Poignant memories, but brightened and lightened by the glorious sunshine of the morning, as I drove alongside Upper and Lower Lough Erne and across Boa Island…do check them out on Google maps if you get the chance for the scenery is simply stunning!
I am in Derry for the Vegan Festival and will be happy to report all to you on my return home. As you can see from the photos, home is very much in full bloom!
Driving into Northern Ireland from the west of Ireland brings back memories of my youth, much of which involved “the troubles,” as they are referred to…bombings, killings and the constant uncertainty of war.
My father was a Civil Rights leader and our tiny home was a hub for much social and political activity.
I learned over the course of my growing up in Omagh that the world was not fair and equality did not exist in social terms…it had to occupy one’s being instead, like an essential component of one’s own integrity.
My moral backbone grew strong in this respect, as I ventured into the world.
My love of Nature stemmed from this time also. Born at home, delivered by my father into a tiny room where he had himself been born, was a singular honour. I was named Frances after my father, whose name was Phelim Francis O’Neill. The tiny terraced house had only a small concrete yard enclosed by a tall brick wall…there was no garden, or indeed gardens in the area. The grey streets made up a larger area known as “Gallows Hill,” …you can guess what used to happen there in days of old!
So, driving into this part of Northern Ireland brings back memories, none of which are particularly sad. That said, this journey allows me the space and small time to look back over my shoulder and understand why I am this woman and what evolved in me to bring me to where I now find myself. The past is indeed a foreign country, as L.P. Hartley wrote:
“The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” So runs the famous first line of L.P. Hartley’s novel, “The Go-Between.”
“But men still shoot each other, don’t they?”
Lyra Catherine McKee was a journalist from Northern Ireland who wrote for several publications about the consequences of the Troubles.
She also served as an editor for Mediagazer, a news aggregator website.
On 18 April 2019, McKee was fatally shot during rioting in the Creggan area of Derry.
My journey today has helped me understand who I am…and why I plant trees and tend Mother Earth.
I
In a time of destruction, create something: a poem, a parade, a community, a school, a vow, a moral principle; one peaceful moment.
When I return home to Bealtaine Cottage, I will plant a tree in honour of Lyra, in hope the tragedy of her death will be the last of so, so many acts of senseless violence and destruction.
It was delightful to see the first catkins on the willow.
Heavy rain fell last night, so the pond was gushing!
Back up to the cottage to write this blog and upload some of the photographs. I have heaps more that I may put on a slideshow on YouTube.
…flit into my head as I walk the woodland sanctuary, for it is here that I feel able to simply be, unaware of even myself!
I imagine this is the same for most people, for it is in this state of unawareness that the creative mind begins to flow evenly, unstoppable.
It was in walking among the trees yesterday that thoughts began to emerge about writing and where it all began for me in earnest.
It was of course here at Bealtaine Cottage where I found “a room of ones own,” as Virginia Woolf referred to the creative space.
However it’s not just about space, but time also.
My brother Hugh understands the importance of creative space.
Although Hugh had never seen any of the images unearthed by Professor Marija Gimbutas, as she carried out her archaeological work in Old Europe, he was moved by the forces around his little cottage to carve this strikingly similar Bird Goddess image into an Ash walking stick for me. 
Much of the creativity I am immersed in is governed and directed on a deeply magical level by Mother Earth too.
I use the word “magical,” for what I cannot rationally explain.
The year is tipping towards an end as Samhain marks the beginning of the new year… 
There has been much change here at Bealtaine Cottage as the canopy of trees has merged to form what is now truly a woodland.
This evolution has happened at just the right moment in time as we have witnessed a terrifyingly hot summer and drought…the woodland gardens have come through the worst unscathed…no loss on anything!
Beauty now lies between the stones of the great circle. I have flowers to plant here and many, many happy memories of this visiting soul who decided to spend time with us here at Bealtaine.
And so the wheel turns…
Much of my holiday was spent walking, something I love about being in the city!
Rain had fallen in my absence and the Spring Well was refreshed enough to send water to the cottage down the hill…the tank in the loft is now full and filling!
I expected to see much more leaf drop, but as you can see for yourself here in these photos, the trees have come through unscathed!
The forecast for Autumn seems very much as it should be and may prove to be quite a spectacular colour show!
This website is now approaching two million views…wonderful to imagine all those who have stopped by and perhaps taken a little inspiration into their lives, shaking off the old paradigm of what a garden should be…
The gardens at Bealtaine are all dedicated to the Great Mother and thus are charged with her energy.
The energy of earth is healing, both of herself and all her life upon.
As I walked with Jack around the cottage I was stopped in my tracks by this image…that of a woodland cottage, for this year has seen the manifestation of my heart’s desire from fourteen years ago, that of a cottage in the woods.
Butterflies were out in force today, in time for the sweet flowers of the Buddleia!
