#10th night solstice

[ubercharge]

former overworked office worker is isekai'd and stumbles into assassin work because she has a real talent for using magic blades. unfortunately being surrounded by magic hasn't fixed her insomnia, but work is a lot more fulfilling now

also i wanted a sexy assassin with eyebags who breasts boobily because i'm a creature of simple tastes

[witchboxco]

2024 Witch's Calendar

January

11th: New Moon

25th: Full Moon (Cold Moon)

February

2nd: Imbolc

9th: New Moon

24th: Full Moon (Quickening Moon)

March

10th: New Moon

19th: Ostara / Spring Equinox

25th: Full Moon (Storm Moon) / Lunar Eclipse

April

1st: Mercury Retrograde

8th: New Moon / Solar Eclipse

22nd: Earth Day

23rd: Full Moon (Wind Moon)

25th: Mercury Direct

May

1st: Beltane/May Day

7th: New Moon

23rd: Full Moon (Flower Moon)

June

6th: New Moon

20th: Litha / Summer Solstice

21st: Full Moon (Strong Sun Moon)

July

2nd: New Moon

21st: Full Moon (Blessing Moon)

August

1st: Lammas/Lughnasadh

4th: New Moon

5th: Mercury Retrograde

19th: Full Moon (Corn Moon)

28th: Mercury Direct

September

2nd: New Moon

17th: Full Moon (Harvest Moon) / Lunar Eclipse

22nd: Mabon / Fall Equinox

October

2nd: New Moon / Solar Eclipse

17th: Full Moon (Blood Moon)

31st: Samhain

November

1st: New Moon

15th: Full Moon (Mourning Moon)

25th: Mercury Retrograde

December

1st: New Moon

15th: Full Moon (Long Nights Moon) / Mercury Direct

21st: Yule / Winter Solstice

30th: New Moon

[mirjam-writes]

Good Midsummer Omens: A Rec list

A rec list of Good Omens fics celebrating the Summer Solstice of the northern hemisphere! Feel ree to reblog with additions!

Happy Summer Solstice, everyone! 🔥

The Feast of Fairies by MM2022

Aziraphale & Crowley, G, 1.2k, fairy & human AU, Celebration of Litha (Germanic Neopagan celebration of summer solstice)

Marriage of Fire and Water by KissMyAsthma

Aziraphale/Crowley, G, 2.4k, Celebration of Kupala Night (Slavic folk holiday for summer solstice).

On nights like this anything is possible by shanimalew

Aziraphale/Crowley, T, 2.3k, AU, Kupala Night celebration in 10th century Poland.

Choose Wisely by JoyAndOtherStories

Aziraphale/Crowley, T, 6.6k, A Choose your Own Adventure story with a brief visit to a midsummer festival at Externsteine, Germany.

Be Still My Soul: The Romance by Mirjam

Aziraphale/Crowley, Explixit, 25.4k, Human AU with the climax set in Finnish Midsummer in 1917.

Beloved by Ack_Emma

Aziraphale/Crowley, Explicit, 40.9k, Elizabethan human au with Midsummer celebrations on chapter 8! Mind the tags!

Midsummer Canoodling by Quefish

Aziraphale/Crowley, Explicit, 1.4k, Swedish Midsummer

[calabria-mediterranea]

La Befana: an Epiphany tradition in Italy

The Epiphany is a Christian festival celebrating the arrival of Jesus Christ into the world, the moment when the three Wise Men came to Jerusalem from Asia, Europe and Africa to worship the incarnation of God. For Western denominations, it is celebrated on 6 January, exactly 12 days after 25 December, Christmas Day. The etymology of the Epiphany is to be found in ancient Greek, used to indicate a divine manifestation or apparition.

The pagan meaning of Epiphany, however, is linked to propitiatory rites for agriculture between the 10th and 6th centuries B.C. and, between ancient Rome and the Middle Ages, to Roman winter solstice celebrations that continued for 12 days after 25 December, with each day representing one of the 12 months of the year.

In Italian folklore, the Befana is an old woman or witch who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to Santa Claus or the Three Magi Kings.

In popular folklore, the Befana visits all the children of Italy on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany to fill their socks with candy and presents if they are good, or a lump of coal or dark candy if they are bad. In many poorer parts of Italy and in particular rural Sicily, a stick in a stocking was placed instead of coal.

She is usually portrayed as a hag riding a broomstick through the air wearing a black shawl and is covered in soot because she enters the children's houses through the chimney.

Photo taken in Motta Filocastro (Calabria, Italy) by @mimmolarox

Follow us on Instagram, @calabria_mediterranea

[witch-ix]

Time on Magix

I took a closer look at the fairy signs in the Winx Club Wiki and had fun thinking about how a year with 16 months would work.

+ i read some scientific articles on how a planet orbiting around twin suns would/could potentially work.

One full orbit around Magix twin suns takes the planet exactly 336 days. Each year has 16 months and exactly 48 weeks. Every month lasts for 21 days, whereas one week has seven days. A day lasts the equivalent of around 26 hours on earth.

Due to garvity the twin suns spin around each other as well. Which leads to a sun-sun-eclipse on every seventh day.

