Times are EST, Gardening for Zone 8. To make adjustments for your time zone, click here. For additional daily activities and times of sign changes, see February Zodiactivities calendar.

The standout event this week is the luscious New Moon in Pisces on Tuesday, the 21st, at 5:35pm (EST). If you practice making New Moon intentions, always do them during the dark of the Moon ~ that 2-3 day period preceding the New Moon. Engaging in a simple New Moon meditation helps solidify your intentions in your head so that you can make conscious progress through the month. I’ve found that the best way to work with New Moon intentions is to keep it really simple. There’s a dreamy, expansive feel to this New Moon. Very intuitive with messages through dreams.

 

Monday carries the wonderfully wacky Aquarius energy into the work week. Aquarius is a bit of a rebel at times, so if you feel the urge to call in to work and quit on Monday morning, give it some time. The Pisces Moon may set us all to dreaming about the perfect world where everyone is sensitive and loves one another, but is that real? Pisces hopes it is. Aries’ individuality and “my way or the highway” attitude can give the heave-ho to previous Piscean “we are all one spirit” thoughts. Make sure you have a physical outlet for the hot Aries energy so that it doesn’t erupt into arguments and emotional battles. Sunday’s Taurus Moon encourages us to slow down, take it easy, and just chew on things for a while.

Household and Gardening Tips

Aquarius is an air sign, so if temps allow it, throw open your windows and doors and let the fresh air flow! Aquarius can’t stand anything stale, so use this refreshing energy. If you can’t open the windows, set up a fan to circulate the air. The slightest breeze can renew a room. While you’re airing out the house, don’t forget to change your air filters. You may need to do this monthly or bi-monthly, and it’s easy to forget about. If you make a point of changing them when the Moon is in Aquarius, you’ll get on a schedule that’s easy to remember.

The New Moon in Pisces on Tuesday gives us about 2½ days of “down time.” Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac before the entire cycle begins again with feisty Aries. I had a wonderful talk with a friend recently about goldfish and fish tanks, which brought back really fond memories of when I had an aquarium in my house. I miss that. With the right setup, they really aren’t much trouble and they are so soothing. Naturally, Pisces the Fishes, is the absolute perfect time to set up an aquarium.  If you’re tempted, set up the aquarium, but wait a few days (maybe even a week) before adding the fish. That gives the tank time to acclimate itself so that it’s more hospitable to the fish.

There’s no gentle way to segue from setting up an aquarium to suggesting fish for supper, but…there you go. Another good reason to wait on adding fish to your tank. 😉

Do make time for yourself during Pisces as this is an especially sensitive time during the lunar cycle. Emotions can run the gamut as we search for an anchor to feelings that rise to the surface. Baths, gentle music, light massage, and gentle exercise are all helpful.

Aries arrives late Thursday evening, leaving Friday and Saturday open for all kinds of activities. Activity is the key! Go where your spirit leads you. It’s also an excellent time to attend to your ceilings. Aries rules the head and accessories for the head ~ scarves, caps, hats. The ceiling is the head or cap inside our homes, so it’s a good time to sweep the cobwebs ~ a fast, little chore that makes a world of difference. If you need cutlery, now’s the time, as Mars and Aries are masters of knives and all things sharp. Dull knives can benefit from a little sharpening now, but do be careful!

If you know Taurus, those sharpened knives can come in handy feeding the hardy Taurus appetites. It’s comfort food time and a lot means A LOT! If you like to grocery shop on weekends, Sunday’s your best bet for stocking the pantry. Taurus is cost-conscious, likes to accumulate, but won’t short-change at mealtimes. Beans are also a Taurus staple and they always fit the bill for Taurus’ budgets. The northeast wall of a room is Taurus territory. Check ‘em out. Anything there need attention?

The Sun has entered the gentle, emotional sign of Pisces ushering out the last of the winter days. Spring is in the air! Not quite, but the warmer than average winter months has already got my sap rising a bit. Maybe it’s what’s known as meteorological spring, which is based on temperatures instead of the Spring Equinox. Whatever you call it, I’m feeling it. It’s tempting at this time of year to jump the gun and get ahead of ourselves. Gardens love patience, though, so patient we must be.

Aquarius rules the ankles in our bodies and, also, the ankles of plants. You know how some seedlings will sort of wilt or turn black just where they meet the dirt? That’s an Aquarius thing which seedlings may suffer from if planted during this sign. Just as we need to air out our homes, we can also air out our gardens. If you’re pruning, keep air space between the branches.

Pisces reminds me to put a bit of fish emulsion on the plants. They love it! Since it’s a New Moon, hold off on planting even though it’s the fertile sign of Pisces. If you’re thinking of adding a water feature to your garden, this is a good time to do some planning. What part of your garden would be most suitable? Would you like it serene and trickling or bristling? Is a bird bath enough or would you prefer a koi pond? Running water keeps the birds and other critters happy and cuts down on mosquitoes and other pesky, biting bugs that are drawn to still water.

We don’t often think of our roofs as being part of our gardens, but they contribute a great deal to our property values and curb appeal. The Aries Moon is an excellent time to get the heads of our houses blown off. Not literally, of course. Just the leaves. Don’t forget the out-buildings and sheds.

There are quite a few plants that belong to Aries because of its association with the planet Mars. One of those is a houseplant that many of us already have ~ the aloe. It’s a prickly edged plant that is one of the best things to have on hand for minor burns. Easy to grow, they love being potted in cactus soil. Mine started out as a puny, pitiful little thing and went wild. He’s about 3′ tall from soil to tip. This is it’s second home after the first transplant. He’s making lots of babies and loving my kitchen window where he gets tons of morning sun. (He looks better in person.)

The Moon enters Taurus at 9:36 Sunday morning. Have a ball! Taurus IS the garden and will appreciate anything you do for it. This is the best time to transplant and is excellent for root growth and all around hardiness. If you practice Feng Shui, a money tree might be the perfect addition to your money corner.

Have a lovely week, and don’t forget to dream.