Workshops - second edition

It has been a busy few days and I have to say I did enjoy them.
The loving memory workshop was held once more in the old greenhouse and we had a lovely, creative morning. I would love to continue my workshops in our greenhouse, as it is so bright and airy, but definitely to cold for the month of November/ December.

Last weekend there was the South Sligo Enterprise event organized by the Bank of Ireland and I presented a stall and also was invited to do a 15 min presentation on stage. The feedback was just amazing and it seemed that many people out there just weren't aware what I m up to now.

At the moment I m preparing a birthday party for a 10 year old girl and her friends - what an exciting project. We plan to go out into the garden  and pick some greenery and maybe other bits and pieces. Afterwards we will pep the green stuff up with a bit of flowers, maybe weave a little fence, but also add funky bows, ladybirds and butterflies. Something for each girl to bring home with.

Apart from the reserved workshops and demonstrations with various women groups/ICA women I will hold the Christmas Themed workshop at:

- St. Attractas Community School/Tubbercurry on Tuesday the 22 nd of November. For Bookings and   Informations ring the School 0719120814.

- a Wreath Workshop: Wednesday 30th of Nov 7 - 9 pm ( Venue in the Cloonacool/Tubbercurry area will be announced later ).

- a Workshop for a Christmas Centerpiece (Mantelpiece or Table) arrangement, Wednesday, 14th of December from 7 - 9 pm ( Venue in the Cloonacool/Tubbercurry area will be announced later ).

The famous PUDDING ROW Cafe in Easkey has invited me once more to have a stall at their annual Christmas fare in the Cafe. Do come along and see what goodies PUDDING ROW has to offer for the Christmas Season, but also get inspired by my display and that of the other crafty exhibitors.

The dates are: Thursday the 1st, 8th and 15th of December. Do check out their facebook page for more information.

I think there is something for everybody in the audience ...... 

For more updates watch this space.

Workshops 'galore'

  Over the recent years Flowerarranging Workshops of all sorts and kinds became quite popular.
Why wouldn't they, as it is an interactive event in a relaxing atmosphere where 6, 8, 10 or a few more ( usually ) women gather together and enjoy a few hours of creativity, a bit of a laugh and a cuppa.
I always do look forward to those workshops, which I have been organizing over the last 15 (plus ) years. Meeting up with different people - mostly women, some advanced, some novice and also total beginners, can be sometimes a challenge. Not only do they come from different backgrounds, but also their ambitions vary from Person to Person.
The Lady owning a Hotel would like to get tips how to improve her floral decorations for guestrooms or the hallway, while long-term Unemployed are thinking about a career in flower arranging and some of them succeeded. Then you get the different women groups and retired Ladies, who are full of life, chatting, sharing their material, sipping tea and just enjoy the few hours of creating something to bring home with.

If people do not want to create something they also can book me for an evening. This can be any organizations who would like either to raise money and have a night out. A few times I used my skill for my own Charity Fundraisers, like for the Alzheimer Association, Cystic Fibrosis or Crumlin Childrens Hospital. During those events I do up about 6 - 8 arrangements, which get raffled off at the end of the night. While putting the arrangements together I ask the audience to throw questions at me, but often I m just 'forced' to talk along - daft and silly quotes .... about my various animals, my hubby and children and other wild stories.
With a bit of promotion, by selling door tickets this can be a rather successful event.
The workshops/demonstrations can be held at your own hall/home/center or the smaller workshops I do from my own home. It's no problem for me to travel and I do enjoy meeting new groups or organizations.

So what is my 'mission statement' and what might differ from other workshops available throughout the area.
The brand name 'Nature inspires' gives it away:

The focus is on not just providing all flowers and foliage, but more so trying to encourage the participants to study the natural environment around them.  Look out what is growing in your own garden, your estate, along the roadside and in the forest.The 'Homework' would be always going for walks along the hedgerows, stroll through forests, walk along the river, over the bog, through a meadow. Experience those difference scenery settings during sunrise, sunset or even at dawn or in a full moon night. Discover your 'flora' (and its not the margarine) around you in mew light and rethink your evaluation chart especially about insignificant plants.
If we go for a short stroll before a class I sometimes ask, so what do you see now: 'Weeds' is the most common answer .... and for sure 'weeds' they are a lot. But even with rushes and common reed, ordinary branches, ivy, ferns or moos you can do incredible things within arranging natural materials. Your imagination will expand from arrangement to arrangement.
Along with plenty of imagination you will also receive a lot of 'hands on' Tips and get professional Techniques how to go along with arrangements of all sorts.