The cycle of Magix' moon lasts for 21 days - every month strarts with a new moon.

Each month is named after its most prominent starsign on the night sky.

The first month of the calendar is the day after the solstice and the start of the spring months.

1. Griffin

2. Satyr

3. Elf

4. Chimera

Between the forth and fifth month is the first equinox. It indicates the beginning of the summer months.

5. Hippogriff

6. Mermaid

7. Unicorn

8. Nereid

With the second sun solstice the it's the beginning of the autumn months.

9. Elemental

10. Salamander

11. Dragon

12. Triton

The second equinox announces the start of the winter months.

13. Pegasus

14.Centaur

15. Dryad

16. Phoenix

Every school and college on Magix has summer break during Mermaid and Unicorn, new years break during the last week of Phoenix and first week of Griffin, and a break of seven days during each week of equinox. Hippogriff is the month of final exams everywhere.

But after all, one year on Magix is just as long as one year on Earth.

+ here is how long each month is when looking at Earth-months:

solstice of the frist sun, beginning of a new year and the spring months: April 2nd and April 3rd Griffin: Apirl 3rd - April 25th Satyr: April 26th - May 18th Elf: May 19th - June 9th Chimera: June 10th - July 2nd first equinox and beginning of the summer months: July 2nd and July 3rd Hippogriff: July 3rd - July 25th Mermaid: July 26th - August 17th Unicorn: August 18th - September 9th Nereid: September 10th - October 2nd solstice of the second sun and beginning of the autumn months: October 2nd and October 3rd Elemental: October 3rd - October 25th Salamander: October 26th - November 17th Dragon: November 18th - December 9th Triton: December 10th - January 1st second equinox and beginning of the winter months: January 1nd and January 2nd Pegasus: January 2nd - January 24th Centaur: January 25th - February 16th Dryad: February 17th - March 10th Phoenix: March 11th - April 2nd

[ms-m-astrologer]

Planetary Hours

The first thing we have to learn is, which day of the week is associated with which planet, since that’s how we assign a planet to an “hour:”

Monday - Moon

Tuesday - Mars

Wednesday - Mercury

Thursday - Jupiter

Friday - Venus

Saturday - Saturn

Sunday - Sun

(It’s a little more obvious in different languages, eg Spanish. English is such a magpie language.)

Next, we take the time between sunrise and sunset, and divide the total daylight by 12. Results are going to vary hugely, depending on where you live and what time of year it is.

Where I live, for example, at 40°01’ north latitude: on the Cancer Solstice the “day” is 15 clock hours long; dividing that by 12 gives me planetary hours that are 1 hour 15 minutes in length. At the Capricorn Solstice, though, from sunrise to sunset is only 9 hours 19 minutes; that divides into 12 planetary hours of 46.583 minutes each.

We do the same thing with the nighttime hours: measuring the time between sunset and sunrise, and dividing into 12 equal “hours.”

To assign which planet goes with which hour, we consider what day of the week it is, and start by assigning the first planetary hour (beginning at sunrise) to that planet. For a Monday:

Moon

Saturn

Jupiter

Mars

Sun

Venus

Mercury

Moon

Saturn

Jupiter

Mars

Sun

(That “order” is based on planetary speed, from slowest (Saturn) to swiftest (Moon).)

At night, after sunset, we keep going in the same order:

13. Venus

14. Mercury

15. Moon

….and so forth. It works out beautifully and we start Tuesday, Mars’ day, with a Mars hour.

Now that we know the mechanics, and could possibly calculate this all on our own - there is a web site that will do it for us:

planetaryhours . net

Just remove the spaces. (It didn’t work at all on my admittedly ancient cell phone; worked quite well on my iPad 10th Generation.)

What do we do with this information? If we’re working a spell, we can use the best timing for optimal results. I would not want to cast (say) a love working during a Saturn hour, for example. If I bought a lottery ticket, I would pick a Jupiter hour.

This can also help us hone what we do with lunar phases. The 2023 Leo New Moon happens, in my locale, during a Saturn hour - so I’m going to focus on Saturn-type things with that energy. (The lunation is also exactly trine my natal Saturn, which makes it easy to feel that energy.) Somebody in Marquette MI, though, would experience the lunation during a Sun hour.

Sometimes (as with the Leo New Moon and my natal Saturn) the skies will poke at the natal planet which happens to rule that planetary hour. Other times, the ruler of the planetary hour is also the ruler of the Ascendant. That’s also going to strengthen your working. (Not sure it would be worth it to do the staggering amount of calculation involved, to ascertain when this happens, though.)

Pretty heady stuff! The main thing to remember is:

Other people get to have free will, too - it’s unethical to cast a love spell or healing spell or an anything spell, on another person, without their consent.

There are probably a few people reading this, who can help us learn more. Feel free to do so, please!!

[slytherhys]

12 Days of Christmas - ACOTAR Edition

In the spirit of the Holidays, I will be writing & posting short stories about the ACOTAR characters for the next 12 days. Please note that some will be shorter than others and that this is simply meant to be a fun time for everyone that loves these characters as much as I do!

PS. I'm open to requests.

You can also find this story on my AO3.

