Want to know how dew is formed, what the July night sky will show, or the gardening jobs for October? I’ve been finding out all this and more with The Almanac by Lia Leendertz.
Billed as ‘a seasonal guide to 2019’ it’s a fascinating little book packed with folklore, superstition and practical advice, such as sunrise and sunset times and tide timetables.
Each section begins with annual events and a run through of the names the month has throughout the British Isles from Cornish to Irish Gaelic: January is Faoilleach in Scots Gaelic and Ionawr in Welsh, for example.
Then there’s a story associated with the month, an eclectic selection that includes an Islamic tale for June, a Polish Christmas story and a Jewish tale for April.
Naturally, anything British had to include the weather and, aside from average temperatures and rainfall for the month in question, there’s explanations of the shadow rule, used to decide whether the sun is hot enough to burn, and descriptions of the different types of frost.
The Garden sections include advice on planting by the moon, jobs for the month and recipes to use crops that are ready for harvest, alongside a regional speciality cheese of the month, no bog-standard cheddar here.
Meanwhile, running through the book is the story of the beehive over the year and what to look out for in nature each month from how to hunt for moths using a white sheet to the appearance of daddy longlegs.
Each month ends with a suitable song, complete with music and words, and the book is illustrated with lovely drawings by Celia Hart, including winter twigs of native trees and different pig breeds. I particularly liked the seashells of July.
Hardback and pocket-sized, The Almanac is perfect for taking out on walks or dipping into at home and the ribbon marker means you can ‘bookmark’ your place.
The real beauty of this multi-layered book is the way it makes you stop, think and appreciate each season and every month. Perfect as a stocking-filler and ideal for anyone who wants to know more about our customs and the changing year.
• The Almanac – A Seasonal Guide to 2019 by Lia Leendertz, illustrations by Celia Hart, is published by Mitchell Beazley, priced at £10.
• Copy provided free by Mitchell Beazley in return for a fair review.
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