Tag: seasons

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Botanical Anthology plant wonder collective

Botanical Anthology Autumn!

It’s here: the Botanical Anthology Autumn issue is available now!

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:

DIGITAL EDITION 

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:

PRINT EDITION

Are you as ready for fall as I am? 

Categories
Herbs and Herbalism Tea wheel of the year

Lammas, Calendula, & a Tea Meditation

Lammas / Lughnasadh / the First Harvest festival is almost here, coming up on August 1!

In years past, I was very much NOT a fan of the month of August. Where I live it tends to be incredibly hot, buggy, and like a dragging obstacle between me and my favorite season: autumn.

But recently, I came to see August in a new light. I’ve learned about the sabbat of Lughnasadh / Lammas (they tend to be used interchangeably) on the wheel of the year. Lammas marks the first harvest festival—the first of three, including Mabon and Samhain. The connections with Lammas tend to be the late summer veg and herb harvests, grain, bread making, beer, wine, fruits and vegetables, abundance, and gratitude. This opens the doorway for our descent toward autumn. Nights begin to gradually get cooler, and sunflowers bloom at the flower farm near my home. I can get behind this imagery, this spirit of anticipating autumn and gratitude for the end of summer’s abundance!

Lammas and Calendula

When I first learned about Lammas, I immediately, intuitively connected it with calendula. This may not resonate for you—you may have another plant you feel called to at this time. But for me, it’s all about this gorgeous, sunny orange flower.

Medicinally, calendula offers immune boosting, gut healing, inflammation modulating, stagnation clearing, and liver supporting properties when used internally. Externally, it supports skin healing and treats bug bites, rashes, burns, wound healing, and overall skin health support.

Spiritually, calendula is connected to the sun, Leo and Cancer—giving fiery yet nurturing qualities, warmth, comfort, healing, protection, happiness, peace, abundance, hard work, and responsibility. I find that ingesting, and even just seeing this plant on my home altar spaces, helps bolster and nourish me during this industrious time! I tend to add calendula into most of my teas and baked goods during the Lammas season.

Lammas Tea Meditation Download

To celebrate this occasion, I am sharing with you a special Lammas Tea Meditation journaling page that you can download, print, and perhaps pair with a mug of calendula tea. Quiet your mind, breathe deeply, and allow your impressions of the herb to wash over you and impart its gifts.

Download, print, and use this mediation journal page along with any other Lammas / Lughnasadh / First Harvest celebrations and reflections!

Lammas meditation pg.pdfDownload
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Recipes Tea wheel of the year

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!

Categories
Botanical Anthology

Botanical Anthology Summer 2024!

It’s here! The launch of the Summer edition of Botanical Anthology is TODAY! It’s coming at ya just when the heat is rising, and plants are coming into their full glory. 

A plant lover’s dream, Botanical Anthology is a seasonal, plant-centered digital + print magazine bringing you over 40 articles from over 40 contributors in 110+ pages to incorporate herbs in your apothecary, kitchen, self-care, foraging, gardening, crafts, and summer celebrations. This is our ninth edition, beginning our next circle around the sun.

(I am extra proud of this magazine because not only am I a contributing writer, but I am also the copyeditor of the magazine!)

At Plant Wonder Collective, we love sharing daily inspiration on our plant of the month, but for this project, we really want to connect to the seasons. Let us be your guide to working with plants in the months ahead.

Through 6/19, grab your digital copy for just $16 and receive the All About Rose booklet for free! 

Here are the links to purchase:

DIGITAL edition

PRINT edition

We now offer gift cards and digital subscriptions, and the printed edition makes a great gift for the plant lover in your life!

Here are a few examples of what botanical goodness you’ll find within this issue’s pages!

* Whip up a batch of rose day cream, steep St. Joan’s wort oil + infuse a summer nights electuary

* Bake a cake with elderflower, sip a coriander lime cooler + dip hollyhock wraps in rose tahini sauce

* Grow bee balm, save tomato seeds + consider what is a weed

* Make sun prints with turmeric, beeswax dip plants for a garland + sew peppermint repellent sachets

* Brew full moon teas, cultivate abundance with basil + discover summer as fire

* Celebrate Father’s Day, Summer Solstice, First Harvest + Back to School with simple observances

* Meet Lucretia Jones, Reede Haroian, Tanner Filyaw, Dr. Tieraona Low Dog + Audrey Gilbert

📷  Our vibrant cover story is Solar-Powered Turmeric Prints authored by Julia Linsteadt: @a.farm.to.keep on Instagram / www.afarmtokeep.com

Categories
Herbs and Herbalism Tea wheel of the year

Beltane Lilac Tea Meditation

Beltane, also called May Day, marks the cross-quarter between Ostara (the spring equinox) and Litha (the summer solstice). Beltane is a time of heightened romance, carefree joy, ripening fruits, and faerie magic. Take care where you wander on Beltane night as the bonfires burn, lest you stumble into the land of Faerie!

