Personally I love these transition points of the year. As a child not so much. A Leo, I looked forward only to summer. I was a sun loving baby spending most of every year at the beach, hating the end of the season. By my twenties I learned to embrace the joys to be had in every season. And now in my 50’s I thrive at these pivots! I look forward to what is possible with each coming season whether it is the planning of a new garden or embracing the activities that come with the darker times of the year. Like waking up to a fire in the wood stove in Autumn
This year there was a snap and summer was done. We have been so busy over the last couple weeks harvesting and processing plants of all sorts from the garden and from foraging. I increased my medicinal herbs 5 fold this year and there are just so many places I have to dry herbs in this moist climate. We also increased our vegetable growing space and I have found it is time to invest in a new freezer. We will be eating wonderful bean soups this year! 
As I age I actually find myself feeling stretched at the end of a season, especially the end of summer. I know the activities will change with the cooling weather of Autumn and I just want to get there, embrace it, fully immerse myself in wool and reading and hot mugs of tea. Now that it has arrived I am almost giddy with putting the garden to bed (I still haven’t quite finished that chore).
In the Chicken Coop all kinds of new things are brewing…
Quite literally. A little over a year ago I began exploring Alchemy and the teachings of Paracelsus. I’m not planning to create a Philosopher’s Stone, but I do embrace the medical teachings and philosophies of this visionary thinker. I’m in the last group of students to go through the basic Spagyrics class in the school I’ve been attending here in Oregon. It will be another year before you see these new tinctures in the shop, but I’ll be talking about the process a bit more this year. I find it fascinating! And there is another great school here in Oregon that is currently enrolling if you feel called to this type of creating. Each teacher approaches this work slightly differently, but all embrace the teachings and philosophy of this lineage.
I had hoped to enter the Autumn season with a festival of health, wellness and magic. But as I looked for a Portland venue that was reasonably priced I found it impossible for a small group of vendors to make a decent profit. I’m still looking for a space that can host seasonal events. If you know of one or have a space you’d like to offer up get in touch. In the meantime I offer you an open house in the Chicken Coop. Not a full on party, but an individual invitation. I had planned on a summer fest with classes on the mountain, but once I had my little Chicken Coop filled there wasn’t a lot of room for many guests. We have plans for an outdoor space in the future. But in the meantime I want you to come visit! Let me make you some helpful remedies. Sit with the plants (they are out there even in the rain). Spend a few hours sipping tea and talking about how you can live a fuller life. These 3-4 hour visits begin at $50 and you go home with at least four custom items. Anything from potions/tea/essences/a plant/a stone/a chicken (just kidding)/a lotion/bath salts/whatever is right for you at this time. Can’t make it to the mountain? Let’s do this virtually. I just sent out a custom package for someone that gave me a mission and a budget. I do these all the time for several people in my life and I’d love to create for you too. If we haven’t talked about what you want to work on I have a questionnaire I send out to help me get to know you a bit better. We begin a file that is added to over time. I personally love receiving a surprise package in the mail. And I find that we each need to have products tweeted just for us.
Coming up soon! The Podcast returns…for reals. Also, hoping to have the new online shop up early next month. I have officially handed over management of my kitchen so I have much more mental space for all the projects. I am still working at the restaurant every weekend during brunch. Come have breakfast with me (a great place to pick up products so you don’t have to pay shipping). I started baking again and I’m not quite ready to give that up (bagels, brioche, biscuits, jammers, ginger cakes). It was the mental space I needed to fully immerse in the business of building the Chicken Coop Botanical brand. The making of products is the easy part;)
Here now! This most precious fairy child 
Our first grandchild was born at the end of August. Her actual due date has not yet arrived so it has been an interesting limbo time for all of us. You’ll see miss Fae Adele from time to time. She is lucky to have a village of love surrounding her now and always.
Chicken Coop Botanicals 