Colette O'Neill… Author, Publisher, photographer. Creator of Goddess Permaculture.
The first week of July and there’s a feint scent of Autumn in the air this morning. The morning brings a quiet and gentle beginning to the day, untouched by the continuing perplexities of man. “Man has drawn artificial lines on the chest of the Mother Earth, which have no significance, except for the sake […]
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Farewell Bealtaine! Rising on the last morning of Bealtaine and looking out the window of the lodge to be greeted by mist and sunshine. The heat of yesterday rose in a mist over the valley and mountains beyond. Rising towards Midsummer is a most magical time in the west of Ireland. Between the rain and […]
Read MoreGrowth in the gardens has really taken off! I was away for the weekend in Belfast and returned last night. Making coffee and doing my early morning stroll of the gardens, coffee in one hand and camera in the other, it was a revelation…everything has grown and spread since Friday! No wonder, as a mix […]
Read MoreThe naked earth is warm with Spring,And with green grass and bursting treesLeans to the sun’s kiss glorying,And quivers in the sunny breeze.~Julian Grenfell …except, in Permaculture gardens, little is naked, most is covered, yet the earth beneath the green mantle warms just the same. April has set Spring firmly in place, with early sunrise […]
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Stepping into a magical woodland can be one of the most healing and re-energizing acts of care for oneself. This morning I ventured into the woods around Kilronan Castle and the mystical Lough Meelagh, a short distance from Bealtaine Cottage. I’m glad to have brought my little camera, as am now able to share this […]
Read MoreJuicing is a great way to ensure one has the maximum of vitamins and minerals and this is something I do every day. It’s also a reason to keep greens growing all the year around, as even small bits can be added to the juicer and vital vitamins extracted. I’ve used some small bits of […]
Read MoreIt’s late as I write this blog…I really should be in bed, but the beauty of the day has filled me with enthusiasm to share it with you! I made a journey to Omagh this morning to visit my mother. The day was bright and the sky clear as I set off on the journey […]
Read MoreThe air is still. The storm has passed. Stillness and silence pervades the cottage. Jack is in his bed, and the boys continue to doss away the morning in the Lodge. A midwinter scene repeated all across the northern hemisphere. Someone remarked on the increasing silence they noticed in the world around them. Midwinter is a silent time, […]
Read MoreAn old castle on an island in the forest, not far from Bealtaine Cottage, and where I walked today with my daughter, Cara, whose birthday we celebrated, with a walk through this magical landscape on a glorious autumn day. This is Lough Key and the castle once belonged to the MacDermott clan who lived here […]
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