Water is life. Water is sacred. The travesties that are happening around ours and others countries right now are many. We have fracking underway in England. We have the Dakota Access Pipeline company attempting to cut its way across the major, central rivers and aquifers of North America, including unceded Native American territory, sacred sites and burial grounds.. We have displaced people from a war torn country homeless and in danger in Calais. All because of one thing. Oil. Democracy and human rights are being overturned in the wake of this monster. It has me thinking. What do our tales, …

On the 31st of October the night of Halloween arrives. This time is also known in Gaelic as Samhuinn, or Oidhche Shamhuinn, an t-samhuinn, Hallowe’en, Hallowmas, All hallows, All saints eve, All saints, the first night of winter or meal-and-bree night. In the season leaves should love, since it gives them leave to move through the wind, towards the ground they were watching while they hung, legend says there is a seam stitching darkness like a name. Now when dying grasses veil earth from the sky in one last pale wave, as autumn dies to bring winter back, and then …

on the 29th of September Michaelmas la fhéile Mícheal arrives. Just before this the equinox when the sun rises due east and sets due west, the night and day at equal measure directing the Milky way as it stretches across the sky, creating a giant cross. The Sun’s movement inscribes the line of balance across the sky dividing things into exactly two equal parts. A moment of poise and then onwards. It’s a very liminal astrological time (though not so recognised by the Gaels). This date is an interesting counterpoint to La Fheil Cailleach in March, in Autumn we celebrate …

Well, the first Scottish Radical Herbal Gathering is almost upon us and I’m very excited to be delivering a talk with them this year on scottish folk magic with a free chapbook provided. The programme for the weekend looks amazing and I look forward to hearing the contributions from others talking with anticipation. For me, it will be the first time I have talked at length about the subject of scottish folk magic and herbalism so I’m excited and perhaps a little nervous about it in equal measure. (Que the chamomile tea and kava perhaps!) As part of the presentation …

Rowan berries are everywhere right now and I’ve just come across a recipe by F. Marian McNeill in her book the “Scots Kitchen (its lore and recipes)” (1929, Glasgow) for rowan berry jam. It seems she was quite an accomplished recipe gatherer before she entered into the world of folklore (well I guess it was the 1920’s…) but then again the book is full of the lore of the kitchen too. It’s full to bursting of old-fashioned recipes and bannock suggestions for all the major quarter days, as well as blood puddings and  sowans etc. If you’re into traditionally celebrating your feasts, …

The below recipe for Mugwort and Lemon Beer has been taken from Grow Forage Cook Ferment. I have just changed it a little bit and put it here for prosperity. This recipe is from  The New Wildcrafted Cuisine by Pascal Baudar ad it’s well worth a look. So, let’s begin … The first step with any home brewing recipe is to make sure that everything is properly sanitised.  There are many sanitisers to choose from, but to save a bit of money you can use a Milton tablet for sterilising baby bottle tops etc. (honestly it’s A LOT cheaper) or you can use …

Lunastal. This time of year has always been special to me, which we try to align to the new moon or full depending. It marks the beginning of the “folk Autumn” season or second half of summer in the Celtic Calendar, midsummer. Nature’s signs tell us its time when we are able to gather the berries such as blae and bilberries and the collect the first raspberries. The fields of yellowing billowing wheat, barley and other grains, dotted with the red of poppy, as they are waiting to be cut. On Lammas Day The glad fly loses an eye Lùnastal …

It’s nearing that time of year again. The wheat, rye and barley are almost ripe and the Raspberries and Bilberries are coming out in force. Poppies dot red the yellowing seas of grain. It’s nearing Lunastal and folks are readying to take in the harvest from the fields. This was a time of celebration, coupling up before the hard work starts and the construction of Corn dolls, straw craft and wheat weaving. One way that folks used to show their affections for one another was with wheat weaving or with barley or rye weaving. Basically straw craft – known as a country man’s favour. …

“A shower of rain in July, when the Corn begins to fill, is worth a plough of Oxen, and all belongs there till.” Am Mios crochadh nan con – The month of hanging dogs, also known as Am mios buidhe –  the yellow month. Where the first term comes from, I’m unsure. It may have related to rabies back in the day. The yellow month is because it can be so full of sunshine and late. July is a changeable month weather wise and is at once hot humid and wet and summer sunshine and wind. Basically we never trust …