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Poor Will's Almanack: July 5 - July 11, 2022

Poor Will’s Almanack for the second week of Deep Summer, the second week of the Fledgling Moon, the third week of the sun in Cancer.

“In the flowers find your solace,” wrote the ancient poet, Celtus. He said their blossoms bring you, “Fleeting cure for every sadness, Fragrant physic for your longing, Certain aid for loneliness.”

And if you need that floral cure, Deep Summer brings more flowers into bloom than any other time of year.

As July deepens, Rose Of Sharon Season takes over the hedgerows, and Phlox Season opens in the gardens. Day Lily Season is wide open in the dooryards.

Out in sunny fields, you can wander in search of the medicine of Gray Headed Coneflower Season, Purple Loosestrife Season, Queen Anne’s Lace Season, Purple Coneflower Season, Wild Petunia Season, Bouncing Bets Season, Blue Dayflower Season, White Vervain Season, St. John’s Wort Season, Germander Season, Pokeweed Season and Wild Lettuce Season.

In the shade of the canopy, find soothing Tall Bellflower Season, refreshing Wood Mint Season, and surprising Touch-Me-Not Season. In the ponds and creeks, Water Plantain Season and Arrowhead Season, Water Hemlock Season and Water Horehound Season complement the healing water.

And if you don't recognize or name any flowers, it really doesn't matter. Their seasons, like summer itself, surround us, working their cures if we just open ourselves to them

This is Bill Felker with Poor Will’s Almanack. I’ll be back again next week with notes for the third week of Deep Summer. In the meantime,  pause, stop, wait; let the cures sink in.

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Bill Felker has been writing nature columns and almanacs for regional and national publications since 1984. His Poor Will’s Almanack has appeared as an annual publication since 2003. His organization of weather patterns and phenology (what happens when in nature) offers a unique structure for understanding the repeating rhythms of the year.