Oak & Oolite is a land-inspired blog about connection – exploring how land, time, and people intertwine. It’s about making connection, and belonging. Here are the main themes of the blog:
As an archaeologist, I’m drawn to uncovering the past and seeing how it lives on today – in the land, our traditions, creativity, and shared meaning. Here you’ll find reflections on land, archaeology, history, heritage, and glimpses into the past. Without ignoring other parts of the world, County Kildare, my home county, will feature quite a bit as I feel it is underrepresented in the tourism world.
As an ambivert, I enjoy social interaction and feel energised by it, but I also need alone time to recharge and enjoy quiet activities like reading. I am trying to get away from screen time and want to encourage meaningful connection with people in reality, so I have set up two clubs:
- The Oak & Oolite Walking Club: a monthly walk at different locations, starting in County Kildare. Suitable for all fitness levels.
- The Oak & Oolite Book Club: each month we choose a book that reflects the themes and values at the heart of Oak & Oolite. The book club will meet at the end of the month in a coffee shop in Co. Kildare or nearby. Emphasis will be on face-to-face discussion but everyone is welcome to join and contribute online as well.
As a food lover, I’m exploring why we’ve become so disconnected from the Earth and how we can reconnect. I am not a chef but I am learning as I go. This blog is a journey to deepen my understanding of food, reimagine past food experiences, and as a coeliac, rediscover foods I lost after my diagnosis. When recipes are shared they will be gluten-free. If you’re a non-coeliac, please don’t let the gluten-free label put you off. I love flavour – it’ll never be boring here!
I hope this blog inspires curiosity, encourages connection, brings a little fun, and sparks your own journey with heritage, food, and the land around us. Join me in exploring the connections, stories, and flavours that make our world rich and meaningful.
I hope you enjoy,
Mary
