It was some time coming…but those of you who have followed the Bealtaine Cottage Magical Gardens site on Facebook are aware of the proliferation of material I posted on there.
I was so passionate about spreading a message of optimism and love for Mother Earth, that I ended up with little or no time for the work I need to do here at Bealtaine Cottage!
I write and photograph for two blogs, upload to FB and Twitter, make a video and upload that as often as possible…the most recent one was almost an hour long!
I haven’t been able to find time for Soundcloud, and, as for enjoying the occasional day out or weekend away…not possible with such a busy schedule.
Something had to give!
So I decided to take a break from FaceBook and Twitter and have left a small statement on both sites informing my followers.
My page on FB quickly built up to almost 14,000 Likes, so I do feel a sense of abandoning so many good people, but do hope that they remember where I am and that I have not gone away!
Yesterday and this morning, following my decision, I have felt a lovely calm descend here…a sort of ability to breath deeper and exhale longer!
The story of Bealtaine Cottage began 12 years ago.
No-one in this part of Ireland was much interested in what I was trying to do…so I began writing and blogging about the generosity and energy of Mother Earth, in fact I felt compelled to do so.
“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.”
Anne Lamott
So, life at Bealtaine has come back in a circle, as I find myself happily snapping pics., eager to share them with all of you through this website.
“I remember feeling that pieces of me were scattered around the world; I belonged to her, Mother Earth.”
― Raquel Cepeda
I know that the best way I can be of service in these troubled times is to share Bealtaine Cottage with those who seek to reconnect with Mother Earth and develop a deeper understanding of the real world…not the one hurled at us by the mainstream media.
“The human body resonates at the same frequency as Mother Earth. So instead of only focusing on trying to save the earth, which operates in congruence to our vibrations, I think it is more important to be one with each other. If you really want to remedy the earth, we have to mend mankind. And to unite mankind, we heal the Earth. That is the only way. Mother Earth will exist with or without us. Yet if she is sick, it is because mankind is sick and separated. And if our vibrations are bad, she reacts to it, as do all living creatures.”
~Suzy Kassem
Bealtaine Cottage Good Life membership is 12 euros per year and allows me a small income to continue to grow the Bealtaine Project both here in Ireland and in the hearts and minds of good people all over the world.
Please join…
Dear Colette,
I found You on FB. Of course there is a lot og garbage there, but we can choose not to read or watch it and just concentrate ourselves on what’s important and valuable.
My story is long, I could write a book about it, but to make it short, I would informe you that I have a little farm and the cottage ( on 3 acres 🙂 ) in Poland.
I was taking care of it by my self in the traditional way. You know, how difficult it is, but however I wrote about permaculture, rised beds etc, I never tried to do that. I was so fed up with that never ending fight with weeds and grass. I was diging, weeding, moving tons and tons of weeds and grass, but resoults were not satisfying Also because I was working outside of the cottage, so my time for the garden was very limited. I love working in the garden, but it was too much and finally I was ready to sell this place and move back to the city.
I made advertismet on internet and guess, what happend…ones I found your wonderful place on FB!!!!!!!!!!!
If I didn’t that, my place would be sold, and I don’t know, what would happen to it, but because of YOU, I decided not to do that.
Right now, I am making permaculture beds, planting trees and shrobs like crazy. You showed me that’s possible for one women and also that it’s our responsibility towards Mother Nature, especially now a days, when the situation on Earth is so disastrous.
Please, remember, that here in Poland on the north part of it, a little farm is turning to a beautiful paradise for insects, birds, small annimals, but also for other people.
I am very much greatfull for that, Colette.
By opening my eyes You saved one more little peace of nature on the Earth and I am sure, that there are more people like me, who are inspired by You.
I am getting up in the morning and watching Your movies on You Toube from the beginig in 2012. Working in the garden, going to bed in the evening and watching your movies again…
I will suggest not to stop your activity on FB totally. It’s important to reach even few people, who will follow Your lead, like I did. Please, don’t lose this opportunity, Collete.
You are doing great job. Thank You for that.
