Gretel le Maître Ponders Beauty, with Bede & other guests

Gretel le Maître
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Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time.  She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.   Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time;  the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free, and you’re invited to join in.  It’s super unpolished and Gretel would be grateful for you to forgive her for that.   🤓Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth.  Let’s treasure up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts.Please follow me on X @gretellemaitre. 🌳 Or email me: gretellem@yahoo.com Guests on this show include Tom Holland, Philip Mould, Bijan Omrani and Enzo Cicenti. “The podcast combines historical reflections and extracts from literature with her own musings on architecture, literature, and the natural world. Gretel approaches these deep topics with warmth and humor, aiming to provide listeners a comforting space to explore complex emotions. If you’re interested, you can listen to her podcast on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music, where she shares her reflections in episodes filled with historical and literary  insights.   Hosted by Gretel Le Maitre, this unique podcast blends personal storytelling with historical insights from figures like the Venerable Bede, offering listeners an inspiring journey of healing and hope. With themes of grief, transformation, and spirituality, the podcast has earned praise for its calming tone, authenticity, and ability to connect on a deeply human level. As one listener shared, it feels like sitting down with a trusted friend who understands. Perfect for audiences seeking introspection, comfort, or simply a quiet moment of reflection, Gretel le Maître Ponders is available now on all major platforms. In the global top 10% of podcasts according to Listen Notes

  1. Late Episode for Night Owls: B.Rudge Ch.XXV; The Nightingale’s Nest 🪺; and Hardy’s wisdom

    2D AGO

    Late Episode for Night Owls: B.Rudge Ch.XXV; The Nightingale’s Nest 🪺; and Hardy’s wisdom

    Send us a text Dear friends, supporters and newcomers.  I feel tender-hearted towards the world tonight as I read poetry by John Clare which, so often, takes us into the woodland, where we see leaves and trees up close, though we are still in our beds.  Clare’s words are clear, tender and almost merry and I often feel myself trip-tripping along to the beat of some unknown yet deeply familiar song.  My childhood days return and the skies feel huge and blue.  All is well and bright and has a rosy hue.   This chapter by Charles Dickens contrasts with the preceding chapters, where a person’s word and intentions are trusted because their life hitherto ‘shall bear witness’ for them.  This is a currency that Hugh, Mr Chester and Mr Tappertit lack.   In the next episode we will conclude the book of Wolsey, and continue with the diaries of Pepys, and peek into the gentle drama unfolding in Barchester. Thank you for your support.  A very goodnight.   Royalty Free Support the show Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture. Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free. Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth. Let’s gather up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts. Top 10 in Global Rankings according to Listen Notes. I would be so grateful if you would spare the time to give me a kind review and possibly 5 stars (for effort as I realise it’s not deserved for achievement)🥴 Previous guests include historian Tom Holland; Actor Enzo Cilenti; Art historian Philip Mould; Writer David Willem; Composer Matthew Coleridge; Vicar Angela Tilby; Author Bijan Omrani; Journalist and Historian Sir Simon Jenkins; Dorset garden hedgehog family, the Venerable Bede and other guests. Future guests (all being well) are Tom Holland, John Simpson, Eleanor Parker, Philippa Langley and Katie Channon. Unpolished and unscripted but no ads and no requests for anything but your company. Trying to make the world a gentler place with literature, history and nature. Please don’t expect to find a poli...

    38 min
  2. Barnaby Rudge Ch.XXIV; Breathtaking Beowulf; and Magnificent Maya Angelou.

    2D AGO

    Barnaby Rudge Ch.XXIV; Breathtaking Beowulf; and Magnificent Maya Angelou.

