The sun rises in a cooler sky, as the mist crawls slowly along the valley floor, in from Lough Meelaugh, past Kilronan castle to eventually meet the mists that cover the giant stretch of water that is Lough Allen.
Autumn is a time of mists, just as Samhain merges into Winter, so do the mists swirl and merge away off into the low clouds.
Lough Allen is an English translation from the Gaelic, meaning ‘Beautiful Lake’, and that it is!
The little town of Drumshanbo lies just above the Lough in the County of Leitrim.
It is little wonder it is referred to as “Lovely Leitrim.”
On a calm day the Lough takes on a look of pure glass, as in Maeve Binchy’s book, “The Glass Lake.”
I am happy to see such a beautiful sunrise and then sit here writing in the still of the morning…it’s now exactly 9am.
This morning has to be slowly enjoyed because there’s a mighty storm of heavy rain approaching Ireland.
Rain has been heavy all year and the earth is quite sodden…the wettest I have ever experienced.
As I write this, clouds have shadowed out the morning sun and already spots of rain are dotting the windows.
Even as the rain falls, the harvest continues…
Did you know that Rose-hips contain 20 times more vitamin C than the same weight of oranges?
Here is an old recipe for making Rosehip Syrup, a Vitamin C product given to babies and young children during World War Two…
Rose-hip Syrup
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2lb ripe rose-hips
6 pints water
1lb sugar
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Wash and remove stalks.
Dear Colette, I am posting a recipe on our Pomona’s Pectin, for making low-sugar jam and jelly, website for Rose Hip Jam and found your picture of Rugosa Rose hips. It is a beautiful picture and I’d love to use it as part of our recipe, but only if I have your permission. I am happy to credit you any way you would like. Your blog is also quite beautiful, and one day, when I get to Ireland from California, I’d like to come and visit you. I look forward to hearing from you. If you’re interested our website is: http://www.pomonapectin.com
Mary Lou
Of course you may use it and thanks for asking me XXX Blessings XXX
A credit to http://www.bealtainecottage.com would be sufficient. XXX
Dear Colette,
Thank you so much. I will send you a link to the recipe once I have it posted on our website.
Here is a link to our Pomona’s Pectin recipe for low-sugar Rose Hip Jam that has your picture of the Rugosa Rose hips in it: http://www.pomonapectin.com/recipes/rose-hip-jam/
And also a link to our newsletter, Jam Notes, if you’re interested:
http://eepurl.com/NK7-D
Thanks so much for the use of the picture.
Mary Lou
Your site was the first I clicked on in Google images this morning while trying to identify the rosehips I foraged yesterday alongside the Dighty Burn which travels several miles and finally swooshes past my house and joins the River Tay at Monifieth. Great homepage, I shall sit down shortly with breakfast and a cuppa and look at your site. I picked my rosehips to make Rosehip Vodka, consider myself a child of the earth (am 46), and I still have a tv but only for playing computer games, most of the time it just sits in a wee corner quietly and behaves itself.
Welcome to Bealtaine Cottage, Eileen!
The Rosehip Vodka sounds amazing…this is another idea for turning bland alcohol into something rare and delightful…a midwinter tipple of goodness too!
Colx
i saved my rose hips and am ecstatic to see this post. forgive the lack of proper form. it is raining here for the forth day. great for mother earth. the dogs i care for and mine, having been taken for a run, are laying this way and that across my lap and on both sides. my heart is not ready to disturb them to begin shores again.
What is a home without pets to organize one’s day?
It sounds idyllic
Cilx