Without further ado I would like to introduce you:

'HALLOWEEN SPOOK'
Tuesday, 25th of October: 11:00 am - 1.00 pm


Every participant will be supplied with a pumpkin and with some flowers and a lot of Inspiration we make a spectacular centrepiece for your Halloween Week.

'IN LOVING MEMORY':

Tuesday, 01st of November: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
this is a new course for bereaved people - it doesn't matter how long your loved one has passed away, but it might be helpful to create something very personal for the grave. you might like to bring some flowers or foliage from the deceased persons garden or remember their favorite flower ... it all might help in taking away the pain and maybe leaving a personal message at the grave.

South Sligo Enterprise Gala:

4th and 5th of November 

at St. Attractas Secondary School:
Nature Inspires is one of many business's of the South Sligo Region who will present and exhibit their work at this special event. There will be all sort of entertainment for the public and I will demonstrate and introduce my business. I also will have some samples of my work on display and for sale. Hope to see you there  

Know your Pot-plants:
Talk at Sligo Park Hotel for the Sligo Garden and Flower Club
Monday, 14th of November: 8.00 pm sharp



This is a talk about House Pot-Plants. Old-fashioned Plants and new sorts, easy to look after and the more delicate ones, benefits of green plants and also how to get many more years out of them ,,,








Adult Education Program at St. Attractas Secondary School:
Tuesday, 22nd of November 7.00pm - 9.00 pm

Christmas Essentials - Candle-Posie and/or Wreath making.
Bring your own material/foliage/decoration


Advent - Center - Piece:



Date, Time and Venue will be announced soon
Just before the Advent season starts, we will create a beautiful long-lasting Center Piece with 4 candles. This can be a traditional advent wreath or an individual arrangement, which can be used throughout the Christmas Season.





Wreaths - Wreaths - Wreaths

Date,Time and Venue will be announced soon
during a Demonstration I will explain the different techniques of making a wreath with traditional and unusual materials. Afterwards you can design your own wreath for a grave or the front-door. A very popular course!





Back to the 'roots'
Date, Time and Venue will be announced soon.
do you owe a piece of bogwood, driftwood or even a piece of turf?
Why not brighten it up with an elegant arrangement, which would just look stunning beside the fireplace, your front-hall or even on the grave. We will develop our own 'oasis' and work with mostly dry plant-material and longlasting evergreen foliage and flowers - even a candle can be integrated.


There will be other events during the Christmas Season and I will keep you updated.

If some of you would like to have a course at a certain location and to a certain time, please feel free to contact me.

Also do spread the word of those workshops, as many of my valued clients are not on social media.  

The day, the swallows are leaving ...

Next stop maybe North Africa ....

The last few mornings I knew something is going to happen soon .... the swallows are leaving.

It is always an exciting day in spring - usually early/mid April when one of us spots the first swallow. 

It feels like greeting old friends or visitors: 'they are back - did you see the swallows'? Sure everybody was seeing that first swallow before anybody else. 

During the summer they keep very busy. In all three sheds they maintain their nests, Renovations going on first and then after a while you see that bit of little head and tail sticking out and you know they are hatching - great news!

To be honest I don't know, why they decide to rare their offsprings in our sheds, because the cats are a permanent thread to them. But we had years without cats, which seems to be like an open invitation for rats. 

Throughout the summer we develop a close relationship - the swallows and the two permanent human residents.We hear ( they are very chatty little birds ) and see them flying in and out and we have to make sure not to close them out of the shed over night. Even with poultry we have to take the risk that there is some window that far open that they can fly in and out comfortably.  There is some form of communication evident, because whenever the cats are near or they feel in danger they start attacking them and giving out to them in such a manner, that we become aware of it and check it out. Often we find the culprit high on a timber beam trying to 'fly' or just starring onto the nest, which surely cant be reached. The parent birds are usually flying around them in an attacking mood and with  a bit of imagination you can hear them shouting ' will you just get the fuck out of here' - excuse the language, Anton, our red young Ginger, tried to be very clever and took his chance to reach the nest over the open door. Once left opened after letting out the goats he got very near of their fragile muddy home-place. But once more the transfer of important information seemed to work, as I just found out in time and from that moment it was high priority to keep that door shut. One year there were to many youngsters in the nest and just before they had their first flying lessons, they seemed to pushed each other out. So we kept the ladder near and  had to check regularly a few to make sure we were faster then any predator or a goats-foot stepping on them. 

