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The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2021
'The perfect companion to the seasons' - India Knight
Welcome to The A Seasonal Guide to 2021 . If you are new to The Almanac then welcome; if you are a regular reader then hello!
The Almanac is about celebrating the unfolding year in all its various facets.
The old dependables which I include every year are moon phases, sun rises and sets, tide time tables and the sky at night. As ever there are seasonal recipes and monthly gardening tips for the flower and vegetable garden too, as well as a bit of folklore, and nature and a song for each month.
This year's edition has a movement, migration and pilgrimage. This was not a reaction to the unsettling events of last year - it was half written by the time Covid-19 hit - but writing it from lockdown did give me a heightened appreciation of the way in which Britain and Ireland have always and continue to be places of movement, and are intimately connected to the rest of the world. You will find within this book migration tales for each month of this year, but I have also searched out seasonal tales of human movement, and included a pilgrimage for each month, some ancient, some current, all underlining the spiritual benefits of putting one foot in front of the other. Every month I have included a method of navigating using the stars, sun or moon, so you can find your way around in the dark (or just look out of your window and know where south is). And our monthly folk songs are all shanties this year, work songs with movement at their very heart, created to coordinate muscle power to drive sailing ships backwards and forwards across the Atlantic Ocean, and containing influences from the eastern seaboard of the US down to the Caribbean and beyond mixed with British and Irish folk traditions. These songs are stitched through with movement and travel, as is this Almanac.
PRAISE FOR THE A SEASONAL GUIDE
'This book is your bible' - T he Independent
' An ideal stocking filler' - The English Garden
'I love this gem of a book' - Cerys Matthews
' Indispensable ' - Sir Bob Geldof
'An uplifting nature-inspired guide' - Country & Town House magazine
Welcome to The A Seasonal Guide to 2021 . If you are new to The Almanac then welcome; if you are a regular reader then hello!
The Almanac is about celebrating the unfolding year in all its various facets.
The old dependables which I include every year are moon phases, sun rises and sets, tide time tables and the sky at night. As ever there are seasonal recipes and monthly gardening tips for the flower and vegetable garden too, as well as a bit of folklore, and nature and a song for each month.
This year's edition has a movement, migration and pilgrimage. This was not a reaction to the unsettling events of last year - it was half written by the time Covid-19 hit - but writing it from lockdown did give me a heightened appreciation of the way in which Britain and Ireland have always and continue to be places of movement, and are intimately connected to the rest of the world. You will find within this book migration tales for each month of this year, but I have also searched out seasonal tales of human movement, and included a pilgrimage for each month, some ancient, some current, all underlining the spiritual benefits of putting one foot in front of the other. Every month I have included a method of navigating using the stars, sun or moon, so you can find your way around in the dark (or just look out of your window and know where south is). And our monthly folk songs are all shanties this year, work songs with movement at their very heart, created to coordinate muscle power to drive sailing ships backwards and forwards across the Atlantic Ocean, and containing influences from the eastern seaboard of the US down to the Caribbean and beyond mixed with British and Irish folk traditions. These songs are stitched through with movement and travel, as is this Almanac.
PRAISE FOR THE A SEASONAL GUIDE
'This book is your bible' - T he Independent
' An ideal stocking filler' - The English Garden
'I love this gem of a book' - Cerys Matthews
' Indispensable ' - Sir Bob Geldof
'An uplifting nature-inspired guide' - Country & Town House magazine
272 pages, Hardcover
Published September 3, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 30, 2020
This is a book that although I have already flicked through it, I will coming back to it over the coming year at the start of each month.
It is the first year I have bought this Almanac after seeing people rave about it in other years.
This years theme is Romani life and each month includes the Romani word for the month and what it means to them.
The months also include the sky at night, prominent dates, tides, gardening tips, and songs (shanties this year) plus some recipes.
I’ve enjoyed learning so much and can’t wait to use it next year. It is small but full of useful information that is also interesting.
It is the first year I have bought this Almanac after seeing people rave about it in other years.
This years theme is Romani life and each month includes the Romani word for the month and what it means to them.
The months also include the sky at night, prominent dates, tides, gardening tips, and songs (shanties this year) plus some recipes.
I’ve enjoyed learning so much and can’t wait to use it next year. It is small but full of useful information that is also interesting.
