It is a joint labor of love and adoration of plants by the creatives of the Plant Wonder Collective. Our fearless leader Harmonie, the lovely & incredibly creative contributors, and I have all worked tirelessly to bring you this amazing autumn tome we are so proud of.
Recipes, harvest, folklore, apothecary, celebrations, rituals, interviews, crafts, poetry, foraging, tips, books and podcasts to love, fresh ideas, self care, and so much more to connect you to the wisdom of plants this autumn season.
For this edition, I contributed an article on ritual teas for autumn’s full moons, a quick craft making hops dream pillows, a piece on the folklore of autumn goddesses and their associated plants, a book review, and a recipe for elderberry fire cider.
From 9/3 through 9/12, you can pick up the digital (ebook) edition for only $16 and it comes with the All About Elderberry bonus booklet free! If that sounds like just the fall treat you’d like to dive into, here is the link:
Or if you prefer a print copy you can hold in your hands, place on your bookshelf and return to each autumn (as these issues are evergreen and you can enjoy them again and again), here is the link for that:
Happy Yuletide! I can’t say that I am the most knowledgeable regarding the background and traditions of winter solstice celebrations and rituals, but I am learning more as I go and loving what I learn. I wanted to pop in today to share a few of my favorite cozy Yule traditions with you.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Yule, a combination, or simply mark the winter solstice, the astronomical beginning of winter and the shortest day and longest night are at the center of this occasion. It is a time of merriment as a way to bring light and cheer into the darkness, and to remind ourselves that the sun and its life-giving warmth will return. This is very much based in the agrarian lifestyle of our ancestors and the greater danger winter posed to their survival. Today we feel the hold-over of these traditions in more metaphorical ways but they’re still deeply ingrained. Other pagan and Christian elements and traditions of this holiday came in later, but all still revolve around the natural occurrence of the winter solstice.
Despite the jolly festivities, as I get older I feel the need more and more to snuggle in at home, slow down, eat cozy treats, and enjoy quiet times with my family just playing games and reading books. I think my connection to the natural world slowing down and going to its winter rest deepens the older I get! So I don’t feel the need for more gifts and parties, but rather candles, tea, and good books.
Candles
I absolutely love making my own candles this time of year. With a few simple, natural ingredients, candles that are healthier and more special than the store bought variety can easily be whipped up in your kitchen. Candles add a warming glow to Yuletide evenings and events, can be given as very special gifts, and you can add your own intention both when you’re stirring the wax to make them and when you take the time to light them each night.
Hot tea is a wonderful way to spend a winter evening during the Yuletide season! There is nothing better than brewing a big pot of tea tailored to the energies of the season, your health, or simply your mood.
During this season of eating sweets and overindulging, a digestive-boosting tea like the Vanilla Digestion Tea I shared last year can be both helpful and tasty. An Immune Boosting Tea Blend can’t go amiss this time of year, either. Mushroom Coffee makes for a hearty and energizing, yet grounding, brew. Or check out the many other winter tea recipes in my Winter Tea Booklet in my Etsy shop.
Books
I am never at a loss for good books to read! Here I will keep the explanation short and simply share some links to books that are perfect for this season.
Children’s books about Yule / the Winter Solstice / Wintertime (that are wonderful for adults, too):
What cozy ways are you enjoying the Yuletide season?
For educational purposes only. Not intended for medical advice. Always consult your physician.
*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something from a link that I share, I will make a small percentage of the sale *at no extra cost to you*.
I am extremely late to be posting this, but…I wanted to share about a publication I contributed two articles to! I am so excited to have had the opportunity to contribute to this gorgeous publication.
“Beauty in Bloom” is a collaborative effort of 18 herbalists sharing 30+ recipes and DIY projects to help you with herbal self care and natural beauty from the inside out.
Holistic Beauty Glow-Up
At the heart of Beauty in Bloom lies the mission to redefine beauty as a holistic, interconnected experience beyond skin-deep. We believe in the power of the plants to nourish, heal, and elevate our well-being, and this belief has fueled the creation of our publication.
Beauty in Bloom is more than a beauty guide; it celebrates the synergy between humanity and nature. Our mission is to inspire you to embrace beauty practices that enhance your external radiance and honor the earth.
You’ll learn how to make your own skincare and hair care products and health remedies from herbalists and holistic health professionals, Including:
Healing Psoriasis Holistically- Tips & Tricks to support psoriasis
DIY Magnesium Oil- For Sore Muscles & Nervous System
Gut Loving Mocktail- Mocktails for IBS, GERD, Bloating and Digestive Issues
DIY Herbal Cream Making and Cream Recipe
DIY Calendula + Olive Oil Lotion Bars
DIY Green Tea + Matcha Bath Soak
DIY Nettle + Sage Hair Rinse
Dina Charya- Dive into 6 Ayurveda self-care practices
Hibiscus Tinted Lip Balm Recipe- Avoid toxic chemicals in most colored lip products and make a nourishing one from commonly found herbs.
