43 The Road Was Full of Company

46 The Sun in a Bottle| St John's Wort at the Summer Solstice

This week, the queen of the solstice finally has her hour. St. John's Wort blooms right at Midsummer — and she's no ordinary summer flower. Come out to the garden with me and meet her properly: the little windows in her leaves that let the light pass through, the red oil that bleeds from her golden flowers like captured sun-fire, and the centuries-old ritual that turns her into "the sun in a bottle" on a hot windowsill. We'll wander through the old folklore of the longest day — the hilltop fires, the dressed wells, the dew gathered at dawn, the thin night when the fairies come through — and I'll show you how this one golden plant stood at every doorway and over every cradle as the year's great protector. Then we'll look up at Monday's new moon, six quiet days before the solstice, and the gentle work of rest, release, and reset it offers right before the year hands us its longest light. Put the kettle on. The gate is open, and the light is long. ✍️ Join my Newsletter! Each Friday, a letter arrives from the garden — seasonal stories, herbal wisdom, and the quiet rhythms of the Celtic year. You'll be the first to hear about new offerings, upcoming classes, and hands-on workshops. And every month, subscribers get the topic and the link for our free Zoom circle, where we gather to learn and linger together. This Sunday (June 21, 2026) at 2 PM EST, we're welcoming the Summer Solstice together — a free Zoom gathering to honor the longest day. The link lives in the newsletter, so subscribe and I'll send it to you on the Friday before the event. Bring your tea. It's a slow, unhurried corner of the internet. Come as you are. https://thenewenglandherbary.com/join/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/join/] 🌿 Herbs & Favorite Tools (affiliate links — thank you for supporting this work) Herbs featured in this Show: 1. Saint John's Wort Dried Herb https://amzn.to/4emt6Vk [https://amzn.to/4emt6Vk] 2. Organic Yarrow Flower Tea https://amzn.to/49VSyzY [https://amzn.to/49VSyzY] 3. Lavender Journal: Notebook https://amzn.to/4xLAWRF [https://amzn.to/4xLAWRF] My favorite tea-making tools: BAYKA French Press Coffee Maker, https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH [https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH] Cold Brew Coffee Filter for Wide Mouth Mason Jar, https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L [https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L] Heat-proof wide-mouth mason jars https://amzn.to/4pNflmq [https://amzn.to/4pNflmq] 📚Bookstore - Brenda J. Sullivan Books https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/ 🌱 My Garden Journal – A How-To Garden Book for Kids Because every gardener starts with a single seed — and a little curiosity. My Garden Journal is part how-to guide, part creative keepsake, designed to help children (and their grown-ups) learn the basics of growing food and flowers while documenting their journey. Inside you'll find: * Simple planting guidance * Space for drawings, photos, and notes * Imaginative themed gardens (Harry Potter Herb Garden, Young Chef's Garden, Monarch Butterfly Garden) Perfect for homeschooling families, budding herbalists, and anyone who wants to grow confidence by growing plants. ✨ You'll be amazed at how much you — and your garden — grow when you take time to journal the journey. 🌿 Work With Me 🌙 Herbal Consultations (Now Open) Root your wellness in the wisdom of the plants — and the stars. My one-on-one consultations offer gentle, grounded guidance rooted in traditional herbalism, vitalist principles, and (if you wish) astrology. Each session begins with listening. 👉 Learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page [https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page] ☕ Buy Me a Cup of Tea If this story brought you comfort, you can support the channel here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg [https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg] 🎶 Music Credits A heartfelt thank you to Alexander Nakarada for the music featured in this story. I am a Patreon supporter of Alexander's work. 🎼 Song: Planning - 320bit - September 5, 2021 🔗 https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ [https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/] 🌿 Stay Connected Website: https://thenewenglandherbary.com/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/] Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr [https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744] The New England Herbary is a project of Thompson Street Farm LLC. https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/ [https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/] 💬 I'd love to hear how this story landed for you. Feel free to share your reflections in the comments.