I uploaded a video shot this morning showing some of the Butterflies feasting on the flowers!
I want to say a special “Thanks and Blessings,” to all of you who sent condolences for Beauty…such kindness and compassion, Bless you XXX
There is the beautiful month of Lughnasadh to enjoy and appreciate the changes as summer merges into Autumn.
This continual onslaught of extreme weather is fast establishing itself as the new normal!
From the normally mild summers of Ireland and the UK, numerous locations in the Northern Hemisphere have witnessed their hottest weather ever recorded over the past two weeks!
Only three months ago the country ground to a halt with severe snow storms and massive fall of snow in 48 hours!
Now we are experiencing a heatwave and severe drought which we haven’t had since 1976!
There was a hurricane here in Ireland last year and a massive six hour thunderstorm that did incredible damage.
The Irish Meteorological service, Met Éireann says there will be ‘practically nothing’ in terms of rainfall for the next ten days!
And so it continues unabated!
There has been less than 20mm of rain since May 1st with twelve days of sweltering heat and temps approaching 32c (90F) with no end in sight.
This is the third major record breaking weather story in just nine months – from autumn hurricanes to winter snow storms and now a summer drought!
Have you noticed the effect of this heatwave and drought here at Bealtaine Cottage? Many of you are familiar with the Bealtaine Project motto:
There has been some leaf drop, but overall the land is in good condition and is surviving the extreme conditions well!
As I write this I am aware of extreme rainfall and flooding in Japan.
It appears that the entire world is experiencing extreme weather.
However, what is happening is a taste of what lies ahead, for whatever we do there are consequences.
Did we not all learn that simple rule as children?
If we fail to look after, respect and maintain our home, then it will fall down around us. 
The earth is our home.
We have treated Mother Earth with disdainful arrogance!
Mother Earth is thriving.
Her abundance is nothing less than magnificent.
Everywhere on this land She thrives.
I have found a great many Cherry Trees She has seeded and grown over the past two years, but have remained hidden in the general mayhem of Spring and Summer, only to be discovered this year as Spring seemed to struggle and lag behind, so allowing me to see.
“Kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky, and water was a real and active principle.
In the animal and bird world there existed a brotherly feeling that kept us safe among them…
The animals had rights – the right of man’s protection, the right to live, the right to multiply, the right to freedom, and the right to man’s indebtedness.
This concept of life and its relations filled us with the joy and mystery of living; it gave us reverence for all life; it made a place for all things in the scheme of existence with equal importance to all.”
And so wherever we allow Her, enable Her and protect Her, abundance flows…
It’s humbling to witness…
Symbols have always resonated with us.
We possess an innate ability to read and understand symbols, for they transcend language and culture.
This time in a recently re-potted tree…lots of tiny Parsley seedlings. I have no idea where they have come from, except to add that I used home made compost and these are from the seed-heads of last Summer.
Last year i grew lots of Blackcurrants from seed saved right here at Bealtaine.
I used compoost from the bins to give them the very best feed for the coming growing year. This is two years old and sweet smelling compoost.
I also planted a Mulberry tree in the corner.
Near the bottom of the path was planted the other Crab Apple.
I added a shallow dish to the Lughnasadh Garden so Bees and Butterflies may drink water without drowning…it is such a sad sight to witness! The area to the right is simply cardboard and chippings from the garden shredder.
This gives a fantastic heat and is great for baking when I need higher temperatures in the stove.
I spent some time yesterday in the pond, (waders on) clearing out pond-weed and cutting back on the banks. 
Hard work, so am breaking it up into a three day exercise! 
Meanwhile, the Lughnasadh Garden continues to take shape and is already a lovely place to walk to and enjoy. It’s good for me to have several projects on the go at the same time! 
Nasturtiums are all in flower and the Bees are have a wonderful feast and flurry as they move from one to another. 
And…I’ve spied yet more plants that have self-seeded in the gravel…these Lady’s Mantle are ll to be moved into the Lughnasadh Garden for the Bees and Butterflies. 
Many of you have been with me from the very beginning, when I first ventured into the world of blogging and began writing about my journey here at Bealtaine Cottage.
I attempted in a small way, to be a voice for simple living through Permaculture, in my attempts at helping to invest life and abundance into these three acres of Mother Earth…
Making the mistakes, planting land, growing the trees and just trying to get by in between it all! 
Some of you have joined along the way…and many have stayed! 
The subscriptions have kept growing…a bit like my kitchen floor that grew for almost two years! 
Bealtaine Cottage grew onto YouTube…
And then onto Facebook… 
Bealtaine Cottage magical Gardens on FB has just reached 17,000 Likes! 
But tonight I want to say Thank You… 
To all of you who have made this little piece of Sacred Earth reach over ONE AND A HALF MILLION VIEWS! 
I never imagined it possible! 
Thanks for all your emails and good wishes! 
Thanks for all your love and support! 
