Rooted by Nature

In this light and uplifting episode, I’ll be celebrating spring and the themes of rebirth and renewal that come with it. I’ll be talking about simplicity when it comes to approaching creativity and inspiration, caring for ourselves and our homes, ideas for making and baking beautiful things and a daily ritual to begin this new season with a sense of optimism, hope and abundance. Substack For the banana cake recipe, tutorials and more seasonal inspiration, check out my Substack page and click here to subscribe. Get in touch Instagram: @rootedbynaturepodcast Email: rootedbynaturepodcast@gmail.com

In this episode I venture into the forest to discover the marvels, magic and folklore of trees. Did you know they can speak to each other? They keep time and have their own memory. Trees protect one another and use their sense of touch, taste and smell to survive. Did you know they can heal us? Each tree symbolises meaning and magic that stretches back in time. So join me as I revel in the research, defer to the druids and fall further in love with our beautiful trees. Substack To read more about our beautiful trees and enjoy lots more free content from me, check out my substack page and click here to subscribe. As recommended in the episode, check out: Jen Writes Again on Substack The Wisdom of the Celtic Tree Ogham article The Ogham Tree Calendar: Birch - Dec 24th to Jan 20th Rowan - Jan 21st to Feb 17th Alder - Feb 18th to Mar 17th Willow - Mar 18th to Apr 14th Ash - Apr 15th to May 12th Hawthorn - May 13th to Jun 9th Oak - Jun 10th to Jul 7th Holly - Jul 8th to Aug 4th Hazel - Aug 5th to Sep 1st Apple - Sep 2nd to Sep 29th Bramble- Sep 30th to Oct 27th Ivy - Oct 28th to Nov 24th Reed - Nov 25th to Dec 23rd

Happy New Year everyone! In this episode I'll be sharing my winter wellness tips and tricks, why I avoid new year resolutions and how to practise the lost art of daydreaming and connect with nature. I'll also be sharing a recipe for delicious chocolate chip cookies that's keeping my spirits and sugar levels up! -------------------------------------------------- Links My interview on the Witch Wavelength Podcast Sheena's Instagram page Sheena's website Sheena's books: The Witch Wavelength and Riches For Witches How to make a wreath -------------------------------------------------- Get in touch @rootedbynaturepodcast rootedbynaturepodcast@gmail.com -------------------------------------------------- Cookie recipe ingredients 120g of soft butter 75g of light brown sugar 75g of golden caster sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon of salt 180g of plain flour 1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda 150g of chocolate chips Method Preheat oven to 180 degrees, 160 fan or gas mark 4. Combine ingredients, spoon onto a lined tray and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas for all those who celebrate and happy winter solstice to those who don't. In this episode I share a secret I've been keeping, confide some deeply personal thoughts and provide a survival guide to Christmas that's very much based around my current state of mind. If you're looking for festive folklore, recipes and nature facts then please listen back to my Midwinter episode from last year, I promise you lots more of all that good stuff in the new year. But for now, join me as I take you on a personal tour of my Christmas mindset and celebrate the coming of winter. Get in touch: Instagram @rootedbynaturepodcast Email: rootedbynaturepodcast@gmail.com Post natal PTSD and birth trauma are briefly mentioned in this episode but without any upsetting detail. I doubt the content will disturb anyone but just in case here is a TRIGGER WARNING (sorry that sounds a bit dramatic). In case these links could be useful for anyone, here are sites I have found helpful: Birth Trauma Association Website: https://www.birthtraumaassociation.org/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheBTA/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birth_trauma_association_uk/ Tommy's: https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/im-pregnant/mental-wellbeing/post-traumatic-stress-disorder The NHS have a birth trauma service that's unique to the county in which you live. The name of the service differs depending on where you are. The easiest way to find it is to google it, speak to a health visitor, GP, child support hub or local maternity ward.