10th day of christmas - Gift Giving

PSA. It's been a couple of very busy days and I haven't had much time to write but I'm trying my best. Hope this brings you some joy on Christma's Eve, at the very least.

Nyxmas - Drabble

The announcement that Nyx would be choosing his own gifts for Solstice this year-round was met sceptically. When Feyre and Rhys had both looked at each other with confused looks on their faces – mainly because they couldn’t quite understand how a six-year-old would be choosing any gifts without their help – Nyx had simply given them a determined frown and left the room without a glance back.

For days, both Rhys and Feyre had tried to convince him – to trick him, really – to let them help, but such efforts were often met with unimpressed looks and, at one specific time, a cold shoulder that had lasted until he had forgotten about it (which is to say ten minutes later).

Mor, too, had apparently been unsuccessful. When she had taken him shopping, Nyx had returned with a pleased smile on his face, his hands remarkably empty of any bags or gifts. Mor, for one, had slumped against the couch in defeat, looking at both Rhys and Feyre with a desperate sort of look on her face.

“He couldn’t be more your child if he tried.” She had said.

And that had been that.

As Feyre watched her son make his way towards her and Rhys, she finally understood why, exactly, Mor thought so.

In his hands was a too large, poorly-wrapped present – a clear sign he had refused any help yet again – but on his face pride shone as brightly as the stars in his eyes. It was obvious how proud of himself he was, just as it was obvious how much he wanted to make his family happy. By the delighted look on everyone’s faces when they had each received their gifts, there was no doubt in Feyre’s mind he had achieved exactly that.

Laughter had been a steady companion throughout the night as Nyx handed out his presents – his favourite book for Nesta (even though Feyre wondered what book Rhys would now read to him before bedtime), his favourite toy for Cassian (which he was only allowed to play with, with Nyx), an invisibility blanket for Azriel (“for the garden” he had said, and though it had made no sense to Feyre or Rhys, the blush on the Shadowsinger’s cheeks hadn’t gone unnoticed) and a beautiful silver comb for Mor (Feyre was slightly relieved she had finally found her favourite comb, even if a little upset it now apparently belonged to Mor).

As Feyre and Rhys opened their gift, however, tears filled everyone's eyes.

On the canvas in front of them was a painting of their family. Morrigan, with her blonde hair and red dress; Amren, her frame purposely short in a way that ought to make her complain about it in the future; Cassian and Nesta were side by side on one side of the canvas, while Elain and Azriel stood together on the other. In the middle stood Feyre - hair so long it nearly brushed the ground - and Rhys - a cheeky smile on his face and only one wing on display. Nyx, naturally, stood in the middle of them all, a full set of teeth grinning instead of the toothy grin he now gave them, waiting for everyone's reactions with a bated breath. In the night sky surrounded by them, the word Family was written in a sloppy scrawl that could only belong to Nyx - a word Feyre knew he had only learned to write a few weeks ago due to the insistent teachings of his dad.

“You painted this alone, my love?” Feyre asked, pride burning hot inside her chest.

Nyx smiled sheepishly. “Aunt Mor helped.”

Mor quickly objected. “I only helped him line the figures. In fact, he pretty much kicked me out of the room the second I offered to help him prepare whatever colours he needed.” She said, smiling knowingly at Nyx.

"Can I hang it in my office?" Rhys asked. 

Nyx's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Of course, love." Rhys kissed his temple. "It'd be an honour." 

Nyx smiled sheepishly at his dad, his cheeks rosy at the rising excitement surrounding him. Feyre pressed a kiss to his head before he ran off to hand Elain her gift. She could only watch him, something akin to wonder on her face as she watched him Her little boy who had a heart so big he had decided to give everyone a meaningful gift; who was already so independent he had decided to do it all on his own.

I really think we did. And what a blessing it was to see their son become everything that was good about Rhys, everything that was good about her.

We did good with him, didn't we? Rhysand's voice was as proud as she felt.

Mor, too, seemed to see it all. “Like I said," She shrugged, speaking to her and Rhysand only. "He’s your son through and through.”

[enchantedbeingscircle]

July!

July is here and is one of the main months of summer. I’m all about the warmth of the sun, long summer nights, bonfires, the water...

Summers magic can be all about increasing things, love and friendship, light magick and the sun and warmth and strength. When its summer, I also think of dragonflies and fireflies. Dragonflies are all about dream work, emotions, freedom, messages and omens, transformation, and truth. Fireflies are all about activating and awakening, light magic, guidance through the dark, illumination and hope. Light magick, dream work, and magick for purpose and strength are great this month.

This month on the 8th, the Celtic Tree Month of Holly begins. This is where it is believed that the Holly king has overtaken the Oak King (who’s rule started on June 10th). This is why it is believed now the days start getting shorter or darker. Until the winter solstice where the Holly and Oak king battle again and the days start getting longer due to the Oak King winning. The Holly tree is considered sacred and lucky. The Holly brings strength, protection, energy, and balance.

On July 17th we have the birthday of the Goddess Isis. Isis is the Egyptian Goddess of earth and protector of the dead. She’s considered the patron and role model of all women striving to be loving wives and mothers. She can also be celebrated during Ostara and Yule. You can work with her when needing help with love, transformation, compassion, forgiveness, the afterlife, grief, among other things.

