💚 Learn more about the new Lovely Greens book, A Woman's Garden Grow Beautiful Plants and Make Useful Things
Experience a real Hobbit hole at the Children’s Centre Community Farm Everyone loves hobbits. Ask anyone who’s a fan of the Lord of the Rings to choose their favourite character and nine times out of ten it will be Samwise Gamgee. He’s loyal and innocent and determined and without him Frodo couldn’t have saved Middle Earth. He represents the Shire…
I’ve finally found it. The quartz crystal ‘Cave’ and ancient mound on the Isle of Man. When I first moved to the island I heard rumours of the ‘Crystal Cave’, a place that some people consider mystical. It is a small man-made space constructed of slabs of white quartz that could have been built 4000-5000 years…
Today is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Many of us will simply marvel at today’s 17 hours of daylight and leave it at that but this day was important to ancient Europeans. Though we can only speculate on what their beliefs were, many burial sites and stone circles have been found…
Unique weekend attractions on the Isle of Man including scenic routes, ancient stone circles, fairy doors, and local attractions In April I got a Facebook message from a friend I hadn’t seen in a couple of years: “Hi Tanya – I will be in Wales later this year and saw there was a flight from…
Tips on how to grow Snowdrops from the Milntown Estate. Includes advice on planting them ‘in the green’ and aftercare. Video with snow drop growing tips at the end At a time of the year when trees are bare and temperatures chilly, Snowdrops welcome us with pure white and green tinged petals that bob in the…
Must see places and quirky things to do on the Isle of Man including the Old Fairy Bridge, a Manx giant, ancient monuments, and the Magnetic Hill by Clare Bettison For me, the Isle of Man was a holiday destination for many years and I am delighted it is now my home. I have long…
Though historical accounts of why and how the bridge was built might be lost, the Manx people haven’t forgotten that the ‘Real’ Fairy Bridge is not the one you see when you drive on the A5 from Douglas to Castletown. It’s the ruin of a fairy tale stone bridge set among trees a short walk…
An introduction to a private vintage jewelry collection. Pieces from the 17th century, the Victorian era, and the 1980s, and all found in secondhand shops I always meet the most interesting people here on the Isle of Man. Sometimes it will be another artisan, a local food producer, or someone with an amazing garden, but…
Photos from a vintage 1940s party including old-fashioned sweets, vintage fashion, and party decorations Think of the 1940s and you imagine iconic graphic prints, rationing, and the highs and lows of a world at war. It’s also a time that will forever be remembered in fashion, and there are few who don’t suit the feminine…