Michaelmas has arrived.
A special day in the Christian calendar, celebrating Saint Michael the Archangel.
Michaelmas daisies are out on time.
Today’s podcast…
https://soundcloud.com/bealtaine-cottage/michaelmas-and-the-archangel
Bealtaine Cottage, Ireland
One Woman, Three Acres.
Thanks Colette. With mugwort it’s particularly the feathery seed heads I use to bundle up into smudge sticks. They contain the most wonderful aromatic oils. Sxxxxx
Wow…thanks for that info!
Thank you yet again for another lovely evening podcast. I love hearing about the various trees and plants you have in the garden and how important they are to the birds and bees and other living creatures. And such a wise and gentle message for us to take care of ourselves and not allow others to rush us in life. I really enjoy learning about the various ancient traditions and Celtic holidays. Thank you for explaining them and for passing on these traditions. Your calm soothing voice is such a lovely way to close the evening and bid farewell to another day. Thank you again so much. Blessings to you always.
So very good to hear this Lynne…this spurs me on indeed! Bless you XXX
I am absolutely loving these! Thanks for taking the time to do them.
It’s great to be able to expand into this medium…I’m making notes as I go, in order to make it really useful and interesting for all the subscribers of Bealtaine Cottage.
Oh yes. Everything you’ve said in your podcast resonates with me so much, Colette.
Cotoneaster is a lovely tall shrub/tree – and the birds do love the wee berries. I “trained” two, either side of a gate, to form an arch and it was lovely in all seasons.
Ahhh, hot water bottle. I can’t wait until summer ends and the cool weather comes and I can bring my hot water bottle out of storage – it’s my winter woobie! I must say farewell to it soon though, as summer approaches here downunder.
Your cottage is absolutely warm, cosy, comforting and magical – and being filled with pre-loved, gives it a very well loved ~ and loving aura. I too prefer pre-loved. xx
Blessings as you look forward to a great Summer XXX
Oooo, that was nice, thank you. A question about your homemade smudge sticks, can you explain how you bundle them up? I am hoping to make some for myself and to give as gifts.
Cut the stems. Bundle about 4-6 and tie around with red cotton thread, pulling tight each wind and making about 100 winds, moving up the bundle slowly. Hang up in a warm dry place to season.
Thank you so much, very helpful.
Hi Colette,
Really enjoyed your podcast today. Michaelmas is one of my favourite holidays of the year and I was thrilled that my Michaelmas daisies opened today for the first time. Do they know?
By coincidence, like you I have been picking herbs for drying for smudge sticks today too. Instead of sage I use mugwort collected from the hedgerows. It makes an incense par excellence..
Look forward to more posts and pods. S xxxxx
Oh…that’s a great piece of knowledge to share with us all! I shall be off on a forage later on! Blessings XXX
Fraid my “browser” sent me a message saying I am out of date and cant listen to you! So please write some blogs as well. Or when you record the blog maybe you could send it as an attachment to an email and maybe I could find a way of opening it.
I am writing blogs on the “Bealtaine Cottage Good Life”…posted two this week and hope you enjoyed them! Can you update your browser? It’s something that’s easy to do… Blessings XXX
Thanks Colette and one more question – I am sure you have told me before – would now be the best time to be taking cuttings of woody shrubs or can it be done later?
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX thanks
Anytime from now is good for most shrubs as it means you can pot them while there’s still some heat remaining in the soil.
Hi Colettte, it’s lovely to hear your voice – feels as if you are here in the house with us. I like the change although I do like reading your posts as well. I would like to hear some tips about preparing the garden and polytunnel for winter. For example, should I prune bushes now or wait until Spring? Should I mulch now or in Spring? I notice you put straw on the beds in the polytunnel and am thinking of doing same but I’m worried about slugs over wintering in it? So, any tips would be much appreciated. xxx
I shall make a note and talk about these tomorrow evening on the podcast…that’ll give me time to give you a comprehensive answer. Blessings X