On July 23rd we have Neptunalia which is a 2 day celebration the Romans dedicated to Neptune, the God of waters. From what I’ve read, they did this because this was a time where water was desperately needed.

We have a new moon July 5th and the new moon will be in cancer. This is a great time to make your home more nurturing and welcoming. You might be feeling very “domesticated” and full of compassion.

Our full moon is July 21st. This is known as the Buck moon. People can also refer to this moon as the moon of loss and new beginnings. Just like the buck sheds its antlers and regrows them, take this time to reflect on what growth you have gone through after a loss. This is a moon of strength for with loss and growth you become stronger!

Our full moon will be in Aquarius, which means you might feel a bit rebellious, and others might find you unpredictable.

Crystals for July are carnelian, malachite, onyx, ruby, saphire, red tourmaline, and turquoise.

Animals for July are the woodpecker and salmon.

Colors are green and yellow.

Flowers are Larkspur and Water Lily, I love water lilies.

The zodiac sign this month is Cancer.

[herecirmsims]

Half Way Out Of The Dark

I don’t normally share stories here, but this is a standalone story I made for a collab I was part of on Instagram. I really wanted to do something with Mari Lwyd, a folktale from this part of Wales about a skeletal horse who travels from door-to-door between Christmas Day and Twelfth Night. Unfortunately there is still no Mari Lwyd CC so this is what I came up with instead - an absolute shambles. It’s set in my fantasy-medieval save, pre-courtship for my main couple.

The ridiculously bawdy riddle at the beginning is from the 10th century Book of Exeter! And the verse being recited is the beginning of a poem called 'The Ballad of the Mari Lwyd' by Vernon Watkins. I just swapped in “Yuletide Night” to replace “New Year's Night” because today is Yule, the Winter Solstice and shortest day of the year.

The real magic is how Saxen managed to play the lute with those nails. 

Poses by @nataliaauditore-blog , @simmireen , @samsstudio​ , @lady-moriel​ , and Hongzo. The tavern is by VirtualFairyTales!

[gxbtx]

Weekend in Amsterdam: Feeling Thru the Music

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, June 21st-23rd

Ciao! This week my studies brings me to Amsterdam, the notorious city with loads of history, culture, fashion, and modern art. This weekend happened to be Summer Solstice, in which every day the sun was out for the most time available during the year. Additionally, the Euro cup held the Netherlands competing against France, in which colors of bright orange were found all over the atmosphere. All of these come together to brew up a perfect storm for my three days in this city.

To start, the first night was spent at the Generator hostel built inside an old university building. The area was a park with several historical classroom buildings, and the inside was beautifully renovated to keep the essence of the once lecture halls fused with the night life in your young adult years. Underneath was a club in an opened up concrete room. There was a bar, in which the workers were already jamming out to the heavy techno. Their was a mix of graffiti as well as some plants around, giving the vibe of an overgrown train station. The event held was the "Mediterranea Summer Solstice Edition" held at the Oosterbar. I walked in to the techno set of COSMIC SAB, a French DJ deep in the Rave scene. His music brought up the lively energy and opened me up to start getting comfortable on the floor.

I am progressing my dancing to improve my knowledge of the rave and electronic culture, as I know dancing is a big deal. Ever since Diplo at ACL, where I saw people dancing for the pure sport of it, I have been trying to get more comfortable with my moves. A major step in dancing getting over was how you are perceived. I find that wearing sunglasses in the club helps with this, as you look confident no matter how silly you think you look. Finding my internal tempo was what I began to learn with this set, and getting more comfortable with my arms was my biggest progression this weekend. Observing an older gentlemen who was so smooth with his robot-like moves inspired me to be more comfortable with my arms.

The next duo up especially helped with this, having a mathematical electronic set that at points were hard to figure out. loosening up felt difficult with such concrete bass, but when I solved the mental puzzle of the beat I shined. After the show I had a conversation with the aforementioned older man and shared that he was helpful for me. He was ecstatic, instantly giving me a hug and sharing a conversation with me. His journeys were plentiful and fulfilling, having spent many years in Amsterdam and living in numerous places across Europe with his wife. The moment felt surreal to me, giving me joy that I could share my journey with another soul, and vice versa.

The next night was a bigger event, being the 10th Year Anniversary for the hipster-coated hotel "Volkshotel". This 10 story building held parties in the hotel unlike anything I've ever seen before. On the top floor, there were open patios accompanied by DJ sets, giving us a view of that Amsterdam sunset at around 11 PM. We continued down the floors to a DJ set of this vibrant soul, singing along with his music giving the bubbly set a flair of passion. His energy transcended amongst the crowds, allowing me to forget about everything else in life for the moment. The art of DJing is better appreciated being in the crowd; I believe the skill individuals have as they invoke emotions into crowds of people through music is an impressive one. It is for this reason I believe that the culture of music and creativity creates a more fulfilling life and sense of content for these locals, as they all seem to know each other and do these events on a regular basis.

