You will find podcasts on my website, bealtainecottage.com as well as my books: "A Cottage and Three Acres", "Walking Between Worlds" and others. My Books: "A Cottage and Three Acres" "Walking Between Worlds" "In Search of the Goddess Rising" "A Guide to the Deep Midwinter" "The Celtic Festival of Imbolc" "The Magical, Mythical Map" Bookshop: bealtainecottage.com/bealtain...
I remember walking 3 miles to school in deep snow in 1963. I was 11 and scraped the ice from the inside of my bedroom. When I arrived at school my wellies were full of melted snow and we all crowded around the radiator in the classroom. However, life went on as usual in the industrial Midlands😂 x
I missed it by dint of being born that year (also in the Midlands), somewhere I have a photo of my mother standing in front of the window with a total white-out behind her. I'm sure we had better snow back then!
Hello Colette, Thank you for sharing today's video. Your cottage looks very cozy on a cold, late November day. On this day, November 22,1963, our president, John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was nine years old. We were all sent home from school. It was the first time I saw grown men cry. It is a day I will never forget. Stay warm. Blessings to you and Patsy. ❤
I don't recall extreme temps in Nov '63 where I was growing up, in Perth Western Australia. We had already had our Heatwave back in Jan-March'63 (it got to 41*C on Jan 19th!!), but I certainly do remember JFK's sad assassination - and the newspaper headlines which were the biggest I had ever seen ....... 😢 RjB
I’m the same age as you Colette so also remember The Big Freeze, here in West Sussex in England, going to bed with all the family coats piled onto my bed to provide extra warmth and still going to school unlike these days when they all close with the slightest flurry of snow, all the neighbours digging pathways through the snow to enable us to get in an out, we had great fun.
What great comments. Brought back lots of memories, coats on the bed etc. Still going to school, no matter what.... and in a skirt. Your cottage looks very cosy. Patsy definitely wants to stay in bed and who can blame her. I am hoping that the hedgehogs are now hibernating. They had a new house this year. Still leaving some food out for them just in case. Snuggle up everyone. 😊🤗🇬🇧
Τον χειμώνα του 1963 ήμουν 4 ετών. Ο χειμώνας αυτός είχε χτυπήσει και την Ελλάδα! Ίσως είναι και η πρώτη μου εντονότερη ανάμνηση που έχω!🌨️🌨️🌨️ Η Πάτσυ ξέρει ακριβώς τι πρέπει να κανει: να μείνει στα ζεστά της σκεπάσματα! Να έχετε ένα πολύ καλό χειμώνα!!!💖🌧️🔥
I was living in Rainham, kent, a very skinny 11 year old boy ..still wearing shorts ..I might have been a child but personally I sure felt and remember the cold very well, I hated it.... ..Ice on the inside of my bedroom windows..no heating ...Omg...I was glad when later in life and my own home had central heating...being up and outside in the cold wasn't so bad but living in a cold house was awful.
Hi Colette, I too remember the winter of 1963, I was 8 when it began. As a child it was the most magical and memorable winter in all of my life, absolutely wonderful. I was in Kent in England and our river, the river Medway also froze, people were walking across it! We lived in a 3 bedroom house, but only had a coal fire in the living room for heating, but as you said, we, as children, just didn’t seem to feel the cold, well, until we went indoors and our hands and feet hurt as they warmed up!😢😢🤣🤣🤣🥰🥰🥰 Blessings to you ❤❤❤
I can understand Patsy.................dear Colette,when I went to school in the 60ties we had great winter.....in the middle of germany....now I live in the north of Germany and sometimes we had snow................wonderful cosy in your home............when I go in bed in the evening my malecat Fritz lays beside me and i am cover him up with a blanket............and he lays all night long under it........................Blessings and Greetings and a big hug to Patsy...........Daggy,Kiel,Germany☘☘☘
I find that brushed cotton/flannelette sheet and duvet cover make a huge difference. You never get that cold feeling when you move your foot from the warm bit of sheet! It's been a game changer for me in the winter.
Awesome video - and memories, Collette! We live a short history, but it's still soon forgotten by many. I love your stove, thd kitchen, the kettle calling...👍😎🇨🇦🙏🔥☕️
I also remember that 1963 winter, I was six & we all used to huddle around our coal fire & I ended up with painful chilblains! I feed the birds & any other wildlife that eats it is okay by me, even the rats. I live overlooking miles of countryside so they will always be there & I have learnt just to live with them. From a child I kept mice & rats & I love watching their antics, so much so that at 67 I have just got some more pet rats, they are adorable!
Patsy is just adorable. Am sure Jack sent her to replace him. Your home is so cozy. We had our first snowfall in this part of USA yesterday with temperatures reaching close to 32 F° in places. Going back in time, can you imagine the light from the "Globe". Beautiful really. Time for storytelling, etc. Colette, you are bringing the past to life and reminding us of how people survived and eventually thrived. I hope that survival instinct is with the dear people in war zones. Blessings.
My parents talk of the 1963 freeze. Given the housing situation at that time, they did not have half of the luxury we have to day. My mum said that it was so cold in the flat she lived in that everything was icy cold and damp. When my nan went to check on her children, she noticed my mum didn't look right and that she wasn't breathing. Thankfully, my nan was no fool and sorted my mum out quickly. Unfortunately, since then, she has always suffered from chest illnesses and was later diagnosed with COPD. It's not nice being cold. I worry about the homeless 😕. Especially in the winter months here in England. Warm hugs from Leicester England 😊
Yes. I remember the winter of 1963. We lived in a cold damp flat with one electric fire, but ‘luckily’ we had moved from the old terrace with just one cold tap, a black leaded range and an outside toilet. There was still frost on the inside of the bedroom windows and the long steep hill to the main road got so many layers of ice that we had to pull ourselves up using the hedges and an enterprising neighbour fastened ropes to the lamp posts to help us. The locals ran a mobile shopping basket service for the elderly who couldn’t leave their homes and I had to walk a long way to get to a bus stop on a road that was passable.
