October is my favorite month of the year here in the Pacific Northwest. It marks such a vibrant time of year. The trees seem to be washed in gold, citrine, and rubies. The mists cloak the mornings in mystery and give way to weak sunshine that nevertheless illuminates the forest canopy like brilliant stained glass. Quiet fills the forest, leaves swirl down to crunch under foot, and the winds seem to make everything dance. My favorite holiday is this month, the dark festival

The Fall equinox has come and gone. The weather has definitely become colder here as the nights dip into the forties and I find myself dragging out the scarves, mittens, and blankets from the closet. Our warm season here is short, but nevertheless it seems like ages and ages since I’ve seen my sweaters and long black coat. I’m happy for the return of Autumn! The garden has slowed down considerably. I’ve been pulling up old plants and chopping them into small pieces with my c

October is my favorite month hands down. I know I shouldn’t choose favorites, but it’s just so lovely with the carpet of golden leaves in the forest, the rainy windy days, the excitement of the harvest season, and the turning inward that comes with the lengthening nights. I also love Halloween! It’s always been a favorite holiday of mine, since it seems to be the only one we celebrate in the West that reveres chaos and the spirit realms. We dress up and take on different per

Autumn is in full splendor here in the Pacific Northwest. Just this morning I found myself continually entranced by the dance of Big Leaf Maple leaves to the forest floor from their high perches. The long days of grey have begun, and I often find myself wanting something special on these short afternoons, something earthy and caffeinated! This is a first for the tea blog to include a caffeinated blend, but it is one of my favorite afternoon teas when the weather turns wet a

The rains have returned here in the Pacific Northwest, heralding autumn, truly my favorite time of year. The cool weather, moody clouds, and dancing leaves feel refreshing after our dry sunny summer. The rains and roving clouds make curling up with a book and tea under a blanket a favorite activity this time of year. So I crafted a recipe this month for a dark sweet herbal tea. My inspiration came from a Celestial Seasonings tea called Roastaroma that I encountered back in

Autumn begins early here in the Pacific Northwest, slowly creeping into August with cooler evenings and falling leaves. Already, the clouds have returned, bringing small rain falls and relieving us from the haze of wild fires that burn to the north and east of the mountains. Walking by the wetlands last week, I noticed many Alder leaves on the ground. Click here for my blog post about finding and gathering alder cones. After asking permission to gather, I collected quite a