DIY Rendering Tallow for Skin Health
How a Nutrient-Dense Diet Can Cultivate Beauty From Within
Nurturing Your Skin’s Guardian- The Acid Mantle and Tending To Skin Health
Herbal Glow Gycerite Recipe for Glowing Skin
Thyme- Herbal Spotlight on Thyme and The Benefits for Skin Health
Held By The Earth- Self-Care and Connecting to Natural Medicines as a Birthright
Sacred Blood- Rituals for Menstrual Cycle Stages
Herbal Allies for The Lymphatic System
Kakuda Plum- Ingredient Spotlight and Skin Care Uses
Skin Care Formulation with Australian Lemon Myrtle and sandalwood
German New Medicine- Knowing Patterns for Wellness and Healthy Skin
Mallow Succus- Using Mallow for Hair Rinse and Body Nourishment
Chamomile- Creating Healing Serums for Skin
Supporting the Nervous System for Healthy Skin
From Head to Toe- Self-Care Practices and a DIY Spa Day from home
The Fragrance Dilemma- Toxic Phthalates and the Impact on Skin & Endocrine Systems
All of the projects are easy to make and use commonly found herbs, flowers, oils, and other natural ingredients. No fancy equipment or previous experience is required! “Beauty in Bloom” is packed with basic formulas to make your own one-of-a-kind creations. Going organic has never been easier or more affordable. With the wisdom of 18 Herbalists, “Beauty in Bloom” empowers you to use local, natural ingredients to make something beautiful, effective, and good for you and your family.
Choose your path to “Beauty in Bloom”:
📖 Printed Petals: Immerse yourself in the tangible beauty of “Beauty in Bloom.” Click [here] to order your printed copy and receive a carefully crafted guide delivered to your doorstep.
🌐 Digital Bloom: Dive into the world of “Beauty in Bloom” instantly. Click [here] to secure your digital copy now. Access over 30 recipes and formulas for DIY skincare and holistic well-being from the comfort of your digital device.
What to Expect in Beauty in Bloom:
DIY Herbal Formulas: Unleash your creativity with over 30 recipes and formulas for homemade body lotions, skin creams, herbal medicines, and more.
Educational Insights: Dive deep into topics like Ayurveda, hormonal balance, and the benefits of natural ingredients, guided by herbalists and holistic health professionals.
Empowering You: “Beauty in Bloom” is more than a publication; it’s your companion on the path to self-empowerment, enabling you to take charge of your beauty and well-being.
Join us in redefining beauty as a holistic experience that begins within and blooms into a radiant, harmonious existence.
I just finished reading the third and fourth books in the Practical Magic series by Alice Hoffman, Magic Lessons and The Book of Magic. I do not exaggerate when I say these books have been life altering for me. They capture so much, I can’t even put a fraction of it into words. All I can say is, go read these magical books!
Now, a thread that runs through all the stories is courage: courage to love, courage to get hurt, courage to take leaps and trust others and trust yourself. This is illustrated throughout the books by the frequent mention of Courage Tea. It’s an old family recipe that dates back to the Owens women who started it all, Hannah and Maria. The recipe has been passed down through the centuries to bolster the Owenses in the face of all the trials and demands of life, as well as those in need they minister to.
Hints of the recipe are dropped throughout the series, but the whole recipe is never explicitly stated. As explained in The Rules of Magic:
“Aunt Isabelle refused to hand over the formula for Courage Tea. That, she said, was one recipe you had to discover for yourself.”
Piecing together the hints and clues of the Courage Tea recipe from the books is actually a pretty fun scavenger hunt. I’ve spent a good deal of time on this exercise, and have filled in the blanks with my own additions as Aunt Isabelle instructed. I encourage you to do the same and come up with your own version if you read the books! But until then, here is my interpretation:
To make a single cup of tea, add 1 tablespoon to a tea strainer, eco-friendly tea bag, or French press. Pour about 1 1⁄2 cups hot water over the tea and steep for 4 to 5 minutes. Add sugar or honey to taste, if desired.
(A few notes on ingredients: I found dried currants at the grocery store but they’re also sold online in some places. I use powdered vanilla bean in tea recipes because it is more affordable than whole vanilla beans while still imparting natural vanilla flavor; you can also add a dash of vanilla extract instead. You may want to adjust the thyme to taste based on how savory you like your tea to taste, as it can be quite strong. And, if you’d prefer a decaf version, you can leave out the green tea or replace it with rooibos.)