Beautiful video - thank you so much. Born 1952 in Lancashire [those dark, satanic mills] The damp ! No central heating, count to 10 and rush to turn on the gas stove in my bedroom [ No 'elf and safety in those days. Apparently not much helicopter parenting either] I live in the Great Lakes of US now, in a cosy cottage with 2 dogs, geese, and ducks. Yesterday, we got our first snowfall of winter, too. ❤
Good morning from Canada 🇨🇦 today it is -21 Celsius and we have lots of snow. During winter we can dip to -40 Celsius. We survive winter by dressing i layers. Our cold is a dry cold so it is not so bad. Thank you for sharing Colette I look forward to your videos. ❤❤❤
That does sound REALLY cold! Do you know if before all the mod cons of central heating etc., where you live used to get ice on the inside of windows etc too in Canada? Or is that something that tends happens in a wetter cold climates? I really don’t know about these things as in Australia we are more used to heatwaves then snow. I honestly think I would be happier living in a climate that has 4 proper seasons. Where I live, in Queensland we just get just coolish (18°-21°C or 64.4° - 69.8°F) warm, warmer, hot and really hot. I do not enjoy the heat at all. I think because there’s a limit to how cool you can get, especially if you don’t have, or can’t afford to run, air conditioning. There’s only so much you can take off, right? I mean we can’t run around naked, lol. With the cold you can put more layers on, have a hot drink, make a hot water bottle, get into bed under more covers etc and that’s worth making a fire or putting on heating. I do often wonder and worry about how the homeless survive in climates that get really cold with masses of snow, like in Canada, Alaska, the UK or other northern climes. Then again maybe the grass isn’t greener, maybe I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I think I would (I understand there’s loads of problems associated with such weather with cars and pipes freezing etc that are definitely not fun problems). I’m quite curious if any of you who live in climates that have 4 seasons, including a winter with snow, think you would prefer to live in a climate that’s always warm/hot?
Hello from Canada:) I've lived in Tuktoyaktuk, Yellowknife, BC the East Coast, Alberta and now QC! I've experienced ice covering the inside of the windows so heavily, I had to use a car ice scraper.Yes humidity does that- need to keep a woodstove hot enough to burn any ambient moisture. When I was young in the 1970's, we had blizzards and as cold as - 63 up north and many days of -30's and a wind chill that burned your eyes without goggles. Now, it's much rarer to get cold fronts that cold or for longer than a few days at a time. If the hydro goes out, you can die. Many homeless people do die every yr- we have more fks staying in metros and shelters than ever before- it's become a sorrowful situation and getting worse here fast bc rent and food is so expensive. I'm glad to see Colette safe and warm.
Every season is a great time to enjoy the magnificence of our planet. We can adapt to the cold weather conditions if we can stay dry . I lived in a house with no heat but it was very nice even at minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. When I wanted to keep cans of food from freezing, I kept it in the refrigerator. Spilled water never thawed..it just wore off the floor. I stuffed paper inside of my clothes and wore many layers and a warm hat inside. I did acclimate.
I went from a sheet covering on my bed, to a faux wolf fur blanket in early October, Then this last week I put a small electric (15x24 inches) pad, to take the chill off. Just like your hot water bottle. My landlady began putting the heat on automatic in late September, because the upstairs does not have insulation. She heats with a gas furnace. We haven't had any snow yet here in The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Which is unusual. Climate change has impacted our weather. Making Winters warmer, and shorter. I've been in Ontario Canada since 1953. The 50' to early 70's were Snowy and Cold. Then over the decades it was hit and miss. They keep promising a return to a "Normal Winter" but I have yet to see that happen. Keep warm and safe...
Hi Colette and Patsy, I remember the snows of 1963 very well. I lived in a flat overlooking woodland and my Dad came into the bedroom, woke me and told me to look out of the window. First of all, I had to find a window Jack Frost hadn't created a wonderful work of art on and then I saw it. A white wonderland with great oak trees straining under the weight of snow they were carrying. It was completely magical to me as a 5 year old. I was out in it in a flash, in my red wellington boots, mittens on a string, wrapped up to Michelin man proportions by my mum and wearing my red aliceband hat with a white pom pom that went everywhere with me in the winter. That wood was responsible for my love of trees and that winter for my love of snow! Mum put bread out on our balcony for the birds and I sat and watched them eat. Such nostalgia. Memory is a wonderful thing, I can remember that day so clearly and yet, quite often, I can barely remember what I did yesterday!! Blessings to you both from a now cold but almost snowless Shropshire. Hope Storm Bert, which is inundating us here with rain and windy weather, hasnt caused you too many problems. Stay safe and warm. Debs X
Such a timely topic Colette! We are having the season's first snow here in Maryland, so I went for a walk. And now I will bake, as is my tradition. Peace and Blessings to you and yours 🥧🐕
I remember that winter, windows frozrn on the jnside. So cold in my bedroom Mum used to get me dressed in bed, hold my school shirt in front one bar fire. One small burco boiler....😮
I remember 1963 well. I was 5 and lived in West Sussex. We didn't have central heating either. We went out to play in the village cricket field, snowballs , snowmen. I lost my silver christening bracelet never to find it again. I think my mother must have been angry but I don't remember. I find your videos so relaxing and inspiring.
blessed be Colette and Patsy i just harvested all my tomatoes yesterday due to finally getting a hard freeze here in oklahoma we're lookin to have a warn winter here this year..days in the 18c-24c still now ...cheers all ..overgrow overshare overcare overseed everywhere worldwide..stay safe and hydrated everyone..
It definitely feels like winter here today also. Snow flurries all day yesterday, and today------grey, cold, and misty/damp. Last week I finished airing all our wool sweaters and coats so we are pretty much prepared for what ever comes. I love flannel sheets and quilts on the bed and oh yes, a hot water bottle makes a big impact.
