The link (I hope it works!) above may be the beginning of podcasts on here…I hope! It’s simply a test file.
It’s over ten years since I first started writing this blog.
Over fifteen or more since my blogs were hosted by Country Living UK magazine.
However, in one fell swoop all the postings and countless photographs were removed from the CL site when new owners took control and the entire site was given a revamp. No one on the hosted site was given any warning, just, whoosh, they were all consigned to the cyberspace dustbin!
If ever you manage to retrieve any of them do let me know. I have searched to the point of physical exhaustion and not been able to find them…so, yes, it is possible to remove stuff from the internet without a trace! There is no point in sending me links to research, for if you cannot find them, I certainly cannot, (no internet connection except a hotspot on my phone!).
The wildflower seeds I scattered around the fire pit have come through with lots of Poppies and Nasturtium.
Paths are closing up as fast as I can open them…the growth is amazing!
And Jack doesn’t mind one bit, as he sees the adventure in everything!
Now the season of Lughnasadh draws in, a mere two weeks or less to the wonderful festival that heralds Autumn in the west of Ireland. Yes, the ancient peoples lived by the light and measured all by the light, unlike our man-made calendars and clocks. it is the light we follow!
Looking for changes in the light, how it affects the interior of our homes and the lives of the sentient beings all around us, is a magical way to live. Someone commented recently that it was not possible to live a Bealtaine life in the cities. I disagree, having lived in London for thirty years with an ever-growing mindset of awareness of light, seasons and a desire for simplicity. I was happy there too!
This was my first time visiting your site and I am astounded by the beauty in your words and pictures. Thank you!
Blessings X
Blessings to you as well. 🙂
Enjoyed reading your story, Collete! Welcome back!
Thank you Leif! Blessings Colette
Welcome back from the break 🙂
Thanks Liam!
As usual, your blog set me up for a time of calm and deep cleansing breaths amidst the insanity of the pandemic here in far western USA. I look over the pics, my eyes relaxing as I seek all the leaves and quiet spaces at Beltaine. Now, with your podcast here, I am even more quiet inside. Thank you, Colette. You’ve reminded me to step into my earth with bare feet and reach deep for Mother Earth’s energies and heartbeat. In peace, my goddess sister.
The world of Man is simply history repeating itself in a linear fashion. Mother Earth is reality, much scorned and degraded as the Divine Feminine. Blessings X
Hello Colette! I first discovered you via your YouTube channel around a month ago. I love the magical place you have created. I live in Texas where it is blazing hot and we have terrible clay soil. I have a gardener’s heart which I inherited both from my dad and from my maternal grandmother. I have been working hard through our quarantine time to plant seeds and plants in my backyard to create an oasis for myself, my husband, our little dog, Jojo and the cottontail rabbits and birds that visit.
Your beautiful videos have been so calming and soothing to me especially during this time of such high anxiety. Thank you so much for sharing your world with us!
Dear Kathy…welcome and blessings on your work XXX
Morning Colette and Jack. I find it very calming listening to your voice as I sip my morning coffee. I have tried to do 10,000 steps a day, fell a bit short. Must try again as i know its good for you. Im sure you would manage easily with Jack and all your hard work!😊 Have a most lovely day. X
Magical. How stunning is Mother Earth. Thank you Colette , blessings to you and jack xxx
Thank you Maxine and Blessings XXX
Colette, Eureka!! This technologically challenged social media user was finally able to sign up and enjoy your beautiful photos and podcast! So delightful to read the many comments from so many all over the world who appreciate you and Bealtaine Cottage. Hugs to deliriously happy Jack!
Welcome my dear Jim! It does pay to persevere, as Bealtaine Cottage is testament to! Blessings XXX
Thank you, Colette, for your beautiful posts–and your wonderful YouTube channel. I always look forward to new videos from you. I am very new to these high-tech ways of communicating, so I hope this works! ha, ha. Love to you and Mr. Jack.
Thank you Sue Ellen!
Thanks Colette, you will be busy answering all the comments. I get a lot of inspiration from Bealtaine. My neighbours sections are all manicured to a T and mine is rather wild. The lawn is rarely mowed, lots of flowers self sown in it. Always something for the bees to forage in. I will enjoy listening to your blogs. I won’t always comment. I don’t want you to feel you always have to reply. Will be a huge job. Thanks for sharing your sacred places with us.
Bless you XXX
Loving this way of communicating!