Lilac is, in many parts of the northern hemisphere, ubiquitous with Beltane as its prime blooming period. To celebrate Beltane, harvest some fresh lilac if it is in bloom near you and enjoy a lilac tea meditation ritual. 

((You can also substitute a different fresh food safe flower that is in season near you, such as dandelion, for this meditation, or even dried flowers like jasmine or lavender if fresh flowers aren’t accessible to you!))

Choose a handful of blossoms that look fresh, not wilted. Leave blossoms attached to the stems, but remove most of the twigs.

Dunk in cold water to rinse off any debris and critters. Pour heated water from your tea kettle over the blossoms in a mug to cover the flowers and allow to steep for about 3 minutes before you begin to sip. No need to remove the flowers if they’re attached to the stems—they shouldn’t float loose.

Grab a journal and pen, and seat yourself in an outdoor spot if possible, or next to an open window if not. Sip the tea and feel the sun/moon/breeze on your face, closing your eyes. 

Notice the flavor of the lilac tea. It should be fragrant, floral, a tad sweet and a bit bitter all at once. Very tannic, it should pucker your tongue a bit and leave a dry mouthfeel. Savor the flavor and aroma as you drink, and think of it as nature’s champagne! Rare, beautiful, elegant, joyful, celebratory. Let the taste uplift you and permeate throughout you. Envision a sweet purple light enveloping you, bringing happiness and beauty from the outside-in, if you like. 

Grab your journal. Write down three things you are happy about, three things you are anticipating, and three ways you’d like to grow. Meditate on these ideas as you finish your tea. Then, compost the spent lilac blossoms. 

As an alternative to using a journal, I’ve made a journal page especially for this meditation that you can print and use! Just click on the file below, print, and use alongside your Beltane Lilac Tea Meditation!

Beltane Lilac Meditation.pdfDownload
Categories
Botanical Anthology

Botanical Anthology Spring Launch!

Today is the day! The spring issue of Botanical Anthology, the plant-centered independent magazine I contribute articles to (and edit) comes out today! I am so excited about all the lovely spring recipes, apothecary preparations, celebrations, crafts, sabbat magic, gardening, foraging, poetry, and more inside its pages. 

This digital + print magazine contains over 40 articles from 38 creative contributors. It is a gorgeous springtime plant-filled wonder and is evergreen—you can come back to it every year, more like a book than a magazine. 

And this time around, the bonus booklet is all about DANDELION! It is the biggest bonus booklet yet, and possibly my favorite one so far. (The bonus booklet is exclusive to those who purchase the magazine now through 3/14.)

Full disclosure—if you use my link to purchase a digital copy, I get a little tiny boost; but if you prefer a physical copy, I get a teensy one if you use my link for that, too. 

Here are the links:

Spring Botanical Anthology DIGITAL

Spring Botanical Anthology PRINT

Would you like a peek at what’s inside? Then look no further!

Let us be your guide to work with plants as you journey through the spring season!

Categories
Herbs and Herbalism Hygge wheel of the year

Yule: Candles, Tea, and Books

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.

Check out the recipe for these Yule Forest Candles I shared last year, these cozy Pumpkin Spice Coffee Candles from when I was just beginning to learn candlemaking, or purchase the Winter Candlemaking Guide from my Etsy shop to learn how to make candles at home.

Tea

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):

The Shortest Day (Susan Cooper)

The Winter Solstice

Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter

The Tomten

Flower Fairies of the Winter

The Shortest Day (Wendy Pfeffer)

The Nutcracker Ballet

Adult fiction and nonfiction – my recent cozy or cozy-adjacent favorites

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries

Legends and Lattes

A Spell in the Wild

The Wake-Up Call

The Tale of Hilltop Farm (the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter)

The Hobbit

Kitchen Witch

A Morbid Taste for Bones (the Brother Cadfael mysteries)

Little Women

Slavic Kitchen Alchemy

Healing Herbal Teas

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*.

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Uncategorized

November Updates

Hello, friends! I apologize that it has been so long since I’ve shared any recipes, projects or herbal info with you here. November has been a very busy and unusual month! So I thought I would pop in and tell you a few things that have been going on lately, including some exciting publications coming out soon.

Not to start on a sad note, but my grandmother died at the beginning of November. We were not close, but I have still felt the effects of losing a family member, and have also spent some time helping my parents with a few things regarding her home and belongings. So, that has thrown off my usual autumn recipe writing and making.

My grandma

On a happier note, I have been hard at work helping to edit the upcoming winter edition of the Botanical Anthology magazine! With an almost month-early release date and lots of extra side projects tied in, this endeavor has kept me on my toes. I can’t wait to share more with you about this cozy plant-centered publication and the articles I’ve written for it.

I have also written articles for other publications! The winter edition of Willow & Sage came out this month and includes a Lavender Pine Lip Balm recipe by me. And soon, a new publication called Beauty in Bloom will release with two articles by me inside!