Hello Colette! Your books are already here, (very fast shipping!).. what a pleasure holding them in my hands and watching this last video of yours😊 Thank you for sharing past memories that I feel as if they were mine too, life in those years was hard (but simple and joyful, despite the difficulties) everywhere Hugs to you and Patsy ❤
Such a cozy woolen blanket! My neighbor's are having a blanket party tomorrow evening. We'll sit in front of the fire and work on crochet projects. They're making blankets for their family members for Christmas and I have a pair of fingerless gloves and a rainbow striped hood to work on. For the next few months I'm all about the cozy❤
Oh yes I remember this too. Even in Belgium it was so cold we had ice flowers inside the bedrooms on the windows..so much fun to scrape them off.. i walked to school in snow to my knees...😊.love it.. children do not feel the cold ..my mother use to say come inside now your looking bleu of the cold😂😂
I know I may be in the minority but I love the windmills on Kilronan (sp?) Mountain. I think modern windmills are beautiful, graceful and just fun in a similar way I love old windmills or old lighthouses. Of course one of my favorite books of all time is Don Quixote!🤷♂️. Might be the painter in me too, but I see small hints/representations of the windmills on the mountain in the white Cyclamen blooms on their stalks in your window boxes! ... love Cyclamens too
Hi Colette, had some snow here in Norfolk UK, for me it was lovely to see! I was only 2, so I can't say that I remember that great freeze of 1963. Nice to see Patsy all Cosy! Keep warm!any Blessings to you both ❤❤
Hi Colette. I remember the blizzard of 1978 in New England. I was 28. Fortunately we had a kitchen wood stove and an Ashley airtight stove. They did a good job of heating our small cottage. Going to the wood shed was a challenge. I wish it had been connected to the house, like we have now. There was no power, but we were cozy. Your new Stanley looks great! ~ Diane
Was 9 during that winter, we were living on the Isle of Sheppey in a prefab. The only heating we had was a coal fire in the living room and a paraffin heater that was moved from room to room. The floors were all Lino, we had no carpets but it was the same for everyone back then. Funny thing is I don’t remember being cold during that time despite the ice on the windows inside the house.
Good morning Colette and everyone. Ah, such a lovely, heart-warming video 🥰 I was born in 1964, so I wasn’t even a twinkle in my parents’ eye back in 1963. But my parents were married in the March, surrounded by snow and ice, and in their wedding photos they look just like the two figures on top of the iced wedding cake, dithering and doing their best to smile through chattering teeth 🥶😂 Here in Staffordshire we’ve just had a couple of beautifully wintry days. Non-essential chores were put on hold, snowy walks and snowball fights were enjoyed, and Storm Bert is forecast for the weekend so we’ve checked the elders are prepared and don’t need to venture out for a few days, and stocked up on firewood and cake 😁 I hope you stay safe and warm, thank you again for sharing Bealtaine, your videos are always such a welcome refuge from the world as it is right now. Much love and blessings to you and Patsy … Jayne 🙏💚
I grew up in a council house in West Yorkshire with no inside bathroom. I remember the pee pots under the bed. No central heating and we had coal fires and radiators for heat. We went to bed with jumpers and layers of clothes on. I live in California now, but have fond memories of those cold winters. It makes me appreciate everything I have now including central heating. I’m 26% Irish according to Ancestry DNA.
I've got an abundance of laurel wood since my nephew helped me to cut them all back, just a pity I haven't got a wood burner or stove just yet. We live in hope though. Beautiful video as always 🥰 x
I saw a little old lady fairy or spirit in your garden. DO you know her? She was in emerald green. you were looking back at the house and you could see the bunting, she went across the path. She went across the path into the bushes infront of the shed with bunting. Do you know her name if you know her? Her hairs in a bun,sort of Victorian looking but little, like in the "Borrowers" original movie
Oh!! That sweet Patsy!! She is such a darling! Thank you for sharing her with us. Yes - my ancestors have been traced back to Ireland; through genealogy . And my DNA testing says Ireland and Scotland. Which makes total sense, as along with just adoring you and your channel; over 30 years ago....I became extremely intrigued with Eileen and Peter Caddy...and especially Dorothy Maclean. They had settled in a fairly barren part of Findhorn, Scotland...and started growing vegetables in soil - that wasn't supposed to be able to grow such luscious vegetables....through listening to Dorothy's channeling of the Plant Devas. The rest is history, as they say. I have always preferred to be outside with nature, as well. And those Laurel limbs!! They are QUITE lovely!! I have been salvaging my Corkscrew Willow branches; preparing to re-watch some of your videos on how to construct garden structures. Stay warm!! And thank you for all that you do, Colette. Love to you and little Patsy!!
What a beautiful blanket of first snow! 💙Loved this peek into life at Bealtaine. I don't always get to watch your videos these days but love hearing about your lessons and memories when I can.
I love winter, but I cannot imagine living for many days with it being that cold! I live in the southern US, and we have had a very warm autumn, but that will end tomorrow with the predicted low to be -1C. We are in a region hard hit by floods, and some people are still living in tents. I hope they have tents that can be heated, or they can go to a warm shelter. There will be snow way on up in the mountains, so while I love winter, I cannot enjoy it for worrying about those people. That aside, I love flowers in winter windows. I always have some in the house. At present, the Schlumbergera x buckleyi (Christmas cactus) has decided to bloom.
Hello from the Welsh valleys where we have had a little snow but it is so so cold and everything is frozen. I lived in Cumberland as a child in the 50's and my abiding memory of winter was putting my clothes under the mattress at night and then getting dressed under the covers in the morning. I can remember walking down the cottage steps to the road and finding the snow was as deep as I was tall; Poor but wonderful times; Your cottage looks so cosy with all the work you have been doing this year.
In the last couple of years I’ve added wool blankets to all the kids beds. As a Canadian, this wasn’t something I grew up with, but rather learned about from the Irish ☘ while I have Irish ancestry, so much has been lost.. I love your channel Colette. What a true inspiration.
