A Norway Spruce we planted about 11 years ago as a seedling. A few weeks ago we planted 10 more Norway Spruces to replace the ones we've used for Christmas trees over the years. Our original spruce grove was planted as a windbreak and we purposely planted them too close together so that as they grew we could harvest some of them for Christmas trees. The others have been doing a great job in ...
The Mystery School at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary is a place to slow down and reconnect. Together, we explore the relationship between nature, spirit, and daily life - guided by the rhythms of the seasons and the wisdom found in the natural world. Our time is spent outdoors and in community, with space for: Nature-based learning Story and song Creative, hands-on activities Quiet observation and play Each gathering is an invitation to be present - to the ...
For our Beltaine Celebration this year, we began with a walk in the woods to see the spring ephemerals, such as trilliums, jack-in-the-pulpits, and wild geraniums. (You can search this site to see pictures of our woods at this time of year!) We drove around to the back side of the property to hike in from the lane off the dirt road, as we don't currently have access from the house side. the SE stone in ...
A song that we sing regularly in our Mystery School meetups is called The Doxology. It means "a study in praise". We sing it as a prayer before meals and it goes like this: Praise God from whom all blessings flow Praise him all creatures here below Praise him above ye heavenly hosts Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Amen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HVlCRTiq-U&list=RD1HVlCRTiq-U&start_radio=1 Whoever wrote this song understood the hermetic nature of our cosmos ("as above, ...
For those of you who took home pawpaw seeds last fall... we have gotten our first sprout! pawpaw sprout Pawpaws take a long time to germinate, and even after they germinate, they will send their roots downward for awhile before beginning to sprout above the soil. So I hope you haven't given up on yours! We have ours in two different spots. One set of pots is in the house (which is where ...
Hello everyone! We had a wonderful time at our Early Bird Easter Mystery School Meetup. Part of what we did was gather the materials to make bird's nests and they turned out beautifully! We are now kicking off the Mystery School season officially in a few weeks and you are all invited! Though we are calling it an open house, the activities are planned out as a whole program, so you will want to ...
Saturday, April 11th at 1 p.m. Welcome to a new year of Family Mystery School! Our opening session will be for those early birds ready to get a jump start and experience something special for Easter and springtime! We will read a story called The Sleeping Tree Mystery by Jean Lewis - a mystery story about some animal’s missing items being used by a mother bird for her nest. We will talk about the concept of mysteries ...
May 2nd, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Beltane is the cross quarter celebration halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice of our big sky clock. It is a time of great fertility and we celebrate the fecundity of the earth as well as ourselves! All members are invited to a ceremony, potluck and bonfire, as well as a maypole dance. I do ask that you read through our Community Guidelines before attending. Because these celebrations are deeply ...
Today is the vernal equinox. It is the time when day and night are of equal length. We celebrate the balance between dark and light (the sun and the moon), not only in the sky, but within ourselves. Over the years we have enacted this concept through our Druidic Alban Eiler ritual, walking into the light half of the year through the gateway of the merging of the sun and the moon. We understand this is an ...
Saturday, April 25, 2026 ⋅1:00 – 3:30pm We will be planting Norway Spruce seedlings to grow some more Christmas trees for the coming years. In the past we have shared our homegrown trees with members of the sanctuary and would like to continue this tradition! We'll plant some trees and then gather around the bonfire for some fellowship. Feel free to bring a snack or beverage, or something to share if that sounds fun. Kindly RSVP to ...
"You are not a machine. You're a soul who needs music, connection, sunsets, laughter, and small pockets of joy. Prioritize them like your life depends on it - because it does." - Vex King Those sublime moments are really what it's all about. Being able to recognize them, take them in, and help others to do the same gives life meaning. Knowing how to say no to that which drains you and constantly keeps you away ...
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet;" -William Shakespeare Have you been wondering about the significance of our name - Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary? Found within the word hedgerow is the word "edge". In permaculture design we view edges as some of the most abundant places. Within ecosystems they allow for the biggest variety of life. On the edge of a forest where it is next to ...
What if you knew someone who was cutting themself and you took them to a psychiatrist, and instead of seeking the underlying reason why the person was so distraught as to be cutting themself you were told that cutting yourself is a perfectly ok thing to do. You were told in fact that we should support this person by giving them medication that masks the deeper issues and makes them feel alright about cutting themself. And you ...
Imbolc falls on February 2nd this year. It's the cross quarter between the winter solstice and spring equinox - the halfway point between them. The light is growing and this is when I actually always begin to notice the days becoming slightly longer. So it makes sense to celebrate with candles as the tiny light from Christmas grows stronger and we nurture this light within ourselves as well. Decorating the NE stone of the circle is ...
Monarch Butterfly on Sunchoke flowers by Brennah Cavanaugh Photography LLC "For the world is not painted or adorned, but is from the beginning beautiful; and God has not made some beautiful things, but Beauty is the creator of the universe." --Ralph Waldo Emerson Truly studying the patterns of nature will always bring us eventually to God. Lately I've been reading the book A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: The Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, ...
Ironweed dried remains - what looks like dried petals is the calyx. Photo by Brennah Cavanaugh Photography LLC "When one sees Eternity in things that pass away, then one has pure knowledge." ~ From the Bhagavad Gita Ironweed beginning to blossom Ironweed in bloom Dried Ironweed in Autumn Icey Winter Ironweed Ironweed is a native perennial plant which grows at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary along with other native wildflowers such as Joe Pyeweed, native ...
In the Druid tradition, the Cailleach is the goddess who represents the dark time, the time of tearing down and decay, but also it is she who builds the bones of the land, the bringer of the mountains. Within nature and our own lives we find the same cycles of darkness, death and decay leading to renewal and rebirth. We cannot have one without the other. Hail to the Cailleach, an essential aspect of ...
Our mystical Christmas celebration was another beautiful gathering. For those who weren't able to make it, we missed you! The North stone decorated for Christmas as we go around the wheel of the year / stone clock reflecting the big sky clock of our planisphere. The North stone Yew on one side of the center stone and a bare oak branch on the other. The cross ...
Lately I've been feeling exceedingly tired. I'm not sure all the reasons why my energy has been so low, but I know many people have been feeling the heaviness of the dark time of year being upon us. Things that might not feel so daunting at other times can feel more burdensome. Of course, the winter solstice is when we have reached the darkest part of the year, so our celebrations revolve around the return of the ...
Hi everyone! This winter has already been very cold and snowy, and it's not even officially winter yet! We hope you are all staying warm! The farm cats have been greatly appreciating the heat lamps we have set up for them inside the hoophouse, as well as straw to burrow down into. In the video above you can see and hear the wind gusting outside, but Charlie the cat is completely cozy and undisturbed. Following are a ...