Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is one of my all-time favourite herbs due to its wonderful benefits. Besides the Nettle Soup, another recipe I love at this time of the year is Sting Nettle Infusion which is a highly nutritive tonic that nourishes your body with trace minerals and vitamin K as well as many antioxidants.
To this day the Summer solstice is still celebrated and honoured by many in Ireland and around the world. Here people gather at the ancient sites of Lough Gur Stone Circle, Carrowkeel and the Hill of Tara to greet the rising sun and celebrate together.
The sacred herb associated with her is Meadowsweet, which is one of the sacred herbs of the druids. A herb for cleansing, neutralising acidity in our stomachs and dissolving crystals in our joints and soothing inflammation. Meadowsweet helps to bring fluidity and flexibility back into our lives.
Why not try our gorgeous recipe for Meadowsweet lemonade in the next few days to celebrate your midsummer.
We have been asked to develop resilience in very challenging times. We have had to develop compassion and unity in the trickiest of circumstances. We have chosen to adapt and use our inner and outer resources to get them to where they needed most. Most of all we have been asked to open our hearts and reach out and truly reflect on the richness of our diversity.
So pause a moment and take a deep breath when you are close to a Hawthorn tree today. Or visualise one in your mind's eye.
Pancake Tuesday is the traditional feast day before Lent begins, and is celebrated across Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Anglo-Saxon Catholics would attend confession at their parish church, where they would be ‘shriven’, or forgiven for their ‘sins’.
After confession, families would go home to use up any eggs and fats they had before embarking on their lent fast. The 40 day fast in essence serving as a period of cleansing to aid spiritual advancement.
Here’s two yummy tea inspired pancake recipes, for a pancake with a difference this Pancake Tuesday :)
