Third Quarter Moon of January and Nature-Culture Brainstorm

Today is the third Quarter moon. This waning moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work, renewal, and self-care. This isn’t a moment for starting new projects but for finishing up old ones, making peace with the past, and preparing for a fresh start at the next new moon.

Agenda:

1. Ongo journal

2. Ritual for Release and Realignment

3. Meditation and Evaluation Journal

4. Monthly journal brainstorm

5. Bird and butterfly garden planning

6.

 Start a phenology journal

7. Days of Passion

1. Ongo journal:

I'm going back through this book by Catherine Madden and Jesse Weiss Chu (2022), focussing on the solo practices. The solo practices are meant to be done 5 days a week - 3 practices alternating with 2 "Rememberings", to allow you to go deep.

Day 5 is Mindfulness of Body: "When we are rooted and present within our own bodies, we are less easily swayed by the winds of our own thinking or shaken by the words of others."

The practice is a full body scan, starting with my toes, noticing how each part feels and what emotions are carried there. When I complete a trip through my whole body, I can draw a map of the sensations I noticed, labeling each body part.

2. Ritual for Release and Realignment:

This phase of the moon is for releasing and cleansing. This month I want to release my need for perfection and be happy with good enough.

3. Meditation and Evaluation Journal:

Today I get to reflect back on the first 3/4 of the White Moon lunar cycle that I'm passing through. My theme has been stillness. I ask myself, What lessons have I learned in the last weeks? What has been completed? What has shifted? and what can I set aside?

I sit with these queries and write in my journal in a reflective way - my insights, emotions, and the clarity I’ve gained during the last lunar month and how I’ve grown. 

I review the intentions I set at the new moon, and write about what I've accomplished. I also write about the unfinished parts - some of these I will finish in the next couple days, some I will save for next month, and some I will release because they have become irrelevant or didn't go as planned.

This reflection will prepare me for moving forward with grace and purpose.

4. Monthly journal brainstorm:

At the new moon (next week) I will transition from one focus to another, and a whole new field of opportunity. This week I'll take time to write down my goals, dreams, and exciting ideas for the next 30-days, including at least a few crazy, improbable notions. 

-Start with a list of seasonal themes and celebrations, vacations, and other events.

-Write about my biggest priorities this month, how they might fit into my life, and how they connect to my values and principles.

-Write about possible obstacles and factors such as the weather, upcoming schedule changes, or money problems.

-Write about the parts that excite me and the parts that might be hard to find motivation for.

5. Bird and butterfly garden planning:

Baba and a Sparrow that lives in my apple hedge

I've taken quite a bit off time off from my garden. It doesn't need much from me right now, and I'm not eager to go into the mud. But winter is a great time for observation, planning, and preparation, and today I will find a dry window to take a notebook and a camera outside for an observation session.

Bird and butterfly habitat loss can be mitigated by strategically planning and designing urban butterfly gardens. The question then arises, how can these butterfly gardens be designed to best insure butterfly survival? 

January is the perfect time to get my plans for the year in order. Next week, on Plow Monday, I'll begin vegetable garden plans, but today I'll start to think about new habitat for birds and butterflies.

1. Choose what to plant: First I'll review what I planted last year, what did best, and new plants to try this year.
2. Map out the garden: Revise the plans. 
3. Make a planting schedule: Next, I need to determine the date to start each thing, and put it onto my planting spreadsheet, and my calendar.

6. Phenology journal:

Lupines

Phenology is the study of cyclic and seasonal changes in nature. It's nature's calendar: when flowers bloom, leaves break bud, birds begin migrating, leaves change color and begin to fall, and so on. Farmers and gardeners use phenology to develop a planting schedule. Researchers observe changes in phenology as an indicator of the vulnerability of species and communities to changes in climate.

Last year I began to study the phenology in my garden to broaden my awareness, deepen my connection to the wildlife around me, and to better understand the calendar of my environment and how it is changing. I focused on a few native plants and personal favorites in my yard, the birds at my feeder, and some specific patches of leaf mulch (for insects).

January 9, 2026, Phenology Notes:

Seviceberry tree, planted 2025

• Temperature: high = 47º; Low = 31º.

• Birds: We've seen a lot fewer birds this year - some chickadees, some dark-eyed juncos, nuthatches, and a pair of golden-headed sparrows. Also, my Anna's hummer.

• Plants: Oregon Sunshine (not blooming yet this year, thank goodness); Lupine; Serviceberry tree- nice buds; Red-flowering currant- died last fall; Snowberry- bare; Milkweed- dormant.

7. Days of Passion:

On Fridays I make a plan for Nature-Culture flow and writing through the next week. My Nature-Culture theme this month is winter regeneration and awareness. Today I am brainstorming topics in my Winter chapters, and also some garden, advocacy, and community tasks to support that work:

• Awareness: Spiritual simplicity and order; Monitor Your Air Quality; Winter temperature awareness; Study soil health; Celebrate Imbalc
• Design a winter nature awareness retreat, with some ceremony, drawing?, and awareness of temperature changes.
• Sanctuary for urban animals; sharing plants with neighbors; 
• Make a plant list and distribute it, bird care schedule; Do some research for EC Action to determine what plants will best serve our native pollinators.
• Natural living: with less plastic
• Recycled plastic bags crochet; 
• Give Back: Plastics advocacy and education; vision of how we can face the climate and biodiversity crisis like heroes; Write a Habitat Haven neighbor letter,
• Sign painting for MLK Day?
• Prepare a trout friendly tag for a future Meeting event.
• Set intentions for EC in 2026, read up on the Clean Water bill, and legislative short session, write EC report and agenda; send News; Research and plan postcards to legislators; schedule a sign-making day.
• Watershed watercolor project and class plan