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 ...
Going into the darker time of year is difficult for many of us. Our energy wanes with the sun. The cycles of the year and the seasons are really also our own cycles in so many ways. It seems a bit trite on the surface, but the more l delve into the layers of it, the more I find there is to discover. From the fullness of a breath taken, to the emptiness of a breath released, ...
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, ...
https://youtube.com/shorts/JZtsGGHV-hA?feature=share A video of birds feeding on dried crabapples at Crossing Hedgerows Farm and Sanctuary in late January. Crabapples Wishing each of you peace and blessings, Jean
Forsythia and Maple Leaves Welcome to the Cailleach, Goddess of the winter months. 🤍 The Cailleach, or the hag, has been feared and revered across Celtic cultures in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, for hundreds of years. Depicted as a veiled hag or an old crone, with one eye and deathly pale skin, she is said to have a bow-legged leaping gait, striding across mountains with a power to shape and ...
Red Osier Dogwood in the foreground Hi Friends! As we head ever closer to winter, I want to share something I found which could help many of us to be more resilient in our lives. As most of you know by now, we practice permaculture principles here at the Sanctuary, which involves finding ways to live more sustainably. woodland trail For quite a few years I have been interested in ...
After the beautiful winter wonderland we had last week, everything melted all at once. So we’re once again left with lots and lots o’ water! 💦 It’s not as bad as the last flood though and I was able to get out for a nice slosh about this morning. Being snow melt, it feels much more cleansing this time, almost as if it is washing away the muck of the previous flood. I end at the bank ...
Walking around the stone circle, I show a close-up of the beautiful stones in the water. https://youtube.com/shorts/mEDFIsbfTVg
These are some pictures taken early this morning just as the sun was coming up. It seems like winter is finally beginning to arrive at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary and Farm. Yet we only have three weeks left until Imbolc which marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. But for now, the Cailleach is bringing her wisdom and beauty to the land and we stand in awe of her presence. ...
By Sarenth Óðinsson, Board Member of Crossing Hedgerows The world is alive. This is especially easy to know at Crossing Hedgerows. You can feel life pulsing beneath your feet, even in the midst of Winter. There is life. Perennial food crops and flowers around the farm are coming back to life, with shoots beginning to pop up, and fruit blossoms preparing to open. The greenhouse is thriving with green interspersed with the decay of the last hops ...
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 ...
Sunrise on Dec. 21st at Crossing Hedgerows Sanctuary "The future enters into us, in order to transform us, long before it happens." ~ Rilke Brennah recently decided to plant a few seeds that are a variety which need to sit through the cold winter in the deep earth in order to germinate properly. "Some seeds, most often perennials from temperate climate, need 1-4 months of cold damp conditions before they will germinate. This is called ...
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, ...
Icy area in the woods - taken on March 1st, 2022 by Brennah Sunday, March 13th at 2:00 p.m. - Member Walk & Bonfire Bring a dish to pass if you'd like. 🥧 We've had some warm days since the photo above was taken, and there has been quite a bit of melting. This is definitely the muddy time of year, so boots are highly recommended. You are also welcomed to simply enjoy the bonfire if ...
Trail to the Pond Site by Brennah Cavanaugh Photography LLCThe snow storm we had earlier this month left the shrubs and plants so weighed down that some of the trails became almost impassable. But not completely so, as Dan found when he decided to crawl through because our dog was so insistent on going on his usual walk! Photos by Dan Cavanaugh - Walking the DogI wanted to share these pictures of the Sanctuary in all its winter ...
We had a great turnout for our Imbolc gathering yesterday! Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy this informal time around the fire. It was a wonderful way to begin easing back into some events after my difficulties with my foot, and after many of our members coming down with illness over the winter. It was lovely to introduce some new folks to those who have been around for awhile, and to have all the ...
Just a reminder that our Imbolc gathering will be this Sunday at 2:00. It will not be a ritual this time, but an opportunity to appreciate the season together. We will have a bonfire, hot coco, some mead, and perhaps cookies or similar fare. We also invite you to walk the trails and enjoy the land at your own leisure, with the fire awaiting to warm you upon your return. ...And I wanted to share with you ...
Cardinals and Forsythia BushThis is the time of year when we see whole flocks of cardinals around the farm and sanctuary. Today we have a fresh covering of snow and the cardinals are so beautiful against the white (and dull greens and browns) of winter. Five cardinals (three males and two females) in a cedar treeBirds are a high priority for us at Crossing Hedgerows. Many of the perennial trees, bushes, and herbs we have planted are not ...
Photo by Brennah Cavanaugh Photography LLC We have entered the heart of winter now with some frigid temperatures, ice, snow, and significant gales coming through. Here at the Sanctuary, you can see how the wind blew the snow a few days ago so as to accumulate on the side of the tree in this picture. Fortunately, everything is holding up well - the new chicken coop, the hoophouse, and all the rest. On Sunday ...
January 30th at 2:00 p.m. (weather permitting) at Crossing Hedgerows Farm and Sanctuary You are invited to join us for a small celebration of Imbolc... as well as my recent acceptance into the Ovate grade of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids! ✨ I am excited to be continuing this experience of the Druidic path as I grow in community with all those of various Pagan paths. We will have a bonfire, hot drinks and mead, ...