
Gretel Ponders Life’s Beauty and Curiosities with Bede and other guests
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. There’s space in the warm tent for everyone; there’s tea in the pot 🫖. It’s super unpolished and Gretel would be grateful for you to forgive her for that. Polish would be too time-consuming 🤓
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. 🌞
Please follow me on X @gretellemaitre. 🌳
“Gretel le Maitre is a podcaster and host of the series Gretel Pod-Ponders Life and Loss with Bede and Other Guests. The podcast explores themes of grief, life transitions, and introspection, particularly focusing on her experiences as she anticipates the loss of her mother. In the series, she combines historical reflections—often inspired by the works of the Venerable Bede, an English monk and historian—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 gentle insights and an invitation to journey with her through challenging times .”
In a fast-paced world, Gretel Pod-Ponders Life and Loss provides a much-needed pause and sanctuary for those navigating life’s transitions and searching for deeper meaning. 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 Pod-Ponders Life and Loss is available now on all major platforms.
Please note, I get daily ad offers that I turn down to keep this an ad-free podcast. So I’d be delighted if you could subscribe to help with my pot of tea and cake on my church crawls 🙋♀️
Episodes
Saint George’s Day! 🏴 Witches 🧙 of Dorset; a piece of perfection from Thomas Hardy

An evening Ponder; history of St Edmundsbury; a trio of Saints and the Tonsure Matter

Spooky Easter Evening Wanderings in Bury St Edmund’s; Caedwalla and other Saints; and finally we understand Easter dating 😊

St Edmund’s Abbey and St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk; a family visit for Easter Sunday

The magnificent achievements of the Scriptoriums. And more dense ‘explanation’ of the Easter problem. 🤓

Sunshine in Dorset as we learn of Bernadette of Lourdes; We ponder most people are seeking to be kind; and King of the Picts shows us how Dilpmacy is done.

An art exhibition at the National Gallery; Downing Street Preacher; Grievous Tears and Obscure Celtish Saints

We visit Arundel Castle and climb the Norman Keep; Two April Saints and the death of Wilfrid

The Count of Mortain’s Cornish land; a Great Tit; Wilfred’s early life and Ponderings on Church and State

A trip to see Hamilton with a happy daughter; and Parakeets in St James’s Park

Green grass and blue skies in England are the beautiful backdrop to this evening’s ponderings 🌻

Organ music from Evensong; a Salad of Saints and a Marvellous description of pre-Crusade Jerusalem and Bethlehem

The Great Gatsby’s prescient diagnosis of America; a very persistent Wren; Abbey bells a-calling; and the founding of Shaftesbury.

Ponderings on Melancholia; More strange Saints and yet another Tale of Alarm from our Pious Friend of Yore

Murder in medieval Cornwall; St Ambrose and our Venerable Bede 🤓

Origins St Gennys Church in North Cornwall; Today’s two Saints; and a warm Hello 👋

Dorset Smugglers; Naked Welsh Saints and the sound of the Atlantic Ocean. Welcome to Cornwall 🤗

The Alchemy of Poetry; More on Roman Roads; and Bede conjures up devilish imaginings

Evidence for Roman Roads into Cornwall; and Bede tells of testimony of a man who rose from death.
