Bealtaine Eve.

The Eve of Bealtaine, the beginning of the celebration of the first day of Summer according to the old Celtic calendar. The good weather this year make the vibrancy and energy of the season more tangible than usual. There is an old saying to predict the weather ” Ash before Oak, you’re in for a soak. Oak before Ash, you’re in for a splash.” As you can see from the pic above the Oak is in leaf first, in Arigna anyway!

The hedgerows are full of wildflowers right now.

The name Bealtaine comes from the Celtic god, Bel, meaning bright one, and the Gaelic word, teine, meaning fire. Midnight tonight is the traditional time for fires to be lit. The lighting of fires was seen as a symbol of purification for man and beast. The Celts used to build 2 fires and drive the livestock between them, this ensured fertility and a good milk yield.

Ferns are almost fully unfurled now.

The Earth’s energies are at their most active now, everything is a fresh new green. The Hawthorn or Maybush is just coming into flower. It was an important plant at Bealtaine, bunches were collected early on a May morning and placed above the doors and windows as a protection. They were also placed on doors of the animal houses.

Anyone know what this tiny flower is? The hedgerows are full of it.

The dew collected on a May morning was believed to have magical properties. If used to wash your face it was said you would’nt be burnt by the sun or get wrinkles.

In flower @ Prospect Cottage.

Periwinkle.

Vinca major or Periwinkle as it is more commonly known is just showing it’s first flowers now. It is an old cottage garden favourite, it’s great asset is that it does well in shady areas. An old name for Periwinkle was sorcerer’s violet, at one time it was used in love charms and was believed to have the power to get rid of evil spirits. It was also made into an ointment used to treat skin inflammmations.

Cosmos are one of my fave garden flowers. I planted a full packet of seeds earlier in the Spring and they have come on well. Yesterday I planted a full trough of them, multicoloured variety. This trough was an old one from someone’s attic given a new lease of life in the garden. Last year it held Strawberries, they have been moved into the polytunnel to give some earlies.

The fab weather at the moment is bringing lots of plants into early flower although I think the Campion and Honesty pictured above are actually in season. Their colour matchedness is purely accidental. I just plant without worrying about coordination, somehow it still manages to look fine, you can’t mismatch nature!

This is Bella a few hours after she was born last year, so cute. Check yesterday’s post to see her now, still a cutie!

Breakfast, Bluebells and Goats.

Bella, on the left, is one year old today. Her mother Enid is still giving plenty of milk for our needs. There is enough for making paneer, for souring for brown bread instead of buying buttermilk and even enough for an occasional bowl of custard. There is a misconception that goats need to kid every year to produce milk. Not true. We always milk for 2 years. It won’t be as much as the 1st year but we are not into maximum production. We love our animals and look after them well. We keep goats because we like them, but also to free ourselves from involvement in the cruel practices that are part and parcel of the dairy industry, both cows and goats. Enid will milk until Autumn then be dried off and rested for 2 years. Enid will be put in kid in November and hopefully be kidding 5 months later.

We like to start the day with a good breakfast here in Arigna. Today we had sourdough pancakes, really nice! I made the sourdough starter last September using our own grapes as a starter. I use the sourdough in bread and cakes too. Sourdough makes the gluten easier to digest and is good for the intestinal flora. The flavour seems to improve the longer you have the starter.

Yesterday we went to Deereen Wood near Boyle, it is a spectacular sight at the moment as the Bluebells are flowering. Bluebells spread quickly so there are more every year. A sight to lift and lighten anyone’s heart.

We were amazed to come upon this single magenta coloured Bluebell. Have often seen light pink ones but this was a really striking colour. I wonder if this will spread like the blue ones.

Companion planting @ Prospect Cottage.

Comfrey amongst fruit bushes.

Marigolds and Carrots.

Companion planting is the planting of mutually benificial plants in close proximity to each other with the result of deterring pests or attracting predators for any pests that may occcur. As well as being pleasing to the eye, as opposed to boring pest-inducing monoculture, it brings a more balanced eco-system into your garden. In essence, letting Nature take over.

