We’ve discovered one reason why mistletoe isn’t so common at this end of Brittany – it’s just a little exposed in places. This pic shows the Pointe du Raz (you have to pronounce the ‘Ra’ bit in a sort of snarl to get it right). This is France’s answer to Land’s End (though not actually the most westerly point, that’s on the other jagged bit just to the north). A long drive down to here […]

There may be little mistletoe in this part of Brittany but the vegetation is stunning for other reasons – field after field of artichokes and brassicas (cabbages, cauliflower etc). A regular Cabbage Patch Corner – which makes me start humming tunes (We are the Plotters of Cabbage Patch Corner, the Rotters of Cabbage Patch Corner, the plotters, the rotters…) from a David Wood children’s play, last seen c. 1970 at the Swan Theatre, Worcester – […]

In Brittany, on hols, but dabbling in mistletoe matters. As reported previously, we are intrigued by the absence of mistletoe in these parts, and the accompanying absence of the famous Breton orchards (vergers).We investigate, largely using a method known as ‘cider-drinking’; this involves buying all the different brands of local cidre we can find, and, er, drinking them, whilst noting the address of the maker. We conclude that we’re still in the wrong part of […]

To Brittany for a holiday, and to look for mistletoe of course! But mistletoe is not the main purpose of the trip, so has to take a backseat… Brittany is, by tradition, where a lot of mistletoe (le Gui) grows – it is after all the land of the Druids, and the home of those indomitable Gauls Asterix and Obelix (mistletoe is the principle ingredient in their strength-giving magic potion). There are Breton mistletoe festivals, […]

Nearly forgot to mention the Mistletoe sales… Contrary to expectations there will be Mistletoe Auctions in Tenbury this year – though the venue hasn’t yet been announced. Dates will be Tuesday 29th November and Tuesday 6th December. In addition to these there is now a scheme to order Tenbury mistletoe – retail or wholesale – online. The online shop isn’t open yet, but you can find it at www.tenbury-mistletoe.co.uk, where you can register and be […]

A bit of blog-free week – too much work on the canal restoration lottery bid front. But I have had time to do a bit of mistletoe work, – attending a planning meeting for the forthcoming Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Festival last Wednesday evening. The events begin on Saturday 26th November, with Grand Mistletoe Ball. Followed, in the week afterwards, by mistletoe sales, crowning of the Mistletoe Queen (on Mistletoe Day, 1st December – due to […]

Hot on the heels of Lambeth’s secret mistletoe database, I find that mistletoe in the London Borough of Richmond has been bugged! And no I don’t mean as an anti-mistletoe rustler deterrent (don’t be silly!) – I’m talking about bugs – small insects of the order Hemiptera (Miridae, if you want to be more precise). The story is this; back in July 2003, a new mistletoe-dependent bug, Hypseloecus visci, was found on mistletoe on apple […]

Yes, the silly season is definitely here – today’s mistletoe news includes a press release from Lambeth Council revealing a “secret mistletoe database” for the Borough that ensures local mistletoe is safe from Mistletoe Rustlers. Hmm… I think most informed mistletoe rustlers will probably be working outside of Lambeth – the borough’s probably fairly safe as there’s only one mistletoe location there anyway… But it’s a good news story – convincing enough to make it […]

Today’s Guardian has a feature on the increasingly early arrival of Christmas in the shops – when it’s only the first week of October. This may seem a valid complaint, but I have to confess that we mistletoe enthusiasts have been secretly preparing for Christmas for months… Plans for the Mistletoe Festival and the new National Mistletoe Day are progessing well. The Mistletoe Ball is booked, the Druids are planning to bless the mistletoe at […]