We are ending the month of November and with routine changes and many things to attend to recently I’m only now starting to slow down and to dwell on what I’m at and what I would like to focus on in the next few winter months. I love winter.
Right now I like how there is such attention on gratefulness by so many people, so many friends. When looking at the small gifts we receive everyday, it’s easy to feel gratitude.
Well, my garden is full of seedheads attracting goldfinches. And new life is to be seen in primroses starting to flower.
The sun is out today and there is ony a little breeze. The garden has not yet died down so far, our really cold weather only arrives in January and usually last untill April. Our daffodils are already showing their head above soil. I could do work out there but I’m inclined to leave the seedheads for the birds, and as well as that the soil, the grass, everything is sodden, the rains having taken care of that. So I will leave the outside work for now, and I will make my adventkrans instead.
Along the road, somewhere in county Kerry I recently did a discovery. While on one of my journeys I stopped to take autumn photos and also to take a look at this cottage. I had often wondered while passing who would have lived there long ago, and why the people left, and where did they go, maybe across the sea to America as a lot of Irish people emigrated there in the late 19th or early 20th century. Anyway the house is boarded up but still looks in good repair. It is nestled among beech and other native trees, now beautifully coloured, and it looks out down the valley with hills in the distance. Some of the land is bog-like with a variety of grasses and sedges, some rocky outcrops and low bushes, and lots of bracken, beech and birch trees, a mixture of colour at this time of year.
To my surprise I found a notice fastened to the wall of this cottage, it happens to be a roosting place for bats, and in particular for the lesser horseshoe bat. An organisation covering both Ireland and England called the ‘Vincent Wildlife Trust’ has a long and successful history of establishing and managing reserves for rare bat species. It manages 37 sites in Ireland, England, and Wales, all of which are roosts of the greater or lesser horseshoe bat. In Ireland, the Trust manages 12 reserves for the lesser horseshoe bat. And so this cottage has been put to very good use.
Hi everyone, it has been a while since I contributed news from life in West Cork. So here I am again. My last gladioli flower from the garden has a stunning colour. I love these old fashion flowers.
I don’t think that I have ever seen trees so heavely laden with bright red apples, almost too beautiful to eat! But not only apples, pears, plums, and other fruit and nuts are having an abundant harvest, whole hedgerows are flaming red with hawthorn berries. I saw our own hawthorn tree filled with fat sparrows the other day, over 20 birds chirping away, did they feast on our haws? I wonder.
Hawthorn berries
Autumn is advancing. Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival is almost upon us. It celebrates the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter time. Pumpkins are all over the shops and my grandkids are talking about what they will dress up in. It’s celebrated here as Halloween, a commercialised version of Samhain ( I don’t like much).
Fall coloursMost recent full moon
Autumn is usually a time of slowing down, but not necessarily so, not until winter is properly upon us. There are exhibitions to go see, and musea to visit, and coffee gatherings with friends to enjoy, and so on. Some weeks ago I started a six week course online with the Transnational Institute, it is called “Cities beyond growth” focussing on post growth urbanism, it is very interesting, The first week we looked democracy and care, second week we looked at energy sustainability, how can living spaces be made more liveable in an efficient way , and we discuss housing this week. It is global, it draws information from scholars, writers, thinkers and idealists. Also interesting to hear what other students from all over the world have to say, and their experiences in their environments. The course is given via Podcasts, readings, video’s, lots to take in. The questions prompt us to think deeper about what it is to work toward a more sustainable future in every way, and to hear about what is, or is not working all over the globe. What this course is doing for me is very welcome, it is restoring hope and faith in a world that has been so shaken in recent years. Yes, It is doing that for me.
Other activies, like knitting socks for my beloved husband, and ofcourse my bobbin lace. Aswell as a recent webinar on the silk roads, which was brilliant.
Mellow evening sun, we are having a mild autumn
Ruin of St.Mary’s church in Schull. Schull is a lovely seaside village in west Cork, where my husband Ian is now being cared for in a nursing home. It is about half an hour from here. Ian is still writing a children’s book, it going to be brilliant!
Two more sights of beautiful Schull, can you believe that the fuchsia hedge is still in flower right now.
It has been a beautiful, long, and busy summer with very little rain and pleasant warm temperatures. I’ve collected a number of photos and writing which I’ll blog about over the winter months, over the rainy season, but for now just some recent pictures.
Driving over the Mine Road to Durrus in West Cork A typical Irish house of last century I just came across this dahlia somewhereOne late summer morning in the garden
I’m looking forward to catch up with everyone during the next while.
Some days ago I took the notion to spend a few days in Glengarriff in West Cork. Glengarriff is a peaceful village lying in a lush valley surrounded to the south and east by the Caha and Shehy mountain ranges and to the west by the Bantry Bay. Its climate is subtropical and this is seen in the lush plant growth, home to several rare plants and trees, like the Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) and the royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) for example. Close by are the Italian gardens, situated on a small island better known as Illnacullin island, a beautiful place to visit.
Sugar mountain and Shrone hill, part of the Caha mountains in which glacial valley Glengarriff lies.