Boy Collette did you bring up memories when talked about your childhood warming up with a fire burning in a wooden stove. I was born in Colorado & at that time my parents home only had wooden stove & outdoor toilet. I'm 78years Young & those were days. Were I live at now this pool house I rent has no instalation & it get as cold inside as it gets outside. I've lived here for 20 years & I've acclimated & learned to live with the cold all these years. One adjusts when necessary. I just bundle up with layers of cloth then rip them after a while☺😅 Goddess Bless you &Patsy💕💝
Good day Colette and Patsy! Your home is so inviting and warm looking. Patsy was a bugger about getting her tail out of bed! That’s ok, everyone deserves a “sleep in” morning. So far today at 1 o’clock pm I have 11” of heavy wet snow on the ground and it’s still snowing up here in the northern most tip of New Jersey. Hope it stops soon…. My best to you both and stay warm under those beautiful wool blankets! 🌲❄️🌲
Beautiful winter. Mind you down south in NZ headed into summer we still have days needing jackets and a fire inside, temps in single figures and regular snow on the hills. Looking forward to a little more warmth for the garden to flourish.
It's bitter cold here with snow. I love the cottage you have. I am in the state of Virginia I also have a wood stove in case the power goes out other wise I have oil heat. Winter is about keeping warm and it's hard from some of us elderly folk
Our childhood memories! Growing up on the Canadian prairies, winter lasts from November through March, with snow often in September into May! i really enjoyed seeing the view from your bedroom window today, and must say the red wool blanket a top your bed is very cheery and cozy looking! We have changed our bedding too! the duvet is nestled into a flannelette cover and flannelette sheets replaced crisp cotton! an old wool blanket lies convenient to hand, My light autumn bathrobe us in the back of the closet replaced by a warm heavier, full to the floor red housecoat! - a Christmas gift from children long years ago!
Yes 1963 was a most memorable year... the snow stayed for weeks.. great big piles of snow all shovelled up against the buildings. My brother and sister and I built an igloo in the back yard... great big blocks of hard snow which was 5 feet high... No school... 🤣🤣🤣👏👏👏👏👏👍🏽👍🏽
It's incredible that you continue to work in the garden during the cold winter months! There must be a reason I saw you video today, since I slow down in the winter months (in my moderate CA climate) from yard work. There's no excuse for that! Also I noted how healthy your cyclamen are even in freezing temps!
The most cosy and inviting cottage ... with fires burning and kettle singing ... window boxes promising Spring AND the prettiest floor ever seen :). Yaaaay Colette !!! You inspire us with delight :)
We had our first snow here in Kentucky - it didn't stick but it was powdery and beautiful. It ended up being such a cozy day. Love hearing your stories!
Love you sharing all kinds of lovely things Collette. So grateful for my Irish ancestors emigrating to Australia in the late 1800s. And talking about weather, I think over this side of the world, we are going to experience increased heat (already has begun) Stay warm Collette 😊
I was born in November 1962 on the country side in the north off the Netherlands My parents had put everything in the living room downstairs sleeping, cooking, toilet, bad And when my mother was recovering in the warm bed the fire place broke my father had to go two villages further with a sledge puling behind him trough the snow. He managed to come back with a other fire place When it was January 1963 the sow was high until the roof. My parents have goooood memories about that special time I love the stories they told me about my arrival when i so the light in this white and cold part off Mother Earth. By the way I Love snow and ice😂
Hello Colette! I just love your stove and kitchen. You did such a wonderful job. Everything looks cozy. I just love to watch the snow fall. It is a treat for us here in Southern California. Winter is my favorite time here where we live. We do get snow but not a lot. Thanks for the lovely video!
I have just received my book collette, I just wanted to say thank you for such a quick dispatch. It looks absolutely beautiful and I've put it away so as I can enjoy it in the depth of winter. I will get so much inspiration from this beautiful book and will look forward to planting next year. Sending you so much love and stay safe and warm during these storms we are having at the moment x
I really enjoy hearing your stories-memories. Fascinating! The gardens and woodland look beautiful in winter. I have a large, random drift of Lunaria discs which now look like silvery white moons hovering above the leaves on the ground. 🐇♥️
You will find podcasts on my website, bealtainecottage.com as well as my books: "A Cottage and Three Acres", "Walking Between Worlds" and others. My Books:
"A Cottage and Three Acres"
"Walking Between Worlds"
"In Search of the Goddess Rising"
"A Guide to the Deep Midwinter"
"The Celtic Festival of Imbolc"
"The Magical, Mythical Map"
Bookshop: bealtainecottage.com/bealtain...
I remember walking 3 miles to school in deep snow in 1963. I was 11 and scraped the ice from the inside of my bedroom. When I arrived at school my wellies were full of melted snow and we all crowded around the radiator in the classroom. However, life went on as usual in the industrial Midlands😂 x
I missed it by dint of being born that year (also in the Midlands), somewhere I have a photo of my mother standing in front of the window with a total white-out behind her. I'm sure we had better snow back then!
I remember 1963 well. We were stuck on the farm for 6 weeks!
Hello Colette, Thank you for sharing today's video. Your cottage looks very cozy on a cold, late November day. On this day, November 22,1963, our president, John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was nine years old. We were all sent home from school. It was the first time I saw grown men cry. It is a day I will never forget. Stay warm. Blessings to you and Patsy. ❤
Yes indeed. President Kennedy was the essence of Hope. May he rest in peace and inspire our new leaders on a path of kindness, etc.
Such a sad memory, but thank you for sharing it with us all.
I don't recall extreme temps in Nov '63 where I was growing up, in Perth Western Australia. We had already had our Heatwave back in Jan-March'63 (it got to 41*C on Jan 19th!!), but I certainly do remember JFK's sad assassination - and the newspaper headlines which were the biggest I had ever seen ....... 😢 RjB
A 3 dog night is one that is so cold you need 3 dogs in bed with you to keep you warm.
lol, I have a queen size bed and it’s a three dog night every night, three big dogs. It fills the bed, edge to edge, lol.
I’m the same age as you Colette so also remember The Big Freeze, here in West Sussex in England, going to bed with all the family coats piled onto my bed to provide extra warmth and still going to school unlike these days when they all close with the slightest flurry of snow, all the neighbours digging pathways through the snow to enable us to get in an out, we had great fun.
