The Audio Almanac

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 StellariumMercy, by Rudy FranciscoChapters:00:00 Introduction00:47 Last Days of Summer01:42 On the Train, and Bank Holidays03:22 First Signs of Autumn04:21 The Hop Harvest04:49 The Small Folk08:17 Double Seventh Festival, or Qi Xi09:01 The Lovers of Magpie Bridge11:36 Hungry Ghost Festival14:26 On Wasps and Community17:58 Conclusion This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

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 & MatarikiA 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 MeadowsReferences:* The Wheel of the Year, Teresa Moorey & Jane Brideson* The Secret Lives of Colour, Kassia St. ClairChapters:00:00 Introduction00:47 Waning Thunder01:40 Gods of the Storms04:10 How Thunder Forms06:39 Return of the Night (& Perseids!)07:32 The Summer Triangle08:50 Cygnus & Phaethon11:53 Season of Duality12:24 The Sturgeon Moon13:08 Blackberries & Plums14:35 Lammas, or Lughnasadh19:23 Celebrating Pride20:50 On True Names and Rainbows25:13 New Podcast Artwork(!)25:59 ConclusionTranscript https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/13-between-stormcloud-and-rainbow This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

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 PhotosChapters:00:00 Introduction00:30 Slowing the Wheel01:57 The Buck Moon02:24 Morning03:49 Guru Purnima & Dharma Day05:40 Noon06:45 Summer Survival08:51 Bug Watching09:43 Crickets & Grasshoppers12:35 Hummingbird Hawk-Moth14:19 Dusk (and How Antlers Grow)16:30 The Summer Day, Mary Oliver18:30 Of Stories and Gods22:50 ConclusionTranscript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/12-one-summer-day This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

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 microphoneLinks:* Sand Art videos on Matariki, by Marcus Winter* Our Summer Solstice PlaylistChapters:00:00 Introduction (feat. Grandad)00:45 Summer is Here!02:34 Wishing on Hay Bales03:45 Sunflowers & Heliotropes06:36 Pleiades, or Matariki08:20 Māori Origin Myth10:33 Celebrating Matariki12:51 Rising with the Sun13:45 About Stone Circles15:13 Summer Solstice at Arbor Low16:45 Becoming Santa Claus18:20 On Observance20:28 Wild Mountain Thyme23:38 ConclusionTranscript and photos: perilunucy.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

On this episode: as the Summer solstice approaches, we appreciate the things that made life possible on EarthEpisode links:* Elderflower recipes* Go and watch Ocean!* Information on ending destructive fishing practicesChapters:00:00 Introduction00:30 Flower to Fruit04:00 Elderflower Season05:45 June Flowers07:07 New Life, Bats and Dragonflies!09:12 Summer Solstice Folklore10:45 Kupala Night12:30 Water & the Goldilocks Zone15:28 Ocean Film17:35 ConclusionTranscript coming soon: perilunucy.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

On this episode: Tulips, thunderstorms and everything that blooms. “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May” - Sonnet 18, ShakespeareLinks and References:* An Immense World, Ed Yong* Make a Daisy Chain or Make a Braided Daisy CrownFound Sounds on this episode:* crowds and floats at Spalding Flower Parade 2025* starlings nesting in the gutter* a thunderstorm* my birthday!* finding caterpillarsTranscript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/09-under-the-flower-moonChapters:00:00 Introduction00:32 The World is in Bloom01:55 The Flower Moon02:20 How Do Flowers Close?03:48 Damselflies04:52 Caterpillars and Baby Birds05:57 Animal Senses07:42 Seeing in UV09:32 Tulip Festival11:43 Daisy Chains12:05 Thunderstorm13:37 Canaries in the Coalmine14:46 Coming Alive15:40 Poem: The Tulip16:55 A Birthday Request17:52 Conclusion This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

