Happy Michaelmas Day

Michaelmas (pronounced Mickel-mas) - or the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Michael and All Angels - is celebrated on the 29th of September every year. As it falls near the equinox, the day is associated with harvest, the beginning of autumn, and the shortening of days.

Harvest Home and Golden Corn, 1875. David Payne, Annan Museum

In England, it is one of the quarter days - traditionally the four quarter days in a year are: Lady Day (25th March), Midsummer (24th June), Michaelmas (29th September), and Christmas (25th December). They are spaced three months apart, on religious festivals, usually close to the solstices or equinoxes.

St. Michael, the warrior archangel

Michaelmas is still observed in Waldorf schools, which celebrate it as the “festival of strong will” during the autumnal equinox. Rudolf Steiner considered it the second most important festival after Easter — Easter being about Christ (“He is laid in the grave and He has risen”).

friends al fresco

After who knows how long, vaccinations in the UK are at the point where it's finally less risky to go out to the park and have some snacks and drinks with friends (at a safe distance) again. 

Dune | an epic saga

Dune by Frank Herbert was a strong influence in our wonder | wander | women lives. When we first read it in the late 70s, pregnant with Mahala. 

Throughout the years, we ardently studied the Bene Gesserit training manual and the Mentat handbook, in our own quest to immerse ourselves totally in the made up world of Dune. 

Dune cover art

We are delighted that a new movie directed by Denis Villeneuve is being released this September. So far the reviews and coverage have been positive and that has been so encouraging. 

The truth is, we were so gaga over Dune that when the David Lynch version first came out we rushed to watch it. Even if it fell short of all our expectant excitement, we loved that it stayed true to the book anyway. 

Dune Cast Q&A with Stephen Colbert

42 - the answer?

I was so excited to turn 42 this year. In the Douglas Adams science fiction series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the number 42 is given as the answer to "life, the Universe, and everything." 

Art corner at VANS in Seven Dials

what climate?

Death and destruction in the wake of Ida - all across the northeast here in the United States. The storm's tail lashed out - all wild and heavy handed - bringing high floods and causing havoc late evening and early morning, on September 1 and 2. 

The Washington Time

Videos and photos of New York City - under siege and under water - caused wave after wave of surreal chills worldwide. Leaving us helpless and horrified as we watched in joined paralyzing fear. 

Washington Post coverage