Happy Halloween! As I delved into detail last year about the folklore and history of Halloween, I thought this time I'd do something a little different. So jump on my broomstick, don a pointy black hat and let me take you on a ride through the magical realms of witchcraft. I'll cover all the witchy basics, including how to access your own natural magic, how nature provides us with the essential toolkit, what working magic truly means and where to look for further inspiration. Of course I go off on tangents about folklore and geek out over my favourite witchy books and films (and there are a lot of Harry Potter references) but that's all part of the fun. Whether you're a witchling, a wise old crone or a cynical muggle, I challenge you not to feel a little bit magical by the end of this episode. Have a peek at what I'm up to on instagram @rootedbynaturepodcast Feel free to get in touch by email on rootedbynaturepodcast@gmail.com Recommendations: Books Harry Potter, The History of Magic: The Book of the Exhibition Thames, Sacred River by Peter Ackroyd The House of Dr. Dee by Peter Ackroyd The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling The Northern Lights (1st book of His Dark Materials Trilogy) by Phillip Pullman Natural Magic by Doreen Valiente An ABC of Witchcraft, Past & Present by Doreen Valiente Book of Shadows by Phyllis Curott A Spell in The Wild : A Year (and six centuries) of Magic by Alice Tarbuck Witchcraft into the Wilds by Racheal Patterson The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham Book Shops Blackwells (Oxford) Treadwells (London) TV shows A Discovery of Witches Charmed (original 1998 - 2006) Films Harry Potter series Practical Magic The Craft (original 1996) Hocus Pocus (original 1993) Podcast Witch by India Rakusen (BBC Radio 4) Youtube The Green Witch The Witch of Wonderlust The Witches' Cookery Treehouse TV with Sheena Cundy

It’s the autumn equinox, a time for foraging, self care and good books! Join me as I learn to truly enjoy the moment, meditate with trees and ease gently out of summer and into autumn. A gradual transition for mind, body and spirit. Have a peek at what I'm up to on instagram @rootedbynaturepodcast Feel free to get in touch by email on rootedbynaturepodcast@gmail.com Library books stacked on my bedside table: Why Women Grow: Stories of soil, sisterhood and survival by Alice Vincent If Woman Rose Rooted: The journey to authenticity and belonging by Sharon Blackie The Enchanted Life: Reclaiming the magic and wisdom of the natural world by Sharon Blackie Love Nature Magic: Shamanic journeys into the heart of my garden by Maria Rodale Empowering Practices for the Highly Sensitive: An experiential guide to working with subtle energies by Bertold Keinar Digital Minimalism: Choosing a focused life in a noisy world by Cal Newport My favourite books for autumn: The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Sit back, relax and enjoy the summer because autumn is just around the corner! Join me as I take a look inside a beehive and follow the exciting life of a queen bee, the warriors that protect her and the cut throat politics of the colony that can overthrow her. I delve into the miraculous health benefits of honey, how it's made and what it can do for us both inside and out. I share my favourite breakfast granola recipe to be enjoyed outside on warm sunny mornings and I try to hold on to these last moments of summer before the seasons turn once more. Join me over on instagram for additional content @rootedbynaturepodcast Granola recipe Ingredients 200g of rolled oats 200g of jumbo oats 100ml of melted coconut oil 100ml of warm honey Half a teaspoon of salt Cinnamon to taste 100g of chopped nuts (pecans, almonds & hazelnuts) 100g of seeds (pumpkin & sunflower) Method Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Warm the honey and mix with the liquid coconut oil, pour over the rest of the ingredients, coat evenly and spread over a lined baking tray and pop in the oven. Bake gently, turning occasionally until lightly golden. Allow to cool before sealing in an airtight container. I like to serve mine with thick natural yoghurt drizzled with honey. Some helpful time codes in case you'd like to listen to a certain part again