I’ve been hard at work finishing my Winter Tea Booklet, the recipe ebook (already available!) in my Etsy shop. Rosemary Faerie tier Patreon patrons will receive this as one of their December gifts!

As ever, I’ve been creating other posts and printables for those lovely Patreon patrons, too. This month they’ve received a tea recipe coloring page, an herb monograph all about cardamom, a mini guide to crafting winter candles (also in my Etsy shop), and more!

If you’re missing the recipes I normally post here, you might be interested to hop over and check out a few from my Instagram feed this month. I’ve shared a grief tea, my November Cozy tea, Cardamom Hearth incense, herbal cooking salt, and a festive Sparkling Cranberry-Apple Spiced Sangria Mocktail. Cheers!

I will be back soon to share more about the Botanical Anthology and Beauty in Bloom, as well as more recipes again! Thank you for sticking with me here, my faerie friends!

Categories
Herbs and Herbalism

Autumn Harvest: Hickory Nuts

Last October I had the opportunity to collect some hickory nuts, and I’m hoping I get to when I revisit the same location again this year! Yesterday at a state park we encountered some shagbark hickory trees that were quite picked over by the squirrels already. But the place we collected them last year was so busy with people (an apple orchard) that the squirrels had steered clear and left them for the lucky humans to find.

Hickory nuts are incredibly nutritionally dense. They’re quite tricky and time consuming to crack and extract from the shells, so it’s a good thing they pack a punch! They are incredibly high in protein and those heart-protecting, cholesterol-lowering good fats you find in olive oil and avocados. They provide lots of folate and other important nutrients, as well. Hickory nuts are important to many native peoples whose diets have long included them. Numerous wildlife species also rely on them for vital nutrition.

And they taste amazing! If you have the patience to dig through these tricky shells, you’re rewarded with nuts that are wonderful raw and taste somewhat like a cross between walnuts and pecans but with a sweeter, maple syrup-like hint of flavor.

Hickory nuts have folk associations as well. In many Seneca tales, hickory nuts are associated with the dead and even bringing the dead back to life. (Very fitting as we approach Samhain!) Hickory nuts also represent nourishment, grounding, strength, and patience. (Not in small part because it takes 30-40 years of growth before the tree starts to bear nuts!)

With last year’s small harvest (I was mindful not to take more than my share) I allowed them to dry out in the sun before savoring a couple, while saving most of them for special occasions since I only have a few. I considered making a little strength talisman out of the smallest one, but I haven’t done so yet. I hope I get to add a few more to my little, precious collection!

Have you ever tried a hickory nut? What would you do with them if you had a few?

Categories
Hygge Recipes

Autumn Rain Candles

It has been so very dry where I live lately…but today, we finally got some much-needed autumn rain! It was the perfect time to pull out this Autumn Rain candle and light it to add to the cozy vibes of the day.

For these candles, I combined beeswax, a bit of coconut oil, and essential oils for a natural scent option. (Make sure you do your due diligence in choosing ethical essential oil companies to buy from).

The essential oils I used to emulate the scent of autumn rain (after some experimentation) are ylang ylang, juniper, cypress, grapefruit, and frankincense. To me, this combination evokes the sweet, earthy, and green scent of rain on autumn leaves. That fragrance is a very special sort of magic, isn’t it?!

Here is how I made the candles, if you want to try making your own!

Making 6 4-oz candles—

Materials:

Double boiler (optional)

6 four-ounce jars

6 candle wicks

Wick positioners or popsicle sticks

3 cups beeswax pellets

¾ cup coconut oil

Essential oils:

Ylang Ylang – 40 drops

Cypress – 40 drops

Juniper berry – 25 drops

Grapefruit – 15 drops

Frankincense – 20 drops

(I recommend combining your essential oils beforehand in a glass eo jar to let the scents mix and do their thing before making the candles!)

Method:

Prepare your area; wax will be dribbled! Protect your work surface if you prefer.

Melt the beeswax pellets and coconut oil in the double boiler (can also be microwaved). While they melt, prepare candle jars with wicks, using positioners or popsicle sticks.

Once the wax is melted, remove from heat and carefully add and stir in essential oils. They will not mix or dissolve completely, but will disperse well enough with mixing.

Carefully pour hot wax into jars. Allow wax to cool and set nearly completely before topping with optional adornments. (I used juniper berries and autumn leaves!)

((A trick to avoid wick tunneling: pour the candle wax about half to three-quarters full and allow to cool a bit (you might put them in the fridge to speed up the process). Using a toothpick, poke three or four deep holes into the mostly-set wax and then pour the rest of the hot wax on top. This helps the wax to settle flat and not tunnel around the wick, for some reason!))

Trim wicks and allow candles to cure for a minimum of 24-48 hours before burning. (Longer is better!)

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*.