    Send us a text *Photograph taken from Swan Auction Galleries Welcome to today’s spirited and passionate episode.  Walk with me in the old land of the Danes where mounds of land can appear from the swamps, where monsters in the mere are dreaded, and where the joys of life come from the telling and retelling of marvellous feats of honour and glory.  Where glimpses of the past - from an understanding of how a loved King might be buried, to how it was seen as wrong to kill one’s own kinsfolk - are there for us to behold and absorb into our understanding of the past.  We enter that part of Dicken’s fine novel where the cards of the characters with black souls are laid out before us: where all is to play for; where the stage is set for the good-hearted creatures to find safety in a world where there are those conspiring against them.  And finally we turn to hope, courage and joy as Maya Angelou takes centre stage and reminds us that freedoms we see about us today were hard and wretchedly won.  If we are not free, we are not fully alive.   Royalty Free Support the show Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture. Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free. Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth. Let’s gather up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts. Top 10 in Global Rankings according to Listen Notes. I would be so grateful if you would spare the time to give me a kind review and possibly 5 stars (for effort as I realise it’s not deserved for achievement)🥴 Previous guests include historian Tom Holland; Actor Enzo Cilenti; Art historian Philip Mould; Writer David Willem; Composer Matthew Coleridge; Vicar Angela Tilby; Author Bijan Omrani; Journalist and Historian Sir Simon Jenkins; Dorset garden hedgehog family, the Venerable Bede and other guests. Future guests (all being well) are Tom Holland, John Simpson, Eleanor Parker, Philippa Langley and Katie Channon. Unpolished and unscripted but no ads and no requests for anything but your company. Trying to make the world a gentler place with literature, history and nature. Please don’t expect to find a poli...

    54 min
  3. Wolsey; Clare; Saints; Bells; Blackbird; and Barnaby (Rudge Chs XXII & XXIII) 🐦‍⬛

    4D AGO

    Wolsey; Clare; Saints; Bells; Blackbird; and Barnaby (Rudge Chs XXII & XXIII) 🐦‍⬛

    Send us a text Hello and thank you so much for joining me.  I haven’t had a chance to listen to it through so I hope it’s ok and I haven’t accidentally recorded anything I shouldn’t have or left any long gaps.  Gretel sneezes 🤧 or suchlike 🥴.  Bless you all for joining me on my quest to find the beautiful and interesting things in life to read, notice and feast our senses on.  I read a poem today by John Clare, where he is bemused that a postman can walk with his eyes fixed ahead of him, when there is so much to enjoy.  Even the tiniest twig.  Ode to the tiny twig.  Goodnight and I pray you enjoy the coming February days.  The world may not be steady but we can be steady within our own selves, and find comfort and succour from the steadiness of the natural world.  Bad people cannot stop time or tide and their season will come to an end.  Night night. 🫖 🌳 🌞  Royalty Free Support the show Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture. Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free. Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth. Let’s gather up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts. Top 10 in Global Rankings according to Listen Notes. I would be so grateful if you would spare the time to give me a kind review and possibly 5 stars (for effort as I realise it’s not deserved for achievement)🥴 Previous guests include historian Tom Holland; Actor Enzo Cilenti; Art historian Philip Mould; Writer David Willem; Composer Matthew Coleridge; Vicar Angela Tilby; Author Bijan Omrani; Journalist and Historian Sir Simon Jenkins; Dorset garden hedgehog family, the Venerable Bede and other guests. Future guests (all being well) are Tom Holland, John Simpson, Eleanor Parker, Philippa Langley and Katie Channon. Unpolished and unscripted but no ads and no requests for anything but your company. Trying to make the world a gentler place with literature, history and nature. Please don’t expect to find a poli...

