MABON AUTUMN EQUINOX & FREE ALTAR CARD

As the air turns crisp, we reach Mabon, the Autumn Equinox. It’s a time for gratitude, reflection, and taking in everything the year has brought us so far.

This time of year has me thinking a lot about legacy. I've been thinking about this for a long time, wondering what it is I'd like to leave behind when I'm not longer of this earth, and I decided I want to make a workbook that can be passed down from generation to generation for my daughters. 

The inspiration actually came from an elderly dementia patient of mine. She has numerous books she made throughout her life filled with her travels, photos, and letters she had written to her mother. Seeing those made me realize what I wanted to create.

Right now, I am working on a workbook centered on all 8 Sabbats. It covers what to put on your altars, crafts, baking and cooking ideas, journaling prompts, and our family traditions.

Today, I’m focusing on Mabon. It was such a beautiful morning for a first day of fall walk in the woods around Lake Alimagnet. While I was out, I gathered some seasonal items for my altar:

• Freshly fallen leaves, acorns, pinecones

Then I came home and laid out what I felt best fits this sabbat:

• A red candle: to represent change and the wisdom that comes at this time of year as a cumulative of the past months.
• An apple: to represent the harvest.
• A citrine crystal: for abundance, gratitude, and bright energy. 

My artist daughter drew a special altar card for Mabon just for this project, and I am making it available as a free download for those who want to create their own altar.

Download Your Free Mabon Altar Card Here

At some point, I will also have the Sabbat worksheets available too!

How are you celebrating Mabon this year? Let me know in the comments!

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MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS BLOOMING IN SEPTEMBER

When I was a little girl, my mother, a natural teacher, would take my sister and me on endless walks along the trails of Swede Hollow. She pointed out flowers at every turn, patiently teaching us their names, but back then they were just pretty decorations. It wasn't until I grew older that I truly felt a connection to the plants and their blooming seasons. Now, with fall closing in, walking the trails takes on a whole new meaning. While everyone else looks up at the changing leaves, I find myself looking down, discovering the late-season landscape painted in pastel purples, bright golds, and stark whites. I encourage you to take a walk and appreciate these late blooms; they are only visiting briefly before giving way to the rich oranges of autumn.

Canada Goldenrod

European Cranberry Bush or Native American High Bush Cranberry (I'm not sure)

Native Woodbine

Native Brown-eyed Susan

Native Purplestem Aster

Native White Arrowleaf Aster

Native Snakeroot

Native Great Blue Lobelia

 

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MADE CANNED PICKLES AGAIN (AND PRAYING THEY AREN'T MUSHY)

I am such a lazy canner, though I'm pretty sure it’s just my AuDHD at work. I love learning new things, but I have a lifelong habit of skipping instructions, taking shortcuts, and completely missing important  details. 😣

A few years back, I repeatedly tried canning pickles using cucumbers I’d grown. Every single time I opened a jar for that first bite, I was met with total disappointment. Mush. ALWAYS MUSH! 

A homesteading friend suggested Ball Pickle Crisp granules to firm things up, and I also learned that the cucumber variety makes or breaks your batch. So, on a recent trip to the farmer’s market, I went straight to the experts: the farmers. They recommended Excelsior cucumbers, so I grabbed a bunch.

Then, I learned another lesson the hard way: don’t wait two days to process fresh cucumbers! By the time I got around to them, some had already started softening. Because I refuse to eat soft pickles, I tossed the squishy ones aside, leaving me with just enough crisp cucumbers for a VERY small batch. (As you can see in the photo, they have way too much room to float around!)

Following Ball's Kosher Dill recipe, the water bath canning is officially done. Now, I just have to wait patiently to see if I finally cracked the code on crunch. Fingers crossed!

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ELDERBERRIES...MY NATURAL IMMUNITY FOR FLU SEASON

Every year, I harvest elderberries from a bush I planted years ago in my backyard, but for the first time ever, the birds beat me to it and left me with nothing. Luckily, an incredibly kind person offered up their own bushes so I could pick enough to make my syrup and tincture. It’s all part of my annual flu-prevention herbal pack I put together.