45 The Pollinator's Sermon | Tending Here While Holding the Dream

"The garden you have is already worth returning to. Tend it well." Brenda J. Sullivan In this episode of The New England Herbary, I share a small, unexpected moment from my deck garden in Connecticut — a hummingbird hovering at the edge of the hose spray, drinking from the mist, then coming back for more. That quiet visit became the sermon for this week's episode. As we move into June and the sun climbs toward the Summer Solstice, I sit with the pollinators' oldest teaching: show up to what is blooming, tend it completely, and trust that the garden you have — not the one you're dreaming toward — is already worth returning to. This week's herbs are chamomile — blooming now, beloved by bees, and one of the most useful plants in the kitchen herbalist's cabinet — and a first introduction to St. John's Wort, the queen of the solstice, waking up along the sunny field edges ahead of her full episode next week. Topics include: the Druidic tradition of the bees as messengers between worlds, the Saxon sacred herb Maythen, five simple ways to work with chamomile at home, and what the approach to Litha is asking of us this June. ✍️ Join my Newsletter! Each Friday, a letter arrives from the garden — seasonal stories, herbal wisdom, and the quiet rhythms of the Celtic year. You'll be the first to hear about new offerings, upcoming classes, and hands-on workshops. And every month, subscribers get the topic and the link for our free Zoom circle, where we gather to learn and linger together. It's a slow, unhurried corner of the internet. Come as you are. https://thenewenglandherbary.com/join/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/join/] 🌿 Herbs & Favorite Tools (affiliate links — thank you for supporting this work) Herbs featured in this Show: 1. Dried Chamomile Flowers https://amzn.to/4xdFTlM [https://amzn.to/4xdFTlM] 2. Flex Aeroponic Vertical Growing Tower (I am in love with my grow tower!!!) https://amzn.to/49FGDWS [https://amzn.to/49FGDWS] 3. Budget Friendly- Vertical Hydroponic Tower Garden Growing System - Indoor Planter Kit https://amzn.to/4x82IqV [https://amzn.to/4x82IqV] 4. Rolling Elevated Raised Garden Bed-V Series, 2' x 8' Garden Beds with Legs (This is a great option if you don't have ground to grow in) https://amzn.to/3RSsWOb [https://amzn.to/3RSsWOb] My favorite tea-making tools: BAYKA French Press Coffee Maker, https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH [https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH] Cold Brew Coffee Filter for Wide Mouth Mason Jar, https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L [https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L] Heat-proof wide-mouth mason jars https://amzn.to/4pNflmq [https://amzn.to/4pNflmq] 📚Bookstore - Brenda J. Sullivan Books https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/ 🌱 My Garden Journal – A How-To Garden Book for Kids Because every gardener starts with a single seed — and a little curiosity. My Garden Journal is part how-to guide, part creative keepsake, designed to help children (and their grown-ups) learn the basics of growing food and flowers while documenting their journey. Inside you'll find: * Simple planting guidance * Space for drawings, photos, and notes * Imaginative themed gardens (Harry Potter Herb Garden, Young Chef's Garden, Monarch Butterfly Garden) Perfect for homeschooling families, budding herbalists, and anyone who wants to grow confidence by growing plants. ✨ You'll be amazed at how much you — and your garden — grow when you take time to journal the journey. 🌿 Work With Me 🌙 Herbal Consultations (Now Open) Root your wellness in the wisdom of the plants — and the stars. My one-on-one consultations offer gentle, grounded guidance rooted in traditional herbalism, vitalist principles, and (if you wish) astrology. Each session begins with listening. 👉 Learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page [https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page] ☕ Buy Me a Cup of Tea If this story brought you comfort, you can support the channel here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg [https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg] 🎶 Music Credits A heartfelt thank you to Alexander Nakarada for the music featured in this story. I am a Patreon supporter of Alexander's work. 🎼 Song: Planning - 320bit - September 5, 2021 🔗 https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ [https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/] 🌿 Stay Connected Website: https://thenewenglandherbary.com/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/] Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr [https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744] The New England Herbary is a project of Thompson Street Farm LLC. https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/ [https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/]

