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On this episode: As the Autumn starts to change the trees, we escape on the train to enjoy the last days of Summer. The fairies help with the hop harvest and the Hungry Ghost Festival teaches us about community.

A podcast about seasonal change, human festivals and what connects us. Learn more.

Links:

Download Stellarium

Mercy, by Rudy Francisco

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:47 Last Days of Summer

01:42 On the Train, and Bank Holidays

03:22 First Signs of Autumn

04:21 The Hop Harvest

04:49 The Small Folk

08:17 Double Seventh Festival, or Qi Xi

09:01 The Lovers of Magpie Bridge

11:36 Hungry Ghost Festival

14:26 On Wasps and Community

17:58 Conclusion

A podcast about seasonal change, human festivals and what connects us. Learn more.

On this episode: As the Thunder moon becomes the Sturgeon moon, we collect the first harvest and find links between the festivals of Lammas and Pride.

Links:

* Spot the Summer Triangle

* How to make a Corn Dolly

* They/Them, by David Gate, dedicated to Nex Benedict

* Hire Michelle!

* TAA episode about the Summer Solstice & Matariki

A correction: Michelle has corrected me that the Lammas fields are not cut, the animals are just brought in to graze on the long grasses. These meadows are actually a really interesting holdover from pre-enclosure communal farming! About Lammas Meadows

References:

* The Wheel of the Year, Teresa Moorey & Jane Brideson

* The Secret Lives of Colour, Kassia St. Clair

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:47 Waning Thunder

01:40 Gods of the Storms

04:10 How Thunder Forms

06:39 Return of the Night (& Perseids!)

07:32 The Summer Triangle

08:50 Cygnus & Phaethon

11:53 Season of Duality

12:24 The Sturgeon Moon

13:08 Blackberries & Plums

14:35 Lammas, or Lughnasadh

19:23 Celebrating Pride

20:50 On True Names and Rainbows

25:13 New Podcast Artwork(!)

25:59 Conclusion

Transcript https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/13-between-stormcloud-and-rainbow

On this episode: Bugs, Bucks and Buddhism: we slow down under the Buck Moon and follow the course of one summer day. The Guru Purmina and Dharma Day offer an opportunity to contemplate the nature of spirituality and god.

Links/References:

* Hummingbird Hawk-Moth (this is a clip from the second time I saw one!)

* The Summer Day, Mary Oliver

* Bug Photos

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:30 Slowing the Wheel

01:57 The Buck Moon

02:24 Morning

03:49 Guru Purnima & Dharma Day

05:40 Noon

06:45 Summer Survival

08:51 Bug Watching

09:43 Crickets & Grasshoppers

12:35 Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

14:19 Dusk (and How Antlers Grow)

16:30 The Summer Day, Mary Oliver

18:30 Of Stories and Gods

22:50 Conclusion

Transcript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/12-one-summer-day

A podcast about seasonal changes, human festivals and what connects us.

On this episode: as we cross the midpoint of the year, all things turn to the sun. We get up early to celebrate the summer solstice and Matariki, and consider the importance of observance.

Found Sounds in this episode:

* lighting incense

* a Grandad joke!

* Summer Solstice at Arbor Low

* “Blooming Heather” with Sam

* birds & bluebottles

* Amos the cat headbutting the microphone

Links:

* Sand Art videos on Matariki, by Marcus Winter

* Our Summer Solstice Playlist

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction (feat. Grandad)

00:45 Summer is Here!

02:34 Wishing on Hay Bales

03:45 Sunflowers & Heliotropes

06:36 Pleiades, or Matariki

08:20 Māori Origin Myth

10:33 Celebrating Matariki

12:51 Rising with the Sun

13:45 About Stone Circles

15:13 Summer Solstice at Arbor Low

16:45 Becoming Santa Claus

18:20 On Observance

20:28 Wild Mountain Thyme

23:38 Conclusion

Transcript and photos: perilunucy.substack.com

On this episode: as the Summer solstice approaches, we appreciate the things that made life possible on Earth

Episode links:

* Elderflower recipes

* Go and watch Ocean!

* Information on ending destructive fishing practices

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:30 Flower to Fruit

04:00 Elderflower Season

05:45 June Flowers

07:07 New Life, Bats and Dragonflies!

09:12 Summer Solstice Folklore

10:45 Kupala Night

12:30 Water & the Goldilocks Zone

15:28 Ocean Film

17:35 Conclusion

Transcript coming soon: perilunucy.substack.com

On this episode: Tulips, thunderstorms and everything that blooms. “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May” - Sonnet 18, Shakespeare

Links and References:

* An Immense World, Ed Yong

* Make a Daisy Chain or Make a Braided Daisy Crown

Found Sounds on this episode:

* crowds and floats at Spalding Flower Parade 2025

* starlings nesting in the gutter

* a thunderstorm

* my birthday!

* finding caterpillars

Transcript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/09-under-the-flower-moon

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:32 The World is in Bloom

01:55 The Flower Moon

02:20 How Do Flowers Close?

