Wonder in the Dorregrub
On this cold December day, the Night frost creates a natural wonder in the frozen pools of 'De Doar'. The witch sisters watch this scene with admiration.
Nature is not just our environment, ...it is something timeless and intangible. Because the divine is intertwined with nature, witches consider the earth a sacred place. Therefore, many witches have a deep sense of responsibility for the environment.
In the quiet heart of the Dorregrubbe lies a fallen tree, now a source of new life. Turkey tail fungi grow in gentle tiers along its bark, as if pointing the way through nature’s endless cycle.
They carry a legacy of healing — praised in ancient traditions for their power against inflammation and as allies to the immune system.
"Yet we do not touch them. Their work is done here, in silence."
'the Fontein'
The witch sisters have arrived at a natural water source; ‘the Fontéin’, a small spring that has flowed from the earth for centuries.
This spring located in the dry valley 'Dorregrub' southwest of Cadier en Keer, is the only natural spring on the Margraten plateau and was therefore traditionally a very important source for Cadier en Keer and the surrounding villages—at least when it provided water. The spring sometimes flows for years at a time, only to dry up for a single year or two.
This natural spring, must have been an essential source of life for the first inhabitants of the area, who probably considered it a sacred place.
The play of light on the clear water surface has given a feeling of peace and contemplation since time immemorial.
Between 1794 and 1813, the spring even became a true place of pilgrimage where inhabitants of surrounding villages came to pray for their good fortune and possible healing. The Church, however, regarded this idolatry as a pagan and charlatanesque practice and issued a pastoral admonition regarding the source.
Grounded
Micron pen and pencil on paper
Nature ...Elixer of Life
The essence of witchcraft is to get in harmony with yourself, the people and animals around you, nature and with energies and gods.
But it is not a religion with dogmatic teachings, although it may contain spiritual and religious elements. The witch's path is about exploring our inner world and discovering the divine within ourselves.
By honoring the forces of nature within ourselves and around us, we gain a glimpse of the essence of life.
Veins
Ceramic
Inguz
Ecoline, micron pen and pencil on paper
Special amphibians
Both the midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans) and the yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) live in the 'Daor', the dry valley surrounding the spring. Each has its own unique story.
The female midwife toad lays her eggs in the 'Fontéin' and surrounding ponds. The male midwife then collects these eggs around his hind legs and carries them for about 35 days until they are almost ready to hatch. There are far fewer eggs than in other amphibians, but they are much better protected by the good care of the father midwife.
The female yellow-bellied toad lays her eggs very late in the season, when most natural predators have already left the pond. These toads prefer to lay their eggs in warm, shallow water such as mud puddles and cart tracks.
Nowadays, the Daorweg road is closed to traffic during the breeding season to protect these toads. This is not always appreciated by passers-by on horses, bicycles, and tractors.
But vulnerable nature must be protected!