I ended the night I faced the "boss level" as me and my roommate put it: Floor -1 - DOKA. This is where the music was playing until 7 AM, that of which I knew I needed to visit before passing out on my 4 hours of sleep. After tapping out my roommate, I went to face the epitome of raving head on alone. The moment I passed the entrance on the basement floor, I was hit with a humid cloud of smoke, sweat, and bodies. Coming in at ~4 30 AM, I had come to the depth of the night and felt the beats shake the room of dancing souls. After shimming my way down to the middle, I danced amongst people all doing their own thing. While a couple was making out in front of me, I could appreciate the tenured sound of the older DJs. Wanting a closer look, I shimmied my way up to see the four DJ boards being shared between two gentlemen. It was surreal, I was looking at the equipment of Amsterdam, being used to keep an entire crowd going into the deep hours of the night. This was it, the reason I travelled all this way to Amsterdam. 5000 miles away and I was viewing the heart and soul of the night life in Europe.

After having enough sweat reach my eyes, I walked outside to dawn approaching, and felt accomplished. I had just partied all night until the morning in Amsterdam. I sat outside and observed the drunken adults, sharing cigarettes, conversations, and stories from all over. So many accents surrounding my soundscape, I was star stricken at the diversity, coming to appreciate a major factor of Amsterdam: People come from all over the world to unite through the love and power of music. This is reflected in its citizens of the city all knowing each other through partying. While I understand this scene comes with a less-than-ideal world of bad decisions, there is a human nature aspect that draws us all to continue coming back: that is music, the real addiction.

Leaving Amsterdam was the only pill I had to swallow, this city was a delight to visit and I am very grateful that my life led me to this opportunity, I certainly have an aspiration to move here in my future. What I can take away to America from this trip, is the power of music and toleration. The culture from a glimpse seems to be friendly, content, and connected, and I believe I can implement some of these traits into my personal life coming back. May music heal us all, and until next time,

GV

[esssteee]

Tagged by @yletylyf, thank you!!

Three Ships: oh not gonna surprise anyone here, but Nikolai/Aleksander (GV), Alina/Aleksander (GV) and Alucard/Sypha/Trevor (Castlevania) for old times' sake

First Ever Ship: Eomer/Lothiriel (LOTR)

Last Song: Le Solstice by Karkwa

Last Film: Barbie? I think?

Currently Reading: going thru my A03 bookmarks because I need that very curated type of comfort reread, so I'm currently reading The Wind that Cuts the Night by thespectaclesofthor for the 10th time (at least)

Currently Watching: the bf playing Fallout 4 like we're back in 2015, but series-wise, absolutely nothing ;_;

Currently Consuming: homemade chocolate chips cookie right out of the oven

Currently Craving: green tea to balance all that sugar

Tagging @theonewiththeory, @shirayuki7, @viridessense, @shadow-of-a-thought, @inahandful-of-dust and anyone else who wanna share a tid bit of their everyday life!

[skrunklepng]

holidays in community

new years - jan 1st : new years is a celebration of life and the passage of another year. people often celebrate by having a shortened work day and throwing a large festival in miku park, filled with foods and gift giving

valentines day - feb 14th : this day is a celebration of love of all kinds. people often celebrate by taking the day off to spend time with loved ones and writing heartfelt letters to each other.

parents day - april 21 : parents day is meant to celebrate your parents/guardians. this day is often celebrated by taking the day off and spending time with family and gift giving

childrens day - may 10th : childrens day is a large celebration of children big and small. people often celebrate by taking the day off and attending a large traveling festival throughout the city with gifts and music

june 31st - strawberry day : this day is to celebrate the last day of strawberry season. this day is usually celebrated by having a shortened work day and having the largest strawberry festival of the year where there are all kinds if strawberry themed foods, clothes, items, etc. (multiple strawberry festivals are held within the months of april-june)

founding day - aug 18th : this day is the celebration of the founding of Community City. this day is often celebrated within jobs and schools via fun costumes and reviewing the history of the city

halloween - october 31st : this holiday was created before the founding of miku. in seasons of drought people would dress up as frightening creatures to ward off animals and unwanted guests from their struggling crop. the season has now been reduced to a singular day and most people dress up as anything theyd like! this day is usually celebrated at night with decorations and parties

heartswarming - december 20th-26th : previously known as the winter solstice, heartswarming is a celebration of togetherness. this holiday is celebrated by taking the week off and staying in your warm home. a grand feast is typically prepared and shared together with gift giving and decorations

[luc3]

Dear psychiatric suitcase, I do not write. So I choke. I write here. SO ?

Today Wednesday, Sebillot, well of folklore taught me the bewitching Mermaid who drowned unfortunate men in the waters of /my/ River. This river already! - Serpent with its Diadem which they tried to steal day after night in vain.

I continue my way to the Little Neighbors...

Here is the water. Here is the source. Here is living water. True speaking is like a eulogy to Silence. I rediscover and merge and drown myself with joy from all known mystics, I drink from your Source oh Light and you are deeper than an abyss."The chasm is always thirsty."(no one gets the reference right?)

Lots of plant blessings lately. Artemisia vulgaris and blood.

Force of the Spirit in the sole of my shoes...Strength. The Spirit is always holy, I don't understand why we bother.

The incense begins to make progress... I wonder if I am waiting for the solstice to have it blessed or if I am offering it at this time. But I imagine that if the question arises, it is because it does not arise.

