As one who measures the year by more than one calendar, I often find my attention piqued when presented with methods of doing so from the past with which I was previously unfamiliar. Such was recently the case when, whilst listening to the History Extra podcast, I found myself wholly enrapt with Dr. Eleanor Parker’s presentation of her recently published book “Winters in the World; A Journey Through the Anglo-Saxon Year.”
Back in July of 2020 (and I hope you’ll forgive my for mentioning that annus horribilis) Mark Avery reviewed Roy Dennis’ then recently published collection of nature essays titled “Cottongrass Summer;” a review in which Mark placed it beside Aldo Leopold’s classic book “A Sand County Almanac” in regard to his perception of both its “quality and worth.”
While it’s not yet winter here in the northern hemisphere, Mother Nature is certainly beginning to offer a range of reminders that it is indeed coming. What leaves remain on the trees are turning from vivid reds and oranges to more subdued yellows and browns just prior to joining their fellows on the forest floor. Insects are becomming scarce. And the local bird populations are rearranging their respective species memberships.
As those who follow The Well-read Naturalist’s Twitter or Instagram feeds will likely already know, I make a regular habit of reading from the collected essays in Melissa Harrison’s Seasons quartet of anthologies from Elliott & Thompson. However what you may not know is just how regular this habit is, or why I do it. […]