As July fades into August, we enter the beginning of the harvest season, a time of transition, when the fullness of summer slowly gives way to the first hints of autumn. For centuries, this turning of the seasonal wheel has been honored with rituals of gratitude and celebrations. In the Northern Hemisphere, August 1st marks the halfway point between summer solstice and autumn equinox. This midpoint has long been a time…
Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and marks the official start of summer. It invites us to slow down, get outside, and soak up the sweetness of the season. One of our family’s favorite solstice traditions is packing a backpack full of snacks, taking a hike, and enjoying a picnic in one of our favorite spots. I love baking this Solstice Sun Bread to bring along. It’s easy…
Brew up a batch of this magical color shifting herbal tea to sip this spooky season.
This article is an accompaniment to the article Autumn Pumpkin Fairy Abodes by Rebecca Riyana Sang in the featured in the Autumn Vol 2 | Issue 6 | 2023 edition of Botanical Anthology. A plant lover’s dream, it is a seasonal, plant centered quarterly magazine bringing you over 50 articles from 49 contributors to incorporate herbs in your apothecary, kitchen, foraging and gardening, crafts, and celebrations. To learn more about…
Vanillegipfeli, more commonly known as vanillekipferl, is a crescent shaped cookie made with ground almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts and dusted with vanilla sugar. It’s popular in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, & Slovakia and is traditionally made at Christmas-time.
Candles made from dried stalks of mullein dipped in tallow or wax, known as witch's candles, were such a common historical use for this plant that it’s reflected in many of the common names for the plant, such as candlewick plant, hag's taper and torches. Mullein has deep, deep roots that die back with the plant after its second year enriching the soil around it.