Wonderful photos, your land is so lush and alive it gives me hope for my own as the years go by. Years ago I lost photos and posts from from blog site that just ended, even with a month in advance and directions how to save or move the blog it never worked and from the site managers that never replied to emails all was lost and I was never able to recover it. Five years of steady blogging from someone that was so unsure in the beginning to put my words out there but I did. After the loss it would be a few years before I ventured to blog again with the attitude that what I wrote could be temporary so in the beginning I would keep copies of blog post and photos but then one day I just decided to let it go and let it flow in the now. I have always been a nature wanderer I tend to live by the light and seasons even when living in the city I would make my way to a forest, lake or beach and always had some kind of garden if only on a balcony or windowsill. I have shells, and sticks, stones and feathers seed pods and leaves I found on walks pressed into books, and dropped into jars going back decades. At 65, I still pick up the odd stone, stick or leaf on my walks some are scattered about in my garden. We are in the high heat of summer here in Florida so greeting Lughnasadh is easy but feeling the stirrings of Autumn in the air one needs to be creative. Have a wonderful Lughnasadh!
What a wonderful and creative approach to life! Blessings to you too XXX Colette
Hi Collette new to your blog. My husband and I really enjoy your videos on YouTube and when you close with the image of you in the mirror we love it. We understand your reasoning if you choose to leave YouTube.
We have recently ordered all 3 of your books. we’re really enjoying them. we’re on the last one halfway through In Search of the Goddess Rising. My husband RJ has been reading them out loud so we can enjoy them together.
You’re gardens are like walking out into a breath of fresh air.
Thank you very much for taking us along with you through your lovely gardens.
Blessings from Ohio USA and hugs to Jack 💚
Cathy Lynn
Hi Cathy, Just to clarify that I have no intention of leaving YouTube…with the sole exception in the case of YouTube insisting on monetising all channels.For the foreseeable future I will be a regular presence on YouTube. However, this is the only place where I will be answering comments as I call this “home!” Blessings to you Cathy and thank you both for your support. XXX
Every morning when my husband and I are awake enough to clutch our coffee mugs, we say “Is there a new Bealtaine Cottage video?” – and we’re always so happy when there is! Those videos of your bit of paradise have seen us through the most trying times (recovery from surgery, quarantine, etc.), and seeing all the growing things and hearing the wind blow through the wind chimes gives us a more serene perspective on the world. Blessings, and hugs to you and Jack!
PS: Your red Valerian with those white flowers out by the drive are so beautiful together!! I never knew there was red Valerian until I saw yours.
Thank you dear friend and blessings to you XXX Colette
Bealtaine brings me so much joy. As you walk through I feel like I am too.
I cant get out and about so places like Bealtaine give me such pleasure. Your optimism and zest for life is catching.Thankyou always Colette. Blessings xx
Mother Earth fills me with optimism and my zest for life is Goddess inspired! Blessings XXX
I’ve enjoyed your blog and youtube for years. At one time was unable to leave comments here, but it seems to be in a new format. I’ve had a blog for 11 years now and still enjoy the friendships made over the years though I’m not always so consistent about posting these days. I’m really old school when it comes to anything technological so the fact that you got some voice messages transferred to your blog seems like quite an accomplishment to me. 🙂
Thank you Tammy, I work quite hard at teaching myself new skills and enjoy the path.
Yes Colette, the link works perfectly. Looking forward to your future podcasts.
Love to you & the boy. ❣️Elaine x
Blessings to you Elaine!
Hi Colette, I love the podcast! I used to really enjoy your posts on Soundcloud so this was a bit of a treat!
I totally agree that life can get so complex and that simplicity is preferable. I don’t want to live at breakneck speed with a gadget for everything and I share your view that it’s a way of viewing the world. Simple pleasures are the best. I sat in my garden the other day watching the bees on the borage I grew from seed. It was lovely. I dont believe there’s an app for that!
Have a blessed day Colette xx
Slow living…I believe that will be the next “big thing!” Blessings X
I do hope so! I shall make a pot of tea and drink to that! X
It will be such a joy to hear your pod casts again. I still recall your pod casts on sound cloud. This will be even better on your blog site. I’ve noticed the spiders are very busy building many webs in the garden. It still seems like summer but they know instinctively to prepare for the seasons soon to come. Just dropped a greeting card in the mail to you today. It will be interesting to see how long it takes to cross the pond. Love and blessings to you always. Lynne
Dear Lynne, you have been a steadfast and loyal friend since the beginning of this journey with Mother Earth and I thank you for being you XXX Blessings to you and your family XXX
Hello Colette. It is no wonder I like to watch your videos, read your posts and now hear your audio file, we like the same things and one of those is definitely simplicity. No need to reply to this as I am happy to hear your voice today. Greetings from the Land of Oz. Janet x
I am happy to reply on here…it feels like my home which is my sanctuary. Blessings X
This took a little longer to open with the audio recordings, but otherwise is working well on my laptop, but not on my tablet. I had to sign up with wordpress to comment. Please let us know about the progress on your newest book.