What great comments. Brought back lots of memories, coats on the bed etc. Still going to school, no matter what.... and in a skirt. Your cottage looks very cosy. Patsy definitely wants to stay in bed and who can blame her. I am hoping that the hedgehogs are now hibernating. They had a new house this year. Still leaving some food out for them just in case. Snuggle up everyone. 😊🤗🇬🇧
Coats on bed so cosy
Τον χειμώνα του 1963 ήμουν 4 ετών. Ο χειμώνας αυτός είχε χτυπήσει και την Ελλάδα! Ίσως είναι και η πρώτη μου εντονότερη ανάμνηση που έχω!🌨️🌨️🌨️ Η Πάτσυ ξέρει ακριβώς τι πρέπει να κανει: να μείνει στα ζεστά της σκεπάσματα! Να έχετε ένα πολύ καλό χειμώνα!!!💖🌧️🔥
Also in Italy! I'm the same age as you😊 Ciao
@@paolanardo6442 Γεια σου! Εμείς είμαστε γείτονες! Φιλιά στην Ιταλία!😊😊😊
I was living in Rainham, kent, a very skinny 11 year old boy ..still wearing shorts ..I might have been a child but personally I sure felt and remember the cold very well, I hated it.... ..Ice on the inside of my bedroom windows..no heating ...Omg...I was glad when later in life and my own home had central heating...being up and outside in the cold wasn't so bad but living in a cold house was awful.
Patsy, all snuggled in, she brought a smile to my face!
Hi Colette, I too remember the winter of 1963, I was 8 when it began. As a child it was the most magical and memorable winter in all of my life, absolutely wonderful. I was in Kent in England and our river, the river Medway also froze, people were walking across it! We lived in a 3 bedroom house, but only had a coal fire in the living room for heating, but as you said, we, as children, just didn’t seem to feel the cold, well, until we went indoors and our hands and feet hurt as they warmed up!😢😢🤣🤣🤣🥰🥰🥰 Blessings to you ❤❤❤
I can understand Patsy.................dear Colette,when I went to school in the 60ties we had great winter.....in the middle of germany....now I live in the north of Germany and sometimes we had snow................wonderful cosy in your home............when I go in bed in the evening my malecat Fritz lays beside me and i am cover him up with a blanket............and he lays all night long under it........................Blessings and Greetings and a big hug to Patsy...........Daggy,Kiel,Germany☘☘☘
I love how you feed the wildlife. You're a good woman.
I find that brushed cotton/flannelette sheet and duvet cover make a huge difference. You never get that cold feeling when you move your foot from the warm bit of sheet! It's been a game changer for me in the winter.
Awesome video - and memories, Collette! We live a short history, but it's still soon forgotten by many. I love your stove, thd kitchen, the kettle calling...👍😎🇨🇦🙏🔥☕️
I also remember that 1963 winter, I was six & we all used to huddle around our coal fire & I ended up with painful chilblains! I feed the birds & any other wildlife that eats it is okay by me, even the rats. I live overlooking miles of countryside so they will always be there & I have learnt just to live with them. From a child I kept mice & rats & I love watching their antics, so much so that at 67 I have just got some more pet rats, they are adorable!
The window boxes look pretty. 🌺🌹
Patsy is just adorable. Am sure Jack sent her to replace him. Your home is so cozy. We had our first snowfall in this part of USA yesterday with temperatures reaching close to 32 F° in places. Going back in time, can you imagine the light from the "Globe". Beautiful really. Time for storytelling, etc. Colette, you are bringing the past to life and reminding us of how people survived and eventually thrived. I hope that survival instinct is with the dear people in war zones. Blessings.
My parents talk of the 1963 freeze.
Given the housing situation at that time, they did not have half of the luxury we have to day.
My mum said that it was so cold in the flat she lived in that everything was icy cold and damp.
When my nan went to check on her children, she noticed my mum didn't look right and that she wasn't breathing.
Thankfully, my nan was no fool and sorted my mum out quickly.
Unfortunately, since then, she has always suffered from chest illnesses and was later diagnosed with COPD.
It's not nice being cold.
I worry about the homeless 😕. Especially in the winter months here in England.
Warm hugs from Leicester England 😊
Colette,I was born in 1965, my father always talked about the winter of 1963, but he also talked about a very bad winter in 1947, he was born in 1923.
Your stove is so handsome Colette 👌
Yes. I remember the winter of 1963. We lived in a cold damp flat with one electric fire, but ‘luckily’ we had moved from the old terrace with just one cold tap, a black leaded range and an outside toilet. There was still frost on the inside of the bedroom windows and the long steep hill to the main road got so many layers of ice that we had to pull ourselves up using the hedges and an enterprising neighbour fastened ropes to the lamp posts to help us. The locals ran a mobile shopping basket service for the elderly who couldn’t leave their homes and I had to walk a long way to get to a bus stop on a road that was passable.
I can remember the winter of '63. Four years old at the time and have memories of walking through tunnels of snow.
Beautiful video - thank you so much.
Born 1952 in Lancashire [those dark, satanic mills] The damp ! No central heating, count to 10 and rush to turn on the gas stove in my bedroom [ No 'elf and safety in those days. Apparently not much helicopter parenting either]
I live in the Great Lakes of US now, in a cosy cottage with 2 dogs, geese, and ducks. Yesterday, we got our first snowfall of winter, too. ❤
Good morning from Canada 🇨🇦 today it is -21 Celsius and we have lots of snow. During winter we can dip to -40 Celsius. We survive winter by dressing i layers. Our cold is a dry cold so it is not so bad. Thank you for sharing Colette I look forward to your videos. ❤❤❤
That does sound REALLY cold! Do you know if before all the mod cons of central heating etc., where you live used to get ice on the inside of windows etc too in Canada? Or is that something that tends happens in a wetter cold climates? I really don’t know about these things as in Australia we are more used to heatwaves then snow.
