Phenology Calendar Wheel for 2022
Have you ever made a Phenology Calendar Wheel? I made this one on the Winter Solstice of 2021, the date of the “new year” when we begin to turn toward the light in the northern hemisphere (or to a time of rest for those in the global south). I am inspired to make one for every year.
The idea was to follow the phases of the moons, celestial events, and what was happening in the plant and animal kingdoms throughout the year – and to have the entire year depicted in a circle on a single page [no small feat and lots of fine print!].
It is a way of making connections between plant and animal life and the seasons. It can be a calendar for looking forward – or a journal for looking back. It can be whatever you want it to be!
The idea, too, was to embrace the different cultures whose keen understandings of the influences of light, weather, and evolving seasons can help us better appreciate nature’s patterns – and then to learn from them.
Creating a phenology wheel is something we can all do – and rather than take this down because it is “outdated,” I encourage you to use this as an inspiration for making your own.
How it works:
- Start at the Winter Solstice (or anywhere, really). I begin at the Solstice because that is when we start to turn once again toward the light. The Winter Solstice signifies a new beginning. Turn the calendar 1/4 turn at each passing Equinox and Solstice event.
- Follow the demarcations of the cross-quarter Gaelic holidays of Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas (aka Lughnasadh), and Samhain.
- Connect with the elements of earth, air, fire, and water as one flows into the next through the seasons.
- Follow the named full moons common to Native American traditions.
- Step outside and look into the night or early morning to see faraway planets. Watch out for meteor showers!
- Know when to watch for eclipses of sun and moon.
- Be awed by the immensity and complexity of our universe, from the tiniest aphid to the Milky Way.
Come back around to your beginning … wherever that may be. We are all on this spiral of time.
Yes, there is a lot of info on here. After all, it is a complete year on just one page.
But it is just the beginning.
The real value of the Phenology Wheel calendar is in the observations you yourself make at your own personal location. Use this wheel as an inspiration to make your own wheels month by month – or perhaps from one full moon to the next – or even a simple journal. What are the changing weather patterns? What animals do you see? What stages are the plants going through, and how do they attract their respective pollinators – or perhaps do they rely on physical processes of wind and rain? How hard does the wind blow and from what direction – and how much rain accumulates in a day, month, year? When do you see your first ladybug or salamander or butterfly? When do the bees swarm? When do the geese start gathering overhead? What do you Not see?
Over time, we start to see patterns, and perhaps we even see how some of those patterns might be changing. We live in dynamic times.
I hope this Earth and Sky Phenology Calendar Wheel inspires people to slow down, observe, follow earth and planetary cycles, and be in touch with the world around them.
How to Order
Yes, I still have a few copies of this calendar at the time of this writing – so if you would like one, contact me to see if they are still available. Granted, 2022 is now in the past – so I am no longer asking full price. Pay whatever you would like (but I ask that you cover the shipping. Thank you!)
Contact me (click below) to order (I accept personal checks, PayPal, Venmo, and trade options) 🙂
Completely handmade. Drawn by me. I am flattered that you like it! Thank you!
A Journal Option
P.S. Looking for a good eco-log journal? May I recommend The Biotime Log, introduced by Maddy Harland with soft, whispy illustrations by Jane Bottomley, published by Chelsea Green, an employee-owned publishing company (affiliate link).
I have been personally using this journal for the past couple of years to record the changes in my own backyard: first and last frosts, first crocus and daffodil blooms, where I find the bumblebees nesting, storm events, and so much more. Each page has room for 2 days. On each day, you start the entry with the year, so over time, you could feasibly have 10 short entries covering 10 years. I don’t put something down every day, though – and not everything is in our immediate back yard. I like to look back and see, for example, when the salmon are first spotted in the nearby river in the fall and when we start finding our first chanterelles. I can see where this will be a fun book to look through in the years ahead, so I plan on trying to keep up with it. It’s primarily a book for concise observations, though, rather than for waxing philosophically. But truly, you can make it whatever you want.