Join me as I revel in midsummer and send wishes into the woodsmoke on the summer solstice. I'll be reflecting on positive thoughts, how our hobbies shape our identity and how easily our intuition can lose its voice in our busy lives. I wander my garden, gathering flowers and inspiration for syrups and cordials. And I'll be experimenting with a recipe for a daisy balm to ease my toddler's bumps and bruises. Instagram: @rootedbynaturepodcast Recommendations Nature & Nourish podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nature-nourish-with-becky-cole/id1331978126 Daisy Bruise Balm Recipe https://www.beckyocole.com/daisy-bruise-balm-recipe/

Early Spring has arrived and the April showers have brought May flowers. So join me as I explore weather proverbs and what they mean. Let’s dance around the Maypole and revel in Beltane celebrations and Celtic folklore. I do a deep dive on Hawthorn, a magical healing tree, guarded by the Fey. Look up at the stars with me, to see May blossoms in the Milky Way and navigate Mercury Retrograde as it takes us for a ride! Instagram handle: @rootedbynaturepodcast https://www.instagram.com/rootedbynaturepodcast/ Recommendations Icy Sedgwick Podcast link: https://pod.co/fabulous-folklore-with-icy Hawthorn article: https://www.icysedgwick.com/hawthorn-folklore/ Books Forage: Wild Plants to Gather, Cook and Eat by Liz Knight The Hedgerow Handbook: Recipes, Remedies and Rituals by Adele Nozedar

It’s the month of the spring equinox, a time of natural magic as everything around us emerges from the earth and the world feels full of green shoots and new opportunities. It’s a tipping point where the wheel of the year turns, the seasons change and winter tips gently into spring. Join me in a daily crystal practice, seed sowing, foraging and mental spring cleaning. Let's enjoy daffadowndillies, the cosmic magic of nettles, take a look at Easter & Ostara and venture down to the underworld with Persephone, the goddess of spring.

It’s still so cold and grey but step outside and you will see so many beautiful signs of Spring, and I promise it’s just around the corner. It may still be time for warm blankets and candlelight but the sun is holding out a little longer each evening and descending in hues of pink and gold. The trees are budding, snowdrops are blooming and there’s so much to celebrate; Imbolc, Saint Bridget and a Celtic Triple Goddess! Join me as I explore the wonders of the Hazel tree, make a natural bird feeder, enjoy a hearty stew bubbling on the stove, tap into our intuition, dabble in tarot and finish with something satisfyingly sweet. Instagram: @rootedbynaturepodcast Chocolate Orange & Hazelnut Biscuits (adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe) Ingredients 150g unsalted butter, at room temperature 200g plain flour 50g golden caster sugar Handful of chopped hazelnuts Zest from half an orange 50g chocolate Method Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan. Mix the butter, sugar, flour, nuts and zest together. Either pat into a baking tin to make shortbread fingers or pop in the fridge ready to roll and cut. Bake for 20 minutes or until pale and golden. If making finger shapes cut whilst warm and transfer to a cooling rack. Melt the chocolate and either dip, pipe or drizzle over the biscuits and then shamelessly eat them all in one go! Recommendations The Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris-Anne https://lightseerstarot.com/

Happy new year everyone! In this episode I'll be talking about late winter, what's happening out in the natural world and why the mysterious owl is my favourite nocturnal creature. I'll be looking at Seasonal Affective Disorder and how I look after my mind and body to beat the winter blues, reflect on new year expectations and share my healthy breakfast muffin recipe. Instagram: @rootedbynaturepodcast Muffin recipe Pre-heat oven to 180 fan (200 degrees or gas mark 6) Dry ingredients Wet ingredients I like to top mine with a whole pecan nut and sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Recommendations The Secret Life of the Owl by John Lewis-Stempel The Happy Newspaper, produced by Emily Coxhead The Simple Things magazine Pick Up Limes Youtube channel and website MIND mental health charity website: https://www.mind.org.uk/ Disclaimer: Please note I am not a medical professional and in this podcast I provide inspiration for self-care, not medical advice.