I honestly think I would be happier living in a climate that has 4 proper seasons. Where I live, in Queensland we just get just coolish (18°-21°C or 64.4° - 69.8°F) warm, warmer, hot and really hot. I do not enjoy the heat at all. I think because there’s a limit to how cool you can get, especially if you don’t have, or can’t afford to run, air conditioning.
There’s only so much you can take off, right? I mean we can’t run around naked, lol. With the cold you can put more layers on, have a hot drink, make a hot water bottle, get into bed under more covers etc and that’s worth making a fire or putting on heating. I do often wonder and worry about how the homeless survive in climates that get really cold with masses of snow, like in Canada, Alaska, the UK or other northern climes.
Then again maybe the grass isn’t greener, maybe I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I think I would (I understand there’s loads of problems associated with such weather with cars and pipes freezing etc that are definitely not fun problems). I’m quite curious if any of you who live in climates that have 4 seasons, including a winter with snow, think you would prefer to live in a climate that’s always warm/hot?
Hello from Canada:) I've lived in Tuktoyaktuk, Yellowknife, BC the East Coast, Alberta and now QC! I've experienced ice covering the inside of the windows so heavily, I had to use a car ice scraper.Yes humidity does that- need to keep a woodstove hot enough to burn any ambient moisture. When I was young in the 1970's, we had blizzards and as cold as
- 63 up north and many days of -30's and a wind chill that burned your eyes without goggles. Now, it's much rarer to get cold fronts that cold or for longer than a few days at a time. If the hydro goes out, you can die. Many homeless people do die every yr- we have more fks staying in metros and shelters than ever before- it's become a sorrowful situation and getting worse here fast bc rent and food is so expensive.
I'm glad to see Colette safe and warm.
Every season is a great time to enjoy the magnificence of our planet.
We can adapt to the cold weather conditions if we can stay dry .
I lived in a house with no heat but it was very nice even at minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
When I wanted to keep cans of food from freezing, I kept it in the refrigerator. Spilled water never thawed..it just wore off the floor.
I stuffed paper inside of my clothes and wore many layers and a warm hat inside.
I did acclimate.
Wow, we take so much for granted these days!
That was delightful.The window boxes are lovely. Blessings to you and Patsy. x
I went from a sheet covering on my bed, to a faux wolf fur blanket in early October, Then this last week I put a small electric (15x24 inches) pad, to take the chill off. Just like your hot water bottle.
My landlady began putting the heat on automatic in late September, because the upstairs does not have insulation. She heats with a gas furnace.
We haven't had any snow yet here in The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Which is unusual. Climate change has impacted our weather. Making Winters warmer, and shorter. I've been in Ontario Canada since 1953. The 50' to early 70's were Snowy and Cold. Then over the decades it was hit and miss. They keep promising a return to a "Normal Winter" but I have yet to see that happen.
Keep warm and safe...
The kitchen looks amazing and so cozy and inviting
Hi Colette and Patsy, I remember the snows of 1963 very well. I lived in a flat overlooking woodland and my Dad came into the bedroom, woke me and told me to look out of the window. First of all, I had to find a window Jack Frost hadn't created a wonderful work of art on and then I saw it. A white wonderland with great oak trees straining under the weight of snow they were carrying. It was completely magical to me as a 5 year old. I was out in it in a flash, in my red wellington boots, mittens on a string, wrapped up to Michelin man proportions by my mum and wearing my red aliceband hat with a white pom pom that went everywhere with me in the winter. That wood was responsible for my love of trees and that winter for my love of snow! Mum put bread out on our balcony for the birds and I sat and watched them eat. Such nostalgia. Memory is a wonderful thing, I can remember that day so clearly and yet, quite often, I can barely remember what I did yesterday!! Blessings to you both from a now cold but almost snowless Shropshire. Hope Storm Bert, which is inundating us here with rain and windy weather, hasnt caused you too many problems. Stay safe and warm. Debs X
Such a timely topic Colette! We are having the season's first snow here in Maryland, so I went for a walk. And now I will bake, as is my tradition. Peace and Blessings to you and yours 🥧🐕
I was born on December 27th, 1962, the day after big freeze started in 1962, where snow lay until March 1963.
Your mother must have needed to be quite vigilant in keeping you warm, as a newborn in such extremes
I remember that winter, windows frozrn on the jnside. So cold in my bedroom Mum used to get me dressed in bed, hold my school shirt in front one bar fire. One small burco boiler....😮
I remember 1963 well. I was 5 and lived in West Sussex. We didn't have central heating either. We went out to play in the village cricket field, snowballs , snowmen. I lost my silver christening bracelet never to find it again. I think my mother must have been angry but I don't remember. I find your videos so relaxing and inspiring.
Please write all of these childhood memories down, Colette!
blessed be Colette and Patsy i just harvested all my tomatoes yesterday due to finally getting a hard freeze here in oklahoma we're lookin to have a warn winter here this year..days in the 18c-24c still now ...cheers all ..overgrow overshare overcare overseed everywhere worldwide..stay safe and hydrated everyone..
the kitchen is beautiful
❄lovely Patsy so comfy and loved💓hugs to you both💓
I love winter. It's beautiful . Beautiful vid too ❤
It definitely feels like winter here today also. Snow flurries all day yesterday, and today------grey, cold, and misty/damp. Last week I finished airing all our wool sweaters and coats so we are pretty much prepared for what ever comes. I love flannel sheets and quilts on the bed and oh yes, a hot water bottle makes a big impact.
Hello Colette! Your books are already here, (very fast shipping!).. what a pleasure holding them in my hands and watching this last video of yours😊
Thank you for sharing past memories that I feel as if they were mine too, life in those years was hard (but simple and joyful, despite the difficulties) everywhere
Hugs to you and Patsy ❤
Thanks 🙏 Paola, good to hear!
