Daily Observances 29 September – 4 October

I’ve been wanting to record more daily notes and observations for a few weeks now, as fall has set in solidly where I live. I decided to finally commit after seeing these posts by Morag Spinner and Jenett Silver. I’ll be posting every week on Friday, rounding up all my notes on the natural world as well as journal entries. A lot of the observation information likely won’t be interesting to most people – it’s mainly here so I can track how the world is slowly changing season to season and day to day.

The journal entries I include will reflect how I actually write in my journals nowadays: somewhat clipped, incomplete sentences. I am trying to just get ideas down before they flutter away out of my grasp, after all. If there isn’t anything relevant or if a day’s entry is too personal I will not include an excerpt for that day of the week.

Also included in these posts will be things like what books I have been reading, my projects for the previous and upcoming weeks, and notes about my devotional practices.

Books from the Week

Llewellyn’s 2020 Sabbat Alamanc. Currently reading through the Yule essays. A little bummed the removed the section for ‘Sabbat Tips on the Go’ and replaced it with a section on gems, but that’s because I don’t use gemstones in my own practice.

ADF Membership Guide. Part of trying to decide what sort of national/large Pagan organization I want to join. I ordered the guide from Amazon, and it oddly came with another book printed in the middle of it (a coloring book). Looking at it, it seems there must have simply been a printing error, as the two books are unrelated but printed from the same place.

Sunday, 29 September 2019

  • Sunrise: 0726
  • Sunset: 1914
  • Moonrise: 0755
  • Moonset: 2001
  • Moon Phase: Waxing (is it visible?)
  • Temperature (Actual): 13*C
  • Temperature: Somewhat chilly
  • Weather: Breezy, some strong gusts, scattered clouds, blue sky
  • Notes: More yellow in trees. Still a lot of green. Some trees are shedding, yet many retain their fiery foliage. Air smells nice. Bright sun. [Afternoon] clouds rolled in, steady rain. Later, storm.

Journal Entry

Veiling again today. […] Washing dishes felt good, contemplative. Sweeping was spontaneous, just to handle fur overload. Good contemplation. Thought that the Clarene […] desires from us action, attempts, effort. Not perfection. Cheekily thought that the Laetha does desire perfection, hence his focus on denial and restriction. I think both paradigms are useful.

Monday, 30 September 2019

  • Sunrise: 0728
  • Sunset: 1912
  • Moonrise: 0918
  • Moonset: 2027
  • Moon Phase: Waxing
  • Temperature (Actual): 17*C
  • Temperature: Chilly, breath visible
  • Weather: Mostly cloudy, cold, strong sun when visible
  • Notes: Very wet due to yesterday. Strong chill and scent in the air. No noticeable changes to flora. Clouds moving swiftly in the sky. Selfishly hoping for more rain.

Journal Entry

Do not yet feel desire/compulsion to veil. Perhaps it occurs after sunrise? I do not yet have any outfits I feel comfortable veiling in publicly…though all that is really required is something that covers wrists and ankles.

Tuesday, 1 October 2019

  • Sunrise: 0729
  • Sunset: 1910
  • Moonrise: 1039
  • Moonset: 2055
  • Moon Phase: Waxing
  • Temperature (Actual): 20*C
  • Temperature: Unnoticeable
  • Weather: Stormy in afternoon, grey all day
  • Notes: More leaves on ground, some trees entirely yellow and red. No skeletal trees yet. Chill was gone from the air but the sun never broke through the cloud cover. Missed most of the storm, began around 1700.

Journal Entry

Morning prayers were quiet today. Ended prayers with petition to the Gods to keep my focus on Them. Want to incorporate/create(?) prayers for the spirits of the month’s holy days, as well as for various spirits generally.

Wednesday, 2 October 2019

  • Sunrise: 0731
  • Sunset: 1907
  • Moonrise: 1157
  • Moonset: 2126
  • Moon Phase: Waxing
  • Temperature (Actual): 13*C
  • Temperature: Unnoted
  • Weather: Grey, until the sun broke through late afternoon
  • Notes: Remained inside most of day. Grey clouds were almost oppressive, and the sun that managed to scatter them came late enough in the day to feel weak.

Journal Entry

Current morning routine: dishes leftover from night. Prepare tea and breakfast. Offer morning prayers in shrine room. Finish prepping food. Open all windows/shutters. Chant for Navratri (currently).

Then the day becomes more amorphous. More structure needed.

Want to watch more productive/challenging/motivating videos, instead of drama and spite channels.

Thursday, 3 October 2019

  • Sunrise: 0734
  • Sunset: 1905
  • Visible: Yes
  • Moonrise: 1311
  • Moonset: 2203
  • Moon Phase: Waxing
  • Temperature (Actual): 14*C
  • Temperature: Cold
  • Weather: Scattered clouds, bright sun, gave in to complete cloud cover
  • Notes: Very chill in the morning. Lots of leaves falling and yellow in the trees.

Journal Entry

None for today.

Friday, 4 October 2019

  • Sunrise: 0735
  • Sunset: 1903
  • Visible: No
  • Moonrise: 1418
  • Moonset: 2246
  • Moon Phase: Waxing
  • Temperature (Actual): 14*C
  • Temperature: Very chill
  • Weather: Complete cloud cover, slight wind, rain
  • Notes: Not as dark as other cloudy days. Wind rattling the bushes, carries a sweet smell along with the scent of wet and rain. No strong smell of rot and soil yet.

Journal Entry

Want to try a different inking style for today’s art. Something thinner and sketchier. Also want to pick up some Copics for the color. Feeling defeatist about art – but why? The point isn’t perfection. I suspect frustration comes from my art not being in any style I personally like.