On this episode: May Day brings legends in the woods and fires on the hills as we dance to the rhythm of SpringFound Sounds on this episode:* a bike ride with my dad* magpies cacklingReferences:* 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 Introduction00:27 Step into the Green01:18 The Magic of Spring02:02 Spring Folklore03:20 Why are Leaves Green?06:03 Dewdrop Ritual07:11 Catching Fairies07:32 Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower09:12 Beltane & Fire11:22 Maypole Dancing12:00 Time for Movement14:07 One for Sorrow17:00 ConclusionTranscript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/08-tales-from-the-green This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

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 & purringReferences:How We Learn To Be Brave, Mariann Edgar BuddeThe Summer Day, Mary Oliver (“your one wild and precious life”)The Woodland Trust - BluebellsChapters:00:00 Introduction00:34 Bright Spring Days00:53 The April Moon02:55 Unfurling Leaves04:19 Dandelion Carpets05:01 Bluebells & Fairies06:53 The Lyrids Meteor Shower08:37 Orange-tip Butterflies09:10 Vaisakhi & Easter12:03 Easter, Reconsidered13:14 Spring Tales of Rebirth14:17 On Living Courageously17:35 Conclusion This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

On this episode: fleeting blossom, galaxy season and bumblebees as the spring grows inFound 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 ducksReferences:* Wild Geese, Mary Oliver* Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer* The Web of Meaning, Jeremy Lent* Fahrenheit 451, Ray BradburyChapters:00:00 Introduction00:29 Stepping into Spring01:20 Blossom03:12 April Fools’ Day03:50 Changing the Clocks04:18 Eid al-Fitr04:44 The Solar Eclipse05:30 Galaxy Season and Hydra07:32 The Five Senses of Spring08:34 Lessons from a Bumblebee10:30 Flowers Grow in Black Loam13:15 ConclusionTranscript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/06-audio-almanac-how-things-grow This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

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 locationsFound 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 duskChapters:00:00 Introduction00:24 The Moon Before the Equinox01:21 Blood Moon03:06 Everything is Wonky04:35 How Eclipses Work05:53 Spring Equinox07:00 Ostara, or Oestre08:06 The Festival of Holi08:36 Vishnu and Prahlad10:58 Signs of Spring12:03 Starling Murmuration15:06 ConclusionTranscript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/the-audio-almanac-05-colour-and-motionWith thanks to Joe, Sam M, Sam A and Len This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

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 roofTranscript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/the-audio-almanac-04-prepare-to-bloomChapters:00:00 Introduction00:30 It Feels Like Spring02:06 Red Sky Lore02:33 Why Does the Sky Change Colour?05:10 Spring Cleaning06:32 Primroses and Daffodils07:20 The Story of Narcissus09:39 Irises and Blossom10:18 Ramadan and Lent11:41 Planting Saplings13:30 Conclusion This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

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 voiceovertranscript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/the-audio-almanac-03-lovebird-seasonWelcome 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 Introduction00:36 Groundhog Day Results!00:53 The Snow Moon01:34 Snowdrops, Celandines and Daffodils02:50 The Lantern Festival and Lunar New Year03:30 Valentine's Day and Lovebirds04:12 The Birds are Nesting05:02 Mother Badgers06:00 Reflecting on Valentine's Day08:00 About Venus, the Planet of Love09:33 The Constellation Gemini and its Love Stories11:35 Conclusion This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

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 ThankitFound 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 walkChapters:00:00 Introduction00:27 Grey Days and Storm Eowyn01:03 The Days are Lengthening01:59 Spot the Planet Parade03:10 Light Nights and Burns Night04:31 Sunrise and Sunset05:22 Starling Murmurations06:26 The New Moon and New Crescent SocietyTranscript: 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. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com

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 winterset up an aurora alert https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/Found Sounds on this episode: *the birdsong on boxing day*amos the cat purringChapters:00:00 Introduction00:36 The Wolf Moon01:03 The Spring Festivals02:00 The Earliest Signs of Spring02:38 Planet-spotting and the Mars Occultation03:32 The Northern Lights04:52 Light Nights05:12 Groundhog Day Gives Me Hopetranscript: https://perilunucy.substack.com/p/the-audio-almanac-hope-of-spring This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit perilunucy.substack.com