This year was a very productive season, as they had two rounds and rared so many young swallow like never before. 

my camera cant catch enough of the excitement

So today is the day - the summer is over and those precious visitors leave their oval shaped clay home at the shed walls and seem to reward me with an spectacular display of their flying skills. More and more swallows gather and the airshow takes off. It seems like they had chosen the Telephone wire between Pat's cottage and our home as a gathering point.

it seems like the swallow collection hot-spot

I have to admit that it is a touching moment when they all had fled their nest and are now ready to leave ( any comparison with two members of our family is pure accidental). 

Just while writing this blog I come to the conclusion that there are advantages by living a bit on the remote side. Especially when you find yourself standing in your yard, waving at the sky and shouting 'good bye - have a safe journey! Cant wait to see you next spring again.!'

Even though my neighbors wouldn't be to surprised by now anyway.

Look who is in the 'Good Bye Waving Delegation' - Anton and Lucy

So tell me, when are your swallows leaving?   

In loving memory

Loosing some loved one is a very sad experience.

a selection of wilderness from around my home, which will be soon in Germany ... they loved our heather 

Funerals, anniversaries of  loved ones and sympathy flowers for grieving relatives are a core business of every florist. Over those last 35 years I had to deal with a lot of sad and distressed people on a very regular base. You are never really prepared for it and often it just breaks your heart to witness so much pain. There are moments where all what you can do is just shed a tear with your customer, hold or hug them and it can be hard to stay 'professional'. A funeral is only the beginning of a long process of trying to find a way of living without that loved person.

Even if you try to understand that pain, it only hits you fully when you loose a close family member yourself. Exactly a year ago  I found myself together with my sisters once more on the other side of the counter in our floristshop in our hometown of Dinkelscherben. We tried to order something appropriate for our beautiful Mama. We just wanted something special for her, something which reflected her love of Nature and flowers .... .

'unserer lieben Mama' - a large variation of sesonal flowers

The 6 Grandchildren's planted wreath

 

beautiful planted arrangement from my friends in Ireland

Like for my Dad I had the desire to do something very authentic for her funeral. My experience over the years was, that you get great consolation and even healing out of the fact that you arrange something very personal  yourself for your deceased family member. A lot of memory-stirring would be involved in that ... what person was your Mum or Dad or brother or sister, child or husband and wife .... . What love or passion did they have, what was their favorite place in the garden, their preferred color, their most loved flower. Memories might hurt, when you bring them up, but they also might put a smile on your face every now and then.
Over decades coffin sprays have been arranged in whites, creams and greens. Lilies and Roses, carnations and chrysanthemums .... .
My Mum wasn't the type of a person and so wasn't my Dad. They were country people, who didn't grow that type of flowers. To get some ideas going, I did go down memory lane, as I strolled for hours all along those forest paths, over fields and meadows, where they brought us when we were little and where we brought them when their hairs had gone grey. My Mum had a great passion for hedgerows - as you do - mainly because they provided a home to much wildlife. All those berries were food for birds and those thorny bushes shelters for their nests. But also mammals could use them as a safe corridor without being exposed to any predators.
Soon I had a picture of the coffin spray established in my mind, which could have done justice to reflect her spirit.
It involved sunflowers, lots of sunflowers, which I harvested on a field nearby, along with some colorful gladioli... and berries of all kinds ... but mainly rosehips, as she liked her rosehip tea infusion and I loved their flowing movement from a florists point of view. Combined with some foliage from her garden, which might even act as a small personal message, and the wild greenery and twigs from my walk I created a happy and lively looking coffinspray.

the parents favorite place - under the apple trees at the back of the house

preparing the coffinspary

berries .... lots of berries

the finished product - a reflection of a nature loving life

It is one year now, but that smile lasts forever....

smiles last forever - RIP Mama

'In loving memory' workshops will be offered throughout the year - the first one about mid October. During those 2 - 3 hours I will introduce you to a range of possibilities how to arrange something special, personal and seasonal for your loved one. 

Connemara - a place for relaxing while being active

Being rather committed to so many things day in day out, I decided to treat myself with a 2 nights stay in Connemara. So far I had no holiday planned this year and might just spend it within Ireland.
The main Criteria was not too far away, somewhere quiet and tranquil. Westport always sounds good, but would be to busy this time of the year. So my finger on the map went further out, further West, past Louisburgh and for one moment the Islands of Clare and especially Inishturk seemed to be an option. In Inishturk I put my stories of my neighbor together in one little book ' good bye Mr.Smith'. Finally I decided that I settle around Letterfrack, near the Connemara National Park. Even though I had been there before a few times with my family, but the development of the Wild Atlantic Way might have created new attractions.
Despite the not so inviting early July weather of the usual drizzle-cloud-sun mix it seemed to settle quickly and past Leenaun the sun managed to peep out. My B&B, Ard na Mara cottage just above Glassilaun beach, promised great views, peacefulness, wholesome breakfast and lovely hosts. This was no lie and from the start I felt cosy and relaxed in my beautiful blue room with my blue views over the blue sky and blue ocean.

