Pine Marten Post #5
Hello lovely person, and welcome to Pine Marten Post #5 - the November edition
Its a tricky and tiring time of year for lots of us, with dimming days, squally weather and endless to-do lists.
But, there are always joyful moments to treasure - glimmers in the darkness - if you get into the habit of looking for them.
Gardening tips
As the weather gets colder, your local birds would love some extra snacks to help them stay plump and healthy. Admittedly, this can get a bit expensive, so if your budget doesn’t stretch to feeding them, a dish of water will mean they can drink and bathe. Once the temperature drops, puddles freeze, so they can’t wash as often as they need to. And if they can bathe in your garden, you get to watch them merrily splashing around. Everyone wins.
If you'd like to truly indulge your garden visitors, then Ark Wildlife is where I’ve been buying wildlife food for probably a decade now. Everything is meticulously formulated to offer the best nutrition for your wee friends, whether that’s birds or hedgehogs.
You’ll also attract more wildlife to your garden if it’s not super neat and tidy. Tiny creatures love little piles of leaves and twigs in cosy corners, so lean into the slightly messy look, and you’ll be helping your little friends stay snug throughout the winter.
Would you like some help planning your garden for next year? If so, you could book a Tiny Garden consultation.
Fragrant musings from the library of scent: Firewater by Jorum Studio
Imagine…
You’re a Viking,
Languidly sprawling across soft, dry bracken near the
Leaping flames of a birch fire.
Battle scarred leather armour hangs from a sturdy larch, and high up in its branches
tiny birds are twittering, flickering,
busily gathering soft stuff for lining
their nests.
The chill breeze shifts direction—a hint of seaweed reaches you,
mingling with the rising sap of the trees.
Sunlight drips through the high branches
Big, golden drops of warmth you’ve waited all the
Brutally cold and dark winter to see again.
Your flask of spirit is near. You pour a libation on the ground,
raise it to your lips, and
rest while you can.
🔥 🌊
Wear this if you want to feel:
Bold, fearless, invincible
Jorum Studio in Edinburgh have discovery packs of tiny perfume vials, so you can sniff at your leisure before committing to a full bottle.
Firewater is included in their Scottish Odyssey set.
Nature notes for the month
Amber and copper leaves crackling and scattering,
Fizzing and snapping like horizontal fireworks, then
Driven back up to their old, familiar branches by furious squalling gusts.
Gravity in reverse.
Blissful bean-to-bar chocolate: Tobago Estate Laura 45% Milk Chocolate by Pralus
⭐Glossy, bright and smooth, with a great snap
⭐A drizzle of barley-sugar caramel, whispers of cinnamon and clove and a long, richly creamy finish
⭐If you prefer your chocolate slabs to be more buttery and fudgy, and less brightly fruity, this is definitely worth a go.
Made exclusively from Trinitario beans from a single estate in Tobago, this chocolate shows the fine character possible when you combine first class cacao beans with world leading skill.
Random Scottish fact - An artist date in Killin
What is an artist date?
Defined by Julia Cameron who wrote ‘The Artist’s Way’ as “a once-weekly, festive, solo expedition to explore something that interests you”, they can be whatever you want them to be.
You get to choose what you do.
Isn’t that a wonderful idea?
I can’t manage to fit one in every week, but I’ve been trying to go once a month. And this month I went to Killin in Perthshire.
Waterfalls have been a source of fascination for me since I can remember. Standing as close as possible to the roaring and tumbling torrents of water, feeling the spray covering my face and hair in a fine mist, and smelling the minerally tang of water that’s hurried over ancient stones. They’re awesome.
The village of Killin straddles the Falls of Dochart; a generously proportioned sequence of rocky rapids cascading their way along the glen.
What I love about Killin is you can get REALLY close to the water. Like in it, if you wanted to. It’s such a buzz to be completely surrounded by the wild and surging water, especially at this time of year when there’s been plenty of rain.
Have you ever been on an artist date?
On the blog and LinkedIn:
Do you find Christmas a difficult time of year? If so, you're not alone. Some wonderful friends on LinkedIn offered their helpful tips.
Do you love the idea of houseplants, but are nervous about growing them? I was too, until I discovered these super laid-back houseplants.
PS Any products mentioned in this email are bought and paid for with my hard-earned real cash money.
I'd love to hear about what sensory experiences bring you joy.
Feel free to reply to this email, or you can message me on Instagram or LinkedIn.