    1h 16m
  4. Old English Poetry, starring Widsith; Slipping through my Fingers; a Midnight Moon; and Trollope

    5D AGO

    Old English Poetry, starring Widsith; Slipping through my Fingers; a Midnight Moon; and Trollope

    Send us a text Hello and a happy Monday 2nd February . There is no Barnaby Rudge this evening as it’s a Monday, but instead this is an episode full of a variety of readings and the usual Gretel chatter that I hope you might like, or at least put up with.   See you tomorrow for our progress with Dickens.  Thank you so much for joining me! 😄 Royalty Free Support the show Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture. Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free. Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth. Let’s gather up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts. Top 10 in Global Rankings according to Listen Notes. I would be so grateful if you would spare the time to give me a kind review and possibly 5 stars (for effort as I realise it’s not deserved for achievement)🥴 Previous guests include historian Tom Holland; Actor Enzo Cilenti; Art historian Philip Mould; Writer David Willem; Composer Matthew Coleridge; Vicar Angela Tilby; Author Bijan Omrani; Journalist and Historian Sir Simon Jenkins; Dorset garden hedgehog family, the Venerable Bede and other guests. Future guests (all being well) are Tom Holland, John Simpson, Eleanor Parker, Philippa Langley and Katie Channon. Unpolished and unscripted but no ads and no requests for anything but your company. Trying to make the world a gentler place with literature, history and nature. Please don’t expect to find a poli...

    1 hr
  5. Saint Brigid; Pepys; Barchester Towers; and Chs XX & XXI of Barnaby Rudge

    6D AGO

    Saint Brigid; Pepys; Barchester Towers; and Chs XX & XXI of Barnaby Rudge

    Send us a text Hello and thank you so much for joining me this rainy Sunday. It’s February 1st, so we say farewell to January and celebrate the life of the Irish Saint, Brigid.  This episode is dedicated to every soul living in Minneapolis.  xxx We continue with Barnaby Rudge and have still barely hinted at the key events that are to take place in this marvellous book by Charles Dickens.  I’m thinking that we may want to read Tess of the D’Urbevilles this year.  I’m also tugged by the novels of the Brontë sisters.  What think you?   Royalty Free Support the show Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture. Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free. Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth. Let’s gather up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts. Top 10 in Global Rankings according to Listen Notes. I would be so grateful if you would spare the time to give me a kind review and possibly 5 stars (for effort as I realise it’s not deserved for achievement)🥴 Previous guests include historian Tom Holland; Actor Enzo Cilenti; Art historian Philip Mould; Writer David Willem; Composer Matthew Coleridge; Vicar Angela Tilby; Author Bijan Omrani; Journalist and Historian Sir Simon Jenkins; Dorset garden hedgehog family, the Venerable Bede and other guests. Future guests (all being well) are Tom Holland, John Simpson, Eleanor Parker, Philippa Langley and Katie Channon. Unpolished and unscripted but no ads and no requests for anything but your company. Trying to make the world a gentler place with literature, history and nature. Please don’t expect to find a poli...

    1h 9m
  6. Longer days; Daffodils; Aquinas; Gildas; Wolsey; and AA Milne’s The Sailor ⚓️

    JAN 31

    Longer days; Daffodils; Aquinas; Gildas; Wolsey; and AA Milne’s The Sailor ⚓️

    Send us a text Royalty Free Support the show Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture. Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free. Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth. Let’s gather up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts. Top 10 in Global Rankings according to Listen Notes. I would be so grateful if you would spare the time to give me a kind review and possibly 5 stars (for effort as I realise it’s not deserved for achievement)🥴 Previous guests include historian Tom Holland; Actor Enzo Cilenti; Art historian Philip Mould; Writer David Willem; Composer Matthew Coleridge; Vicar Angela Tilby; Author Bijan Omrani; Journalist and Historian Sir Simon Jenkins; Dorset garden hedgehog family, the Venerable Bede and other guests. Future guests (all being well) are Tom Holland, John Simpson, Eleanor Parker, Philippa Langley and Katie Channon. Unpolished and unscripted but no ads and no requests for anything but your company. Trying to make the world a gentler place with literature, history and nature. Please don’t expect to find a poli...

