Hello beautiful you!
Hope you're having a magical week.
A big thank you to all of you who took the time to write to me after I shared the news that I'm leaving The Green Parent. I'm so blown away by all your words of love and gratitude.
Many of you have written to tell me how long you've been reading the magazine. Or to say how the ethos of the magazine has influenced your own parenting journey. I'm deeply grateful to hear how it's touched you.
I want to thank YOU for reading my weekly newsletters, and the magazine. It's been so much fun and I've loved every moment!
So on with the last newsletter...
We got back from Buddhafield Festival early this week, via Bristol, for my older daughter's graduation.
It was such a joy to watch her shine in her gown and mortar board, as she graduated. I'm so proud of the brilliant young woman she's grown into. She achieved a degree in Fashion Textiles at UWE, after being home educated all the way up to sixth form.
After her graduation ceremony I had a complete treat of an evening with my two older kids - we went out for curry and cocktails together; reminiscing and also talking about their futures. Felt so blessed to be in their radiant company.
Buddhafield was an absolute bliss field, too. Iris made a firm friend last year and this year we camped together, sharing food, shelter and lots of laughter. What a delight to have found such wonderful people and to have nurtured our friendships over the year. Literally can't wait for next year!
Today's beautiful illustration is by Tijana Luković, made to celebrate Lammas (next week on 1 August - more below).
Here's What We've Been Up to This Week
Musing on Lessons From a Field
The theme at this year's Buddhafield Festival was Uncovering the Jewel and the offerings were magical. I happened upon an elemental sauna ritual with the brilliant Gerda Skrickiene, during a women's sauna session. She led us through a process of releasing and opening our hearts, which was a great way to 'arrive' at the festival.
I spent most of my time at the Kids' Area, which was fantastic, and also, in the Glade (a fairytale wooded area with hammocks, slack lines and soft, mossy grass growing beneath the trees). During the daily craft sessions, Iris made screen printed bags, needle felted animals and mandala paintings. The people running the workshops were so welcoming and inclusive. It felt like a real treat to have so much going on, in addition to all the circus skills, geodesic domes to climb on and chess sets laid out ready for games.
I did make it to a few talks - one of the best was with Tugba Kirhan, a transformational coach, and Mac MacCartney, founder of Embercombe - a 50 acre rewilding project in Devon.
Their session was about living in service to self, community and future generations. Tugba spoke about the importance of boundaries when living in service. She explained that what we can hold in our outstretched arms is our personal capability, a stretch of our arms is our generosity space and beyond that is burnout. My partner and I have been using this as a useful visual tool to talk about how capacity we each have.
Mac asked us to consider what it would look like to live in reverence. In every moment. This really landed for me, that I could choose to live in reverence to the trees, the plants, the people around me, the animals. I love this.
And he also shared that he believes the trees are our teachers. Anything we need to know, we can turn to the trees for our answers. Try it!
Going on an Archeological Dig
There's loads of cool events happening around the UK during the Festival of Archeology this month. Iris and I went to Highdown Hill, near Worthing to observe an excavation of a site with Iron Age, Saxon and Roman relics. When we visited they'd found a finger, and a toe bone.
After our last experience at a dig, Iris was super keen to actually get in to the site and to have a go. Unfortunately this wasn't possible, but it's made me realise that we need to look for more opportunities to get involved with archeology. There's a local archaeology club that she can join when she's a bit older.
And we're off to Fishbourne Roman Palace later in the summer where we can do some digging for history.
It's also made me search for more living history experiences, for Iris' home education programme. Here's some cool ideas for places to visit.
Visiting Butterfly Gardens
We went to the local Butterfly Gardens with friends this week and spotted some amazing butterflies (and caterpillars). We managed to snag one of the people who worked there to answer our questions, in typical home ed style! We learned that most butterflies in the UK live for 6-9 months (far longer than I imagined), and that a male moth can detect the scent of a female from ten miles away?!
Iris was so entranced by the butterflies; we spent some time drawing our favourites when we got home.
One of the lepidoptera we spotted was an Atlas moth. This got us talking about setting up a moth area, one evening next month to observe the ones that come to our garden. Check out this guide on how to start mothing or how to attract moths from Lancashire Wildlife Trusts.
Check out your local Wildlife Trusts for moth evenings happening in the next month or so. It's a great time to spot them!
Making Blackberry Jam
The blackberry and apple cake that we made last week was good, but we needed to find a way of preserving some of our glut through the winter. Blackberry jam is always a good idea!
I used this recipe from Good Food - it's easy and super quick. All you need is a pile of blackberries (we're gathering nearly a bowl full a day from the bush outside our house), some sugar, a lemon and some glass jars.
Here's how to make blackberry jam:
Place a couple of saucers in the freezer. Heat 1.2kg blackberries in a heavy bottomed pan on a medium heat, until they've broken down and the remaining berries are submerged in juice (takes about 8 minutes). Add 700g of sugar (you could probably get away with using a bit less) and the juice of a lemon. Bring to the boil and then keep at a gentle rolling boil for around 10-15 minutes. After 10 mins, take a plate out of the freezer, place a teaspoon on the plate and allow to cool slightly. Push your finger through the liquid and if it separates and wrinkles a little, it's ready to jar up.
I took the jam off the heat earlier this time - it didn't quite feel set, but the result is much better than I achieved last time. Then I waited for a definite wrinkling of the fruit, and made jars of solid blackberry jelly, which was very tricky to spread. The result this time is super good!
When it's ready, pour into sterilised jam jars and seal. Can last for up to 12 months stored in a cool, dark place. Seriously good on crumpets!
Going to a Pick Your Own Farm
Going to a PYO reminds me so much of my Mum - she used to take my sister, brother and I, and a load of our friends, when we were little; we'd fill our bellies as much as the punnets. Mum would make wonderful cakes and pies with all the fruit she'd bring back.
An important part of my childhood summers, it's something I always try and do at least once or twice a year with my kids. Iris and I picked a whole heap of plums earlier in the week (the trees were properly groaning with them), and some tasty green beans. We're going back with my niece for raspberries next week.
Anyway, I did have plans for the plums...
... and they got eaten!
I'll pick some more next week, 'cos I want to preserve some in honey.
Here's how to do it:
First they need to be dried out. The best way to do this is in a dehydrator, but I don't have one, so I do this in a low oven. Cut them in half and place on baking parchment in the oven at around 130ºC for several hours. Once they're dried out, shrunken in size, but still flexible, I stuff them into wide mouthed jars and pour honey over to cover.
This makes a super delicious drizzle for porridge, puddings and more. The honey is all plum-flavoured, and the plums are sticky, sweet and mouth watering!
Thinking About Our Lammas Celebration
Next week marks the first harvest, on 1 August. Called Lammas (loaf mass) or Lughnasadh (named after the Sun god, Lugh), it's a celebration of community, gratitude and the first seeds.
We're off to celebrate with the Children's Forest, where we'll sing tree songs, do crafts and learn ancestral skills.
I also love the idea of making a blessing bracelet as a group. You need a big bowl full of beads and some golden thread. Everyone takes a length of thread and selects a bead to start. With each bead you add speak the blessing you're grateful for. It's a way to share your gratitudes with your friends and family and each hear what everyone else is thankful for. Thanks to Glennie Kindred for this lovely idea.
Here's some ideas for ways to mark Lammas with your family.
And with that turning of the wheel, I'm saying goodbye and wishing you every joy and happiness in your parenting journey.
I feel so grateful to you for allowing me to pop into your in box every week, and I'll miss writing to you.
A loving goodbye from my hearth to yours,
Melissa
