little bud moon /hearth cake moon
Hello All,
Welcome to the first new moon of 2026.
I hope you're enjoying your 2026 lunations calendar. If you haven't picked one up yet, both the US and UK versions are available on my website and in my Etsy shop. This year, the US calendar follows the Kiowa Native American moon names, while the UK version uses Bede's record of the Anglo-Saxon lunisolar calendar—two ancient ways of marking time that honor the land and the seasons.
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British History – Hearth Cake Moon
The Anglo-Saxons called the moon that would be full in February Solmōnath. According to Bede, this was the cake month, but for a long time it was believed that he was mistaken and that it actually meant ‘mud month’ or ‘mud moon’ due to the Old English word for mud or dirt being sol. It was later discovered though that sol was, indeed, also a hearthcake. It makes you wonder what their cakes were like!
Bede wrote in his work The Reckoning of Time, “Solmonath can be called ‘‘month of cakes’’, which they offered to their gods in that month.”
During the depths of winter, Anglo-Saxon communities gathered around fires to bake ritual cakes—offerings made from carefully stored grain, baked over fires that had been tended faithfully through the year's darkest nights. These cakes were acts of devotion, simple offerings to ensure the household's wellbeing and the return of spring.
The Hearth Cake Moon asks: What are you tending? What fire do you keep burning through winter? What simple, sacred acts sustain you when everything else feels cold? And, what are your hopes for the spring and the year ahead that hold you steady through this time?
American History - Little Bud Moon
For the Kiowa people of the Great Plains, this moon is called Ka`gu´ăt P'a Sän, or, Little Bud Moon. Though winter still holds the land in its grip, something essential is happening: in response to the growing daylight, the buds that formed on tree branches at the end of last summer, which have been dormant through the darkest days, are showing the first signs of stirring. They begin to swell now, at the first whisper of spring's return.
In James Mooney’s book Calendar History of the Kiowa Indians, he says that this moon…
“may be considered to include late January and early February; in this moon the first buds come out, especially those of the elm, called by the Kiowa tá-ä, or gádal-ä, "saddle-wood," or "buffalo-wood." The first part of this moon is regarded as belonging to winter (saígya), the latter part to spring (áségya)… the mares foal in this moon and… the white men (in Oklahoma) usually begin to plow.”
The Little Bud Moon teaches us that the most important growth often happens invisibly. What looks dormant is actually preparing. What seems frozen is gathering strength. This is the moon of quiet preparation, of faith in what cannot yet be seen.”
The Kiowa understood that winter was not death, but gestation. The buds forming now won't bloom for months, but they are proof that life persists even in the coldest season. What are you preparing in secret? What is forming within you that the world cannot yet see?
Lunar Astronomy
This new moon, could be considered a "micromoon"—the opposite of a supermoon—making it one of the most distant new moons in years. On January 13-14, the Moon reached lunar apogee, the Moon's farthest point from Earth in its elliptical orbit, at approximately 405,000 km (251,700 miles) from Earth.
This distance means the Moon's gravitational pull on our tides will be noticeably weaker during this cycle. The tides will be calmer, gentler. After the dramatic supermoons of late, this apogee new moon offers a striking contrast.
The Moon's elliptical orbit creates this dance between perigee (closest approach, at about 363,300 km) and apogee (farthest point, around 405,500 km)—a difference of over 42,000 km. Earth's gravity keeps the Moon in orbit, but the uneven pull creates these extremes throughout the month.
Lunar Astrology
This new moon falls in Capricorn at 28°43', forming what astrologers are calling one of the most potent configurations of the year. The Sun and Moon align not just with each other, but with Mercury, Mars, and Venus—all in Capricorn, plus a close link to Pluto in Aquarius.. This planetary gathering is sometimes called a stellium, and it concentrates immense energy around the sign it takes place in - in this case, all things Capricornian (structure, ambition, hierarchies, law and order).
Astrologically, this is a call to build something real, to ground our dreams in reality. To release illusions and delusions. To stop waiting for perfect conditions and to start building with what we have, right now. Capricorn doesn't deal in fantasies or quick fixes. It asks: What are you willing to work for? What are you ready to commit to over the long haul? What structure needs to be created or strengthened in your life?
Set your intentions with the knowledge that this is not about instant results. This is about planting seeds that will take months—maybe years—to fully bloom. Like the little buds forming beneath winter's surface. Like the hearth fire that must be tended every single day.
That said, fresh off Capricorn's structured reset, the Moon slips into Aquarius mere hours later. This rapid transition means the fresh intentions planted under Capricorn's disciplined, goal-oriented vibe get an immediate infusion of Aquarius' innovative, forward-thinking spark—almost like grounding your ambitions in reality, then flipping the switch to "what if?" mode. Coming so soon after the New Moon, it could accelerate manifestations around community projects, tech-savvy goals, or social reforms.
The moon hits its full phase at 13°03' Leo on February 1. Full moons bring culminations and heightened emotions, and in fiery Leo (ruled by the Sun), it's all about self-expression, creativity, and heart-centered leadership. This one opposes the Aquarius Sun, creating a push-pull between personal flair (Leo) and collective needs (Aquarius)—urging balance in romance and friendships.
Expect revelations around confidence and authenticity; it's a time when hidden feelings surface, perfect for celebrating achievements or addressing where you've dimmed your light.
The Leo/Aquarius axis spotlights the dance between 'me' and 'we'—are you shining solo or sharing the glow?
All my best, and until next lunar month,
Claire