If you're interested in making your own syrup, check out my prior post HERE

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DISCOVER PRICKLY ASH: MINNESOTA'S ONLY NATIVE CITRUS

My first introduction to prickly ash was a good lesson in patience. After learning that the berries could numb your mouth, I tried one. Nothing happened. I tried a second, still nothing. By the third berry, I finally felt a slight tingle, so I popped in a fourth. That was a huge mistake! I should've waited, because all four hit me at once and turned me into a drooling mess, profusely salivating with a partially numb mouth.

Known as nature's toothache medicine, prickly ash was historically used by Native American tribes. In Minnesota, that would be the Ojibwa and Dakota. They used the bark and berries to treat everything from coughs and colds to cramps and rheumatism. Chewing the bark stimulates your saliva and numbs pain on contact, making it great for toothaches, while brewing the berries into tea works wonders for a sore throat. 

Since they aren't very abundant throughout the state, I decided to gather some seeds this year to grow in my garden. If you're interested in doing the same, the best time to get the seeds is in late July - early August. The plant is easy to identify - look for compound leaves with 5-11 leaflets, citrus scented berries, and thorns.  It's not hard to recognize when it's full of red berries. Just rub your hands over a bunch and smell. 

Prickly Ash berries start out green.

Then they turn red. It's at this point they push out a black seed.

Thorns

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LAST CHANCE! SUPPORT WILDLIFE RESCUE AND REHAB WITH OUR FINAL SOAP AND CANDLE BUNDLE!

Hey everyone!

I’ve been running a fundraiser over on Facebook for my passion project, Wash4Wildlife, and I forgot I to post about it here!

I have just a few soap and candle bundles left. If you’ve been meaning to grab one, or if you're just hearing about this now, this is your final chance to snag some goodies for an awesome cause.

100% of the proceeds from these bundles will be split equally between two vital, hard-working organizations:

• Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release

• Wildlife Intensive Critical Care Unit (WICCU)

  
  

To say a massive thank you for the support, we are also running a giveaway at the end of the month!

Here is how it works:

Every single bundle purchased gets your name entered into the giveaway. More purchases = more entries! (The more bundles you buy, the more times your name goes into the hat, boosting your chances of winning).

So, if you're interested. Check out the soap + candle bundles HERE

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I HAVE A SUBSTACK NOW (AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING WITH IT)

 

Hey Pixie Pals 

I've decided to do a little something new... I recently set up a Substack. To be honest, I'm still figuring out exactly why I'm there or how it will fit into my digital world, but as I begin writing a special project, I realized I wanted a direct way to share with you - straight to your inbox, without any algorithms getting in the way. 

I recently shared my very first post over there and I wanted to bring it here to show you the heart of what is behind the new space, and why I hope you'll join me there. 

Why Substack? (and the workbook I'm creating)

For a while now, I've been working on a 52-week intentional living workbook. It began as a gift to my daughters - a collection of simple practices drawn from every day life, things that I enjoy doing that I wanted to pass along: gardening, working with my hands, learning old fashioned skills, wandering in nature, etc...

But I don't want to do this in isolation. I want to share this journey as I write it, not because I have it all figured out, because I don't, but because I know sharing my progress will help me stay accountable to the process, and perhaps I'll find a few like-minded souls walking a similar path. 

When the workbook is finished, I plan to share it as a free resource, and Substack feels like the perfect, cozy spot on the inter-webs to deliver weekly pages, prompts, and practices directly to you. 

What my Substack is about?

If you decide to subscribe, here is a little bit of what you are stepping into:

This is a quiet corner of the woods where I'm learning to live more intentionally, one day at a time. 

Most mornings, when I wake up, I set an intention for the day. It can be something simple, like moving more slowly, paying attention, being kind, listening or staying present the best I can. This small practice helps me avoid slipping into autopilot and reminds me that life is happening right here right now. 

This way of living was born out of a health crisis that I've emerged from and continue to navigate. It changed how I see my days, my body, and what I choose to give my energy to. It brought me back to the basics: nature, stillness, presence. 

I will be writing weekly on Substack. Posts will include reflections from my own life as I move through this 52-week intentional living journey, along with sharing simple practices, recipes, journal prompts, crafts, and other ideas you can bring into your own week if you choose.

For now, that space is just beginning. 

If you are a woman who is also seeking a slower, more present way living - one rooted in intention and the natural world - you are welcomed. 

It is entirely free, and you can subscribe to receive my weekly letters and updates on the workbook right here https://substack.com/@intentionallivingjournal 

I hope to see you there :) 

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