Such a cozy woolen blanket! My neighbor's are having a blanket party tomorrow evening. We'll sit in front of the fire and work on crochet projects. They're making blankets for their family members for Christmas and I have a pair of fingerless gloves and a rainbow striped hood to work on. For the next few months I'm all about the cozy❤
Oh yes I remember this too. Even in Belgium it was so cold we had ice flowers inside the bedrooms on the windows..so much fun to scrape them off.. i walked to school in snow to my knees...😊.love it.. children do not feel the cold ..my mother use to say come inside now your looking bleu of the cold😂😂
I know I may be in the minority but I love the windmills on Kilronan (sp?) Mountain. I think modern windmills are beautiful, graceful and just fun in a similar way I love old windmills or old lighthouses. Of course one of my favorite books of all time is Don Quixote!🤷♂️. Might be the painter in me too, but I see small hints/representations of the windmills on the mountain in the white Cyclamen blooms on their stalks in your window boxes! ... love Cyclamens too
Hi Colette, had some snow here in Norfolk UK, for me it was lovely to see! I was only 2, so I can't say that I remember that great freeze of 1963. Nice to see Patsy all Cosy! Keep warm!any Blessings to you both ❤❤
not only Americans, Canadians can trace their ancestry back to Ireland, weather here in Canada is 13c for the past week or so, no snow as yet
I remember my uncle talking about the sea freezing.
Hi Colette. I remember the blizzard of 1978 in New England. I was 28. Fortunately we had a kitchen wood stove and an Ashley airtight stove. They did a good job of heating our small cottage. Going to the wood shed was a challenge. I wish it had been connected to the house, like we have now. There was no power, but we were cozy. Your new Stanley looks great! ~ Diane
SO ENJOYABLE ❤ THANKYOU
Love ❤The window 🪟 boxes
Was 9 during that winter, we were living on the Isle of Sheppey in a prefab. The only heating we had was a coal fire in the living room and a paraffin heater that was moved from room to room. The floors were all Lino, we had no carpets but it was the same for everyone back then. Funny thing is I don’t remember being cold during that time despite the ice on the windows inside the house.
Good morning Colette and everyone. Ah, such a lovely, heart-warming video 🥰 I was born in 1964, so I wasn’t even a twinkle in my parents’ eye back in 1963. But my parents were married in the March, surrounded by snow and ice, and in their wedding photos they look just like the two figures on top of the iced wedding cake, dithering and doing their best to smile through chattering teeth 🥶😂
Here in Staffordshire we’ve just had a couple of beautifully wintry days. Non-essential chores were put on hold, snowy walks and snowball fights were enjoyed, and Storm Bert is forecast for the weekend so we’ve checked the elders are prepared and don’t need to venture out for a few days, and stocked up on firewood and cake 😁
I hope you stay safe and warm, thank you again for sharing Bealtaine, your videos are always such a welcome refuge from the world as it is right now. Much love and blessings to you and Patsy … Jayne 🙏💚
Thoroughly enjoyed this
💚❄️ ✨🧚🌳🌧️
I thoroughly enjoyed your video. Thank you for sharing your story. Have a wonderful weekend.
I grew up in a council house in West Yorkshire with no inside bathroom. I remember the pee pots under the bed. No central heating and we had coal fires and radiators for heat. We went to bed with jumpers and layers of clothes on. I live in California now, but have fond memories of those cold winters. It makes me appreciate everything I have now including central heating. I’m 26% Irish according to Ancestry DNA.
I've got an abundance of laurel wood since my nephew helped me to cut them all back, just a pity I haven't got a wood burner or stove just yet. We live in hope though.
Beautiful video as always 🥰 x
I loved the big freeze, great fun when you're young!
I saw a little old lady fairy or spirit in your garden. DO you know her? She was in emerald green. you were looking back at the house and you could see the bunting, she went across the path. She went across the path into the bushes infront of the shed with bunting. Do you know her name if you know her? Her hairs in a bun,sort of Victorian looking but little, like in the "Borrowers" original movie
Loving the pruning the garden tips. From Dorset uk🙏❤️
Oh!! That sweet Patsy!! She is such a darling! Thank you for sharing her with us. Yes - my ancestors have been traced back to Ireland; through genealogy . And my DNA testing says Ireland and Scotland. Which makes total sense, as along with just adoring you and your channel; over 30 years ago....I became extremely intrigued with Eileen and Peter Caddy...and especially Dorothy Maclean. They had settled in a fairly barren part of Findhorn, Scotland...and started growing vegetables in soil - that wasn't supposed to be able to grow such luscious vegetables....through listening to Dorothy's channeling of the Plant Devas. The rest is history, as they say. I have always preferred to be outside with nature, as well. And those Laurel limbs!! They are QUITE lovely!! I have been salvaging my Corkscrew Willow branches; preparing to re-watch some of your videos on how to construct garden structures. Stay warm!! And thank you for all that you do, Colette. Love to you and little Patsy!!
Would love to hear your life’s history someday.❤
What a beautiful blanket of first snow! 💙Loved this peek into life at Bealtaine. I don't always get to watch your videos these days but love hearing about your lessons and memories when I can.
Beautiful, cherished history and memories.
Thank you for helping to keep our spirits warm.
Blessings 🫖🍞
I love winter, but I cannot imagine living for many days with it being that cold! I live in the southern US, and we have had a very warm autumn, but that will end tomorrow with the predicted low to be -1C. We are in a region hard hit by floods, and some people are still living in tents. I hope they have tents that can be heated, or they can go to a warm shelter. There will be snow way on up in the mountains, so while I love winter, I cannot enjoy it for worrying about those people. That aside, I love flowers in winter windows. I always have some in the house. At present, the Schlumbergera x buckleyi (Christmas cactus) has decided to bloom.
Fantastic video! Love it thank you 🤍
Hello from the Welsh valleys where we have had a little snow but it is so so cold and everything is frozen. I lived in Cumberland as a child in the 50's and my abiding memory of winter was putting my clothes under the mattress at night and then getting dressed under the covers in the morning. I can remember walking down the cottage steps to the road and finding the snow was as deep as I was tall; Poor but wonderful times; Your cottage looks so cosy with all the work you have been doing this year.
