We are at the time of year where the reptiles and amphibians are stirring, the willow catkins are at their finest, the marsh is at its marshiest, and the leaves and blossoms are beginning to peak out. The territorial battles between the various spring peepers and frogs is deafening when you head back to the woods and towards the wetlands area. I hope you enjoy these photos of late March at the Sanctuary taken by Brennah.Wishing you ...
This past Saturday, Dan, Caitlin, and Brennah had a fun time working on making nest boxes for kestrels and screech owls. We've seen these raptors around occasionally and would like to make a place for them to raise their young each year. Not only are they lovely birds in their own right, we're hoping they'll help keep the farm rodent population under control. We have regular work days every Thursday and Saturday (however we haven't had much interest ...
Saturday, July 26th at 10:00 a.m. A corn husk doll made by Jean Each meetup intertwines teachings of The Mysteries with songs, arts and crafts, nature walks, games, and stories. We use myths from all different indigenous and religious traditions, but with a main focus on the Gnostic Christian mystery tradition. There is a suggested donation of $25, however all are welcome. Even if you do not have children and are a "child ...
This Sunday is our July member Walk and Bonfire at 2:00 p.m. Please feel free to bring a dish or beverage to pass, and instruments, songs, poetry, or stories to share. We will also have a "FREE" table set up for you to put out any items you'd like to pass along to someone else. But whatever you bring, if it has not been taken by the time you are leaving, please do take your items ...
This video snippet from our May walk in the woods gives a good sense of the ambience as we head away from the farm and into the forest. https://youtube.com/shorts/YGnMcRGZzHY Along with that, I offer you this beautiful poem by Philip Larkin. The Trees The trees are coming into leaf Like something almost being said: The recent buds relax and spread, Their greenness is a kind of grief. Is it that they ...
Today's post features scenes from the woods taken during the month of May. Photos by Brennah Cavanaugh Photography. You can find more of her work on Instagram @brennahcavanaugh ant on violets wild geranium blossom just beginning to open a patch of trilliums trilliums and decaying logs sun shining through the leaves oak leaves wolf spider ...
There are many signs of spring currently at the Farm and Sanctuary. garlic sprouts The garlic we planted last fall on one of our work days has sprouted. I planted some peas and cress along the back fence of the same garden this week. planting seeds some of our seed packets garden bed And we did some general clean-up for yesterday's work day ...
Yesterday we received a batch of seed packets we ordered, so we can add a few more varieties of pollinator plants to the farm and sanctuary. We love wildflowers! Some we will plant this spring and some need to be planted in the fall. Welcome to our new seeds! May they grow well and be happy. Jean
What a gorgeous spring equinox weekend we had here in Southeast Michigan! The mild breezes and fresh sunshine were a gentle rejuvenation for our hearts. Check out the photos for a glimpse of our walk with Arthur the cat into the Sanctuary woods. Brennah and Arthur crossing the bridge into the woods Underneath the crunchy leaves new life is beginning to emerge, including a little friend who gave our kitty quite a fright ...
Beetle on Currant Blossom at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary - photo by Brennah Cavanaugh Greeting To The Spring Equinox Glad Bringer of Brightness, hail! Maiden of Grace, Lad of Laughter. Gifts of vigor are returning, Spring's surprise, rainbow's embrace. Quickened be the heart within us, Opened be our souls to grace, May the blessing be abiding, Welcome sit in every face. by Caitlín Matthews, Celtic Devotional: Daily Prayers and Blessings
There are a variety of bio-regions at the Sanctuary. We have perennial gardens and annual gardens. We have a windbreak of spruces we planted, and we have an enclosed hoop-house area. We have a woodland region, a pond region, wetlands, meadow, and shrubby areas. We have a creek that runs the length of the Sanctuary and then on out to Lake Erie. It's called the North Branch of the Swan Creek. We have a planned food forest ...
Last year at about this time, just before the lockdown, we took one of our workdays to make elderberry syrup together from elderberries harvested at Crossing Hedgerows. It's the kind of thing we'd like to do more of in the future. crushing the elderberries cooking and stirring the elderberries cooking and stirring the elderberries adding the honey straining out the pulp ...
All creatures have their place and value in an ecosystem. The more variety there is, the more balance is created. Here are some photos Brennah took on August 3rd - 7th this past summer at CHFS. This is a tiny fraction of the insects (which Brennah photographs at all different life stages) that make up the habitat. We are sharing these as a special post for patrons only, as these photos have not yet been shared anywhere ...
February's walk has been postponed to this coming Sunday, March 7th at 2:00 pm. To make up for it though, I am sharing a few photos that Brennah took around the farm and sanctuary on March 4th of last year. And also, maybe this will allow for a few more people to make it at the new time. pussy willow dried buckthorn berries trees with sycamore in the center ...
Excerpt from The Overstory by Richard Powers: The judge asks her to elaborate. Dennis was right It is like talking to students. She describes how a rotting log is home to orders of magnitude more living tissue than the living tree. "I sometimes wonder whether a tree's real task on Earth isn't to bulk itself up in preparation to lying dead on the forest floor for a long time." The judge asks what living things might need ...
I thought, just for fun, you might like to see the very first announcement we put out about Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary. Doug Pierce invited me to share his vending table at the Ann Arbor Pagan Pride Day in 2018, and I handed out these flyers to folks. Doug had already agreed to be on the CHFS board with the Cavanaughs if we thought there would be enough interest from the community. I also gathered contact ...
Last week this bird's nest was full of snow. This week the snow is melting fast. And a couple of days ago when I stepped out onto the back patio, I saw the biggest fattest robin I have ever seen. Imbolc gives us the promise of springtime as the light continues to grow. bird's nest with a large mound of snow in it - photo by Brennah Cavanaugh Blessings from the Sanctuary, Jean Phot
bumble bee with pollen (in flight) on shrubby st John's wort One of the many wonderful aspects of the Sanctuary is the wide variety of plant life. The featured photos are of St. John's wort taken by Brennah Cavanaugh. We have a couple different varieties of St. John's wort, in fact! It's exciting to consider all the different sorts of ways we can appreciate these plant friends and share knowledge about them. We hope you ...
Hello everyone, just a reminder that Sunday, February 28th at 2:00 pm will be our next Community Walk and Bonfire. We are forecast to have some warmer weather between now and then, so I expect much of the snow will be melted. Here are a few pictures of what it looks like currently. Animal tracks making a trail through the snow past a Juniper tree Animal tracks making a trail through the ...
Here is a little music clip from one of our bonfires a few years back. Music is always very welcomed and encouraged at our gatherings! https://youtu.be/ixS_fIdv06w Jean