Dear Psychiatric Suitcase, I resumed meditation. Like the private detective in the thrillers I read last month. I count. In the end, I try to practice tonglen, a mixture of evangelical Buddhism, so to speak.

I reread for the 10th time John who pierces with beauty. Thomas too, stiff and dry as a sickle but who describes the Fire so well.

French below

Chère Valise psychiatrique,Je n'écris pas. Alors j'étouffe. J'écris ici. Donc ?Aujourd'hui mercredi, Sebillot, puits de folklore m'a appris la Sirène envoûtante qui noyait les hommes malencontreux dans les eaux de /ma/ Rivière.Cette rivière déjà !- Serpent au Diadème qu'ils essayaient de voler vainement jour après nuits.Je continue mon chemin vers les Petits Voisins... Voici l'eau. Voici la source. Voici l'eau vive. Le parler-vrai est comme une éloge du Silence. Je retrouve et me confonds et me noie avec joie de toutes les mystiques connues, je bois à ta Source oh Lumière et tu es plus profonde qu'un abîme. "Le gouffre a toujours soif." (personne ne saisit la référence n'est-ce pas ?) Ces derniers temps, beaucoup de bénédictions de plante. Artemisia Vulgaris et le sang. Force de l'Esprit dans la semelle de mes chaussures... Force. L'Esprit est toujours saint, je ne comprends pas pourquoi on se prend la tête. L'encens commence à faire des progrès... Je me demande si j'attends le solstice pour le faire bénir ou bien si je l'offre a ce moment. Mais j'imagine que si la question se pose c'est qu'elle ne se pose pas. Chère Valise Psychiatrique, J'ai repris la méditation. A la manière du détective privé des polars que je lisais le mois dernier. Je compte. À la fin, j'essaie de pratiquer le tonglen, un mélange de bouddhisme évangélique, si on peut dire. Je relis pour la 10ème fois Jean qui transperce de beauté. Thomas aussi, raide et sec comme une serpe mais qui décrit si bien le feu.

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's Play Book of Hours! First Lessons

Tuesday, April 7th

Another day of reading. I had noticed several strange typos and spacings, which proved to be but the beginning of a second code in my journal. Many hours were spent unwinding it, but as I had to tend to my own well-being and clear away more awkward parts in the yard (the rain won't let up, but that's the Isles for you), my work was not completed.

Wednesday, April 8th

I rose with a headache, so I went back to visit Denzil today. I spoke to him about how the restoration of the library was my own battle against those forces which had caused us so much misery, and so he came with me to Hush House. The stairs above the Gatehouse were blocked with debris, but with the two of us we were able to clear a good deal of the stairs.

Thursday, April 9th

Another day of labor. How I regret my hubris in thinking that every day would be filled with useful entries. My strange dreams remain fully at bay, I hope that for the whole of the time I am here that will be the case, but we shall see.

Friday, April 10th

At last we have cleared the way. Too tired to keep writing.

Saturday, April 11th

I spent today finishing the cleaning and plastering, along with keeping notes on what was in the space. Though it was primarily the work space for Eva Dewulf, the last of the Brancrugs before the Curia began, I can see influences of her forebears as well. A bust of Walter Dewulf looked down from the desk and the astrolabe was favored by Thomas Dewulf (though I believe it to be older).

It is hardly the only astronomical object in this room. Wall art labeled "As above, so below", chairs with starry night fabric, even the mirrorscope has more of an otherwieldly feel to it. Though five books were kept in the desk, the true treasure at present was the Yewgall Ink - one of the Inks of Power, if a minor one. Its true utility is that it is difficult to erase, which is why I felt confident in using the desk to pen a response to the Trust. I felt flippant in my response. Perhaps I sent it too soon, but I do not want them breathing down my neck nor discovering my condition.

(A/N: For some reason I thought the first Illopoly book was Rose-flavored instead of Knock. Whoops.)

Sunday, April 12th

I went down to The Sweet Bones again today. I had hoped to mail my letter before remembering what day it was! Instead I found Morgan again. We laughed about the miserable weather and he agreed to come help me with the garden when the rain let up a little. I spent more time decoding my journal after a good luncheon. I think I'm making good progress, but my second code is strangely ambiguous. I will have to commit to an uncertain interpretation and hope for the best.

Monday, April 13th

Still raining, but it's finally letting up. I went and spoke to the postmistress and paid a penny to have my letter delivered. Once the Trust knows that the library is reopened, they will inform the rest of the world. I do not know who will come, but it likely won't be until the solstice. There are times to travel and times to stay.

I spent the rest of the day carousing at The Sweet Bones. Tuppence to get the thoughts flowing again is a small price to pay. Most people in my line of work don't think about mundane entertainments for some reason. I think cultists would spend a lot less time kidnapping random people and hunting for Hours in abandoned hospitals if they knew how to relax in a good, old-fashioned way.

Tuesday, April 14th

The rain having finally let up, Morgan came by today and we got to work clearing the garden. The cloister is immense, connecting the newer Watchman's Tower with the central body of the house. With seven years of good weather, the garden is far beyond our ability to bring into order so quickly.