I decided to take a short stroll down to the beach. As you do, I kicked of my shoes and started discovering: there was that colorful old sandstone in amazing shades of reds and purples, washed out and carved by the endless power of the sea. I get carried away, once I m settled and admired those little, random displays of nature, once framed by photograph they look like a piece of art on its own. But maybe it's just me - being carried away once more by my natural surrounding.

oh ya - the soft sand and the cold water .... no need for shoes

looks just like a purple shamrock 

imagine this framed 

Chilling, writing, soccer, more chill-axing, more writing, Penalty shoot-outs, snoozing off..... .





The next morning after a full Irish Breakfast ( never do them at home .... ) I checked the forecast - as you do as a regular tourist. The day was promised rather good and I decided to discover once more the stunning surroundings of the Connemara National Park in Letterfrack. No Parking charge, no entrance fee I checked out the 3 walks on offer. The long walk included a climb up onto the 'Diamond - mountain' and as I had to work of those sausages and bacon, this seemed to be my kind of task for the morning.
The track was leading me through bog land and over wooden bridges up further to more rocky ground. Without any misleading or unjustified description in imperfect English, I might just share a few pictures with you.

famous Kylemore Abbey

View from the ' Diamond'

After the climb I decided to experience the other 2 walks as well and felt inspired and full of energy. Hiking in the great wide open is such a great healer of mind and soul. It gives you the possibility and the time to ask yourself a lot of questions. You don't tend to lie to yourself by producing a 'quick answer' just for the sake to move on with it.

In the afternoon I walked back to the Glassilaun Beach, where 'Scuba-Dive West' offers all sorts of Diving and Snorkeling experiences. After a while I found myself squeezed into a heavy duty wet-suit, a snorkeling mask sucked airtight onto my face and huge fins stuck on my feet. As I had a bit of experience  ( many moons ago ) I was allowed to swim around the Bay on my own. It was fascinating to see all the different types of fish, craps and shells and I paddled and drifted from one corner to the next. The seaweed seemed to move with the rhythm of the ocean ..back and forward .... again and again ...until I felt kind of dizzy and the urge to take a deep long breath without the snorkel.

No ... I do not have an embarrassing photo of myself in that outfit :).


In the evening I went back to Letterfrack to watch Iceland taking on France, while eating fresh fish and chips. I felt totally relaxed - despite all the exercise.

10 min to midnight 

The next morning it seemed that the rain and wind chased each other around the exposed cottage. It didn't look to promising. But you never know in the morning what the day might bring.
After breakfast I wrote up some bits, feeling in a bit of creative mood. Amanda, the Lady of the House, didn't mind me staying that bit longer.

It was such a pleasant stay and exactly what I wanted and needed to start of a busy week,
Before heading back home I decided to do a bit of a detour over Clifden. The weather settled a bit and while driving along you just know why Connemara can put a spell on you: those rather high and rough mountains, the lush green fields combined with those sandy white beaches, which have a turquoise Caribbean look, once the sun reflects in the clear Atlantic water.

The old graveyard on Omey Island

 I passed the sign for Omey Island and decided to see, if the tide was still that much out that I could walk over. The rain had stopped and I was lucky and strolled over to the Island. As two graveyards faced towards the mainland, I decided to look around. There is something about old graveyards, especially surrounded by such beauty, it has something consoling. An old men did some work at a new grave and we started a conversation, which ended with my curious question when I should leave the Island, before the tide closes in. He smiled and pointed out some cows, telling me, "whenever they leave, you might just follow them over". 'Ya - right', I thought to myself ..... . But not to much later the obviously lead cow called the others and I felt it was time for me to just go along with them. Half way over, my 'human ego' whispered "are you for real, following a cow?"

that moment when a cow calls you :)

The final conclusion about this weekend was:
It might be sometimes more advisable to follow a cow then the people we 'follow' in real life.

         

Nature Inspires - even on your dinner plate

Its only a few weeks ago that some friends and Co-Producers at our Country Market asked me if I would be interested in joining them giving a culinary workshop for children ( 8 - 12 ). Soon after this proposal we met up and discussed date/time/numbers/pricing/venue and the outline of the 5 days.
It went ahead last week and now we are looking back and agreed that all went really well, all smooth and without any major hick-ups. But most of all, the young chefs seemed to be very happy and proud and the feedback of their parents asserted us, that they were all enthusiastic about their new skills.