Carrot fly seems to be a big problem in Ireland. The usual remedy is to put a 3-4 ft high barrier around the carrots, the reason being that the carrot fly does’nt fly higher than 3 ft. A more asthetically pleasing solution is to plant French Marigolds amongst your Carrots. Marigolds also exude a substance that kills nematodes and deters whitefly. Don’t plant them near Beans as the Beans won’t  do well.

Nasturtiums planted around fruit trees deter wooly aphids. They are said to improve the flavour and vigour of their neighbouring plants. They act as a deterrent for aphids and but also attract hoverflies who love to dine on greenfly. The also have the added bonuses of being attractive and edible. The leaves give a spiciness to salads and the flowers look amazing when strewn on top. Once you have them you’ll never have to plant again as they self-seed profusely. The seeds can also be pickled as a substitute for capers. I can’t vouch for this as I have’nt tried it myself.

Rhubarb is a good companion plant for all brassicas. A spray can be made from it’s leaves, they contain oxalic acid, to control blackspot on roses and as an aphid deterrent.

We love Trees @ Prospect Cottage.

Birch Tree near our back door.

A Day at Teapot Market.

Yesterday was the 2nd monthly Teapot Market in Carrick on Shannon, organised by Natalia from The Inkspot Bookshop. There was a very nice mix of local crafts there yesterday. One such was a selection of bird-boxes and small boxes made by William Lucey and his partner Debbie Swords. William, a cabinet maker, now sadly out of work, makes the boxes. Decoration is done by Debbie. A great combo. They live outside Ballinamore near Laura Lake. Contact no: 086-1071354.

I think this is fabulous work and I really like to buy something from the person who made it. I, of course bought one, pictured above, I love it, so rustic. Prices range from 15-25 euros.

I think the “Handmade with Love in Leitrim” is a lovely extra touch.

Also there was this lovely stall selling original fine art prints, a bargain at 5 euros, and hand painted plaques and house signs.

Any good market needs buskers. Yesterday we had a musical treat from Ferris and Sam who play Medieval music. They have a range of instruments, hurdy gurdy, whistle, bagpipes and probably more I did’nt see. They are fab and will be coming to the next market in a month’s time. Check them out on www.myspace.com/nuadauy . Ferris also does holistic and complementary therapies, www.ferrisjay.com . They also have a blog telling of their experiences building a house in Leitrim, www.adventuresinafield.blogspot.com .

My contribution to the day was my usual selection of home bakes, jams and chutneys. All the preserves are made with our own fruit, with the exception of Marmalade, for obvious reasons! Baked goods are made with organic flour, fairtrade sugar and butter.

A question answered.

Since we moved here, it will be 9 years in September, we have often wondered if the remains of a building in our back field were once a dwelling.  Well, yesterday our questions were answered. We were both outside working at about 4.30 when our neighbour Joe drove up our drive. He had visitors with him, his sister Mary and her husband visiting from Boston. Mary left Arigna 60 years ago at 18 years of age. She still has the old Arigna in her mind’s eye. A family called Glasheens once lived in the ruin which she remembered as “a fine house.” It was so nice to hear her talk of time’s past, when “no-one would be short of milk, if your cow was’nt calved yet your neighbours would be. Everyone helping each other with cow’s calving, saving the hay and sowing the potatoes and grain crops. On Christmas Eve I remember us children counting the candles in the windows of the valley. We could count about 70.”  At that time there was no electricity and everyone put a big red candle in the window on Christmas Eve. Last night I went outside to see how many lights I could count, sad to say there was only 7 lights to be seen. Rural depopulation, the reality. I find it sad that people are leaving the countryside, leaving behind their connection with the land. Gone for many people is the connection between themselves, the land and the food that sustains them. The interconnectedness of living on the land in a functioning community. Despite being in America for 60 years Mary still felt the connections, strongly, remembering, enjoying the telling. She still has a love for it all, distance no object.

The stone steps above were made from floor slabs from the old house, if only they could tell a tale.The stones in this wall are also from the old house. They now have a new use, a new energy. I love stone, I think it adds character and warmth to a place. Even some of the new monstrous houses look a little less hostile in the environment if the are stone-faced. It has a mellowing effect, a fitting into the landscape and the earth from whence they came.

We love Daisies @ Prospect Cottage!

