Autumnal Reads & Writings

Apothecary News: The final proof (all 256 pages of it!) for the Lunica Planner was submitted last week. Our local printer is now busy bringing these little gems to life. I will have them in hand, and shipped off to you by the end of October. I am so excited to hear what you think as you work through this planner. Once I get the physical copies I will do a little video tour of the planner.

I’m also happy to announce that the digital versions of the planner are now available. These will be available immediately upon purchase and can be used on a tablet or printed out to create your own book. There is always a risk of copyright with digital versions of writings, but I wanted to be able to share this planner with those of you who live further away. So if you do purchase a digital planner, please keep it private.

---

It has been a minute since I sent out a newsletter. I’ve been driving through the wilds of Maine (Wabanaki land), and while I intended to write while I was out there, it just didn’t happen. In a way, it felt like I was still in Michigan (with more mountains and less lakes). The wind felt the same, the plants and trees were familiar, the ocean reminded me of the inland seas that are the Great Lakes. But as all places do, it had its own song and story from the beautiful gemstones found in the veins of the mountains to the livelihoods of the fishermen (and women) along the coast.

It was an experience I have many thoughts about when the time is right. But while those stories are ruminating, I instead wanted to share a list of my current favorite books for autumn for you to cozy up with as the weather grows colder and long nights by the fire sound nicer. You may know I am a huge book nerd, especially about anything regarding plants, poetry, fantasy, folklore and mythology.

• Wild Medicine by Kate Belew and Shelby Bundy: my good friend Kate just published her first book along with her friend Shelby, and I am so excited to share it here! Wild Medicine is an illustrated guide to the magick of herbs. Each beautiful monograph in this book highlights a different herb along with its lore and medicinal and ritual uses. It works as a quick reference guide when working with a new plant or reacquainting yourself with an old friend. I particularly love the quick easy rituals and recipes included with each plant which offer simple accessible ways to expand your relationship with it.

  • “During the plague in Medieval Europe, feverfew was planted near homes in the belief that it would keep occupants safe from disease. It is possible that such efforts could have proven somewhat effective because feverfew contains the chemical pyrethrin, which is a known pest repellent, and may have kept out mice and rats that were infected with disease.”

• Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen: though this book takes place in the summer, it’s cozy magical realism vibes are perfect for fall. If you like Practical Magic, you’ll probably love this book. Every Waverly woman has a particular peculiar gift. Claire’s gift is the ability to weave spells into her baked goods, making her a hot commodity but also a little feared in her small town. Her sister Sydney is able to create magic with hair. There is also a magical apple tree in the backyard that can tell the future, a bit of romance, and a fun surprise at the end. This is a light read that surprisingly became one of my favorite reads.

  • “He stared up at the moon, which looked like a giant hole in the sky, letting light through to the other side.”

• Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley: I actually can’t believe it took me this long to pick this book up. Both the author and the main character belong to the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa (Ojibwe) Indians here in the upper peninsula of Michigan. The main character however is biracial, and feels as though she doesn’t quite fit into either community. This story centers around a mysterious murder that Daunis has to help solve, perfect if you’re looking to read some darker themes this fall. On top of that, there is so much information gifted to the reader about Ojibwe tribe dynamics, language, culture, and herbal medicines (these little nuggets always earn extra points from me). Enjoyable for everyone, but I think a must read for anyone living in the Great Lakes region.

  • “Women are at their most powerful during menstruation, connected to life-giving forces. The reason we don’t use traditional medicines and we’re not around ceremonial fires during this time is that we carry our own medicine and fire within. Others may act as if it’s something annoying or unclean, but even the way we refer to menstruation is respectful. Your Moon is a mighty time.”

• The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones: This book is everything you are looking for in a fall read and I cannot express how much I loved it. It is based on Welsh mythology and you’ll see some very unique ideas and characters pop up. The main character, Ryn, is a gravedigger living in a small village at the foot of a dangerous mountain. Ryn notices the dead are no longer staying dead. Determined to get to the bottom of things, she teams up with a mapmaker to journey to the top of the mountain where secrets, monsters and truths will be revealed. Elements of horror and fantasy intertwine in this book, and while it is YA, it does cover some deeper emotions that will have you invested in the story.

  • “She was half a wild creature that loved a graveyard, the first taste of misty night air, and the heft of a shovel. She knew how things died. And in her darkest moments, she feared she did not know how to live.”

