Works in Progress
OCTOBER 11TH, 2026
Cover: É. L. Trouvelot. “Aurora Borealis: As Observed March 1, 1872, at 9h. 25m. P.M.” Plate IV. The Trouvelot Astronomical Drawings. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1881–82.
Barely New Moon; 27 Days to Fall Cross-Quarter
Works in Progress
I was outnumbered this week by responsibilities, not to mention a few distractions. So my next step down through the forest canopy, from oak and hickory to pawpaw and below, will have to wait another week. However, the topic-in-progress is one of my favorite plants: staghorn sumac!
In the meantime, I wanted to introduce a project I have brewing for the coming winter solstice: postcards!
Postcard #3 (front)
Postcard #3 (back)
A Special Little Bundle
Yes, the longest night of the year (at least in the northern hemisphere) is still 71 days away. But if you’d like to be prepared, consider preordering the collection of five print postcards—or the digital edition, for viewing and printing at home!
I’ve selected five public domain images to mark the arrival of the 2026 winter solstice and the following period of astronomical winter, which lasts through March 20, 2027 (the spring equinox). Each postcard includes a caption explaining the image’s source, as well as a scannable QR code linking to a page on the Earthly Book of Hours, which will inclue full references, archival links, and further reading. I’m still finalizing details, but the cards will be printed on recycled paper and shipped within the U.S. from my apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Available now through Metalabel, arriving at your home in early December: preorder here.
My little shop on Metalabel.
✦ From the Earthly Book of Hours ✦
I’m continuing to refine designs across the site, including a new side-by-side view for the main Hours page, and more polished navigation panes for exploring The Hours and The Seasons. The site’s navigation is meant to be informational, telling you a lot more about the current time than a traditional clock or calendar, but in a compact form.
With the design looking better, I’ll be able to get back to filling out and revising the site’s content: new introductions for each main page, as well as (finally) a fuller set of readings and images for the site’s literary-artistic weather service.
New side-by-side layout for The Hours
Refined navigation/clock pane for The Hours
Refined navigation/calendar pane for The Seasons
Updated page layout for the seasonal species essays