Wednesday, April 15th

We cleared the garden. The columns hold the tower above us quite well, and the shaded growth is actually quite pleasing. I imagine it will be a lovely place to relax in summer, but it is merely a corridor at the moment. I'm sure that someone with a green thumb might be able to grow certain plants here, but I have no skill in such things at present.

Thursday, April 16th

At last my decoding pays off. My choice in the face of my journal's ambiguities was the correct one, which only strengthens my convictions. I found the core focuses of my work in my forgotten life. Much of my research had been dedicated to the Corrivalty, also called the Strife Imperishable, and it is through the understanding of the rules of this combat that the behavior of the Hours might be understood - and rewritten. It is one of the central precepts of Edge, one of the thirteen principles: all battle and struggle is an expression of the Strife Imperishable.

I spent the majority of today expanding my Tree of Wisdoms, fleshing out the first branch. What I learn is that all the Hours are defined by their opposition to other Hours, just as we are defined by the battles we choose. One could say that conflict creates these gods. The Sun-in-Splendor was destroyed by the Forge of Days and in my new history this must not be - what oppositions can take the place of this one tragedy?

Friday, April 17th

I spent the day at The Sweet Bones, offering to cover odd jobs. Most of them were focused on lesser acts of metalworking that Denzil has no time for at the moment; I learned something from watching him. Enough to get paid, at least.

Saturday, April 18th

Another day for scholarship. I took down one of the books in the Lodge, from the Baronial Period. I cannot imagine why most every book in this place is wrapped up in this color-coded parchment, nor why underneath they have blank covers. My predecessor had an unhealthy love of riddles, if my journal is to be believed (and the nature of my work is such that I have no choice but to treat every word as Gospel Truth). Why he thought this an appropriate use of his time, I do not know. Much of my day was spent reworking the cover into something identifiable on sight.

Thankfully, my hazy recollection of my dreams guided my path yet again. In the dreams I'd had of Hush House since the fire, I had struggled with the author's overuse of pronouns instead of proper names and had to navigate the book haphazardly. With the dream, I simply skipped to finding the pages that made it most clear: this is the Journal of Walter Dewulf, 3rd Baron Brancrug. He had been the grandson of Thomas, son of the disgraced Giles, who eloped with 'Pale Hafren'. The Dewulf line might have ended if the Seneschale Ernestine - by then over eighty - had not managed to reconcile Thomas with a dying Giles.

It may be some time before I can fully parse Walter's journal. What little I sampled of it suggests that it is primarily about that principle called Forge, the winter that warms and the spring that consumes. Though the restoration of my own soul here at Hush House has focused upon it, I have little else to recommend to me at present.

Sunday, April 19th

I spent some time catching up with friendly faces, but primarily focused on understanding another aspect of the results of my own journal. The nine winds have many secrets, and in my time I learned the central one: how to understand the winds when they speak. For now I am only listening to Sky Stories, but I hope that soon I might have a deeper understanding of what truths are kept in the heavens.

[starandsims]

I spent too much time creating holidays for this save, and so because I put so much work into it I’m insisting on sharing it with everyone. Includes OOG and IG descriptions under the cut!

Starlight Festival - December 31st/January 1st

The Starlight Festival marks the beginning of the new year. On this day communities gather under the night sky to watch the stars appear for the first time that year just past midnight. Then, fireworks displays light up the night sky, symbolizing new beginnings and hopes for the future. This is a time for stargazing, reflection, resolutions, setting new goals, and starting new relationships with friends, family, and more. It’s a popular time of year for engagements, weddings, and big parties.

In Game: Second Saturday of Winter | Traditions: Decorate (New Year's Eve Theme), Countdown to Midnight, Make Resolutions, Fireworks, Party Spirit)

Hearteyes Day - February 14th

Hearteyes Day is a day for expressing affection for one another, in a romantic, platonic, and familial way. This is often done through handwritten letters or messages. The air is filled with love and appreciation for all different types of relationships people might have. People exchange small gifts and flowers in celebration of new and old love. It’s a popular time of year for romantic dates, family outings, and friendly get togethers.

In Game: First Thursday of Spring | Traditions: Go on a Date, Give Flowers, Give Gifts, Romantic Spirit, Watch Romantic TV

Blossom Day - April 10th

As spring arrives and flowers bloom across the world, people celebrate Blossom Day. It’s a day dedicated to the appreciation of nature’s beauty and the resurgence of plant life after winter. Communities host flower parades, participants often wear flower themed clothing. People use this day to appreciate the earth and all of its wonders. It’s a popular time of year to host gardening and cooking competitions, as well as clean out some junk to safely dispose of to keep the planet healthy.

In Game: Second Sunday of Spring | Traditions: Decorate (Spring Theme), Gardening, Baking, Give Flowers, Cleaning

Sunfire Festival - June 21st

During the scorching days of summer, people come together for the Sunfire Festival. This holiday is a tribute to the power and warmth of the sun on the summer solstice. Towns are adorned with bright and fiery decorations, as well as plenty of water based activities, so you can heat up or cool down. This is a popular time of year for families and friends to gather for picnics and other outdoor activities, enjoying the long, sunny days of summer.

