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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
This is a little video I took out in the woods. The ice has been melting, so there’s water on top of the ice, making for a beautiful effect - water , earth, air, and fire all sharing their beauty in a most spectacular way! https://youtube.com/shorts/MnwPCscyk_k It’s that time of year when one day can be springtime and the next day winter again. It shows us that there are always good times and difficult times, ...
Thank you to everyone who came out and made this day so special! 🐇 We come together in community to celebrate the Divine, which is found within ourselves, throughout the world and within deity. Ritual and ceremony can help us to feel that connection, and help us to build spiritual bonds. These connections show us the Way. Singing while Brennah plays mandolin planting seeds merging of opposites ...
I thought you all might like to see a picture of how wet it gets in the spring around here. This was as close as I could get to the creek yesterday. Some of the recent days previous to yesterday, I couldn't even get within sight of the creek. But did you know that there are some native plants and animals that require a habitat of regular flooding in order to survive? We have identified ...
A current view of the woods... 🌸 Photo by Brennah Cavanaugh Photography LLC
It's hard to tell, but this log is about 21 feet long. Can you guess what it's going to be used for? Hint: it will be for something at our Beltane celebration coming up at 2:00 pm on April 30th. * * * * * If you guessed a Maypole, then you were right! If anyone would like to come help work on making it, we will be doing that on Sunday, April 24th - ...
Though we are having a bit of a cold snap this week, there are still plenty of signs of spring. The daffodils, crocuses and tulips are starting to come up, and the garlic that was planted this past fall has sprouted. We've grown garlic here off and on since 2014, so I thought you might enjoy seeing a few pictures of previous years' plantings and harvests.Garlic Sprout - April 5, 2014Garlic beds on June 18, 2015 - you ...
For those who are counting down the days until spring, I think the chickens are going to be just as happy! Here they are happily foraging at Beltane in May of 2018. Violets and dandelions are healthy herbs for people and chickens alike. 😀 violets and dandelions, Luna, Penguin and Flame - Photo by Brennah Cavanaugh Photography LLC I hope you are all doing well! Jean
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 ...
There is so much life bursting upon the scene right now, it's impossible to mention it all. Hyacinth and daffodils and tulips are gracing the scene. Rhubarb, Egyptian onions, mint, lemon balm, tarragon, and various other herbs are popping up. The currant bushes, peach and apple trees, serviceberry, and wild plum are blossoming. Mayapples are in their full glory in the woods. These are a few of the many perennials we have planted around the farm and sanctuary. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 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