Mid Winter is here and there's so much to celebrate. Join me as I walk through the frosty woods, mark the winter solstice, revel in the christmas sparkle, release the seasonal stress, make candles and lip balm, enjoy the long cosy nights and listen to a poem to get you in the mood for Christmas and the delight this month brings. Instagram: @rootedbynaturepodcast Lip Balm Recipe 14g of beeswax 100ml extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon of coconut oil 2 teaspoons of honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon of coconut extract Recommendations Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater Christmas at River Cottage by Lucy Brazier

Autumn is in full swing! I’ll be talking about the trees and their falling leaves, acorns, the blood moon, starlings, what’s in season, blackthorn, sloe gin and bonfire night. Instagram: @rootedbynaturepodcast Reading List Books The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben The Wisdom of Trees by Max Adams The Glorious Life of the Oak by John Lewis-Stempel The Hedgerow Handbook by Adele Nozedar The Herb Almanac: A seasonal guide to medicinal plants, Chelsea Physic Garden Flower Fairies of the Autumn by Cecily Mary Barker Online Britannica Historic Royal Palaces The British Druid Order The RSPB The National Wildlife Federation The Wildlife Trusts The Woodland Trust Ask Nature Audio Credits Music and sound effects from Pixabay

You may be wondering what Halloween has to do with feeling connected to nature and being aligned with the seasons, well there’s a lot more to Halloween than meets the eye! I'll be talking about Samhain (the Celtic fire festival) which is where this strange and spooky festival came from, along with witches, fairies, apples, pumpkins and magic. Even if you're not a Halloween fan like me then it’s still the perfect time to say goodbye to summer and embrace the winter, reflect on the year and divine what’s to come, honour ourselves and lost loved ones, bring nature inside to spruce up our homes, bake sweet treats, make the most of the apple harvest and best of all, tap into the amazing energy that’s abound this time of year and work a little magic of our own. Instagram: @rootedbynaturepodcast Reading List The Wisdom of Trees by Max Adams Natural Magic by Doreen Valiente An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present by Doreen Valiente Audio Credits Music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay Sound Effect by Cristian_Changing from Pixabay Sound Effect by Placidplace from Pixabay

In this episode I’ll be talking about the autumn equinox, harvest time, foraging, moon gardening and sharing delicious recipes for elderberry cold & flu syrup and blackberry & pear crumble. Instagram: @rootedbynaturepodcast Elderberry Syrup Recipe Ingredients elderberries water sugar lemon, ginger or cinnamon & cloves (optional) Method Tip the berries into a saucepan, cover with water and simmer for 20-30 minutes on a medium heat. Sieve the juice from the berries, squeezing as much out as possible. Return to the pan with the sugar (450g to 600ml of juice) along with any additional flavourings and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Decant, cool and store in the fridge for a few weeks or freeze to see you through the winter. Blackberry & Pear Crumble Recipe Ingredients 75g sugar (demerara preferably) 75 butter 150g plain flour pears blackberries vanilla extract (optional) caster sugar (optional) Method Preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan. Peel, core and chop the pears and place in a buttered oven dish along with the blackberries and caster sugar if required. Put on the lid and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile grate the (fridge cold) butter into a bowl, add the demerara sugar and flour and rub together to form crumbs. When the fruit is baked, remove the lid and sprinkle over the crumble topping and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes or until the crumble top is cooked through and golden. Reading list The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben The Glorious Life of the Oak by John Lewis-Stempel The Wild Remedy: How nature mends us – a diary by Emma Mitchell The Hedgerow Handbook by Adele Nozedar The Almanac: A seasonal guide to 2022 by Lia Leendertz The Way Back Almanac 2022: A contemporary seasonal guide to nature by Melinda Salisbury The Herb Almanac: A seasonal guide to medicinal plants, Chelsea Physic Garden