03:48 Damselflies

04:52 Caterpillars and Baby Birds

05:57 Animal Senses

07:42 Seeing in UV

09:32 Tulip Festival

11:43 Daisy Chains

12:05 Thunderstorm

13:37 Canaries in the Coalmine

14:46 Coming Alive

15:40 Poem: The Tulip

16:55 A Birthday Request

17:52 Conclusion

On this episode: May Day brings legends in the woods and fires on the hills as we dance to the rhythm of Spring

Found Sounds on this episode:

* a bike ride with my dad

* magpies cackling

References:

* Why are plants not black?

* Fire Weather by John Vaillant

* God Gave Me Feet For Dancing - feat. Yasmin Lacey, by Ezra Collective

* Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps by Seirian Sumner (I read her article on solitary wasps in a waiting room RHS magazine)

* Inspiration for the reflection on dew drops: Meadow in a Dew Drop, by Kevin Yates. This photo, along with more of Kev’s images of the Natural World, have been selected for an exhibition at Gallery PHOTIQ, Leamington Spa, and will be available to view from 11-22 Nov 2025.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:27 Step into the Green

01:18 The Magic of Spring

02:02 Spring Folklore

03:20 Why are Leaves Green?

06:03 Dewdrop Ritual

07:11 Catching Fairies

07:32 Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower

09:12 Beltane & Fire

11:22 Maypole Dancing

12:00 Time for Movement

14:07 One for Sorrow

17:00 Conclusion

Transcript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/08-tales-from-the-green

On this episode: we gather under the egg moon to look for fairies, bluebells and a meteor shower. The small things around us, and the festivals of Easter and Vaisakhi, teach us to live courageously.

Found Sounds on this episode:

*a walk in the woods sent to me by Michelle (thank you!) featuring mysterious flute music

*a boiling kettle

*morning birds

*Amos the cat, complaining & purring

References:

How We Learn To Be Brave, Mariann Edgar Budde

The Summer Day, Mary Oliver (“your one wild and precious life”)

The Woodland Trust - Bluebells

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:34 Bright Spring Days

00:53 The April Moon

02:55 Unfurling Leaves

04:19 Dandelion Carpets

05:01 Bluebells & Fairies

06:53 The Lyrids Meteor Shower

08:37 Orange-tip Butterflies

09:10 Vaisakhi & Easter

12:03 Easter, Reconsidered

13:14 Spring Tales of Rebirth

14:17 On Living Courageously

17:35 Conclusion

On this episode: fleeting blossom, galaxy season and bumblebees as the spring grows in

Found sounds included in this episode:

* Lots of bees

* Bee in my house (!)

* Starling song (listen for some great rasping sounds!)

* Creaking trees

* A walk in the park with the ducks

References:

* Wild Geese, Mary Oliver

* Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer

* The Web of Meaning, Jeremy Lent

* Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:29 Stepping into Spring

01:20 Blossom

03:12 April Fools’ Day

03:50 Changing the Clocks

04:18 Eid al-Fitr

04:44 The Solar Eclipse

05:30 Galaxy Season and Hydra

07:32 The Five Senses of Spring

08:34 Lessons from a Bumblebee

10:30 Flowers Grow in Black Loam

13:15 Conclusion

Transcript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/06-audio-almanac-how-things-grow

On this episode: a red moon, rotating planets and colourful festivities as the equinox tips us into spring.

Links:

* How to make a pinhole camera

* Murmurations map, UK locations

Found sounds included in this episode:

* Blackbirds, magpies and starlings

* Watching the starling murmuration with friends

* A snippet of piano

* A clicking bat, circling the house at dusk

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:24 The Moon Before the Equinox

01:21 Blood Moon

03:06 Everything is Wonky

04:35 How Eclipses Work

05:53 Spring Equinox

07:00 Ostara, or Oestre

08:06 The Festival of Holi

08:36 Vishnu and Prahlad

10:58 Signs of Spring

12:03 Starling Murmuration

15:06 Conclusion

Transcript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/the-audio-almanac-05-colour-and-motion

With thanks to Joe, Sam M, Sam A and Len

On this episode: it's time for the spring clean! blossom, daffodils and preparing for the year ahead as the growing season begins.

Links and References:

* Red Sky at Night: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/how-weather-works/red-sky-at-night

* Narcissus: https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Narcissus

* The Talmud on Saplings: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/295302.28?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

*Book Recommendation: The Overstory by Richard Powers https://www.richardpowers.net/the-overstory/

Found Sounds included in this episode:

* magpies calling

* wood pigeons hooting and flapping their wings

* the great tits singing and flitting about

* a friend’s spinning wheel whirring, preparing yarn to knit

* heavy rain on a friend’s conservatory roof

Transcript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/the-audio-almanac-04-prepare-to-bloom

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:30 It Feels Like Spring

02:06 Red Sky Lore

02:33 Why Does the Sky Change Colour?

