Your weekly dose of moonlight, mystery, and mildly organised chaos.

Merlin decided that swimming lessons were entirely unnecessary this week...

One moment he was being his usual confident, fluffy self, fast asleep along the edge of the tow path with all the certainty of a cat who has never once questioned his own balance. The next, there was a splash, a rather indignant WTF expression, a few loud wails and two very startled humans launching into rescue mode.

Thankfully, no harm was done beyond a bruised ego and a very soggy tail. After a thorough tongue washing, a generous helping of fuss, and a well-earned dinner, he has now returned to his rightful position as captain of the boat, carefully pretending that the whole episode was the dog’s fault.

The Kennet & Avon has settled into its familiar late-summer rhythm. Water levels continue their slow dance as another dry spell grips the countryside. One day we're floating high enough to admire perfect reflections, the next we're eyeing the bottom of the canal with quiet curiosity and a wonder where the fish go when the water all falls out. Life on the canal teaches you to accept these little changes rather than fight them. The canal has its own timetable, and boats have a habit of reminding us who's really in charge.

This morning the water is calm once again. Coffee is in hand, Merlin is supervising from rail with his dignity mostly restored, and the laboratory of chaos has already begun humming into life. There are podcasts waiting to be edited, books demanding attention, music looking for a melody, websites slowly taking shape, and more strange ideas than there are hours in the day.

In other words... just another perfectly ordinary week aboard Dark Moon Rocks.

The Moon is up. The kettle is on. The radio is waiting.

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Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs look suspiciously like organised procrastination.

The laboratory has been its usual gloriously chaotic self this week, with half a dozen projects all growing at once. Work continues on the new Dark Moon website, building dedicated pages for podcasts, the Oracle and the book collection, while GitHub quietly does the heavy lifting behind the scenes.

I've also been experimenting with AI video tools. Opus Clips has been pulling highlights from the morning radio shows, making it much easier to turn longer broadcasts into short clips for social media, while Caption AI has been having a look at some of my music videos to see what it can make of them. There's still plenty of experimenting to do, but the possibilities are becoming very interesting.

One particularly welcome discovery has been Get Me Radio, another online radio directory where Dark Moon Rocks is now listed. Every new directory is another doorway for wandering listeners to stumble across our strange radio boat on the Kennet & Avon Canal. Slowly but surely, the station is becoming easier to find.

The books continue to evolve, the podcasts continue to multiply, the coffee pot rarely gets a chance to cool down, and somewhere in the middle of all the organised chaos, ideas keep escaping into the world.

The laboratory remains gloriously chaotic... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

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The Moon is quietly slipping towards the Dark Moon this week, with the New Moon arriving on Wednesday 12th August. We're now in the waning crescent phase, when the sky grows darker each night and nature seems to take a long, slow breath before beginning another cycle.

I've always thought this part of the lunar month is underrated. Everyone loves the bright Full Moon, but the Dark Moon has a different kind of magic. It's the place where ideas settle, old habits loosen their grip, and we begin to notice what we're ready to leave behind.

Rather appropriately, the canal seems to be reflecting that mood. Water levels continue their own unpredictable dance, the summer is beginning to soften around the edges, and there is that unmistakable feeling that the wheel has quietly turned another notch towards autumn.

There's another celestial treat to look forward to this coming week too. On Wednesday evening, much of the UK will see a remarkably deep partial solar eclipse, followed later that night by the peak of the Perseid meteor shower beneath beautifully dark skies thanks to the approaching New Moon. If the clouds are kind, it could be one of the best nights of the year to simply look up.

Although Lammas officially arrived at the beginning of August, its spirit lingers throughout the month.

Traditionally known as the first harvest, Lammas reminds us to stop chasing what's next for just a moment and notice what has already grown. The first loaf of bread baked from the new grain was shared with family and neighbours as a simple act of gratitude, celebrating the work that had already been done before the bigger harvests of autumn arrived.

These days, most of us aren't gathering wheat from the fields, but the symbolism still feels wonderfully relevant. It's a chance to ask a simple question:

What have I harvested this year?

Perhaps it's a new skill, a project finally taking shape, a difficult lesson learned, or simply the quiet resilience to keep going when life has been a little stormy.

Sometimes the harvest isn't what we planned for. Sometimes it's the person we've become while trying to grow something else entirely.

For me, Lammas has become less about rituals and more about recognising the small victories. A radio station that continues to grow. New podcasts finding their listeners. Books slowly taking shape. A cat who has recovered from an unexpected swimming lesson. They may not look like great bundles of wheat, but they're all part of this year's harvest, and they're worth celebrating.

If you'd like to support the strange little green boat that's home to Dark Moon Rocks, the Ko-fi shop is always open.

You'll now find my two latest books, written to make you think, question, and perhaps see the world from a slightly different angle.

Looking for a little guidance? You can also book a Dark Moon Oracle Tarot Reading, where we'll explore the symbols, stories and patterns that are calling for your attention. Whether you're at a crossroads or simply curious, every reading is approached with warmth, insight and a healthy respect for your own intuition.

If you're simply enjoying the radio, podcasts, music or newsletter, you can always leave a tip. Every contribution helps keep the station broadcasting, the podcasts growing, and the coffee flowing!

And if you need something creative, I also offer custom graphics and artwork. From social media posts and podcast covers to book graphics, banners, promotional images and imaginative digital artwork, I'd love to help bring your ideas to life.

Every purchase, booking and tip helps keep Dark Moon Rocks creating new music, books, podcasts and conversations from our little floating home on the Kennet & Avon Canal.

Thank you for helping this wonderfully odd adventure continue. 🌙

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Thank you for spending a little time with me aboard Dark Moon Rocks this week.

Whether you've been listening to the radio, reading the books, exploring the podcasts, or you've simply wandered into this curious little corner of the internet, I'm genuinely grateful that you're here. Every listener, reader and fellow wanderer helps make this adventure worthwhile.

Until next time, may your tea stay hot, your ideas arrive at just the right moment, and—if you're anything like Merlin—may you remember that not every stretch of water needs investigating quite so closely.

Keep looking up at the Moon... and, whenever possible, keep your tail dry.

With gratitude,

Kate Silveness
Dark Moon Rocks