Celebrating the Beauty & Magic of Nature
We recently asked if anyone had any questions for us about our experiences of living in our van over on Instagram. We got lots of questions so wanted to answer them in this post. I’ve grouped similar ones together for ease of reading.
Continue reading “Vanlife Q&A”
It has been two years since we bought the empty van that has since become our home.
It is also two years since we left our home in the Fens behind and quit both of our full time jobs in a leap that was bigger than any we had taken before!
A few months back I wrote a post about running our small business from the van and I wanted to follow that up with some reflections on our experience of living in the van full time. I would stress here that this is very much our experience. Just like any lifestyle, it can vary massively depending on individual preference, budget, motivations, previous life experience and so on.
Continue reading “A Reflection on Van Life”
Hazel trees (Corylus avellana) along with Willow and Elder are associated with the festival of Imbolc, celebrated as the first signs of Spring appear at the beginning of February. If you have been lucky enough to spot a Hazel tree at this time, you will understand why. Their bright yellow catkins are one of the first dashes of colour to return to our woodlands after the muted colours of Winter. At the end of Summer, the Hazel trees become a busy place to be, as their nuts are feasted on by squirrels, dormice and birds aplenty.
Both Hazel and Willow have similar properties that we can embrace as we transition out of the Winter season. Their branches are particularly flexible, and they grow quickly and with ease before other trees begin to stir, making them wonderful trees to work with to support new beginnings and when we need to connect with courage to overcome challenges.
Continue reading “The Magic of Hazel”
Each year Earth orbits around the Sun. As the Earth’s axis is tilted, different parts of its surface receive more/less direct rays from the Sun as we move around it. This creates the yearly seasonal cycle here on Earth. The variation of light, warmth and energy impacts all life and as we enter into the Winter season here in the Northern hemisphere, we observe bare, resting trees, animals hibernating and changes to our own energy, mood and focus.
Continue reading “The cycles of the Moon”
I’ve had a few questions and conversations recently about what it is like to run Wild Fen from our van and so I wanted to talk a bit more about it today.
We set up Wild Fen from our rented home in our beloved Fens a few years ago. Our intention first and foremost was to share and celebrate our love for the natural world. Since then we left our home and our full time jobs, sold our belongings, bought a van and converted it into a home for us to live a slower life, closer to nature, creating natural incense, jewellery and prints.
Continue reading “A small business and van living”
Samhain (pronounced sow-in) is one of the eight seasonal festivals that make up the wheel of the year, an ancient way of observing the yearly cycle, and the transition of the sun and the seasons. Samhain is celebrated at the end of October/beginning of November (the origins of modern day Halloween) and marks the final harvest period of the year and the birth of the Winter. At this time of year we can observe the natural world preparing for the Winter months that stretch ahead. Trees lose their leaves, plants die back, and animals stock up and may begin to migrate or hibernate.
Continue reading “The energy of Samhain”
We have recently expanded our collection of loose incense blends, so it felt like a good time to reintroduce you to the whole collection. All of our blends combine leaves, petals, buds, bark and resin we have lovingly grown or gathered respectfully from the wild. We harvest our plants at their most abundant and dry carefully to preserve their potency all with great care and respect to nature.
Continue reading “Reintroducing our Incense blends”
We have recently crafted two brand new loose incense blends that I wanted to introduce you to!
Our Sun incense blend is a warming mix crafted during the Summer’s peak with plants associated with the Sun and fire element. This blend is ideal for use in the mornings, when intention setting, for new beginnings and solar festivals and when we want to feel energised, uplifted, abundant, confident and connected.
Continue reading “Sun and Moon Incense Blends”
After a shaky few days, taking my morning cup of tea out in the garden this morning felt like an act of restoration. Walking barefoot across the lawn, moving from the shade into the sun I came to sit down in front of a small patch of Primroses. I noticed that the petals of most of the flowers were wilting now, nibbled (not by me) and turning brown in patches as they were reaching the end of their blooming period here in the UK.
Continue reading “Lessons from a Primrose”
The next festival in our Wheel of the Year journey is Beltane, celebrated around the beginning of May in the Northern hemisphere. Beltane is the mid point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice. It marks Spring’s peak and the birth of Summer and is a celebration of the Earth’s fertile energy and life force at this time.
This is a time of abundance, union and life force. Flowers are blooming, new life is being born and the Sun’s strength is increasing. This is a fertile time in the natural world, and can help us to ignite projects, cultivate new actions and reflect on what we need in order to bloom. This increase in active energy, can leave us feeling a little worn out at times, so it is good time to ensure rest, self care and nourishment is established to balance this busy time.
Continue reading “Beltane”
Wild Fen 