05:10 Spring Cleaning

06:32 Primroses and Daffodils

07:20 The Story of Narcissus

09:39 Irises and Blossom

10:18 Ramadan and Lent

11:41 Planting Saplings

13:30 Conclusion

On this episode: the snow moon brings celandine flowers and valentine's day. The lunar new year starts in earnest.

Found Sounds on this episode:

*drumming, firecrackers and rattles from Liverpool’s Lunar New Year celebration

*birds chirping loudly in a hedgerow by the road

*a robin singing in a tree

*a gentle rain

*amos the cat complaining about me recording a voiceover

transcript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/the-audio-almanac-03-lovebird-season

Welcome to my seasonal bulletin board.

The audio almanac is a bi-weekly round up of the seasonal changes that are currently happening in the UK. Each new episode comes out around a new or full moon. It contains a look at the flowers, birds, star and planet movements, weather patterns and festivals that are at play at a point in the year and draws out themes from them for you to contemplate.

For me, bearing witness to the cycle of the seasons brings a sense of connection to something bigger than myself, to something that moves through the world in predictable ways, following deep universal laws, when on a personal level life moves in ways that feel more scattered.

These episodes are designed to be part information dump and part reflection. I incorporate sounds that I have recorded from the world around me and explanations about how different phenomena work. Think of it as the two of us going for a walk through the woods - I will show you the things that I want you to notice, the things I have learned and the links I have seen between different things, in the hope that you can spot these things for yourself and find ways to breathe a little easier.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:36 Groundhog Day Results!

00:53 The Snow Moon

01:34 Snowdrops, Celandines and Daffodils

02:50 The Lantern Festival and Lunar New Year

03:30 Valentine's Day and Lovebirds

04:12 The Birds are Nesting

05:02 Mother Badgers

06:00 Reflecting on Valentine's Day

08:00 About Venus, the Planet of Love

09:33 The Constellation Gemini and its Love Stories

11:35 Conclusion

On this episode: murmurations, festivals and moon spotting as the days begin to stretch. As a dark month ends, find moments where the light gets in.

Welcome to my seasonal bulletin board.

The audio almanac is a bi-weekly round up of the seasonal changes that are currently happening in the UK. Each new episode comes out around a new or full moon. It contains a look at the flowers, birds, star and planet movements, weather patterns and festivals that are at play at a point in the year and draws out themes from them for you to contemplate.

For me, bearing witness to the cycle of the seasons brings a sense of connection to something bigger than myself, to something that moves through the world in predictable ways, following deep universal laws, when on a personal level life moves in ways that feel more scattered.

These episodes are designed to be part information dump and part reflection. I incorporate sounds that I have recorded from the world around me and explanations about how different phenomena work. Think of it as the two of us going for a walk through the woods - I will show you the things that I want you to notice, the things I have learned and the links I have seen between different things, in the hope that you can spot these things for yourself and find ways to breathe a little easier.

Links:

*Your guide to the planet parade: https://astronomyweek.org.uk/observing/

*The New Crescent Society: https://newcrescentsociety.org/

*How to spot the new crescent moon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1gyiohXBCw&list=PLP0jFZR7JYsqCG3R_tG0wMGP0Fpq5DSmC

*The Selkirk Grace: Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it, But we hae meat and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be Thankit

Found Sounds on this episode:

*winds of storm eowyn

*drumming and bagpipe playing at a light night

*a questionable rendition of auld lang syne sung by me & my friends at new year

*birds on a winter walk

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:27 Grey Days and Storm Eowyn

01:03 The Days are Lengthening

01:59 Spot the Planet Parade

03:10 Light Nights and Burns Night

04:31 Sunrise and Sunset

05:22 Starling Murmurations

06:26 The New Moon and New Crescent Society

Transcript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/the-audio-almanac-02-glimmers-of-light

*a correction - I said in this episode that Robert Burns wrote the Selkirk Grace. He recited it famously many times, but it is more ancient than him and this is a common misattribution.

the audio almanac is a bi-weekly round up of the seasonal changes that are currently happening in the UK. each new episode comes out around a new or full moon, and contains a look at the flowers, birds, star and planet movements, weather patterns and festivals that are at play at a point in the year and draws out themes from them for you to contemplate.

for me, bearing witness to the cycle of the seasons brings a sense of connection to something bigger than myself, to something that moves through the world in predictable ways, following deep universal laws, when on a personal level life moves in ways that feel more scattered.

these episodes are designed to be part information dump and part reflection. think of it as the two of us going for a walk through the woods - i will show you the things that i want you to notice and the links i have seen between different things, in the hope that you can spot these things for yourself and find ways to breathe a little easier. welcome to my seasonal bulletin board.

on this episode: snowdrops, mars and groundhog day as we make it through the winter

set up an aurora alert https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/

Found Sounds on this episode:

*the birdsong on boxing day

*amos the cat purring

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:36 The Wolf Moon

01:03 The Spring Festivals

02:00 The Earliest Signs of Spring

02:38 Planet-spotting and the Mars Occultation

03:32 The Northern Lights

04:52 Light Nights

05:12 Groundhog Day Gives Me Hope

transcript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/the-audio-almanac-hope-of-spring