Scottish Plant Lore
Apple Parts used: the fruits and bark Gaelic: Ubhall Latin: Malus sylvestris (crab apple), Malus domestica, Pyrus malus Lore: Apples are associated with Avalon (Apple Land) and the Celtic Otherworld. An apple branch can…
Category: Miscellaneous Nonfiction
The Keys of Canterbury: A Reflection on the Murder of St. Thomas Becket
I recently saw it written that the burden of the Church is too unappealing, too much for anyone to be expected to bear: too much blood, too much sin, too much self-abasement, too strict a…
Daisy’s Complaint: A Cow Owner’s Advent Adventures
There comes a time in every cow's life when she decides that grain really isn't a worthwhile bribe. For Daisy, that day came in the fall of 2017. "Come back, Daisy Cow!" I shouted from…
Secret People: A Reflection on Celtic Spirituality
The word “Celt” is believed to come from the Greek word “Keltoi”, meaning “secret people”, and has been used to denote various tribes from central Europe origin who migrated west, mainly across the spectrum of…
The Men That God Made Mad: A Brief History of the Celtic Identity
The Celts: a mysterious and misunderstood culture, whose myths and magic continue to affect us even today, thousands of years after the Greeks first spoke of the blue-painted Keltoi. Who were they, really? As a…
Edinburgh and the Stately Palace of Holyroodhouse
Of all of Britain’s cities, perhaps Edinburgh has the most picturesque views – from Calton Hill to Edinburgh Castle and Arthur’s Seat. Any of those places presents an opportunity to take in panoramic vistas, so…
Interfaith Corner: Why Commonality is Not Only True of Large Mainstream Religions
My experience as a follower of the druidic path has largely been a good one when it comes to the druidic community. I feel a deep spiritual and emotional connection to the core values of…
Disaster Strikes: A Firsthand Account of the Carr Fire
The morning of July 26, 2018, began like any other hot summer morning in Redding, California. It was Thursday – grocery shopping day – and once again we went over-budget on our food. Among other…
Christ Our Passover Lamb: Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist
“Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament... There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and…
Surviving the Night: The Story of Collapsible Lifeboat “B” of the Titanic
One of the more gripping parts of the Titanic story has to do with what happened after the great liner had gone down, when hundreds of people found themselves in the dark and cold. After…