The Fatsia is making new growth despite looking a little shabby after the hard Winter. I bought this plant about 8 years ago in Woolworth’s in Enniskilllen. Of course Woolworth’s is long gone now but the Fatsia continues. Fatsia is usually sold as a house plant, but it is in fact very hardy. This one which cost about £2 is about 5 ft tall now and resides in a disused soil filled water tank. It is situated in a shady north facing spot and seems to love it.

The grass has really started to grow now which the animals are delighted with. They get tired of the hay and dried food and refuse to eat it once Spring arrives. The grass in this area of Birch and Scots Pine is left to grow throughout the year. Andy mows a strip around the edge to keep it looking tidy. At the moment it is full of Daisies which we think look lovely. I never understood the people with the manicured lawns putting poisons on the earth to kill off the beautiful natural flowers, but I suppose it’s a totally different mindset.

For me one of the many joys of the good weather is being able to hang out the washing to line dry. A simple pleasure, but for me clothes dried outdoors in Summer smell lovely and fresh and are less creased than washing dried indoors. We do not have a tumble drier, actually we’ve never owned one. In Winter the washing is dried on a clothes airer which hangs from the high ceiling on the upstairs landing. As the hot air from the wood-burning stove rises the washing dries quickly at no cost.

Peach Jam & Polytunnel work @ Prospect Cottage.

Was asked for a recipe for peach jam yesterday by someone on Twitter, so here it is:

Ingredients:  1kg peaches     1kg sugar    juice of 2 lemons

The peaches I used were destoned and in the freezer since last summer. Some recipes say to remove the skin by immersing the fruit in hot water but I left the skins on. When fruit is frozen I find that the juice runs from it when defrosted again. This is good for this recipe as no water is used. Put the fruit into a large pot with a thick base, mash it lightly to release all the juices. Bring to boil, stirring all the time, add sugar and lemon juice. Boil rapidly for about 10 minutes. A hard set will not be obtained as Peaches are low in pectin. Pour hot jam into jars heated in a low oven, seal immediately. Another alternative is to use Sure-set sugar. This has pectin added. You just add the Sure-set to the heated fruit, bring to a rolling boil, keep boiling for 3 minutes. Then pot as usual.

Meanwhile in the garden some renovation work was done on the small polytunnel. The plastic has been on this tunnel for 11 years so it had a few holes in. These were repaired with a special tape usually available at garden centres, it is expensive at 16 euros a roll, but it’s the only thing that works. Cheaper than new plastic! All the polytunnel sellers will tell you that polytunnel plastic must be replaced after 5 years, rubbish, I know someone with the same plastic on their tunnel for 15 years! Andy also made a new door with this membrane which we got in Tipperary for FREE. New door from polytunnel company, about 100 euros for this size.

The door is opened by rolling it up, there is a stabilising board in middle and bottom. A cup hoop and yes, the good old country reliable, baling twine keeps it open. Cheap as chips, everything hunky dory again!

Sycamore tree and other musings from Prospect Cottage.

The Sycamore tree in our back field is almost in full leaf now. In a few weeks time the bees will be delighted when this tree flowers. I remember going into the garden last year and wondering where the hum was coming from. It was the Sycamore choc a bloc with ecstatic bees! Many people regard the Sycamore as a bit of a weed as it’s seed crops up everywhere, however they are easy to pull out and pot on or assign to the compost bin. I love this tree. I love how it’s “arms” spread out to shade part of the garden from the Summer heat. The goats love to sit in it’s shade and play around it when they are feeling frisky.

I was never happy with the shape of this Willow arch since we made it 2 years ago. A few weeks ago we undid it all, pruned it and retied it into a better shape. Much happier with it now!

Flowers on the Strawberries, these are wild ones I found when exploring the old walled garden at Kilronan. Maybe they are an old variety existing there since the heyday of that now sadly disused garden.

The Variagated Lemon Balm is growing strongly again, it is one of my favourite herbal teas. The Swiss physician Paracelsus believed Lemon Balm to be “the elixir of life.” He  believed the herb could completely revive a person, this view was endorsed by the London Dispensary in 1696:” Balm, given every morning, will renew youth, strenghten the brain and relieve languishing nature.”