Writer, historian, philosopher, environmentalist and lots more besides!
-
THE BLESSINGS OF LUGHNASADH / LAMMAS by Veronica Smith
The Celtic Solar Fire Festival of Lughnasadh takes place at the mid-point between Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox. Traditionally, the Gregorian calendar gives the festival a fixed date of August 1st, and a Christianised name of “Lammas”, meaning “Loaf Mass”. However, the Gregorian calendar is out-of-sync with what is happening in our solar system. The…
-
HOW TO COOK LETTUCE by Veronica Smith
At this time of year, you can have a glut of lettuce in the veggie patch. There is only so much salad you can eat and raw lettuce does not freeze well. However, COOKED Lettuce does freeze and it tastes delicious too! You can cook it lightly in a steamer as greens or you can…
-
Language Barriers (Barrier de la langue) by Veronica Smith
As an English-speaker living in France, it makes sense to learn the French language. That is not just essential for every-day tasks, like going shopping and making appointments (prendre un rendez-vous) but also for dealing with my old bug-bear, French bureaucracy – which even confuses native French speakers! Occasionally I get my own back on…
-
ST JOHN’S WORT: MID-SUMMER MADNESS OR MIRACULOUS MEDICINE? by Veronica Smith
Growing on the edge of our woods is an inconspicuous little plant, only 3 foot high (1 meter) at the most. You only really notice it when the small, lemon-scented yellow flowers appear in summer. Its botanical name is HYPERICUM perforatum, also known as St John’s Wort, Balm of Warriors, Tutsan (from the French toutsain…
-
ON-LINE SELLING PLATFORMS: PROS AND CONS by Veronica Smith
Like most people, I live on a tight budget. It is often worth-while trying to source a good, reconditioned item rather than an expensive brand new version. Likewise, if I have something at home, which I no longer use but it is still in good condition, then why not earn a few bob by selling…
-
Nice Holiday: Let’s Live There!
What are the biggest mistakes people make when visiting your country? There is a world of difference between visiting a country as a holiday-maker and living there as a resident. Take France, for instance. Great tourism, great food and shopping, set to please visitors. Once you move here permanently, you discover all the rules and…
-
The Bear / Bare Necessities of Life!
What’s a song that always puts you in a good mood? I first saw the Walt Disney animated movie The Jungle Book as a child in 1960s Dublin. It had a lot of great songs but the one that appealed to me the most was the one sung by Balou the Bear! “Look for the…
-
FRENCH BUREAUCRACY BLOCKS EU IDS by Veronica Smith
French bureaucracy has always been notoriously difficult but, since digitalisation, it has reached new heights of chaos! The idea of changing to on-line formats was supposed to save everyone time from waiting in queues at government buildings. It would also cut back the work-load of civil servants in favour of standard automated responses. However, putting…
-
BEING IRISH IN FRANCE by Veronica Smith
“Are you from the North or the South?” That is the first question, which French officials always ask me. Why? Well, you see, Northern Ireland is still part of the United Kingdom, whereas Southern Ireland is a separate political entity altogether! The Irish Free State is known officially as The Republic of Ireland and /…
-
MEDICINAL CABBAGE by Veronica Smith
Apart from being one of the oldest known vegetables of Europe, Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is also a medicinal plant! It was regarded as the “medicine of the poor” in days gone by, used by the Greeks and Romans and rediscovered by French “Natural” doctors in the 20th century. Old fashioned Green Cabbage has better medicinal…