44 Once in a Blue Moon

Once in a Blue Moon: A Lunar Infusion for the Rarest Night of the Year On the night of May 30–31, 2026, three rare things converged in the same sky: a Blue Moon, a micromoon, and an occultation of Antares — the ancient heart-star of the Scorpion. In this episode, we follow the phrase "once in a blue moon" all the way back to its origins, from a 1528 anti-clerical pamphlet to a 1946 magazine misprint that changed the definition forever. We explore the Celtic lunisolar calendar, the intercalary moon that belonged to no festival, and the Irish folk practice of bringing the sick to a lake on the sixth night of a full moon so the reflected moonlight could touch them. And we close with a simple lunar infusion — mugwort, vervain, and rose — three herbs that have kept company with the moon for as long as anyone has been watching the sky. Herbs featured in this Show: 1. Mugwort Dried Herb https://amzn.to/4dZOP5D 2. Vervain Dried Herb https://amzn.to/4fifTz8 3. Rose Dried Herb https://amzn.to/3SbYrCJ My favorite tea-making tools: BAYKA French Press Coffee Maker, https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH Cold Brew Coffee Filter for Wide Mouth Mason Jar, https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L Heat proof wide mouth mason jars https://amzn.to/4pNflmq 📚Bookstore - Brenda J. Sullivan Books https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/ 🌱 My Garden Journal – A How-To Garden Book for Kids Because every gardener starts with a single seed — and a little curiosity. My Garden Journal is part how-to guide, part creative keepsake, designed to help children (and their grown-ups) learn the basics of growing food and flowers while documenting their journey. Inside you'll find: * Simple planting guidance * Space for drawings, photos, and notes * Imaginative themed gardens (Harry Potter Herb Garden, Young Chef's Garden, Monarch Butterfly Garden) Perfect for homeschooling families, budding herbalists, and anyone who wants to grow confidence by growing plants. ✨ You'll be amazed at how much you — and your garden — grow when you take time to journal the journey. 🌿 Work With Me 🌙 Herbal Consultations (Now Open) Root your wellness in the wisdom of the plants — and the stars. My one-on-one consultations offer gentle, grounded guidance rooted in traditional herbalism, vitalist principles, and (if you wish) astrology. Each session begins with listening. 👉 Learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page [https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page] ☕ Buy Me a Cup of Tea If this story brought you comfort, you can support the channel here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg [https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg] 🎶 Music Credits A heartfelt thank you to Alexander Nakarada for the music featured in this story. I am a Patreon supporter of Alexander's work. 🎼 Song: Planning - 320bit - September 5, 2021 🔗 https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ [https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/] 🌿 Stay Connected Website: https://thenewenglandherbary.com/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/] Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr [https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744] Thompson Street Farm LLC is the parent company of the New England Herbary: https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/ [https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/] 💬 I'd love to hear how this story landed for you. Feel free to share your reflections in the comments.

43 The Road Was Full of Company

This week's episode is about my nine-day solo road trip to the North Carolina mountains and the Wild Abundance women's carpentry workshop — and I'm bringing the stories home with me. A bear at the threshold of a remote Virginia campsite. A cardinal singing at every window, every morning. A small brown bunny in an Appalachian garden. A circle of women under a timber-and-beam pavilion learning to use a chop saw. And one quiet plant — purple dead-nettle — walking the road alongside me. For more information about Wild Abundance in North Carolina https://www.wildabundance.net/ [https://For%20more%20information%20about%20Wild%20Abundance%20in%20North%20Carolina%20%20https//www.wildabundance.net/] 🌿 Herbs & Favorite Tools (affiliate links — thank you for supporting this work) Herbs featured in this Show: 1. White Dead Nettle Leaf Tea https://amzn.to/3PO0Xyi [https://amzn.to/3PO0Xyi] 2. Purple Dead-Nettle (Lamium purpureum) Packet of 50 seeds https://amzn.to/3PO0Xyi [https://amzn.to/3PO0Xyi] 3. Organic Herbal Oil for Skin | 2oz | Premium Organic Purple Dead Nettle Oil - Natural Face & Body Oil https://amzn.to/4dA5Hjb [https://amzn.to/4dA5Hjb] My favorite tea-making tools: BAYKA French Press Coffee Maker, https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH [https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH] Cold Brew Coffee Filter for Wide Mouth Mason Jar, https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L [https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L] Heat-proof wide-mouth mason jars https://amzn.to/4pNflmq [https://amzn.to/4pNflmq] Walk the seasons with me — join my weekly newsletter at thenewenglandherbary.com. 📚Bookstore - Brenda J. Sullivan Books https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/ [https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/] 🌱 My Garden Journal – A How-To Garden Book for Kids Because every gardener starts with a single seed — and a little curiosity. My Garden Journal is part how-to guide, part creative keepsake, designed to help children (and their grown-ups) learn the basics of growing food and flowers while documenting their journey. Inside you'll find: * Simple planting guidance * Space for drawings, photos, and notes * Imaginative themed gardens (Harry Potter Herb Garden, Young Chef's Garden, Monarch Butterfly Garden) Perfect for homeschooling families, budding herbalists, and anyone who wants to grow confidence by growing plants. ✨ You'll be amazed at how much you — and your garden — grow when you take time to journal the journey. 🌿 Work With Me 🌙 Herbal Consultations (Now Open) Root your wellness in the wisdom of the plants — and the stars. My one-on-one consultations offer gentle, grounded guidance rooted in traditional herbalism, vitalist principles, and (if you wish) astrology. Each session begins with listening. 👉 Learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page [https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page] ☕ Buy Me a Cup of Tea If this story brought you comfort, you can support the channel here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg [https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg] 🎶 Music Credits A heartfelt thank you to Alexander Nakarada for the beautiful music featured in this episode. Alexander is a gifted musician whose work I have long admired — and I am proud to support him as a Patreon member. 🎼 Song: Planning - 320bit - September 5, 2021 🔗 https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ [https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/] 🌿 Stay Connected Website: https://thenewenglandherbary.com/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/] Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr [https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744]

