Katie Daisy - How to Be a Moonflower

Copyright 2021 by Katie Daisy.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Names: Daisy, Katie, 1987- author.
Title: How to be a moonflower : a field guide / by Katie Daisy.
Description: San Francisco : Chronicle Books, [2021]
Identifiers: LCCN 2021001849 | ISBN 9781797203348 (epub, mobi) | ISBN 9781797201917 (hardcover)
Subjects: LCSH: Night--Miscellanea. | Night--Psychological aspects.
Classification: LCC GT3408 .D35 2021 | DDC 304.2/37--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021001849

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The summer sun dips below the horizon.

The temperature drops.

The pink sky melts to lavender and cornflower blue.

Dusk falls.

Out come the fireflies, soft lights rising from the grass. Frogs and crickets sing from the creek. The whirr and buzz of day fade away, and all that remains is this beautiful soundscape, only heard by night.

Before long, other night creatures start to come around: A hooting owl, a scurrying field mouse, a swooping bat. The silver moon rises and stars scatter across a velvet sky. This is when I feel most inspired; this is where I feel most alive.

Ive been in love with the night for as long as I can remember. When I was a child, my Midwestern summers were full of crickets, campfires, firefly catching, and trying to spot the great horned owl perched upon our barn. Night was, and still is, a daring world full of mystery and the unknown.

The night is vital to my creativity as an artist. The distractions of the day have ceased, and new portals seem to appear. Most others are asleep, and its as though I can finally hear the whispers my inner voice has been attempting to tell me all day long.

Night invites us to sharpen our senses: Our listening becomes keener, smells are more aromatic, and we can finally be still with the thoughts and ideas in our minds. The darkness is a cloak, our hiding place. But its also a new world, full of discoveries. The night is a muse. She brings us dreams to decipher, secret doorways into our inner selves. Deeply into them we travel, until the light of day tries to steal them away.

This is a book that can help you embrace the beauty of the night, exploring all the mysteries it has to offer. It can help you overcome your fear of the night or dark places. And most of all, it can help you find a certain magic in the unknownthe territory of night that so often goes uncharted.

This book is a field guide to the night. It is best explored from dusk till dawn, in a candlelit bath, by lantern under a sky of stars, or simply in your home with the night breeze dancing through your window.

In its pages youll find inspirations of many kinds:

Things to do, things to make, places to explore... Quotations, meditations, and guides to the plentiful array of flora and fauna that make up the nocturnal world.

Every night offers a certain type of wonder to be found. Too often, were illuminating the world with our devices and other bright, unnecessary lights.

I invite you to dim the switch and take a deep, brave breath....

To let the Milky Way light your path and feel the night breeze on your skin.

Close your eyes, and ride on gilded moth wings to a forgotten land....

Where mystery waits and creativity flows.

Ill meet you in the moongarden.

Fear not! For even the darkest nights are not as scary as they may at first seem. With common sense and a few essentials, youll be well prepared for the adventures ahead.

A few important things to remember:

While the buddy system is recommended, sometimes the joys of the evening are found in solitude. If going alone, always let someone know, or leave a note about your general location in case of an emergency.

Expect to find friends as you explore, but be mindful also of dangerous creatures and people with ill intent.

Know the territory. If youre going somewhere unfamiliar, its a good idea to explore the area in daylight before going in the dark. Things like rocky cliffs and waterfalls can become a dangerous surprise at night if you dont know theyre coming.

Keep your flashlight handy, stay warm, drink water.

Light source (other than your phone). Flashlights and headlamps are good friends when you need to find your way.

Snacks and a full water bottle

An extra warm layer (In some parts of the world, it can get surprisingly chilly when the sun goes down, so bring a light jacket or sweater even if you dont think youll need it.)

Map of the area, if going into the wilderness

Notebook and pen/pencil