The Blue Pool, accessible right from the village
I think that most of all Glengarriff is a place where you can relax and unwind, but also a place where, in the village itself, people congregate in and outside of pubs and eateries, and so a lovely ambience resides. I often travel through this little village, I always stop to soak up what Glengarriff really is, a place of beauty, of peace. Even the scent is full of fragrance, the fragrance of fresh air, of oxygen. Very restorative!
Early spring in the village 2025
Why am I writing about Glengarriff? First of all I love the place and have spent time there, and secondly because of where I stayed. I like to put the Glengarriff Hostel on the map because it is an amazing place. I’ve always loved and travelled using hostels, and this is one of the best. What a nice way to travel and meet new places and people in a way that is adventurous and affordable. Glengarriff Hostel has a mixed dorm, a female dorm, family and private rooms. A comfortable sitting room and a great kitchen with a terrace looking out towards the Blue Pool and Shrone hill. Find out more on https://glenhostel.ie/
The Hostel with Shrone hill behind itPrivate roomChill out roomKitchenEntranceOne of the dormsFamily room
One of my favourite things about Glengarriff is the Nature Reserve which is just a stone’s throw away from the village on the Kenmare road. This is an original Oak forest, lined with pathways and walking trails, both long and short. Very interesting are the lichens, the mosses and the polypody ferns found here. The Glengarriff river runs through this forest. Both this reserve and the surrounding area is a wonderful place for hikers, hill walkers and for those interested in geology, botany and nature in general. People who like the sea can also live it up in Glengarriff, there are boat trips, fishing, and swimming.
Irish spurge Euphorbiacae hybernaWild Rhododendron Along the coastline at Glengarriff
For the horticulturist there are several gardens to visit with interesting and sub-tropical species. Springing to mind are The Bamboo Gardens, The Ewe Experience, Garnish island. And Ardnatrush gardens which are my favourite, this is the garden developed by botanist Ellen Hutchins and where she did research into seaweeds among other things. Here are some photos I took there at my last visit.
Gunnera manicata at Ewe ExperienceLichen at ArdnatrushMy brother Johan and ITree Fern – Dicksonia antarctica at Ellen Hutchins gardens
Following is a link to a website about Ellen Hutchins:
Glengarriff is easily reached by bus from Cork, via Bantry and from Killarney via Kenmare.
I’ve enjoyed looking up some websites for information, but basically I’m quite familiar with the gardens, the botany and the interesting things about Glengarriff. It is the place where in 1965 my family emigrated to from Antwerp in Belgium. Us eleven children have since dispersed all over Ireland and Belgium too, with a huge number of descendants.
The surrounding mountains are a great place for the geologist.
I am taking a nice rest this afternoon, because for the moment all my seedlings and young plants are looked after and doing their own thing, growing mainly and getting strong, oh and defending themselves against the onslaught of slugs. I’m sitting in the livingroom but the door to the garden is wide open. Seagulls are flying over making an awful racket, and the rooks are not far off either, I often see them interact with each other, flying after each other. They are having the time of their lives!
The most exercise I’ve done today is walking around my smallish garden and picking a bunch of wild flowers. There is a great tit in the trees, it has this certain call lately, it makes me think that I’m in a large forest, it’s wonderful!
Our trees are very lush now , their best colour of all the seasons is now, the leaves, those of the oak tree only unfolding, are so fresh. One branch of the chestnut tree is very elegantly overhanging part of the vegetable plot.
The month of May is not far off. Soon the swifts will arrive over our house and gardens, when I hear them, for me it is summer no matter the weather.
Right now, in nature, it is the best time of the year!
I’m sitting at the window looking out to our garden from our sunroom, which actually used to be called a Conservatory but when the old roof started to deteriorate and started to leak we got it covered in slate and put in two Velux windows, so now I call it the ‘sunroom’ and that will suffice.
And as I look out to the garden I can see some beautiful shrubs that are flowering right now, the forsythia is a patch of yellow and then there is the Berberis Compacta fully decked in orange, it’s beautiful to see even through my still blurred eyes, I’ve had cataract surgery last week and I still cannot see clearly. The Azalea both the purple and white one are coming into flower too, and the Rosemary is one blur of purple and dark green.
ForsythiaRosemaryBerberis compactaVery old azeliaPurple azelia, small flowers
I’ve been working with my seedlings this morning; I’ve been repotting some of them. The room is filled with all sizes of pots, which I’m filling with soil, and I am planting seedlings like there is no tomorrow, I have got so many seeds coming on and this whole room is absolutely turned into a greenhouse. I’m so happy with having this space and being able to get my young plants going. I haven’t been able to set up the small plastic greenhouse in the garden yet but that’s the job that’s got to be done. I will then move all these young plants in there and get them to grow strong before I can put some of them out in the purposed plot, the soil needs to be prepared yet. The grass which I had covered with cardboard needs to be either dug or else I will just throw soil on top of it. The soil for the potatoes is ready though, and they have been chitin here on the press, so weather allowing, they are next to go into the ground.
