There's something about certain numbers that make you stop and think. In fairy tales it may be the number three or seven or variations thereof-but what about the might behind a year and a day? In many esoteric traditions, you must be an initiate for a year and a day before moving to the next steps along your path. It also is tied to legal practice and other kinds of contractual agreements or obligations to signify a full span of time served and completed.  As we come to our year and a day of lockdowns associated with the global pandemic, how can we use this lens for reflection? We have al ..read more

Originally created for Widdershins Stories on June 11 as a blog post and since transferred over here after we moved the website to a landing page. All stories are deeply entrenched in the beliefs, values, worldview, and historical placement of the author. An obvious fact for us all I think, but one that comes up with particularly apparent stamps when you look at folklore, myth, and other older stories that this podcast finds a home with. In our current timeline, we are in the midst of a great “waking up” and calling out of racial injustice in the United States (see my last blog post for more i ..read more

Right now we have a choice: speak up and support justice or stay silent and choose oppression. While the actions against George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery are the most discussed as beginning the protests, there are countless other lives that have been lost due to the underlying racism in the United States from systematic white supremacy which our country was founded on. It is our responsibility as a people (especially white people and people with privilege we may not even realize we have) to unlearn those racist values and beliefs. If you have not begun your education into anti-r ..read more

The scene: Wendy Darling and Peter Pan in the nursery with Peter explaining how fairies come into being: the laughter of a newborn child. When Wendy questions why there isn’t a fairy for each child Peter says, “Children know such a lot now. Soon they don't believe in fairies, and every time a child says 'I don't believe in fairies' there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead.” (Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie) I feel a little like that now. The scene: any discussion about idealized plans for the future, events to attend, people to say and laughing a little hesitantly saying “when all this is ov ..read more

Originally posted over at the Daughters of Darkness blog for #virtualdodfest It would be a romantic notion to think that with the current situation at hand, we are all finding ways to appreciate the small stuff and persevere through the hardships despite it all. It would be quaint to think This Too Shall Pass and reflect that we will all go about our normal lives after this has all blown over. Quaint and romantic though it would be, I don’t see it happening. That is not to say that everything will turn into a dystopian hellscape where our only chance of survival is a plucky young teen who wil ..read more

A common enough thing in its own right, sense memory infuses our daily lives with its rich and sometimes shocking presence. The often reminisced upon scent of a favorite childhood meal, how the taste of cheap milk chocolate conjures up images of brightly colored eggs and anthropomorphic bunnies, the way a too often drunk liquor can stick with you for years afterwards as that one bad night where too many poor choices were made, or even the scent of a loved ones skin or the taste of their lips you can recall fondly or heartbreakingly for months after. Sense memory is a tie to the past that can ..read more

Whether you celebrate the Gregorian New Year’s Eve and Day celebrations, following the Chinese calendar, follow the cycles of the Celtic Wheel of the Year, or wish it would all Just Stop Already because these festive shenanigans are causing you a headache- I think there is still undeniably a shifting occurring. I feel it. Not just personally (although could I tell you tales…) but in my work and in the way life twists and turns and has its fits and starts. Old Growth Alchemy is still highly malleable at the moment (fitting; as only alchemy can be) as I try different blends of This and That an ..read more

This year has been full of twists and turns, coming so often that I've barely had time to right myself before the next. So, for the patchy communication I apologize. I would also like to take this moment to deeply thank each and everyone one of you who has supported Old Growth Alchemy thus far. OGA was truly a work of love and I am beyond thrilled that it has continued to putter along and gain momentum. Currently, I am in the works of some recalibration as we come upon the 1 year (!!) anniversary of its unveiling this Autumnal Equinox. One of these large changes has come via wrestling with ..read more

This is a tale of salt.   About a month ago, as dusk settled, we gathered sea water in a beat up metal bottle. The tide was low, and the waves were relentless. It was freezing- we didn't have the right shoes or coats to be out so close to the water. He gathered what he could, letting each wave greedily seek out socks and cold toes despite the shoes. The ocean was giving her greeting to we who had been gone for so long. A kiss with a bite, as she is want to do. And then, this moment- snow falling, chill settling, sky darkening day. That briny water boils in an old metal pot, letting the ..read more

Since the unveiling of Old Growth Alchemy this past autumnal equinox, I have been busy at work straining tinctures (and putting some more up), straining vinegars, mixing oils, pouring salves, blending incense, and concocting all sorts of botanical goodies. As I mentioned over on my Patreon page (where I post a lot of my updates), I am focusing right now on honing in exactly what Old Growth Alchemy is, refining my craft with words to back up the practice, and trying out this whole business world which is new and shiny. So, if you had been peeking over at the shop page, you'll ..read more