July Notebook: Water Blessings

Stay cool

Photo by Jakub Vavra on Unsplash

Hello,

I hope you’re all staying cool.

That recent heatwave was scary and I hope you all stayed safe. When the climate is this out of control it’s hard to keep positive. If you’re currently feeling overwhelmed by it all, I wrote this post a couple of years ago and there are some links at the end of it to charities and organisations that offer small ways to take positive action.

July has always been a month for escaping the heat of towns and cities and heading to the beach or the river. At no other month in the year does the water call quite so loudly. For all the years I worked in interiors magazines the July issue was always the coastal issue. Never an exception. Every year we went big on blue and white stripes, whitewashed walls, linen fabrics, fancy deckchairs and picnic sets. Good times.

In the folk calendar July is a month of haymaking and sea blessings and it’s also home to a stretch of weather known as the ‘Dog Days of Summer’ which is when Sirius the dog star is bright in the sky, bringing with it a stretch of stifling weather that was thought to be a dangerous time. Sounds familiar.

So, in this issue of the Monthly Notebook we’ll be dipping our toes in cool waters, with some restful moonlore, coastal book recommendations and soothing soundtracks.

Photo by Danilo D'Agostino on Unsplash

Here are a few things to do, see and enjoy this month:

(Before we start, can I just say a big thank you for all the support you gave my new book announcement yesterday, I hugely appreciate each and every pre-order, like and share. Thank you!)

1. Enjoy the peaceful waning moon

Usually I give you the date of the full moon to look out for each month, but this month you might still be feeling the effects of June’s full moon which was yesterday (30th June). Coinciding as it did with the end of the heatwave, there’s been a lot of intense solar and lunar energy swirling around recently.

So we’re going to focus instead on the waning moon, which starts today. Hopefully with the cooling weather and the waning moon phase we can all start to get a bit more sleep in the first half of this month.

Until the 29th of July that is, when the full moon returns. The July moon has some lovely folk names, from the Thunder Moon to the Hay Moon. Keep an eye out for it but enjoy the peace of the waning moon phase until then.

Photo by Articulate on Unsplash

2. Call on the water gods

This month seems a very good time to pay due respect to the water gods. There are plenty of water gods to call on and say a quick thank you to. Cast a water spell, say a water prayer or just take a wild dip. This month is also a good time to support some of the charities pushing big water companies to clean up our heavily-polluted waterways. Surfers Against Sewage is a great one. Also The Rivers Trust and River Action. Fun fact: Guess what percentage of the UK’s rivers are classed as having ‘good overall’ water quality? 0%.

3. Read seafaring tales and watch coastal programmes

If you can’t get to the sea this month, you can always top up your reading pile and viewing list with watery tales. Some of my favourite comfort reads and tv watching are:

• Rick Stein’s Cornwall series on BBC iPlayer

• Banjo and Ro’s Grand Island Hotel on BBC iPlayer (designing the Hebrides was also brilliant but it looks like you can’t get it on iPlayer anymore)

• Doc Martin on ITV

• Waterlog by Roger Deakin

• The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

4. Whisk yourself to the coast with a cosy ambience video

As you know, I am addicted to these. I always have one on in the background when I’m working. They work better in autumn and winter but I found a couple of good summer ones for you.

Sidenote: can someone please explain to me why I am so against AI in every other part of creative life, yet I allow it with these type of youtube ambience videos? Perhaps because they are obviously fantasy?

Ok, that’s all for now. I hope you have a wonderful month filled with relaxed living, refreshing dips and cooling rituals.

Now it’s over to you to share your July rituals and traditions in the Comments.

I’ll see you next month for an August edition of the Monthly Notebook. We’ll be diving into Lammas rituals (my favourite festival!) and eating lots of fresh bread. Look forward to seeing you there. If you haven’t already Subscribed then just click below to make sure that post arrives safely in your inbox.

Vicky xx

(Oh look, a new book!)