.
Debra and Nancy spun yarns.
We were all wool hungry for a yummy lunch!
The May 15 new moon marked the first evening of Sivan, the third month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year. In New England, this moon will wax into the Milk Moon or Frog Moon. For those of us with recently freshened goats or cows, we will experience a flood of milk as our animals are turned out onto fresh pasture grass. We'll watch and listen for frogs singing love songs to their mates by the light of this moon.

Please visit Motherhouse.us to learn of other gatherings.