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 ...
"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 ...
This is Part 3 of my Food Forest series. Please feel free to post any questions you might have! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNQJMB21LUc
Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for your patience as I’ve been away taking care of family matters. ❤️ I took this video yesterday and thought you might enjoy seeing how things are looking here this spring. I’d like to do more of these to post here if you enjoy them. https://youtube.com/shorts/SB71VqEKPnY?feature=share I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things with you all, scheduling more events hopefully starting in mid May or ...
Hi everyone,Your contributions help with all the habitat care for the plants and wildlife on the land, and help us take care of our rescue chickens and cats. Did you know that all of our chickens are also rescues (or their offspring)? (Smokey says hello!)As the spring flowers are beginning to sprout, what in your life is beginning to sprout and is getting ready to blossom? I'm looking forward to celebrating Spring Equinox / Easter along with ...
Spring is in full swing at the Farm and Sanctuary! So I wanted to give you a small tour of the current beauty and abundance! As most of you know, we specialize in perennial food crops at Crossing Hedgerows, and have planted a food forest nearby the house. We used permaculture design to create this food forest, which I love to talk about when we have folks out for walks. Every year it becomes more and more ...
For our work day last week, we did some clean-up in an area of the woods where the previous owners seemed to have had a dump. Though the Cavanaughs have been pulling trash out of that area continuously since moving to the property, it has been a huge project. And it mainly needs to be done in the early spring, after the snow melts, but before everything gets covered by the understory plant growth. So it was ...
Spring is in the air as the sanctuary prepares for the sun to rise. I also love how the veins of the stones in the circle are somehow glowing in the dim light. https://youtube.com/shorts/zF9Bx1as3Ac Blessed Be, Jean
"What beauty is in the world that I never noticed before?" -Rick Rubin Following is another cross post from the Patreon page of Brennah Cavanaugh Photography. Last spring I was fascinated by these tiny just-emerged oak leaves I found on the many oak saplings along the north edge of the woods. To me they looked like tiny felt crafts. They were actually tiny enough to be tricky to photograph. Bright red, fuzzy leaves don’t seem to ...
Time to grab your rubber boots! This time of year there is typically a lot of flooding at the Sanctuary. The water can recede fairly quickly, but it's good to be aware that there can be days that if you visit, you will need some really good waterproof footwear. (This morning heading out to the hoophouse.)(This afternoon - you can see the May Pole at the back right.)(Another view from this afternoon - and in case you are ...
"My work is loving the world.Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird –equal seekers of sweetness.Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?Am I no longer young and still not half-perfect? Let mekeep my mind on what matters,which is my work,which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.The phoebe, the delphinium.The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.Which is mostly rejoicing, since ...
Taken March 2, 2021One of the earliest flowers to bloom here at Crossing Hedgerows is Winter Aconite. It gives a splash of color in the late winter and early spring, and provides some of the first pollen and nectar for the pollinators. We planted it a couple of years ago, and it would be wonderful to plant some snow drops along with it as they blossom about the same time. So far it is only this tiny patch, ...
A snippet from our Spring Equinox Ritual 2019 https://youtube.com/shorts/uAxLQ82QHvc?feature=share For the little ones, I made this Spring Bingo game to play during the celebration. It was a big hit. 💜 Spring Bingo
Sunday, March 13 at 2:00 p.m.As spring approaches, it's time to resume our monthly member Walk and Bonfire! As in the past, these will include a potluck for whoever would like to bring a dish to pass. This monthly event, along with seasonal rituals which are hosted by the Sanctuary, are for members and their immediate families. We also invite you to bring along a guest if you would like. Non-members can attend an event one time free ...
Jean, Brennah and guests A fun little episode from our May Member Walk and Bonfire was the appearance of this butterfly. Brennah spotted it and stopped to take some pictures - two of which I've added to this post. The young lad was especially interested, and Brennah explained that the butterfly is called a Mourning Cloak, and is one of the earliest to appear in the spring. Because they come out so early, there ...
Today I'm sharing a few photos taken in the woods yesterday. These spring ephemerals don't last long, but while they do, it is magnificent.Our group Member Walk and Bonfire for May will be next Sunday, the 23rd at 2:00 p.m.. And as members, you are also welcome to arrange to come at other times too. If you've had the tour, and know your way around, you can choose to take in the Sanctuary on your own, or ...
Happy Beltane to all who celebrate!In the Gaelic tradition, Beltane is the season from the 1st of May to the 31st of July. As we travel through this season, you may like to focus on some of the above activities. But whatever your path, I wish you the brightest of blessings in the coming days,JeanActivities for the Summer Months, from Celtic Devotional: Daily Prayers and Blessings by Caitlin Matthews
We had another gathering for members this past Sunday. The afternoon was bright and crisp and gorgeous. Though the morning had been overcast and chilly, it turned into one of those days where the air is cool but the sun is warm, and they offset each other perfectly.There had been a few others who had been planning to come, but they were waylaid at the last minute with one thing or another. So it was an intimate ...
For the most part, the photos will speak for themselves. We had a similar snowstorm last year about a week earlier than this one. Looking at the pictures from that one, it seems that the blossoms on the fruit trees were not out quite as much. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this doesn't harm the fruit production here in SE Michigan. We prepared as best we could by bringing some of our more sensitive seed trays ...
I found these photos of Comma Butterflies that Brennah took last year on April 2nd. She told me that they are some of the first butterflies to emerge in the spring. We will certainly be keeping an eye out for these beauties again this year. According to Wikipedia, "The eastern comma may be spotted in woods near rivers, ponds, marshes, swamps, and other water sources." Thank you once again for your support of this magical place for our ...