"Resilience isn’t about fighting the storm, my little bloom. It’s about learning to grow in it."
-Wise Woman of the Veil

The Brave Bumble Fairy

The storm outside raged on as Thistle stared ahead at her wilting, weeping flower box. Her once blooming garden was all but destroyed as the petals drooped under the weight of the raindrops, the strongest petals still torn to shreds by vicious winds. With every sharp thunderclap, her heart pounded just as fiercely. Only after a moment did she realize that the faint pounding wasn’t just in her ears- but a tiny knock at her cabin door.

Breaking her trance, she rushed to greet the visitor outside. “It must be especially urgent” she thought “for anyone to be outside on a day like this.” As she opened the door she was surprised to find no-one there. “Curse my pounding heart!” she muttered. Until she heard a faint but pleading cry from down below.

“Down here, Miss Guardian!” the little voice squeaked.

She tried to ignore the burning of her ears from being addressed so formally. Even after all this time, hearing her title still sent a strange mix of pride and fear through her. All thoughts of her soon left her mind at the sight of her unlikely visitor. A small bumble fairy worker bee, drenched to the bone and with wings fully waterlogged, knelt on Thistle’s front stoop, using what little strength she had left. Thistle moved so fast she nearly bumped her chin on the doorknob. She dropped to her knees as the fairy heaved herself onto her carefully outstretched palm, using the last of her might.. The bee barely managed a whisper:

"Please, Thistle… The Queen—you're the only one who can…" The fairy's voice trailed off as she crumpled in Thistle’s palm, faint from the strain.

Thistle took a sharp breath, trying to swallow her panic as she scooped up the delicate Bumble and rushed inside. Thankfully, the worker bee was small enough to fit inside the teacup that sat near the brewing pot by the fireplace. She quickly filled it with cotton napkins and doilies to serve as blankets, making a makeshift bed. Then, she carefully placed the cup by the fire, ensuring a safe distance for the worn-out worker’s wings to dry.

She then sat restlessly, staring at the cooling pot of tea. Looking at the poor, sleeping Bumble, she steadfastly decided it would be better to search for her Grimoire.

______________________________________________________

The little Bumble woke with a start, half expecting to still be caught in the thundering rain. Relieved, she instead found herself in Thistle’s warm cottage, wrapped in soft cloth with wings and tufts that were fully (finally) dry.

“I’m glad to see you awake!” Thistle said excitedly, looking up from her ornate Grimoire. The cover of the book was decorated in pressed flowers, and ordained with sigils that the Bumble fairy barely recognized. However impressive, the sight of the flowers made the little fairy wilt as she remembered her predicament.

"Oh, Miss Guardian Rose," she started sheepishly, "I hate to intrude while I know you have a Glade to tend to, one that I'm sure is already full of problems…” she bumbled “but it’s the colony. We’re starving. The nectar in the flowers has been diluted by the rain, if we’re lucky to find any at all. The Queen is unable to produce honey with what little we can find. I overheard her crying to herself, terrified of failing us. I don’t know what she- what any of us would do if we lost-”At this point, she could no longer speak through her sobs. Thistle, heartbroken, reached out a hand to nestle her close. She cupped her in the space between her shoulder and cheek, careful to be gentle—offering a cave of support.

“We’ll save them.” She comforted “This is well within my expertise.”

She could feel the relief, and the gentle movements of the tiny Fairy wiping her eyes. She sat her up on her shoulder, and closed her eyes. She focused on her teachings and asked the Glade for guidance, gently shuffling through the book until her finger caught on a dog-eared entry.A page on The Chariot from her tarot teachings—reminiscent of a day they studied resilience. In it was a note from the Wise Woman of the Veil “Resilience isn’t about fighting the storm, my little bloom. It’s about learning to grow in it." It was then she suddenly knew what to do.

“Wait here!” She said to the little fairy, placing her back in the cup before shoving on her rain boots and coat, making sure to tuck her Grimiore where it couldn’t get wet. (She later remembered it was enchanted against Spring Rain, but at least she had tried.)

She whisked herself to the greenhouse and selected the biggest pot of primrose she could find. She held it in front of her, admiring the blossoms before closing her eyes and focusing on her intention. Pulling out the book, she breathed life into the blooms, chanting:

“Rain may fall and winds may call,

But roots run deep and stand up tall.

Petals bend, but never break,

Drink the storm, with strength you’ll wake.”

She felt the temperature shift. She took in the growing smells around her. She heard the whisper of an accepted petition in the wind and slowly opened her eyes.The flowers now glowed softly, twinkling like dewdrops at daybreak. They cried out for water, and she obliged.

As soon as the water touched the flower’s petals, they began to shake - much like a dog after a shower- before their faint glow grew tenfold. Now the light looked as bright as a lantern, and the flowers were as golden as sunlight.She rushed inside with the enchanted flowers. Their nectar would now replenish with every drop of rain, ensuring the colony’s survival.

🍯Honey-Butter Biscuits🥐🧈

Homemade magic in every fluffy sweet and savory bite

Recipe:

Recipe Information

Total Time: ~25–30 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Dawn’s First Light – Breakfast & Morning Feasts

🥗 Dietary Information

✅ Vegetarian
✅ Easily customizable with gluten-free or dairy-free options
❌ Contains Dairy (unless swapped)
❌ Contains Gluten (unless GF flour used)

🌿 Ingredients

• 🌿 2 cups all-purpose flour – Foundation and form, grounding and softening
• 🌿 1 tbsp baking powder – Lift and lightness
• 🌿 ½ tsp baking soda – Balance and rise
• 🌿 1 tsp salt – Purification and flavor amplifier
• 🌿 ½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cubed – Comfort, richness, and golden magic
• 🌿 ¾ cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice – DIY buttermilk; brings tang, transformation, and tenderness
• 🌿 2 tbsp honey – Sweetness and healing; choose any honey from the Reader’s Realm, but for an extra touch of magic, use local honey from your farmer’s market to help beat seasonal allergies

🔪 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).

2. In a small bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice. Let sit for 5–10 minutes to curdle into DIY buttermilk.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Once the buttermilk is ready, stir in 2 tbsp honey to make the “honeyed buttermilk.”

5. Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients using your fingers, a fork, or a pastry cutter, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

6. Pour in the honeyed buttermilk and stir just until combined—don’t overmix.

7. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pat it into a round about ¾-inch thick.

8. Fold the dough in half and pat it down again. Repeat this fold-and-pat process 3–4 times to create buttery layers.

9. Use a cutter (heart, flower, or even a jar) to cut out your biscuits and place them close together on a baking sheet.

10. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until golden and puffed.

11. As soon as they come out of the oven, brush generously with melted honey butter.
    Add a second layer just before serving for extra shine and sweetness.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• When you're drying your wings by the fire after a long day in the garden
• With a floral tea steeped in sunbeams and stories
• Beside a cup of warm, honeyed milk that tastes like it came from the morning dew
• When the enchanted honey comes from endless blooms and the company of bumblebee fairies is near
• In the soft glow of a golden hour kitchen, where everything rises with love