I am still on target to get the book out by August, maybe the third to last week?
Dear Collette,
I’ve been following you here and on youtube for about 7 yrs. I’ve never commented or subscribed for a variety of reasons. I welcome the change of emphasis-a very wise choice. The photo’s and wildlife are simply amazing, I could look for hours and often feel as if I’m there. I’m very lucky in that I’ve got quite a bit of land now but I had a very small postage stamp of a garden for 26yrs and managed to play host for a variety of little creatures. if you build it they will come and they need any small space they can get right now. I’ve got lots of happy memories of foraging along city canal banks and little nature parks too. I think you are quite wonderful Colette and have been truly inspirational to me. Take Care and of course love to the boy xx
You lift my heart with your comment here, for it’s so wonderful to be assured that many others are on the path of support to the Great Mother. Blessings XXX
Really enjoyed that Colette,, very homely this lovely site. Xx
Blessings to you XXX
I do so log your blogs/website. I am not a fan of the mainstream social media platforms, for many reasons. I’m always pleased to receive a blog notification from Bealtaine Cottage. The stunning photographs and your peaceful, gentle words are a comfort and a refuge from the chaos humans have inflicted on our most precious Mother Earth. Your website is a treasure trove of images to soothe the soul.
Mother Earth is enjoying the break from the madness we have cultivated without thought or compassion. I feel Her heaving an enormous sigh of relief at the moment! Blessings XXX
Thank you for keeping up the blog! I love it…simplicity. My dear mother was always taking my sisters and me to wild parks at all times of the year in all weathers. I still live by nature, seeking out wild spots, treed areas, “abandoned” regenerating gardens. As children we collected firewood, shells, pine cones and we came home and lit a fire and a candle and drew pictures of our day and finds. I in turn have done this with my children. Noticing the earth and caring for it.
You are blessed! So many people are coming to this beautiful realisation!
Colette, This was lovely. I enjoy your videos so much too. Your enthusiasm really inspires me so much. Last July my daughter passed and you have given me many peaceful moments to gather my wits and go on. Thank you!
Your weather in Ireland seemed much like Virginia until this summer. We are so hot and your weather seems cool. Is that the norm for now there?
Trying now to walk more too although it has been indoors. I just count as I go. 😊. I hope you have a wonderful evening, my friend. Love and Blessings to you. XXX. ❤️
Vel
I posted a pic on FB this morning and declared I have reached 7,000 steps…now aiming for more. Daughters/children never leave you…they are a part of you and will walk with you with words of encouragement…always a good place to let go and commune, when out walking! Blessings to you XXX
You have a lovely voice, very soothing, I’d love to come and visit – are you still having guests?
Stephen and Libby
My cottage is too small as I converted the tiny guest accommodation to a writing studio, as writing is my work and income. I am saving towards buying more space to open up Bealtaine Cottage to those who wish to make a retreat.
Colette,
Your latest vlog and msg worked !! Many Blessing to Jack and you.
Blessing XXX
Your home and Gardens brings such, peace, joy, and hope, and is always inspiring to me. Thank you for sharing. Blessings, Faye
Thank you Faye! Blessings X Colette
And hopefully there will be many more postings on here! XXX Blessings
I do love the podcast, sounds great & the photos are wonderful. In particular, thanks for mentioning the overcomplicated-ness of a fit bit, all I want is to count my steps, I am going to look for a pedometer, thank you. Sending love to you and Jack xo
It’s working really well for me!
Lovely sound – if you use an iPhone it might have a pedometer app – the symbol on mine has a little red heart, it counts all my steps unless I leave the phone at home!
I never knew that…shall check it out! Thanks x
So glad that you’re able to have a safe place to interact with us. My parents live in a town but there are a few places where we went as kids, picking berries and being wild. As an adult whenever I go back I still take my dog and walk in those places. Her beauty and majesty are still to be found if we have only the eyes to look. Blessings to you and Jack xXx
Yes Sarah, this is my home and a perfect place to speak with those who are truly devoted to the life force that is the Great Mother. Blessings XXX
Hello Collete. I’ve been following your YouTube and website . I love your posts and vlog blessings to you and Jack
Thank you Joseph and so glad you like the new approach. Blessings X