In the last couple of years I’ve added wool blankets to all the kids beds. As a Canadian, this wasn’t something I grew up with, but rather learned about from the Irish ☘ while I have Irish ancestry, so much has been lost.. I love your channel Colette. What a true inspiration.
Such a lovely vlog. Loved the cosines , the singing kettle, the ticking clock and the fire in your new stove. Your window boxes are beautiful too.❤
It looks quite chilly with the little bit of snow and the view from your kitchen window is stunning. Stay warm! ❤️
Such a beautiful, cosy home and garden 😊
Lovely video, Colette. We keep the wildlife feed through winter. Hugs and love to Patsy and you ❤
Boy Collette did you bring up memories when talked about your childhood warming up with a fire burning in a wooden stove. I was born in Colorado & at that time my parents home only had wooden stove & outdoor toilet. I'm 78years Young & those were days. Were I live at now this pool house I rent has no instalation & it get as cold inside as it gets outside. I've lived here for 20 years & I've acclimated & learned to live with the cold all these years. One adjusts when necessary. I just bundle up with layers of cloth then rip them after a while☺😅 Goddess Bless you &Patsy💕💝
Good day Colette and Patsy! Your home is so inviting and warm looking. Patsy was a bugger about getting her tail out of bed! That’s ok, everyone deserves a “sleep in” morning. So far today at 1 o’clock pm I have 11” of heavy wet snow on the ground and it’s still snowing up here in the northern most tip of New Jersey. Hope it stops soon…. My best to you both and stay warm under those beautiful wool blankets! 🌲❄️🌲
lovely video🎉🐕🌷🌿❄️
Beautiful winter. Mind you down south in NZ headed into summer we still have days needing jackets and a fire inside, temps in single figures and regular snow on the hills. Looking forward to a little more warmth for the garden to flourish.
It's bitter cold here with snow. I love the cottage you have. I am in the state of Virginia I also have a wood stove in case the power goes out other wise I have oil heat. Winter is about keeping warm and it's hard from some of us elderly folk
Our childhood memories! Growing up on the Canadian prairies, winter lasts from November through March, with snow often in September into May! i really enjoyed seeing the view from your bedroom window today, and must say the red wool blanket a top your bed is very cheery and cozy looking! We have changed our bedding too! the duvet is nestled into a flannelette cover and flannelette sheets replaced crisp cotton! an old wool blanket lies convenient to hand, My light autumn bathrobe us in the back of the closet replaced by a warm heavier, full to the floor red housecoat! - a Christmas gift from children long years ago!
Yes 1963 was a most memorable year... the snow stayed for weeks.. great big piles of snow all shovelled up against the buildings.
My brother and sister and I built an igloo in the back yard... great big blocks of hard snow which was 5 feet high...
No school... 🤣🤣🤣👏👏👏👏👏👍🏽👍🏽
My family came from County Kerry to USA in 1840s. Nice video. Thank you.
Patsy is so cute! ❤ We have snow in Ohio, as well, this morning.
Hello Colette, my father`s family came from Ireland and emigrated to Liverpool in the mid nineteenth century. I remember that cold winter of `63 too.
Twinkly eyes are a giveaway 😊
Love the views from your windows, misty cold but still some fall colours with a promise of snow ❤❤❤
a lovely reflective vlog .. enjoy the outside work and stay cozy!
It's incredible that you continue to work in the garden during the cold winter months! There must be a reason I saw you video today, since I slow down in the winter months (in my moderate CA climate) from yard work. There's no excuse for that! Also I noted how healthy your cyclamen are even in freezing temps!
The most cosy and inviting cottage ... with fires burning and kettle singing ... window boxes promising Spring AND the prettiest floor ever seen :). Yaaaay Colette !!!
You inspire us with delight :)
We had our first snow here in Kentucky - it didn't stick but it was powdery and beautiful. It ended up being such a cozy day. Love hearing your stories!
Love you sharing all kinds of lovely things Collette.
So grateful for my Irish ancestors emigrating to Australia in the late 1800s.
And talking about weather, I think over this side of the world, we are going to experience increased heat (already has begun)
Stay warm Collette 😊
She is soooo adorable!
Stay warm and safe, the window boxes are lovely x
Love your window boxes, Collette!
Here too this morning. 1st snowfall here in the Catskills, as well. Wet and melting and these big winds stirred way up, howling!
Two Lovely Cyclamen Flower Boxes, Colette !! But NOTHING beats a clear view through the frame of your kitchen window 😉. -V
Thanks for sharing your experience with us ❤❤❤❤😊😊😊
I was born in November 1962 on the country side in the north off the Netherlands My parents had put everything in the living room downstairs sleeping, cooking, toilet, bad And when my mother was recovering in the warm bed the fire place broke my father had to go two villages further with a sledge puling behind him trough the snow. He managed to come back with a other fire place
When it was January 1963 the sow was high until the roof.
My parents have goooood memories about that special time I love the stories they told me about my arrival when i so the light in this white and cold part off Mother Earth. By the way I Love snow and ice😂
Glad you and Patsy are warm during the cold snap!
Hello Colette! I just love your stove and kitchen. You did such a wonderful job. Everything looks cozy. I just love to watch the snow fall. It is a treat for us here in Southern California. Winter is my favorite time here where we live. We do get snow but not a lot. Thanks for the lovely video!
Bless her ❤😂
I have just received my book collette, I just wanted to say thank you for such a quick dispatch. It looks absolutely beautiful and I've put it away so as I can enjoy it in the depth of winter. I will get so much inspiration from this beautiful book and will look forward to planting next year. Sending you so much love and stay safe and warm during these storms we are having at the moment x
Thanks and good to hear that post is efficient 😊
I really enjoy hearing your stories-memories. Fascinating! The gardens and woodland look beautiful in winter. I have a large, random drift of Lunaria discs which now look like silvery white moons hovering above the leaves on the ground. 🐇♥️
❤. Beautiful sharing 🙏 Thank you Colette ❤
This morning the temperature was 13.6 Celsius in the cottage 🥶 the wind last night was so strong.