What would you put in your version of Courage Tea?
For educational purposes only. Not intended for medical advice. Always consult your physician.
*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something from a link that I share, I will make a small percentage of the sale *at no extra cost to you*.
If you read my previous Herbalism in Fictionpost, you know I have very specific taste in favorite books, namely varying types of fiction featuring herbalism and absorbing, immersive imagery and description. The next book I’m going to touch on is a new favorite of mine, but by no means new: Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman.
To preface: I’ve heard excellent things about the film; though I haven’t seen it yet, and am very excited to, I’ve heard the overall tone of the film and book diverge a bit. I have a feeling it’s one of those cases where they are separate pieces of fiction that stand up in their own ways.
The book is a complex and magical tapestry woven with strands of sisterhood, womanhood, family ties and legacies, love and loss, the magical and the mundane, uniqueness and self-acceptance. The story begins with two little orphaned sisters, Sally and Gillian Owens, who go to live with their elderly witch aunts in the family’s curious, mysterious old home in Massachusetts. As the girls grow up and go their separate ways, forging paths for themselves in life, they find themselves ultimately needing that family magic in their lives despite their efforts to grow away from it.
Practical Magic is a mixture of literary fiction and magical realism, with heartwarming notes, dark and spooky threads, cozy and immersive imagery, painful beauty, and just the right bits of levity thrown in the mix. It is really a unique work of literature that will really pull at your heartstrings and ignite your imagination if you’ll let it!
As far as this book’s herbalism connection, it is an inextricable part of the dense palette of the story. Lush, vivid descriptions of the aunts’ herb garden, frequent recurrences of lavender and rosemary, mention of concoctions and poisons, and THAT lilac bush (when you read it, you’ll know!) put this book squarely on my list. And the aunts’ house with its dark corners, chandeliers, big window seat, mysterious portrait, and self-dusting woodwork (yes, please!) add just the hygge element I’m always searching for in books, too.
I am so glad I finally read this book! Not only does it tick all my boxes, but the story itself is both deep and thought-provoking while also lovely and sweet, ultimately. And there are a few other books about the renowned Owens women in publication or to come, which promises more books for this list!
I have the most oddly specific favorite sub-genre of books: fiction (be it fantasy, mystery, historical, or otherwise) that includes heavy doses of herbalism and lush, immersive description. So, in case there are others who adore this type of novel, I am going to begin sharing my favorite books that meet those criteria here on the blog. The first book I’m featuring is A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (and the whole All Souls series).
The series follows Diana Bishop, a historian and witch who gets caught up in dangers and deceptions after discovering a lost magical book in the Bodleian Library. Having once shunned her powers, Diana must finally come to terms with them to find out what the book means and what it has to do with her. The story also centers around the two other types of creatures, vampires and daemons, and the dynamics and traditions between these three groups of otherworldly beings. Add in romance, ghosts, time travel, real historical figures, science, mysteries, intrigue, dark secrets, and also lovable characters and inviting settings, and you’ve got this thoroughly gripping series in as good a nutshell as I can manage to stuff it into. These books contain magical multitudes.
But I’m specifically here to heap praise on this series for its hygge herbology connections. There is so much to love in these books in that regard! I adore the very lovingly-detailed descriptions of the teas Diana loves and how she takes them, the scenes involving the harvesting and blending of a particular type of herbal tisane at a castle in France (I can’t elaborate because, spoilers), and the unique descriptions of each character’s particular botanical scent. There are viscerally-appealing, incredibly immersive descriptions of locations like dark, antiquarian libraries and cozy Oxford haunts that really stick with you. And don’t even get me started on the depth of detail in the installment that primarily takes place in Elizabethan England.
But far and away, my favorite parts of these books take place in Diana’s witch aunts’ colonial family home in upstate New York. You can hear every creak of the floorboards, smell the mixed scents of wood smoke and coffee and herbs, and feel the weighty presence of the family ghosts in every word. The aunts’ witch’s garden brims with herbs, and there just aren’t enough scenes spent in Sarah’s dark still room with dried aromatic plants and her old coffee-maker-turned-cauldron. The sense of safety and family Diana feels here, even if she tries to deny it at times, is utterly palpable to the reader.
So, all that wordiness to say, if you like this stuff, then read these books! They are my literal favorite books of all time and I will not disclose how many times I have read them. Until you get on the train and come back to tell me how right I was!
The Herbology Faerie 