Yay! It’s officially Spring (why does this not start at equinox? who knows?)
No July update because magical holiday.
Skipped June and may revisit – if I can actually recall what I did in June.
Onward!
♥
01. Use the things!
✅ August was about assessing the things. I donated my remaining five pottery vouchers back to the studio so that someone might benefit from them; we gifted our bicycles to Bessie and Hansel; and set a number of other items free; I’ve been having conversations with books. It’s quite liberating to make literal and mental space.
02. Put my feet in the sea
✅ Completed April.
03. Buy more indoor plants
Completed: March | April | May | August
One adorable wee succulent acquired in August.
04. 30 days of Yoga With Adrienne in January
✅ Completed: January
Can’t quite get back into the groove with this – despite knowing it would benefit me greatly.
05. Achieve Big Financial Goal
✅ Completed!
Was scheduled for September, but we snuck in a month early.
Next big financial milestone: December 2023
06. Use my dremel.
✅ Completed May!
07. Choose the loving action.
✅ Definitely a big yes! Getting some perspective and putting career in its rightful place have been the best and most loving things I could do for myself.
08. Try/learn one new skill each month
✅ Attended Lidded Box class at the Bookbinders Guild. Super-fun and my box is very pleasing. I will make more lidded boxes.
09. More music through speakers in ThePalace(OLove) on working days.
NOPE! I am very not good at this one!
10. Show support financially to creators I believe in
✅ Nothing new, but upped my patron tier for Last Homely House. Kate is total #goals for me.
11. Take myself on an adventure in the goget (car share).
NOPE!
12. Attend another sound bath
✅ Completed March | June | August
Laying on a wooden floor for 2 hours is quite the undertaking – no matter how much padding you bring.
13. Take a photo of the sky every day.
✅ 14/31
19 August: 5:50pm
14. Stay in the country for a weekend
NOPE! Weekends were full of activity and look likely to remain so until year end, so this is becoming increasingly unlikely.
15. Update supportive footwear.
✅ Completed January
Purchased hiking boots and another pair of walking shoes
16. Have a serious crack at meditation.
NOPE!
17. Go for a morning swim in the local pool
✅ Completed February
Pool re-opens for the season in October – will definitely be there!
18. Have a Reiki session.
NOPE!
19. Disrupt the daily routine at least once a week.
✅ We’ve been on dinner dates, a movie and twice to the symphony!
20. Cultivate a healthier relationship with work
✅ YES! NINE DAY FORTNIGHT!
21. Get a haircut/trim
✅ Completed February | pre-trip trim in June
22. Experiment! Tiny experiments with all sorts of things!
✅ We’ve been experimenting with outings – activities on school nights, activities on late nights! Why on earth have we been confining ourselves to weekends before 9pm?
“Official” seasons depend on who’s counting. “Meteorological” seasons go by month (September, October, November for you, March, April, May for me). “Astronomical” seasons start at the equinox or solstice. Then there are the Celtic seasons, which center on equinox or solstice, rather than starting then.
Sorry, I meant “meteorological spring” would be September, October, November, for you, though “astronomical spring” would start at the equinox. Celtic spring would start six weeks before the equinox and last six weeks past it.
If I’m going to be pedantic, I ought at least be clear!
I am here for this pedantry!
Thank you for the correct terminology (and for unravelling my very poorly worded question). This made me finally go searching for why Australia is totally all in on the Meteorological convention – solstice and equinox may as well not exist here, save for shadow diagrams in building applications.
According to our National Broadcaster: Popular usage in Australia (outside the tropics) tends to follow the meteorological seasons quite strongly,” Dr Trewin said.
Most Australians define winter as starting on June 1 and lasting until the end of August. Each of the seasons last three calendar months, breaking up the year into four equal parts.
Dr Trewin said why, exactly, we took on meteorological seasons when other parts of the world, like the US, had stuck with astronomical seasons was unclear.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-21/solstice-vs-season/12364054
Also some robust discussion at: Why do Australians not acknowledge that an equinox or solstice marks the official start of a season? – but alas no clearer!
I think I prefer the Japanese 72 micro-seasons – currently they are in 禾乃登 Kokumono sunawachi minoru = Rice ripens
Still a mysterious mystery!
Oh, I like the micro-seasons too! Liza Dalby wrote a book about applying them to her northern California garden, which I loved. It’s in a box somewhere (really must get around to finishing unpacking!). I did not know that Australia went with meteorological seasons. Do you not notice a real shift around the astronomical events? I think we do, up here—but maybe we’re primed to expect it by more focus on them.
BTW, if you bought new walking shoes in January you may need a new pair now (depending on how much you walk). I wear mine down pretty fast.
I’d say no real shift – seasons feel like they commence much earlier than either the meteorological or the astronomical markers. Spring vibes start around mid-August – there’s a definite change in the quality of light, the air feels different and there’s a ton of blossom already. I’d like a micro-seasons for this context!
I’m walking so little lately that the walking shoes will probably last until late 2024! Must really address that!