• A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross: Based loosely on Celtic mythology, this series (it is a duology, yay!) has become one of my favorites of all time. This book is like a beautiful tapestry woven with mystical imagery, world building, magic system, character dynamics and storytelling. It follows Jack who can play a magic harp and Adaira who becomes the leader of the small island on which they live. We also meet Sidra, an herbalist and healer, and Torin, a warrior. This is a world where the wind is a living thing, listening and carrying gossip on the wind. Woven tartans and enchanted weapons protect its people. Earth, air, wind and fire all have their hands in the affairs of the locals. But on the island are two divided communities and when girls start disappearing from Jack and Adaira’s side of the island, they must work together to get them back. The story is soft like a lullaby: enchanting and mysterious as a song on the midnight wind.

  • “Two girls now unaccounted for, and Sidra imagined them being claimed by the folk. She wondered if a girl could become a tree, no longer aging in mortal ways but by seasons. Could a girl become a wildflower patch, resurrected every spring and summer only to wilt and fade come the sting of frost? Could she become the foam of the sea that rolled over the coast for eternity, or a flame that danced in a hearth? A winged being of the wind, sighing over the hills? Could she be returned to her human family after such a life, and if so, would she even remember her parents, her human memories, her mortal name?”

• Kingdom Animalia by Aracelis Girmay: This beautiful collection of poems is both elegy (a lament for the dead) and a celebration of the living. They are ideal reflections for this season when the veil between both worlds are thin. They are about the animate state of all things, from the ocean to a jukebox. As the description says: “In these poems, everything possesses a system of desire, hunger, a set of teeth, and language. These are poems about what is both difficult and beautiful about our time here on earth.” I love reading a poem or two in the small moments when I have time for meditation, journaling or just reflecting on the nature of this season.

  • “Trust the mud is you, / & the soft, silver afro of the dandelion. / Trust the grass-whistle might be / your speech, high as the whistle / of the whale. Trust / we’ll know your shape, whatever species / in your answers when we put our faces / to the dirt & call you by / your old & human name.”

• Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See: Tan Yunxian is the MC of this story set in 15th century China as she is taught by her grandmother (one of the few female doctors at the time) the art of Chinese medicine and its Four Pillars: looking, listening, touching and asking. The best part of this story is that Yunxian was actually a real woman whose remedies still persist in today’s TCM practices. But this is not a biography, this reads as a historical fiction novel and completely immerses you in the culture and time of the Ming Dynasty. We follow Yunxian through her struggles to be both midwife and doctor to help women of all walks of life, despite the constraints of society. It is rich in medical knowledge which as an herbalist I love, but it also highlights the power of female friendships.

  • “I always think about the tie between emotions and the body. Fierce joy attacks yang; fierce anger damages yin. If I were to write a book, I’d want to include Liver-related conditions that are affected by the different types of anger we women must hide from our husbands, mothers-in-law, and concubines. And then there are the ailments connected to Lung emotions—sadness and worry.”

• Some free reads: One of my favorite things is to scour the internet for free public domain books. These are usually written in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. For the witching season, I suggest The Shadow Witch (a light short story about a witch, an adventure and a romance), The Eerie Book (a collection of spooky short stories from authors such as Edgar Allen Poe and Hans Anderson), and The Casket of Poetical Gems (a collection of poems on the act of decay, perfect for reading by candlelight).

Lastly, thank you as always for being here and coming along with me on this journey as I slowly shift focus to writing and connecting more in this space. It just feels good!

Much love,

Val

---

An invitation

What are you reading right now? Leave a comment with your favorite autumn reads to add to this list. Or let me know if you’ve ready any of the ones I’ve mentioned. I would love to know what you thought of them.

---

If you want to move deeper into a seasonal land-based life, consider pre-ordering my 2024 edition of the Lunica Planner. Because learning to live in tune with the land doesn’t come from grand gestures or life-altering shifts, but rather from daily routines, devotions and observations of the land and how we relate to it.

This yearly planner weaves seasonal land-based practices with modern living so that you can live more intentionally and presently within every season of your life. It was created for the plant people, the land lovers, the gardeners, and the seekers to plan their lives around the rhythms of the earth as our ancestors have for thousands of years. More than just a planner, Lunica is a practical yet spiritual guide to living, working, gardening, and celebrating in tune with the ever-shifting world around us.

Purchasing a planner also helps support this publication!

---

Share this post with your plant friends!

---

And if you’re not already subscribed to The Medicine Garden, sign up to receive more plant love directly to your inbox. No spam, just an herbalist and gardener sharing her stories.