Lithia – The Herbology Faerie

Summer Solstice Sun & Strawberry Moon Tea

I am so excited that June’s full moon (the Strawberry Moon) and Litha (the summer solstice) fall together this year. It is a convergence that doesn’t happen often—in fact, the last time it did was 1985! All that bright energy of both the longest day and the full moon combined—so magical!

For me, I think the order of the day is celebration, gratitude, and soaking up every bit of that energy I can. I feel like too often, we see these astrological occasions as calls to act in grandiose ways, to manifest changes and new directions, to enact grand gestures. But this pressure is not necessary, and most likely you have many plates spinning already at this busy cusp of summer! Instead, it is perfectly okay to give yourself permission to rest, recharge from the added light, lean into the sensation of lightness, and simply enjoy and give thanks. Mindfulness can be your act of devotion.

To this end, I am going to brew a Sun and Moon Tea!

I am calling the tea such because I’ve chosen a blend of herbs and botanicals that includes affinities for both the sun and the moon to reflect the meaning of the occasion. There are also botanicals chosen for their ties to Litha, fire, water, and Venus, all of which I am feeling strong influences of during this time.

Here are the ingredients, and a few of their astrological ties:

•Linden (sun, Litha)

•Chamomile (sun, Litha)

•Jasmine (moon, water)

•Rosemary (sun, moon, fire)

•Strawberry (strawberry moon, Venus, water)

•Hibiscus (fire, water, Venus)

•Lavender (Litha)

And here is the recipe! It’s simple, so you can concentrate on enjoying your mindful moments under the solstice sun and Strawberry Moon.

Ingredients

32 oz mason jar

1 cup sliced strawberries

2 Tbsp hibiscus

1 Tbsp rosemary

1 Tbsp linden

1 Tbsp chamomile

1 Tbsp jasmine

½ Tbsp lavender

Honey to taste, optional

Directions

Add ingredients to mason jar and fill with cold, fresh water. (If using dried herbs, you might choose to place them in a large eco-friendly tea bag or linen reusable tea bag.)

Cap tightly and place in a sunny location (free of disturbance by kids or pets!) for 2-3 hours.

If not using a tea bag or strainer, strain tea into a fresh jar or a pitcher over ice if drinking immediately. You can stir in honey while it is still warm if you’d like! Refrigerate and drink cold.

Note—

You can substitute fresh herbs for dried ones if you have access to them! You don’t necessarily have to go by the measurements in that case—just add sprigs of each.

For a printable Litha Tea Meditation journaling page and a printable version of this recipe, join my Patreon at Patreon.com/theherbologyfaerie!

Celebrate Litha!

If you’re in the northern hemisphere like me, then the summer solstice, or Litha, is approaching! To me, there is nothing more hygge than aligning yourself with the seasons, the natural world around you, and traditions associated with each spoke on the wheel of the year.

To that end, this week I have a few super simple, low-energy activities planned to do with my kids. I am all for low-cost, low-prep ways to ground yourself in the season and reap what it has to offer. But I never seem to have time or energy to put a ton of effort into anything elaborate. That’s not really necessary, though! Do things up as big or as small as you like, but in my opinion, simplicity never goes amiss.

Summer Treats: Fruit Salad, Herbed Lemon Bars, Popsicles

The summer solstice revolves around the idea of transformation. The fruits of the season are ripe for the picking! So I’ve been making super simple fruit salads with local fruits, fresh herbs, raw honey, and squeezed citrus. This is an excellent way to experience the transformation of spring blossoms into summer bounty.

Watermelon, strawberry, peach, basil, lime, and honey fruit salad

Later this week, the kids and I plan to also incorporate some of those fresh fruits and herbs in simple homemade ice pops! We are going to add vanilla yogurt (you can use dairy or plant-based) to make it a creamy, satisfying treat.

Finally, lemon bars are a summer favorite of mine. Add summer rosemary or lavender, and you’ve got a festive, cottagecore-worthy baked treat! While you can find some excellent recipes on Pinterest, I am probably just going to make a boxed mix and add my own herbs in. (No shame in the boxed mix game!)

Summer Sips: Cooling Iced Sun Teas

You can’t beat the power of the sun to brew tea. It’s so simple, and you feel like you’re sipping on summer sunshine when you drink your brews! Just add about a tablespoon of herbs per cup of water in a tea strainer or eco-friendly paper teabag, place in a glass jar, fill with cold water and put the lid on tightly, and leave in full sun for 2-4 hours. I sometimes stir in a bit of sweetener (honey works great or your own choice of sweetener), place in the fridge for several hours, and then sip straight from the jar with a reusable straw.

I have been mixing up hibiscus-based teas for the kids and I lately. Hibiscus is a delightfully tart, cooling botanical that is perfect for hot summer weather. It tastes a lot like cranberry juice as an iced tea, so it’s great for kids! Hibiscus is also known to be beneficial for your heart, circulation, and blood pressure.

Little jars of hibiscus sun tea for the kids!

Here are my two favorite hibiscus blends:

Hibiscus, mint, lemon balm, chamomile, blueberries

Hibiscus, lemongrass, orange peel, rooibos, mint, calendula, gotu kola

Summer Moments: Fires and Flowers

Recently we took the kids for their first trip to a “beach,” at one of the largest lakes in our state. We had a blast swimming and playing in the sand! If you are lucky enough to live near a lake or ocean, it’s obviously a fun way to experience some nature in the summer sun.

Most of my plans for marking the solstice are much lower key, however. Taking evening walks when the heat of the day has just passed, burning citronella candles on the back porch (we don’t even have a fire pit, let alone a place for a bonfire!), and maybe making a craft from spent flower petals are all possibilities on the list.

So, those are some of my simple plans for celebrating Litha / the summer solstice this week! How are you planning to celebrate?