42 At the Gate of the Year

I was on the road last week when I recorded this episode. I was hoping to post this on Friday May 1st, but I couldn't make it happen. So it's a few days late and that's okay, because we've arrived at the great Celtic gate — Beltane, the fire festival that opens the light half of the year. May 1st, with the sun newly in Taurus, Uranus freshly in Gemini, and the hawthorn just beginning to bloom, I will walk you through the old threshold of the year and the gentle rituals that carry us across it. In this episode, we explore: * Beltane as one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year (with Samhain as its mirror) * The old bonfire tradition of the Bel-tene — the bright fire — and what it means for us now * How the daily rhythms of April ripen into the rituals of Beltane * Hawthorn as the Beltane tree and the plant of the heart's threshold * Red Clover as a Venus plant, a Taurus herb, and a gentle ally for women in midlife crossings * The Sun in Taurus, the First Quarter Moon, and the historic ingress of Uranus into Gemini * The Scottish and Irish May Dew ritual — how women on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh greeted May morning for centuries, and how you can practice this old blessing yourself * The kinship between the May Dew, Bach Flower Remedies, and modern moon water — all descending from the same ancient intuition Source acknowledgment: Thank you to Scarlett McQuillan of Linked Magazine for her lovely piece on the Celtic May Dew ritual at Arthur's Seat, which reminded me of this beautiful tradition. You can find her article at http://linkedmagazine.co.uk/celtic-ritual-may-dew/ [http://linkedmagazine.co.uk/celtic-ritual-may-dew/] 🌿 Herbs & Favorite Tools (affiliate links — thank you for supporting this work) Herbs featured in this Show: 1. Dried Hawthorn Berries https://amzn.to/4cSCy20 2. Dried Red Clover Blossoms https://amzn.to/49kmlSf My favorite tea-making tools: BAYKA French Press Coffee Maker, https://amzn.to/4r4LYNH Cold Brew Coffee Filter for Wide Mouth Mason Jar, https://amzn.to/4qWQr4L Heat-proof wide-mouth mason jars https://amzn.to/4pNflmq 📚Bookstore - Brenda J. Sullivan Books https://www.brendajsullivanbooks.com/ 🌱 My Garden Journal – A How-To Garden Book for Kids Because every gardener starts with a single seed — and a little curiosity. My Garden Journal is part how-to guide, part creative keepsake, designed to help children (and their grown-ups) learn the basics of growing food and flowers while documenting their journey. Inside you'll find: * Simple planting guidance * Space for drawings, photos, and notes * Imaginative themed gardens (Harry Potter Herb Garden, Young Chef's Garden, Monarch Butterfly Garden) Perfect for homeschooling families, budding herbalists, and anyone who wants to grow confidence by growing plants. ✨ You'll be amazed at how much you — and your garden — grow when you take time to journal the journey. 🌿 Work With Me 🌙 Herbal Consultations (Now Open) Root your wellness in the wisdom of the plants — and the stars. My one-on-one consultations offer gentle, grounded guidance rooted in traditional herbalism, vitalist principles, and (if you wish) astrology. Each session begins with listening. 👉 Learn more here: https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page [https://mailchi.mp/351efb18cd6b/one-on-one-consultations-landing-page] 🌿 Join Me on Patreon Support this work and receive exclusive herbal & holistic content ✨ Membership includes:✔ Monthly herbal & lunar insights✔ DIY recipes & printable guides✔ Free class replays✔ Bi-annual personalized herbal consultations (Tier 3) Membership can be as little as a cup of coffee ☕️ 👉 Join here: https://patreon.com/ThompsonStreetFarm?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink ♈ FREE Zodiac Herbs Guide Unlock the secrets of personalized wellness with my free Zodiac Herbs Guide. https://www.brendajsullivanteach.com/zodiacherbguidefreebieor [https://www.brendajsullivanteach.com/zodiacherbguidefreebieor] ☕ Buy Me a Cup of Tea If this story brought you comfort, you can support the channel here: https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg [https://buymeacoffee.com/thompsonstg] 🎶 Music Credits A heartfelt thank you to Alexander Nakarada for the beautiful music featured in this episode. Alexander is a gifted musician whose work I have long admired — and I am proud to support him as a Patreon member. 🎼 Song: Planning - 320bit - September 5, 2021 🔗 https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ [https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/] 🌿 Stay Connected Website: https://thenewenglandherbary.com/ [https://thenewenglandherbary.com/] Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr [https://youtube.com/@thenewenglandherbary?si=f7_MB0XEz0vn0Xr] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewenglandherbary/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578148227744] Thompson Street Farm LLC is the parent company of the New England Herbary: https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/ [https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/] 💬 I'd love to hear how this story landed for you. Feel free to share your reflections in the comments.