"This inspiring month-by-month guide to engaging with nature in Britain and Ireland melds a sense of celebration with practical guidance."
Lia Leendertz’s The Almanac - A Seasonal Guide to 2023 is an inspiring tool for reconnecting with nature’s cycles in practical ways that propagate soulful results. As such, it’s the perfect gift for gardeners and nature-lovers, and a great way to inject natural goodness to your day-to-day life.
With delicate illustrations by Whooli Chen, this beautiful book presents a month-by-month guide to engaging with the seasons in Britain and Ireland. Given that 2023 is set to be a stellar year for spotting planets, special attention has been given to the solar system, alongside detail on tides, sunrises and moon phases.
There are also features on each month’s unique aspects — what to plant, and what to watch out for in the wild, in the sky, and in your garden — with suggestions for ways we can celebrate nature through folk songs, decorations, and what we eat.
Talking of which, the “bun of the month” feature is fabulous, from making marzipan hot cross buns in April, to enjoying Irish barmbrack buns for Hallowe’en. And, threaded through the book, are in-depth insights to the cycle of a garden pond throughout the year. What a beaut for nature-lovers to dip into and return to.
A small, but beautiful, book touching on various aspects of the calendar year.
This is truly a beautiful, little book that would make a lovely present.. A bit smaller than an average paperback. It covers a diverse range of subjects. For each month there is a tide timetable for Dover, phases of the moon, a few seasonal recipes, information on the respective Zodiac sign, what you can see In the natural world and what needs to be done in the garden. Important dates are also given at the start of each month. I liked the simplistic black and white illustrations. The Zodiac sections were my favourite areas of the book.... Read Full Review
This book has something for everyone interested in the natural world around them. It's an invaluable companion to the upcoming year, month by month.
An almanac is not designed to be consumed in one sitting, so I took one month at random to see what was on offer. Within the pages allotted to said month was so much of interest and practical use, that I would defy anyone not to find something to inform or delight them. From astronomy to philosophy by way of cookery, music and the environment, Lia Leendertz has all bases covered to keep her readers grounded and in touch with their mental well-being.
Beautifully drawn by Whooli Chen, the monochrome illustrations depicting the essential character of each month in turn are juxtaposed by a calendar of it's main events. There are also explanatory drawings and diagrams on almost every page.... Read Full Review
Every home should have a copy - you will find yourself dipping into time and again!
What a delightful book! Beautifully packaged both outside and in, The Almanac will give you, literally, twelve months of pleasure. Many of us lead such busy lives that the seasons can pass us by; we barely notice the changes around us and certainly not those that take place in the night sky and along our coasts. Dipping into these pages throughout the year will give us the insight into why things are celebrated along with nature. Notable days in each month are highlighted, such as the 11th of October, Old Michaelmas Day. On this day, the Devil fell from Heaven and landed on a bramble; he duly cursed its fruits so blackberries are not to be eaten after this day! In April we have St. Tiburtius’ Day when cuckoos start to sing - they stop on St. John’s Day in June!... Read Full Review