In Game: First Saturday of Summer | Traditions: Barbeque, Games, Fireworks, Water Fun

Lavender Day - August 30th

Lavender Day is a day dedicated to honoring the memory of departed loved ones. As summer transitions into fall, people light candles and create lanterns adorned with ghost motifs. They visit cemeteries to pay their respects and share stories of their departed friends. It’s a time for reflection, remembrance, and comforting one another. It’s a popular time of year for family reunions and traveling to see loved ones you haven’t seen in a while.

In Game: Second Tuesday of Summer | Traditions: Remembrance, Thankful Spirit, Grand Meal, Tell Stories, Go on Vacation or Travel, Appreciate an Object

Harvest Moon Festival - September 23rd

As autumn leaves begin to fall and crops are harvested, the world celebrates the Harvest Moon Festival. This holiday focuses on the bounties of the season and the importance of sharing with the community. Towns hold grand potluck feasts featuring traditional fall dishes, sometimes even making it a competition. Traditionally community members fast for the morning and afternoon until the feast. This is a time for gratitude, sharing, and enjoying the rich flavors of autumn before winter takes hold. This is a popular time of year for arts and crafts, volunteering in the community, and gathering of friends and family.

In Game: First Thursday of Fall | Traditions: Fasting, Grand Meal, Invite Guests, Thankful Spirit, Attend Holiday Ceremony

Spirits’ Night - October 31st

Spirits’ Night is a festive and spooky holiday celebrated on the cusp of winter. People dress up in costumes - ghost costumes being a traditional favorite. Communities organize trick-or-treating events, haunted houses, and costume parties. The eerie decorations around town are supposed to create an atmosphere of fun scares and excitement, but sometimes people go a little too far. It’s a popular time of year to dress up, stay up late, eat a lot of sweets, and watch scary movies.

In Game: Second Saturday of Fall | Traditions: Decorate (Spooky Theme), Mischief Spirit, Spooky Spirit, Trick or Treat, Wear Costumes

Winter Solstice Festival - December 21st

As winter blankets the land, people come together to celebrate the Winter Solstice. During this holiday, communities decorate their towns with snowmen, ice sculptures, and bright lights. A special event is usually held in town with a warm fire, lots of food, and gift exchanges. It’s a time for huddling close together and relying on the warmth of your friends and family to get you through the harsh winter. This is a popular time for large family gatherings, bonfires, and lots and lots of gifts.

In Game: First Wednesday of Winter | Traditions: Decorate (Winterfest Theme), Festive Spirit, Open Presents, Fire, Grand Meal

[osakafromazumangadaioh]

idk how often i'll remember to do this but i logged a lot of things on letterboxd this month and maybe it'd be fun to just list those with some thoughts on 'em if i have any

2nd of august - Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island the yaoi in this went absolutely crazy 4th - Boogie Nights the moment when rollergirl asked julianne moore to be her mom was insane 6th - Dragon Inn my first wuxia? i watched this for context for Goodbye Dragon Inn, p good, fun to watch w friends 8th - Pinocchio 10th - Green Snake Absolutely toilet quality rip cannot hide how absolutely beautiful and insane this movie looks - GoodFellas - Italianamerican This is up on youtube, documentary about Martin Scorsese's parents and growing up Italian American. Very cute, I wish Scorsese's mom was my mom - The Big Shave - The Bridges of Madison County Surprised myself how much this movie worked on me, I know Clint Eastwood sucks now but he is soooooooo hot in this movie. If he wore glasses in this I would have gone insane. 12th - What Time Is It There? 14th - The Wayward Cloud This was very funny and hard to recommend. A loooot of unsimulated sex and one of the hardest to watch endings I've ever sat through. - The Watermelon Woman Lesbian Clerks feels reductive but that's not a million miles off 15th - Goodbye, Dragon Inn Game comparisons I made during this: this has sector based lighting like Doom 64. This has tank controls and prerendered backgrounds like Resident Evil - Bobby's Girl 16th - Casino Didn't really work for me but maybe it needs a rewatch 17th - Portrait of a Young Girl at the End of the 60s in Brussels 20th - A Confucian Confusion This transfer was very dark but man what a beautiful looking movie. 23rd - Fat Choi Spirit Big big big recommend if you like mahjong. It's sports anime. 24th - Panda! Go Panda! - Panda! Go Panda!: Rainy Day Circus 25th - Tails - boro - Spinning Light One of my favourite new things I watched this month, it's on vimeo. - The Amaryllis Musical Box - Eye Myth - Semi-Auto Colours - The Whispers of Indi-Go 26th - かつぎめのいろこ - The Garden Just before Dawn - Water-soluble Doze - Mr. O’s Dream - 水平リーベ僕の船 - From the Ionosphere - yacht dance - A Boat Acrossing the Clouds - Spinning Light - Go-Stop - Breaking and Entering - Late Embryo - Pears - Shooting Star Summer Solstice - Eden is a Cave - E6-D7 I DM'd the director on twitter to watch this bc it's currently making the festival rounds atm, very good! 27th - Spacy My first Takashi Ito, I kind of became obsessed w this director this month 31st - Spinning Light - Grim Probably the most jaw dropping thing I've ever seen - Atman - Spacy - Box - Thunder - Screw - Drill - Unbalance