Jeri, originally from Oregon/US had done a lot of the preparation and on the first day she surprised all the children with their own aprons. Talented as she is, she stitched them together from a few square yards of ' blue checked gingham' and the children ( 8 girls and 2 boys ) personalized them with some fabric markers.

Our aim was to cook up everyday some favorite dishes, which the children were choosing of our program, but also intended to do gentle lecturing on food overall. There was bacon and cabbage, chicken-veggie curry, pizza from scratch ( dough/sauce and all ), a barbecue with grilled shish kebab along some super healthy salads and homemade noodles and lasange.

The children would not go home half fed without a dessert, so we had all-time favorites like waffles with homemade apple sauce, american pancakes and crepes with strawberry jam - made from Jeri and Liams own grown strawberries, cupcakes with super-creative icing, fruit pizza made from cookie dough and loads of fruit toppings, homemade lemon-lemonade and the kids all time superstar hero: 'the chunky-funky-monkey bread'.

 the chunky - funky - monkey bread 

In between the chopping, shredding, cutting, cooking, baking and eating I tried to give them some insight in basic food:

very fresh duck- and hen-eggs 

Like the magic of an egg, We had a look at a goose- duck and chicken egg, we cracked them open to learn about how does a super fresh egg looks like. So what do I have to look out for when buying eggs? Make sure that the hens are at least free-range or even organic, which should guarantee the wellbeing of the chicken, but also guarantee that you are not eating a 'chemical cocktail yoke'.

As the weather was rather wet, I went foraging on my own and gathered more then 25 different wild and cultivated herbs, but also some eatable flowers around our home. After dinner that day I had all children sitting around and we identified the herbs. We rubbed leafs between our hands and sniffled the fragrance or 'stink' and talked briefly how people used to and still involve herbs within their diet and for healing. Eating Nasturtiums-, Borage-, chives- and small Pansy-flowers was fun to. Biodiversity at its best.

We also talked about 'Fairtrade' and the importance for small farmers all over the world to get fair prices for a good product. We figured out that there are tea, coffee, nuts, grains, bananas and most of all chocolate, which carry the fairtrade label.

On our Pizza and Breadmaking Day ( everybody made their own small loaf of yeast-bread to bring home with ) we were milling our own flour with my nearly 30 year old electric grain-mill. Flour isn't just flour - there are so many different types and most of all different grains. I did bring some ancient grains like Einkorn and Emmer and also some Spelt and Rye. If you buy flour of the shelf in the Supermarket it usually has a very plain, neutral smell. Some of the children loved the scent of the milled grains, others just remarked 'it stinks' - you have to love the honesty of children.

Another interesting aspect was the production of your own noodles and lasange-sheets. Therefor everybody kneaded their own dough until it had the right consistency and put it again and again through the manual 'noodle-machine', until it was extra thin and mega long. Some were used for a broad type of noodle and the others were used within the veggie-lasagne.

We discovered that our daily food is influenced by many countries. The Italian Food like Pizza, Pasta, Lasagne is very popular, but also Curries from India and Pakistan, Crepes from France and American Pancakes from well guess where.... . There were many other countries mentioned and their traditional food - it had to be the sausages and sauerkraut for Germany, the Austrian Schnitzel, lots of cheeses for France, Hungarian Goulash, Mexican Salsas ..... .

The workshop also taught us a lot of lessons and we will review them carefully. But it also encouraged us to continue different types of workshops in the near future. Some adults already showed huge interest in those topics. So watch out for a 'reloaded' version of the kids-workshop, but also a teenage one, a student one and for sure an adult one.

Jeri, Liam and myself believe in good food: simple, seasonal, homegrown  and/or organic if possible or otherwise sourced locally. Sometimes we get carried away with so called convenient food, when we can do better, healthier and also have fun.

the daily shopping trolly

Why not pop in to Drummartin Country Market, every Saturday from 10:30 - 12:30. A great range of local organic beef/lamb, organic vegetables, local pork, jams and other preserves and homebaking by Jeri and Liam, a wide range of traditional homebaking, local honey and eggs, beautiful gifts, Anja's window pictures and recycled flowers, seasonal plants and flowers and I usually do some cavemen's bread ( ancient grains freshly milled ), goatscheese and my Mama's special recipes Tarts.

 every day there were some goodies to bring home with

See you there for a cuppa and some treats.