We have entered the mini season of First Spring and The Year of the Tiger. We are honoring this time of year by reviewing the Lunisolar calendar and reading “Tyger” by William Blake.
Mini season: First Spring
Micro-Season: “The Chicken Lays Her First Eggs”
We are at the end of the micro-season, “The Chicken Lays Her First Eggs”. Although, Chickens may not be laying very many eggs in New England right now, we do have traditions like Groundhog's Day and poetry by Hickler, Issa, and Kerouac to remind us that spring is coming.
Micro-season: “The Mountain Stream Freezes Over”
We are at the end of the micro-season, “The Mountain Stream Freezes Over”. This micro-season is the second part of the mini season Major Cold. We celebrate this season with poetry and an investigation into the importance of the earth’s fresh water system.
Mini Season: Major Cold
Issa’s haiku “my proxy bathes/in the cold water.../sparrow” is the perfect way to start our exploration into the mini season of Major Cold. This is the last mini season of the 72 Season calendar and the time where athletes begin to engage in Kangeiko.
Micro-Season: “The Spring Water Holds its Warmth”
We have entered the micro-season of “The Spring Water Holds Warmth”, which is the second part of the mini season of Minor Cold. When thinking about this season, I think about ice. Specifically, I think about the factors that contribute to its formation and the haiku written about it.
Micro-Season: “The Water Dropwort Flourishes”
We have entered the micro-season of “The Water Dropwort Flourishes”, which is part of the mini season of Minor Cold. The water dropwort, also known as Japanese parsley or Seri, is one of the key ingredients in seven-herb rice porridge that is eaten during the Festival of Seven Herbs.
The Micro-Season of “The Elk Sheds its Horns(Antlers)”
We have entered the micro-season of “The Elk Sheds its Horns”. Elk actually have antlers, not horns. So we should be referring to this micro-season as "Elk Shed its Antlers". Our exploration into this season will look at the elk, the antlers, and a few haiku.
Micro-season: “The Salmon Gather to Spawn”
We have entered the micro season of “The Salmon Gather to Spawn”. This is the last season of the mini season Major Snow. This micro-season focuses on the anadromous behavior of salmon and the myth of Osuke, the king of salmon.
Mini Season: Major Snow
The mini season of Major Snow is marked by a drop in temperature and a noticeable decline in daylight. With this shift, frost is now a common occurrence. As a way to celebrate this season, we will look at how frost is made and then read some poetry by Issa, Buson, Toshimi, and Teasdale.
Mini Season: Minor Snow
We have entered the mini season of Minor Snow. This season is marked by cold winds and regular snowfall. This season also brings to mind the concept of wabi-sabi.
Micro-Season: “The First Camellia Blossoms”
"The First Camellia Blossoms” is the first micro-season of mini season First Winter. The Camellia flower, also known as Tsubaki, has a unique connection to poetry and literature in both Japan and the United States.
Mini-Season: Frost Descent
As we near the end of October, we welcome the mini season of Frost Descent. At this time, we reflect on the impermanent nature of all things.
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