Claire Thompson Keeper of The Ways

Claire Thompson Keeper of The Ways Answering the call, wandering into the Wild, around us & within. Sharing old wisdoms & teachings

30/08/2026

Had a bit of a dander around a farm yesterday and had a geek out at all the lovely wet habitat plants! Lovely bunch of wimmin (plus thanks to Gary! Our host!)

Garden Tiger Moth after a garden full of woolly bear caterpillars, still widespread but in substantial decline. Why? Cos...
16/08/2026

Garden Tiger Moth after a garden full of woolly bear caterpillars, still widespread but in substantial decline. Why? Cos of the neat and tidy garden brigade. Why have we plentiful? Bevause we have nettles, plantains, dandelions, docks, ragworts and long grasses in abundance. Also! These pupate close to the ground in the vegetation so leave standing ‘dead’ grasses. Does the garden look ‘neglected’- so it should- that’s where the life is! ❤️ Love your w**ds aka wildflowers

Returning home to be greeted by these beauties! Angelica, meadowsweet, Willowherb, all serenading from the driveway, sel...
17/07/2026

Returning home to be greeted by these beauties! Angelica, meadowsweet, Willowherb, all serenading from the driveway, self heal growing in the doorstep and wild strawberries growing in the wall. All left to be wild. No such thing as a w**d. Beauty everywhere for all, for free, for wildlife

Here’s why you don’t strim w**ds aka wildflowers! Every insect and pollinator is vital at this stage!
02/07/2026

Here’s why you don’t strim w**ds aka wildflowers! Every insect and pollinator is vital at this stage!

Gotta love these beauts! Not too too many round Inishowen (compared with further down the country) but there’s enough we...
15/06/2026

Gotta love these beauts! Not too too many round Inishowen (compared with further down the country) but there’s enough wee nuggets to gather a few and make some lovely cordial. The Elder Mother with a relationship between the Earth and the Air.. a boundary protector. The flower is light air and warmth of sunny summer days. Helps you sweat out those colds n fevers (cooling on the body therefore) and encourages a letting go, airing out your body. Not just for people tho remember- bees, beetles, wasps, sooo many flies all love it cos it’s swimming with pollen and nectar. Pick on a dry sunny day tho or it’ll smell of cats p**s. (Leaves, branches a bit poisonous so just use the flowers folks!)

Our garden is a wild place- there’s a small (barely) cultivated patch for veg grown haphazardly and then large areas lef...
14/06/2026

Our garden is a wild place- there’s a small (barely) cultivated patch for veg grown haphazardly and then large areas left for pollinators and wild flowers. There’s Docks (we’re waiting for the beetles to arrive), Foxgloves, Buttercups, Vetches, soooo much Plantain (lanceolate) Meadowsweet, cuckoo flower, Brambles, and with the Ragwort along comes these fine beauties- Cinnabar moths. I’m out there today wandering around barefoot (necessary for heart health) in the long grass- bliss

What a beaut! White Ermine that’s not actually an ermine moth but a Tiger moth! Substantial declines means it’s now a pr...
03/06/2026

What a beaut! White Ermine that’s not actually an ermine moth but a Tiger moth! Substantial declines means it’s now a priority species for NI- habitat loss and pesticide use- seriously guys. Stop it already- look at this creature of gorgeousness. Not that it makes a tasty bird snack mind you! Defensive chems makes birds go ewwwww. Do you know what this moth likes? - pesticide free diverse swards- larvae feeds on lots of the same plants as we do!- nettles, dandelions, plantains, clovers etc. They’re marvellous night pollinators moving pollen when bees are inactive. Love honeysuckle? Thank the moths. ❤️❤️

Always utterly captivated and enthralled by this stunner- Scarlet Pimpernell - what a relationship between the earth and...
30/05/2026

Always utterly captivated and enthralled by this stunner- Scarlet Pimpernell - what a relationship between the earth and sun ❤️ It nestles in close to the ground and opens with intense colour in the strong light of full sun, closes immediately when it dims or dulls. Poor man’s barometer. Used to be everywhere- remember that? Dramatic declines due to changes in farming practise - herbicides, fertiliser etc and seen as an arable ‘w**d’ W**d is a true 4 letter word- NO SUCH THING- look at its beauty.. just love love love it ❤️❤️

look at this great beauty- Creeping Willow Vital for stabilising our sand dunes preventing erosion. Provides great she...
29/05/2026

look at this great beauty- Creeping Willow Vital for stabilising our sand dunes preventing erosion. Provides great shelter for ground nesting birdies as well as wee mammals amd inverts. Bumbies, solitary bees and hover flies love the catkins! And.. it soo pretty! ❤️

.. gorgeous. Going going gone
26/05/2026

.. gorgeous. Going going gone

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