Katarina
I’ve had a similar experience myself, an internet site which I enjoyed using and through which I met some lovely and interesting people ended up taking up so much time that much that there was little time left for the interests that had taken me there in the first place. Eventually I had to ask mysef, did I want to live this virtual life at the expense of my real life, did I want to be indoors hunched over my pc or gardening, walking, reading, cooking, seeing friends…. would it be nice to walk in the woods and by the sea unencumbered and living in the moment rather than carrying my camera and seeing the world in terms of my next shot? I took a long break from social media and do my best now to keep it in balance, am strict with myself about having several internet free days a week…….I love the news and views of Bealtaine, can well understand how it strikes a chord with so many and unerstand how easy it must be to spread yourself too thinly. Good that you have re-evaluated, please do take care for it is you that lies at the heart of Bealtaine. Blessings XX
I think you have articulated the views of many including me…we just need to keep everything in proportion.
facebook is a time bandit….over the last few months I have been getting a lot of pain in my elbow and it turns out that it is a RSI linked to using a tablet…..and so I have basically been forced to rest and keep the tablet usage to a minimum. I now find that I have my time back and I can do other things…
A measured response!
This post & all the comments have given me food for thought. I use Facebook to keep in touch with a very small handful of friend across the globe. I have 30 friends, which include a number of family. I do tend to waste time liking this and that and then my page is inundated with post after post of stuff that clutters my head. So what to do?
I could close my account but I know I would feel isolated if I did as it’s the only way I have contact with two very close friends. I could go back to blogging and share my garden there but I find that is more time consuming than Facebook
I will ponder this.
There must be a solution somewhere! Thanks for this post!
Closing something that is useful to you seems pointless. Directing one’s own time seems much more practical. Perhaps have a Facebook slot once or twice a day for a prescribed time…?
Perfect. And I spend more time on FB because it’s winter and freezing.
Once spring is here, the garden calls 🙂
I hope that backing off will allow you time to also work on your book. I anxiously await the next chapter while I keep up with your beautiful photos and current posts.
Yes, indeed that is one of the tasks I have to dedicate more time to…
Thank you for these beautiful photos that carry such peace within them and nurture the soul. I know this will not be a popular view but having dipped my toes into facebook and twitter years ago and finding the incessant barrage very draining I abandoned both and found my life very much better for it. They had just been sapping too much time and energy without my noticing it, and it was a deep relief to be free of the urge to keep checking various feeds in case I had missed something. Lol! And as I freed myself of this addiction something strange happened: I began to notice how greatly people’s attention spans were deteriorating and how this seemed to affect life in many different ways: a greater willingness to take offence and find fault universally; an obsession with the latest drama and trauma that was reflected in wall to wall media coverage that only magnified whatever the latest horror was; people seemingly not able to take in basic information or assign appropriate weight to it- important/not important; facts being mangled and blown out of all proportion; and even things as trivial as typos in the most reputable of publications that would once have prided themselves on the quality of their communications. I think social media CAN play a very positive role but like food, unless we focus on its quality and strictly control the amounts, it becomes deeply unhealthy.
I can appreciate much of what you said here, for I have found that the social media aspect of the internet has that effect on one…it’s a time thief!
Sometimes it’s good to take a break from Facebook and I hope your followers do find you. But so many people like Facebook because it’s user friendly.
Travel well xx
Thanks Robyn!
I listened to a programme last week which was about the effect the internet has on people. The conclusion was that overall it was depressing. For some time I felt I had lost my way and was spending far too much time on the computer,so decided to come out of Facebook and Pinterest and only to use it for research, emails and Bealtaine Cottage of course!
The affect is that I have had some withdrawal symptoms, been feeling tired and have slept quite a lot, but have done more work in the garden. I witness my grandchildren constantly checking their mobile phones to see if their are any “likes” on Facebook, and presumably any thing not so desirable. Even when we used to take them out, they rarely noticed anything much, fearing they might miss something on the mobiles. The same thing goes for taking photo’s of everything, but not enjoying the moment. So sad it all is.
We are still finding a way of living best with the internet…me too!
You must do what you must do to care for yourself, Jack, and Sammy Bear to say nothing of your beautiful work with Mother Nature.
I’m sure to be back on SM at sometime soon!
I’m signed up so I enjoy your frequent posts. With my own sites and Facebook acc. I know the time it can all take out of a week.
‘Art is long and time is fleeting’ ~ Longfellow
Thanks Roderick!