In Hedgerow, John Wright explores the culinary delights of all sorts of wild outdoor spaces, such as hedgerows, moors, meadows and woods - which hold a veritable feast for the forager. In this enjoyable and witty handbook, he shares his unbounded passion for the foraging life, reveals how to spot the free and delicious ingredients to be found in the British countryside, and then how to prepare and cook them. He guides you through many tasty edible species - including bilberries, blackberries, cloudberries, common mallow, dandelions - and each one is accompanied by photographs for identification, along with their conservation status, habitat, distribution, season, taste, texture, recipes and cooking methods. Then John describes the poisonous species to steer clear of, including warnings about any nasty 'lookalikes', along with their identifying photographs. Introduced by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Hedgerow,is an indispensable household reference, and an essential book to have by your side for every trip into the countryside.
256pp, 129mm x 198mm, illus. in colour, hardback, 2010
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£12.99 £16.99
As an animal doctor Karlene not only travelled around Colorado treating sick animals, but she created a deep rapport with their souls. She learned how shamans communicate with animals and often involve them in their activities. Ancient pagans venerated animals but also sacrificed them. She found a great contrast between the hard living cattle men of America and the Hindus who believe cows are sacred. She ponders questions such as how a cat with Buddha nature can stalk a mouse, or whether a little finch sings so beautifully because it lacks consciousness. This is the story of her own spiritual searching, but the animals she works with are closely linked to her journey.
336pp, 227 x 153 mm, Paperback, 2017
£7.51 £9.95
Having met the leprechauns in a cottage on the west coast of Ireland, in this sequel Tanis leads a tour of the country’s sacred sites, which unsurprisingly (with leprechauns present!) subsides into chaos. At least, that is, according to outward appearances: on another level the students on the pilgrimage actually learn valuable lessons about life, because of the spirit of the “Craic” which prevails in Ireland. The “Craic” is known to most of us as the impulse and energy of having a good time, but the leprechauns teach us about it as a spiritual principle also. These elementals, who are all around us, just have a different way of doing things!
192pp, 218 x 142 mm, Paperback, 2010
£14.99
It’s a return to Cygnus of this much-loved classic where popular Canadian teacher Tanis Helliwell tells of the time in 1985 that she spent sharing her home with a family of leprechauns. The stories and anecdotes she relates are fun and recreate the magical atmosphere of rural Ireland. Through them we learn a great deal about all elemental life, not just leprechauns, but including the more familiar fairies and elves – what we can do for them and they for us. You may be sceptical about their existence but life is undoubtedly enhanced when we allow these amazing presences into our lives!
192pp, 216 x 142 mm, Paperback, 1997