    34 min
  7. Barnaby Rudge Special Episode: Chapters XVII, XVIII and IX

    JAN 29

    Barnaby Rudge Special Episode: Chapters XVII, XVIII and IX

    Send us a text After returning home from Bury St Edmunds I was determined to deliver an episode on Barnaby Rudge.  I am sorry it is late and also rather lengthy.   Lots of love and huge gratitude for your support and companionship.   Gretel x Royalty Free Support the show Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture. Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free. Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth. Let’s gather up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts. Top 10 in Global Rankings according to Listen Notes. I would be so grateful if you would spare the time to give me a kind review and possibly 5 stars (for effort as I realise it’s not deserved for achievement)🥴 Previous guests include historian Tom Holland; Actor Enzo Cilenti; Art historian Philip Mould; Writer David Willem; Composer Matthew Coleridge; Vicar Angela Tilby; Author Bijan Omrani; Journalist and Historian Sir Simon Jenkins; Dorset garden hedgehog family, the Venerable Bede and other guests. Future guests (all being well) are Tom Holland, John Simpson, Eleanor Parker, Philippa Langley and Katie Channon. Unpolished and unscripted but no ads and no requests for anything but your company. Trying to make the world a gentler place with literature, history and nature. Please don’t expect to find a poli...

    1h 20m
  8. The Decline of Wolsey (poison in the hair shirt?); and Gretel visits a Saxon Church

    JAN 29

    The Decline of Wolsey (poison in the hair shirt?); and Gretel visits a Saxon Church

    Send us a text Hello:   A second episode which will include two episodes of Barnaby Rudge, will be published later. Best wishes 🤗🌳🫖 Royalty Free Support the show Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time. She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture. Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time; the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free. Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth. Let’s gather up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts. Top 10 in Global Rankings according to Listen Notes. I would be so grateful if you would spare the time to give me a kind review and possibly 5 stars (for effort as I realise it’s not deserved for achievement)🥴 Previous guests include historian Tom Holland; Actor Enzo Cilenti; Art historian Philip Mould; Writer David Willem; Composer Matthew Coleridge; Vicar Angela Tilby; Author Bijan Omrani; Journalist and Historian Sir Simon Jenkins; Dorset garden hedgehog family, the Venerable Bede and other guests. Future guests (all being well) are Tom Holland, John Simpson, Eleanor Parker, Philippa Langley and Katie Channon. Unpolished and unscripted but no ads and no requests for anything but your company. Trying to make the world a gentler place with literature, history and nature. Please don’t expect to find a poli...

    1h 4m
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5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Gretel le Maître likes to look for the beauty and curiosities in life, one day at a time.  She shares with you snippets from books about history, art and literature and regularly takes you on adventures to new locations, to explore churches, cathedrals and architecture.   Gretel invites you to accompany her as she navigates the world a day at a time;  the podcast is unscripted, it’s ad-free, and you’re invited to join in.  It’s super unpolished and Gretel would be grateful for you to forgive her for that.   🤓Gretel loves the world and history, architecture, literature and people. And so is determined to walk this path with light footsteps and with humour and warmth.  Let’s treasure up the beautiful things and ponder them in our hearts.Please follow me on X @gretellemaitre. 🌳 Or email me: gretellem@yahoo.com Guests on this show include Tom Holland, Philip Mould, Bijan Omrani and Enzo Cicenti. “The podcast combines historical reflections and extracts from literature with her own musings on architecture, literature, and the natural world. Gretel approaches these deep topics with warmth and humor, aiming to provide listeners a comforting space to explore complex emotions. If you’re interested, you can listen to her podcast on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music, where she shares her reflections in episodes filled with historical and literary  insights.   Hosted by Gretel Le Maitre, this unique podcast blends personal storytelling with historical insights from figures like the Venerable Bede, offering listeners an inspiring journey of healing and hope. With themes of grief, transformation, and spirituality, the podcast has earned praise for its calming tone, authenticity, and ability to connect on a deeply human level. As one listener shared, it feels like sitting down with a trusted friend who understands. Perfect for audiences seeking introspection, comfort, or simply a quiet moment of reflection, Gretel le Maître Ponders is available now on all major platforms. In the global top 10% of podcasts according to Listen Notes

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