Right now, the sky is gray and there’s a bit of wind, but my chestnut tree is starting to come into leaf, its buds are bursting. The sky out there is filled with birds flying in all directions, seagulls and crows especially, they’re all happy to be alive I think, yes there is lots of activity, for one I have seen our resident blackbird couple eyeing the thick hedge which is where they made their nest before.
It does look like rain and so it probably will rain but there is a lot of inside work and that’s what I’m busy with at the moment. I have 28 kale plants, they’re very small yet but that’s ok as they are only for use next winter, I sowed some extra to be able to share them with others, because that’s fun.
Young Lilac treeLemon BalmPieris berriesStill have to tackle the compostPlans for another vegetable plotSeedlings coming on
A week later and now we are April!
Despite my limited vision at the moment I was able to plant my potatoes, which is great as it puts me ahead. Meanwhile the sun has been shining for days and there is a warm wind today, my washing has been dancing on the line all morning, a lovely sight to behold because I can now put my clotheshorse away for the summer (I hope). Young plants and seedlings are coming along great and I’ve sowed more. The garden has dried out in the meantime, mud has become hardened already. I now urgently need a gardener, that is, a person who can do some of the jobs I cannot manage. My grandson has advised me to do proper fencing around my new vegetable plot rather than just put pots around it. The idea is to keep the cats from doing their business in the soil where the vegetables are growing. But I might just settle for keeping an eye on it daily and using a shovel. Not decided yet, but note that I have five different cats, not my own, visiting the garden!
GARDEN AWAKENINGMy grandson helping me, so valuable.
With the month of March well under way our garden is crying out for attention. I have great plans this year, among other things is planting more vegetables and in order to realise this I’m digging up one third of our small lawn. Exciting!
I have been suffering a bit from writers block for a while now, hopefully my muze will return soon.
Wishing everyone a glorious spring, or as it happens, autumn time. Much love.
It is time for a bit of stock taking, and for catching up with many friends and followers of my blog. Personally the year 2024 has brought many changes, some challenges, some sad, and some good. Worldwide it’s been a sad and chaotic year too I think. Many of us have asked ourselves serious questions about our general humanity, our deeds towards our fellow human beings. A lot of good has been happening too during this past year, a lot of compassion has been shown, and brave and good people have shown to be always around.
I visit Ian, my husband, in the nursing home every week, something we both look forward to very much.
And now January is almost over and I’m still organizing my activities inside the house and out in the garden, and in society. Lots to do, all good things. During the winter I’ve availed of webinars and zoom meetings a lot. Webinars about grasses and rushes, and other natural subjects. Regular zoom meetings of a lace making group. And an introductory course in tree identification. Collage making or painting with my grandchildren is very rewarding too. Locally there have been meetings of the Early Retirement Group which has fabulous and interesting (mainly) other women as members and a good program, one of the things we do is a weekly chair yoga session which keeps us all quite flexible. Then the monthly book club and the poetry circle are such a joy, as are the very regular and hugely interesting art exhibitions. Skibbereen has it all. There is simply not enough time to do it all.
And then there is the weather which during winter can be quite challenging, storms, heavy rain, frost, the type of weather that makes you want to crawl behind the stove with a good book. Christmas and New Year celebrations seem to have come and went in a flash this past year. The dark days are now getting a little lighter and soon it will be the first of February, for Ireland that heralds the beginning of spring, it is also the feast of St.Bridgid and has now become a public holiday. And so…. I’m chitting my potatoes to have them ready for planting in March. My garden is still my focus a lot of the time.
This coming season my main big plan for the garden is to plough up half my little grass field so I can plant more vegetables. For the past five years I have added more and more shrubs because I had much less time to garden and thought it was the better way. This meant that I now have less and less space for vegetables. So space will have to be made. My grandson Ruben who is now a strong teenager and very willing to help me has already cleared one plot in the back of the garden, he wants to do more. We are great mates and I love him coming over and working alongside me, and afterwards we have pizza and watch a movie.
Luckily during the last storm none of our trees suffered, we have seven trees in a small garden. We live in a terraced house and the garden is relatively small. Ours are a birch, oak, chestnut, hawthorn and elderberry, and in the front garden, a currant tree and an acer. Our hawthorn tree was affected by blight last summer and lost all of its leaves, we’ll see what happens this year. The chestnut had been trimmed five years ago and has some rot in an outshoot and that will need looking after.
Gardening and planning a garden, as many people know very well, is a great joy, and keeps us fit, it’s also hard work at times, but that can be done in part, an hour here and an hour there on a daily basis, weather allowing of course (I’m a fair weather gardener). To be out in nature is such a joy, the fresh air, the scents, sounds, and seeing the growth is all delightful and will keep me going for ever. The observation possibilities of seeing insects, birds, wild plants and herbs growing, as well as tasty vegetables and trying out new types. And then there is the digging up of potatoes and the harvesting of edible produce, how much better can it get I think it satisfies one of our most basic instincts as humans, that of survival.
Not being sure what 2025 will bring for us all, I wish many blessing for each and everyone.
agoyvaerts 