December 1, 2021
Gorgeous book that I will look at again and again 🌟
December 7, 2021
This seasonal guide to the year is both inspiring and really useful! Full of interesting facts, traditional songs, timings of tides, seasonal growing tips and amazing recipes; it made me feel connected to the landscape and the time of year as well as being an almost spiritual guide through the year. I would really recommend getting one every year as it feels special to mark out our journeys around the sun and that we are part of this incredible world.
November 23, 2021
I have loved reading this book. I’ve read it, as I did last year’s, month by month and it has been a little light and rest at the end or beginning of each month of what has been quite a challenging year for me. I’ve already purchased my copy of the 2022 almanac which will be under my Christmas tree as a gift from me to me! I’m looking forward to reading it throughout 2022.
March 31, 2022
I discovered Lia's Almanac when I was looking for a book to tell me the times of sunrises and sunsets, and high and low tides. I was delighted to find a lot more information in 'A Seasonal Guide to 2021' which is beautifully illustrated by Helen Cann.
Each month of the year is set out with helpful dates, holidays, charts for moon phases, sunrises and sunsets, high, low and Spring tides, star formations, the sky at night and much more. I was delighted to find seasonal gardening tips, foraging tips, recipes, folklore and shanty songs.
Every year there is a different theme which for the 2021 edition features movement, travel, migration and pilgrimage. This is centred around the fact that Britain and Ireland have always been intimately connected to the rest of the world. My particular favourites are the Romani words for each month and their meaning, providing clear insights into nomadic life and living on the land through the seasons.
I also loved the garden meditations which paint a welcoming picture of a healthy garden at different times of year. For gardeners there are monthly references to any vegetables, fruits, herbs and wild plants in season, what to do in the garden during different moon phases, and how to maintain a garden through the seasons of the year.
An exceptional reference which I will buy every year to get closer to nature and tune into the natural cycles of our four seasons.
Each month of the year is set out with helpful dates, holidays, charts for moon phases, sunrises and sunsets, high, low and Spring tides, star formations, the sky at night and much more. I was delighted to find seasonal gardening tips, foraging tips, recipes, folklore and shanty songs.
Every year there is a different theme which for the 2021 edition features movement, travel, migration and pilgrimage. This is centred around the fact that Britain and Ireland have always been intimately connected to the rest of the world. My particular favourites are the Romani words for each month and their meaning, providing clear insights into nomadic life and living on the land through the seasons.
I also loved the garden meditations which paint a welcoming picture of a healthy garden at different times of year. For gardeners there are monthly references to any vegetables, fruits, herbs and wild plants in season, what to do in the garden during different moon phases, and how to maintain a garden through the seasons of the year.
An exceptional reference which I will buy every year to get closer to nature and tune into the natural cycles of our four seasons.
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December 6, 2021In 2020, I bought Lia Leendertz's Almanac for the first time. With its repertoire of recipes, stories, songs, facts, and things to see out in nature throughout the year, it gave our family endless hours of joy. I liked it so much that I bought a copy from every year. This year's edition is themed on gipsies and migrations, wich I find awesome. Also, Helen Cann has some of the best illustrations of the whole series.
December 1, 2021
This little book has become a must have for me and it's the first book I purchase in the New Year. This year's almanac had a Romani feel to it, which was interesting.
I wonder what that of 2022 will feature?
I wonder what that of 2022 will feature?
January 4, 2021
One to dip into regularily.
January 17, 2021
Not that i’ve finished this today, but seeing as i read every month per the month we are in i will have undoubtably finished it by the end of the year, as i did with 2020’s 🌟🌟
January 25, 2021
Will definitely be referring back to this for moon phases, tides, recipes and garden wisdom throughout the year!
May 14, 2021
So much information and advice in this tiny book! A must buy for seasonal gardeners, astronomers any one who wants to live seasonally.
September 21, 2021
Totally loved this book, hoping hubby buys me next year's for Christmas. Despite having read I keep going back to check out each month as a reminder...
December 7, 2021
Great Almanac. Full of lots of information.
December 19, 2021
Helpful and interesting
December 29, 2021
My Christmas present last year from Scott.
A section for each month, full of seasonal facts, recipes and other good stuff, so it lasted the whole year.
A section for each month, full of seasonal facts, recipes and other good stuff, so it lasted the whole year.
January 9, 2022
Loved reading this throughout the year. Helped me to be more in touch with each month and I learnt a lot about migration
January 18, 2023
lovely guide to nature and history through the changing seasons
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews