Festival Preparations

“Even the tip of my tail is tired,” Mermaid Calypso muttered under her breath, her scales salty from the exertions of the day. Nonetheless, it was a satisfactory one.

Summer hadn’t started yet, but there was still so much to do in its preparation. Tonight was the Festival of Fire, and she had been so busy helping the Maritimers with their woes and wishes for the season that she hadn’t yet had time to prepare anything for her contributions–no outfit or a proper meal. However, a Guardian’s duties are never over, even when they are caught in the off-season.

“Hold that thought…” she whispered to herself. She was so accustomed to her own company that she would often be caught speaking to her inner thoughts as if they were her wards. She strained her ears and let her hands wander into the water, her teal fingertips glowing faintly as she picked up the vibrations in the waves—a distress call.

She glanced toward the direction of her cave, aching for the chance to get started on preparations, but that would have to wait until the ocean was still. Instead, she secured her trident on her hip to free up her hand and took a deep breath, watching the bubbles float up on the exhale before tuning in to the sounds of distress. She’d learned from the dolphins how to follow the vibrations, and from the eels how to weave through the ocean's currents like a lure on a line.

As she swam, she deepened into an increasingly thick forest of seaweed until running into a Water Nymph in riding gear right in the heart of the vegetation, calling for help.

“Oh, Guardian!” she cried. “I thought nobody would be able to hear me through this thick wall of sea green.”

“I’m here. What’s wrong?” Calypso asked.

“It’s my water horse!” she exclaimed. “He’s caught in the seaweed and I have nothing sharp to cut it and get him out—lest I nick him instead.”

Calypso came closer, peering into the tall weeds to discover a distressed little water horse almost completely obscured by the wall of seaweed.

“Oh, you poor thing.” She consoled, “This shouldn’t take long, don’t worry.”

At first, she tried to approach with her trident, cutting away the seaweed that was between her and the horse. Upon closer inspection, she could see what the Water Nymph meant. Seaweed had bound so tightly around the horse’s two front legs while also wrapping around his tail with a grasp that would be hard to cut, especially with such a large and sharp trident.

This requires a bit of mermaid magic. Luckily, she had many tricks up her fin, stocked up from the seasons of rest.

Calypso glided back far enough where she could see the length of his body and the whole of the seaweed from root to stem.

She wrapped her fingers tightly around each other, watching the teal tips glow faintly, connecting to the water floating in between the knots and gaps of each twist and turn in the bramble.

With closed eyes, she became the current, focusing on pushing gently away from the horse, creating space between his hard, rocky skin and the smooth and slippery weeds.

She opened her eyes quickly and pulled her fingers apart in a burst, a pocket of space opening up around every loop that was once tightly coiled around the horse.

Seizing his chance, he freed himself, braying in delight, proceeding to tackle her playfully and gently. This embrace was joined by his handler, whom he galloped around, creating a mini whirlpool of bubbles, relief clear on his face.

“Thank you so much, Guardian! That was beautiful,” the Nymph exclaimed.

“You can just call me Calypso. And I’m just doing what the ocean needs of me. I’m happy to help.”

“Calypso. Well… even still, please take this. I have plenty more on my wagon.”

The Nymph presented fresh and sparkling starry flounder in perfect condition. Calypso smiled, looking around at the fresh cuts of now enchanted seaweed floating around them.

“Thank you for this. It looks like I’m not the only one saving the day.”

The Festival of Fire went on without a hitch, and Calypso’s sushi bites were the talk of the Maritimers when it came time to feast—perfectly savory and sparkly because of the starry flounder and enchanted seaweed, and the salt of a Guardian’s job well done.

They sang, danced, and the merriment went well into the morning… cries of laughter nearly masking cries just beyond the water’s edge.

Sushi Bites 🍣🔱

Bonus: Sushi Bake!

Recipe

Recipe Information

Total Time: ~30–40 minutes
Skill Level: Intermediate
Category: Bites – Appetizers & Small Bites

🥗 Dietary Information
✅ Can be made Dairy-Free
✅ Can be made Gluten-Free (with GF hoisin and soy sauces)
⚠ Contains Fish (tuna, imitation crab)
⚠ Contains Seaweed (nori)
⚠ Contains Spices and Potential Allergens (mayo, hoisin, furikake)

Ingredients

🌊 Nori sheets, cut to fit in muffin tins – For protection, boundaries, and oceanic strength
🍚 Sushi rice, cooked – For grounding, care, and devotion to the process
🦀 Imitation crab, diced – For abundance and versatility
🐟 Tuna packet (or other fish of choice) – For transformation and adaptability
🥄 Mayonnaise – To bind and soften, bringing richness and union
🌶️ Spices of choice, hot sauce – For fire, energy, and forward momentum
🍯 Hoisin sauce – For sweetness, depth, and harmony
✨ Furikake – For umami magic, sprinkle of sea and sesame

Instructions

1. Prepare the Nori & Rice
   Cut nori into squares and crisscross 2–3 pieces in each section of a muffin tin to cover the base and sides.
   Cook sushi rice until sticky and fragrant.
   Spoon rice into the nori-lined tins. Treat it like a spell—press intention into every grain.
2. Make the Toppings
   – Crab Mix: Dice imitation crab, mix with mayo, hoisin, spices, and hot sauce.
   – Tuna Mix: Mix tuna packet with mayo and sushi-friendly seasonings.
   Spoon a bit of each mixture onto different rice bases to create two kinds of bites.
3. Bake Lightly
   Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5–10 minutes. Just enough to help the nori grab the rice and firm the base.
4. Finish with Flair
   Top each bite with your favorite sauces (hoisin, sriracha, spicy mayo) and a generous sprinkle of furikake.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• As part of a shared spread, with hands reaching and laughter blooming
• When you want sushi but need it to feel homemade, bite-sized, and warm
• With a dipping bowl of soy sauce and a soft breeze from the window
• In celebration of everyday magic, intention folded into each savory bite

Bonus Recipe: Sushi Bake

Total Time: ~30 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Bites – Appetizers & Small Bites

Ingredients

🍚 Extra sushi rice – Your soft, steady base
🌊 Nori sheets – For layering magic and sea-salt strength
🦀🐟 Prepared crab mix and tuna mix (from above)
🌿 Chopped green onions – For clarity and fresh insight
✨ Furikake – Sprinkled spells of flavor and finish

Assembly

1. In a small oven-safe dish, press a layer of sushi rice across the bottom.
2. Place a layer of nori on top of the rice.
3. Spread one type of fish mixture across the nori.
4. Add another layer of nori, then the second fish mixture.
5. Top with green onions and a generous sprinkle of furikake.
6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15–20 minutes, or until warmed through and fragrant.

Serve warm and scoopable, like a casserole made of stardust and seaside dreams.

🫐🥧Desserts remind me of poems—they’re short and sweet. Here is a poem written by a friend of the Dreamer in The Reader’s Realm.

About The Author 🫐🥧

Brian Sonia-Wallace has been called a “creative genius“ by the LA Department of Cultural Affairs and “disappointingly normal“ by the New York Times. His major work includes The Poetry of Strangers (essays), two chapbooks of poems, a dozen texts for choral songs, and writing in American Poets, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian. Brian is the fourth Poet Laureate of West Hollywood and an Academy of American Poets Fellow, as well as a Writer-in-Residence for Amtrak, Mall of America, Dollar Shave Club, the LA LGBT Center, the City of Los Angeles, and the National Parks. He teaches through the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. More at rentpoet.com & @rentpoet.

Website:  rentpoet.com

Blueberry Cobbler Cake 🫐🥧

Easy as pie and sweet as a cake

Recipe

Total Time: ~45 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Sweets & Treats – Cobblers and Cakes

🥗 Dietary Information
✅ Customizable (dairy-free butter & cake mix can be used)
❌ Contains Gluten
❌ Contains Dairy
⚠ Contains Refined Sugar

Ingredients

🫐 1 can blueberry pie filling or 1–2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries – For abundance, sweetness, and calm
🍬 Extra sugar – To sweeten memories and call in joy
🌰 Cinnamon – For warmth, protection, and magic in the everyday
🍰 ½ box yellow cake mix – For golden luck, ease, and comfort
🧈 1 stick (½ cup) butter, sliced – To bind, soothe, and enrich
🌟 Optional: more sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling on top – For sparkle, spice, and a little extra love

Instructions

1. Prep Your Filling
   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
   Pour blueberry pie filling into a pie tin.
   – Optional: Stir in extra sugar and cinnamon to taste.
   – If using fresh/frozen berries: Soak them overnight in sugar, then season with cinnamon.

2. Add Cake & Butter
   Sprinkle half the box of yellow cake mix evenly over the top of the berries.
   Dot the entire surface with slices of butter.
   Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar across the top layer.

3. Bake
   Bake for ~35 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown on top.
   Let cool slightly before serving.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• On a hot day with a scoop of ice cream, the kind that melts fast
• Shared under a shade tree or with the fan humming
• When you need something warm but easy, sweet but grounding
• With fingers sticky from joy and a quiet summer smile

Whispered Names

An entry from Thistle’s journal, from one of her past adventures.

Today's walk through the Glade was especially strange, and I feel compelled to rant about it here in my adventure journal.

Though I guess if this journal was made for the explicit purpose of documenting my adventures, then is it really even a rant? Probably not.

I digress.

I wanted to wildflower hunt today, as the picnic I packed was wildflower honey and peanut butter sandwiches. Thank you again to the Bear Bunch for giving me some of the extras from the Festival of Petals. Enchanting! I can’t get enough.

I just wanted to catch a few blooms, maybe whisper with the wind and dance in the breeze… You know? Typical Tuesday stuff.

At first, I was following the map, but when I got close to the fields, I felt the wind whisper first. I couldn’t quite make it out.

“Hello?” I said. “Who’s there?”

And the wind tried to whisper louder, but it just sounded like… wind! I guess that’s not the wind’s fault at all.

I couldn’t let her go unheard, and I knew that there would be flowers everywhere, especially after the Festival.

So off I went! Following the whisper in the wind. Quiter, quite, little whisper, louder, louder, and boom! The whispers are everywhere.

That’s when I looked down instead of following the trees.

The Meadow of Forgotten Names.

All asking to be remembered.

I don’t think I was prepared. Nor do I think I was meant to be. I wasn’t meant to be anything but there. It had been a while. I do feel bad now that I haven't been in a while.

So many names. Legend spoke of this place, where the wind whispered the names of the lost. But legend never mentioned the weight in the air, nor how the flowers swayed like a solemn dance, one broken only by careful footsteps as I wove through the winding paths. It was only a moment. A soft brush against my fingertips, no more than a butterfly’s kiss. Then the whisper in the wind finally cleared.

"Ember. Ember."

My blood ran cold. My eyes welled. Nostalgia washed over me in a crashing wave. I knew then that the field was misnamed. I had never forgotten. I never could.

I opened up my picnic basket and shared a picnic that I thought would be for me alone.

Recipe:

Wildflower Honey & Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Total Time: ~5 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Hearthside Comforts - Comfort Foods and Family Favorites

🥗 Dietary Information
✅ Vegetarian
✅ Easily Dairy-Free (if bread is made with oil)
✅ Protein-Rich
❌ Contains Nuts (peanut butter)
❌ Contains Gluten (in bread unless using a GF alternative)

Ingredients

🍞 2 slices of Milk and Honey Sandwich Bread – A homemade loaf imbued with warmth and sweetness
🥜 2 tbsp peanut butter – For grounding, strength, and protection
🍯 1 tbsp wildflower honey – For joy, heart-opening, and the magic of many blooms in one spoon

Instructions

1. Lay Out the Bread
   Use two fresh slices of Milk and Honey Sandwich Bread. Toast them lightly if desired for extra texture.

2. Spread the Peanut Butter
   Smooth a generous layer of peanut butter on one slice. Let its earthy magic ground the moment.

3. Drizzle the Honey
   Drizzle wildflower honey over the peanut butter—watch how it pools like liquid gold.

4. Assemble the Sandwich
   Place the second slice on top, press gently, and cut in half (diagonal for nostalgia, square for comfort).

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• On a quiet afternoon, in need of a soft reset
• Packed in a lunchbox with a love note
• With milk and memories, as a balm for a tough day
• When comfort is needed in its simplest, sweetest form

The New Day

Thistle woke gently on the new date for The Festival of Petals. She perked up her ears and, for the first time in her life, appreciated the sound of silence. No rain. Just the sound of birds and a warm, gentle breeze passing through the trees into her open window.

She turned to her nightstand to see a stunning bouquet sitting next to a warm cup of tea. Probably the work of her Brownie. A kind gesture for all the hardship she’d been enduring while guiding the Glade, but also a gentle reminder not to forget to bring him back leftovers from the feast. She took note and ensured herself she wouldn’t forget to bring back his favorite loaf.

Having already prepped a colorful array of ingredients the night before for her contribution to the potluck, she was pleased for the unhurried time ahead to prepare. She looked forward to wandering through the Glade. She longed to savor each moment, embracing the day’s enchanting spirit.

As she began cooking, she held intention in every stir, ensuring that every single ingredient had its place in her workings, ensuring she had enough for the well-deserving residents of the Glade to properly celebrate. Heating her stone fire stove outside was when she smelled the perfume in the breeze.

As the Pesto Pizza baked, she turned to face the Glade. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the scents of fresh greenery and life dancing with freshly blended basil and yesterday’s hand-picked aromatics. In previous years, she had taken these smells for granted, but now she recognized that they symbolized resilience, strength, community, and blessings. With a sigh, she wiped the tears of gratitude from her cheeks before heading inside to get ready.

As she walked toward the Field of Petals, she noticed a change in her stride. She moved with a confidence she had only seen in the other Guardians and Ma Violett. Strolling through the Glade’s many blooming nooks and crannies, she marveled at the vibrant abundance of flowers that now thrived because of the heavy rain threatened to destroy them. This sight filled her with an overwhelming sense of pride. She felt validated in her decision to postpone the Festival of Petals and was grateful that a brighter day had indeed arrived before the end of the spring season.

As she approached, she passed the Dryads who were setting up their braiding stations. They were smiling and appeared to be mostly healed, along with their home trees. The field was truly blossoming, with flowers brighter and more abundant than ever.

After placing her potluck contributions safely on the grass, she couldn't help herself and ran through the fields, diving between the blooms and rolling in their scent.

“I figured I wouldn’t be the only one who arrived early,” Mama Bear said behind her.

Thistle popped up, arms wide, grinning from ear to ear.

“Look at this field! Look at the Glade! We did it,” she exclaimed while doing a little dance and sweeping Mama Bear into a big hug. They both laughed as Mama Bear joined her in sitting among the flowers.

“We did do it. And thanks to those enchanted flowers you gave the bumble fairies, this honey may be our best yet for the festival.”

“I’m excited for everyone to see this,” Thistle smiled. “To see their work. To see what happens when we stick together.”

Mama Bear returned the same smile. “And I’m excited to see you enjoying the work of your leadership. If it’s all the same to you, I hope you drizzle the honey first this year.”

Thistle gasped. “Oh wow, really!? I mean, yes! Of course! I’d be honored!”

She hugged her once more, tightly, in a proper bear hug.

“Oh my goodness,” Mama Bear gasped. “I always forget! For such a little thing, you pack a punch, huh?”

“Sorry,” Thistle laughed.

The festival was more beautiful than Thistle remembered, this time with a newfound understanding and deeper connection. Getting her hair braided felt more sacred, knowing what the dryads and their trees went through. Crispin’s apples tasted even richer, knowing that the entire orchard could have fallen apart—that the trees might not have survived the storm.

Dancing around the maypole felt less competitive and more like a dance with her complete community. Seeing the bumble fairies waltz with the flower sprites reminded her that next year, no matter what, the flowers would come back, even if they had to survive a little (or a lot) of rainfall.

But of course, the highlight for Thistle was the feast. Getting to do the First Drizzle of Mama Bear’s honey. Getting to enjoy the blessings from the restored community gardens. And of course, getting to share the pesto pizza she made with care, intention, and as an act of resistance and celebration.

Later that night, after getting to fill the page in her journal about the celestial celebrations and sharing the fruits of the community’s labor with her brownie, she went to bed as gently as she woke up. She was proud of her work, her resilience, her leadership, and her grace in the secret calm of night, bidding farewell to the spring.

Recipe:

Pesto Pizza with Spinach, Prosciutto & Feta

Total Time: ~30–40 minutes
Skill Level: Intermediate
Category: Feasts – Main Dishes

🥗 Dietary Information
✅ Easily Customizable (swap cheeses or use dairy-free alternatives)
✅ Rich in Greens & Flavor
❌ Contains Dairy (unless substituted)
❌ Contains Gluten (unless GF dough is used)
⚠ Contains Meat (prosciutto; optional)

Ingredients

🍞 1 ball of pizza dough (store-bought or homemade) – Foundation and form, for creativity and sharing
🧈 Butter – For comfort, connection, and golden magic
🌿 Italian seasoning or magical herb blend – For harmony and flavor anchoring
🌱 1 jar pesto – For vitality, herbal wisdom, and protection
🌿 1 can spinach, drained – For strength, abundance, and nourishment
🍄 1 cup mushrooms, sliced – For grounding and intuition
🧅 ½ onion, sliced – For clarity and layered healing
🥓 Prosciutto, torn (optional) – For richness and celebration
🧀 Feta & goat cheese – For tangy softness and emotional warmth
🧀 Shredded mozzarella – To unify, bind, and melt everything together

Instructions

1. Preheat & Prep Dough
   Preheat oven per the dough instructions.
   Roll out your dough and brush it with melted butter.
   Sprinkle generously with Italian seasoning or a magical blend of herbs.

2. Pre-Bake the Base
   Bake the dough until just firm enough to hold toppings.

3. Make the Pesto Layer
   In a bowl, mix the pesto with drained canned spinach to mellow the intensity.
   Spread generously across the pre-baked dough—use the whole jar if it feels right!

4. Layer 1: Flavor Foundation
   Sprinkle half your toppings: mushrooms, onions, and prosciutto (if using).
   Dot with crumbled feta and goat cheese.

5. Layer 2: Cheese Magic
   Cover with a generous layer of mozzarella.
   Add the remaining toppings on top—this keeps everything nestled and visible.

6. Final Bake
   Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is golden.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• At a potluck with your community, where stories are shared as easily as slices
• After a long day of working together toward something greater
• Under soft lights, with plates balanced on laps and laughter echoing
• As a celebration of nourishment, connection, and every hand that helped make it happen

The Brownie Bandit

Thistle entered her cottage, drenched, sore, and frustrated. She slammed the door behind her and almost screamed, but then remembered the residents taking shelter in her living room.

She steadied herself with a little stomp, a shaky breath, and a pout before marching to the only solitary space let in her cottage.

Though she’d offered many times for residents to take her bed, they believed it was one of the spaces she should keep for herself. Today, they were right.

As soon as she got in, she took off her soaked garments, laying them by the fire next to her nightstand. She put away her grimoire on her work desk carefully, knowing that she had hours of research to do well into the night. A sour fate after hours of cleaning, fixing, building, and reinforcing. All she had to show for her day were aching bones and an even more aching heart.

She grabbed her pillow and screamed into it with all her might, although you’d never know it, as it barely made a sound. After the minor satisfaction, her muscles loosened slightly.

She removed her face from her now mud-soaked pillow, only then realizing that she hadn’t yet washed her hands. She tossed the pillow back onto the bed, frustrated again. She ran into the bathroom to clean her fingers and strip herself of her outer layers, trying to gain some sort of comfort.

When she reentered her room, she was surprised to see that it was no longer in disarray. The pillow was fixed, the mud magically removed, and on her bedside table was a cup of tea with milk and honey, piping hot. Just made.

Since it had only been a few minutes, she knew this was the work of her good friend, Brownie.

She smiled, remembering how much their relationship had changed.

Brownie was a brownie who plagued her house with pranks and tricks for many years. During the first couple of months that he made his residence in her abode, it was apparent that someone had taken up shop where she lived.

She remembered the day in particular when the relationship changed. The day when she was making milk and honey sandwich bread for a picnic.

She grabbed a full pitcher of milk, poured out just the amount she needed, and put it on the counter before quickly remembering that her honey was downstairs. When she came back up, the cup was empty.

Baffled, she scratched her head and poured herself a new glass, convincing herself that she probably just forgot to pour the milk the first time around and only grabbed the cup.

Then she realized—of course—she had forgotten the flour and the yeast.

She went back downstairs, more cautiously now, for the flour and the yeast, and when she came back up, not only was the cup empty once more, but the honey had completely gone missing.

Now this wouldn’t do.

However, she had heard of this happening before.

“I must have a brownie,” she whispered to herself. “But I don’t think he knows what he’s in for.”

This was a special batch of honey made by the bumble fairies, enchanted for giggles and smiles, and she intended to bring it to the picnic as a gag and a mood enhancer.

She laughed. “The enchantments will make his presence known.”

Finally, after months of questioning, she put down the rest of the ingredients to wander about her cottage, perking up her pointed ears, listening for any small sounds of stifled laughter.

She heard tiny giggles coming from a mouse hole in her room, explaining where many of her fresh flowers and jewelry had gone. Peeking in, she saw a bewildered brownie giggling despite himself.

“You naughty witch girl! How dare you curse me just for trying to have a little midday snack?” he mumbled through bouts of laughter.

“Oh, I haven’t tried to do anything to you! I didn’t even know I had a roommate!”

The brownie stuck out his tongue, but the very act made him burst into more giggles.

“Well, well, well. Look what a mess this is.” She giggled as well. She couldn’t help herself, as the sight of the tiny thing wiggling around, giggling, made the giggles infect her too.

Before long, they were both on the floor, chortling and laughing.

“Now, let me take this enchantment from you.”

Even after it was removed, the brownie continued to smile.

“All right, fine. You caught me. And catching a brownie means you now get to have somebody around the house to help you out, instead of my pestering pranks. It took you long enough to notice! Besides, that’s some of the best honey I’ve ever had. I’ve never heard of honey that makes you giggle.”

“Well, there’s plenty more where that came from. Truce?”

“Truce.”

And now she knew she had a housemate. One who was sweet enough to fix a muddy pillow and bring some tea, without making a fanfare or a show… but who would also happily share in laughter, if that’s what the moment called for.

Recipe:

Milk and Honey Sandwich Bread

(Inspired by The First Bread)

Total Time: ~4 hours
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Golden Grains – Breads and Bakes

🥗 Dietary Information
✅ Vegetarian
✅ Easily Dairy-Free (with oil instead of butter)
❌ Not Gluten-Free
❌ Contains Yeast

Ingredients

🍞 3 cups all-purpose flour – A steady foundation for nourishment and simplicity
🧂 1½ tsp salt – For protection, balance, and enhancing all flavors
🍯 1 tbsp honey – Stirred into the milk for sweetness, abundance, and joy
✨ 1½ tsp active dry yeast – For transformation and the spark of new life
🥛 1½ cups warm milk – Warmth, nurturing, and emotional comfort
🧈 1 tbsp butter (or oil) – For richness and golden softness
🌟 Optional: Extra honey mixed into the melted butter for brushing before/after baking

Instructions

1. Warm the Milk & Honey
   Gently heat the milk until warm (not hot), then stir in 1 tbsp honey. Let it cool slightly if needed. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the surface and let it sit for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
   In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.

3. Combine and Stir
   Slowly pour the warm milk and honey mixture into the flour, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.

4. First Rise (2 hrs)
   Cover with a towel and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.

5. Shape the Loaf
   Using two forks or a spoon, fold the dough over itself a few times. Then shape and transfer to a buttered loaf pan.

6. Second Rise (1 hr)
   Let rise again, covered, until puffy.

7. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35 minutes
   The top should be golden brown, and the loaf fragrant. Brush with honey butter either before baking (for a richer crust) or after baking (for a glossy, sweet finish).

8. Cool and Slice
   Let it rest before slicing. Serve warm or toasted.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• As a sandwich bread with peanut butter, jam, or seasonal spreads
• With warm milk or tea on a spring morning
• After a ritual of renewal, journaling, or gentle movement
• With a drizzle of honey for comfort and sweetness

🌹🍫🤍Desserts remind me of poems—they’re short and sweet. Here is a poem written by a friend of the Dreamer in The Reader’s Realm.

About The Author 🌹🍫🤍

Hi, I’m Debbie. I write poetry, children’s books, and short stories. I just love lovely things and sweet people. ✨ I hope you enjoy my work.

Instagram: deborahnoemiortiz

Purchase my books here! (Or just direct message me on Instagram!)

White Chocolate 🍫and Rose Bark Hearts 🌹🤍

Sweet, melting, floral flavor in every bite!

Recipe:

Recipe Information

Total Time: ~1 hour (mostly setting time)
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Divine Decadence – Truffles, Chocolates, and Goodies Oh My!

🥗 Dietary Information

✅ No-Bake
✅ Gluten-Free
❌ Contains Dairy (unless using dairy-free white chocolate)

⚠ Potential Sensitivities

• 🥛 Contains Dairy (can be made dairy-free with plant-based white chocolate)
• 🌸 Contains Rose (avoid if sensitive to florals or strong scents)

🌿 Ingredients

• 🌿 1–2 cups meltable white chocolate – For sweetness, love, and emotional clarity
• 🌿 2 tbsp rose water – For beauty, attraction, and heart-centered magic
• 🌿 1–2 tsp edible glitter – For joy, sparkle, and celebration
• 🌿 1 tbsp rose petal tea (loose, dried) – For love, elegance, and soft protection

🔪 Instructions

Melt the Chocolate

• Follow the instructions on your meltable white chocolate—usually done in a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler until smooth.

Add the Magic

• Stir in 2 tablespoons of rose water while the chocolate is still warm.
• Mix in edible glitter and crushed rose petal tea to your liking.

Pour into Molds

• Carefully pour the mixture into heart-shaped silicone molds.

Let Set

• Allow the chocolate to cool and firm at room temperature or place in the fridge.
• Set for at least 1 hour until firm.

Pop & Serve

• Gently remove from molds and serve on a small dish, gift in treat bags, or tuck into lunchboxes for a little love.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• As a sweet little love note to yourself or someone special
• With tea and a quiet moment of reflection or ritual
• At a gathering where everything sparkles just a little extra
• During the full moon, when your heart is open and full

Not Gone Yet

Thistle woke with a start, not in her bed.

As her eyes adjusted, she realized she’d fallen asleep on the couch in front of her hearth, surrounded by company—coats and boots.

She braced herself to stand up, her whole body sore and heavy. Her muscles were tight, as was her chest. Everything was dense from continuous strain.

Looking around, her cottage was packed wall to wall with displaced residents and community members who had fallen asleep there, gathered in a central safe zone after battling the storm all weekend.

All were sleeping somewhat uncomfortably in makeshift cots and beds throughout her living room. Seeing the little ones curled up with their parents, knowing they had nowhere left to go home to, made her heart sink— a marrow-deep ache within her soul. A disgusting taste of failure touched her tongue, making her grateful for the silence, aside from the taunting patter of rain and tantrum of wind at the windows.

She stepped around the others as they, too, began to stir, stowing herself away quietly in her upstairs library. She wandered the stacks aimlessly, unsure of what she was looking for. Dark clouds loomed, making it hard to see. She went to light the lamp inside; it was a small comfort.

She needed an escape, a book to ease her worried mind. Just a moment alone with her thoughts, or with characters who soothed her.

Instead, she grabbed the journal that started it all: The Water Witch’s Rain Scriptions. Immediately, it felt different.

As she rolled the pages in her fingers, she noticed the pages were now dry—no water damage at all.

She flipped eagerly to the last page—the one she hadn’t been able to read, desperate for answers. But in its place was something new. A brand-new note from Nimbella. Thistle steadied her breath before she read.

“I know what you're looking for, Little Bloom,” Nimbella wrote.

“And the last sentence isn’t going to change what you already have learned. But if you’re seeking, know that the line reads this… ‘the only thing to keep it going was each other.’

To reinforce the Glade does not just mean to reinforce its walls. The most important thing to reinforce was the community itself. The found family. The ones who make the Glade what it is.”

Thistle smiled. She was right.

She had a house full of residents who had fought valiantly to protect their home from these harsh conditions. Though it seemed they had failed when some lost their cottages, the truth was—they were here.

They were still home as long as they were together in the Glade. As soon as the rains cleared, the community would come together—like they already had—to build new homes, new paths, and a new garden.

“Always stronger together,” she remembered Papa Beaver saying.

Thistle placed the newly mended book back on the shelf. Instead of grabbing fiction, she grabbed a beloved old recipe book for a rainy day.

After all, she had a full house to feed.

🍲Lamb Stew🥕🍗

Warmth from the inside out!

Recipe:

🥣 Lamb Stew (Slow Cooker or Instapot Method)

Total Time: ~5–6 hours (hands-off once assembled)
Skill Level: Intermediate
Category: Cauldrons – Soups & Stews

🥗 Dietary Information

✅ Naturally Gluten-Free (double-check broth and seasoning mixes and remove the step where flour is added to thicken the broth)
❌ Contains Meat
❌ Not Vegan or Vegetarian
⚠ Optional Alcohol (red wine; substitute with vinegar if preferred)
⚠ Alliums (onion, pearl onion)

🌿 Ingredients

• 1 lamb shank (shoulder or other meaty cut with minimal bone)
• Seasonings of choice – rosemary, truffle salt, Italian herbs, Cajun seasoning, cumin, curry or turmeric (optional and interchangeable)
• 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (corn, carrots, peas, green beans)
• 4–6 petite potatoes, quartered
• 1 onion (or ½ if preferred)
• 1 small handful pearl onions (optional, but lovely)
• 2–3 carrots, chopped
• 2–3 celery stalks, chopped
• Fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme
• Vegetable broth (enough to cover lamb fully)
• Splash of red wine or 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1–2 tbsp flour (for thickening)
• Salt and pepper to taste

🔪 Instructions

Sear the Lamb

• Season the lamb thoroughly with your preferred herbs and spices.
• In a dry pan over high heat, sear both sides of the lamb until browned. No oil or butter necessary.

Build the Stew

• Transfer the lamb to your slow cooker or Instapot.
• Add the frozen vegetables, chopped potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and pearl onions.
• Tuck in fresh rosemary and thyme for depth.

Add the Liquid

• Pour in enough vegetable broth to fully cover the lamb.
• Add a splash of red wine (or use apple cider vinegar for a non-alcoholic option).
• Stir in 1–2 tablespoons of flour to help thicken the stew as it cooks*

Introduction: The Essence of the Brew

A gentle spring elixir for protection, clarity, and graceful transitions

Spring is full of beginnings—but not always the ones we expect. The path forward can feel hazy, heavy with decision, or threaded with bittersweet change. This is the tonic The Thicket brews on those quiet, unsteady evenings. When we need to protect our peace. When we're ready to cross a threshold, but want to do it softly.

This isn’t a drink for rushing. It’s for standing at the doorway of change and knowing that even if you’re unsure, you’re ready.

✨ Magical Properties of the Ingredients

🌼 Elderflower – Protection, renewal, and ancestral support
A sacred blossom used for warding and wellness, elderflower invites gentle strength. It’s like being wrapped in a cloak sewn by generations of healers—quiet, steady, and sure. In this drink, it helps you feel held as you step into something new.

🍸 Juniper – Clarity, vision, and courage
Juniper berries sharpen the senses and sweep away lingering doubt. Gin brings a watchful, crisp energy to the mix—perfect when you need to see things clearly and make choices with confidence.

💧 Sparkling Water – Elevation, air magic, lightness of being
Every bubble carries a wish. It’s the breath between thoughts, the rising energy of hope, the little thrill of possibility. Sparkling water transforms this into a celebratory potion, lifting what’s heavy and refreshing the spirit.

🌿 Rosemary – Protection, memory, and ritual clarity
One of the most trusted herbs in any magical garden. Rosemary protects the heart and clears the mind. It strengthens intentions, anchors spells, and ties the present moment to past wisdom. Its scent alone is a spell of its own.

As you stir or shake, let the gentle ingredients do more than mix—let them mirror your own soft unfolding.
You may speak this incantation—or let it echo quietly within:

“In bloom I rise, with roots below,
With every sip, the path shall show.
Elder’s guard and juniper’s sight,
Guide me gently into light.”

Trace a sigil for clarity or courage onto your cup or coaster with chalk, window marker, or steam. As you sip, feel the protective sweetness anchor you. Let each bubble lift your spirit just enough to see above the worry.

Drink when your future feels new, but not yet known. Drink when you want to remember how far you’ve come. Drink when the world asks you to begin again, but this time, more softly.

💮Elderflower Cordial 🍷🍯

As well as a bonus! Elderflower Cordial Cocktail.

Recipe Information

🌸 Elderflower Cordial

Total Time: ~10 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Potions & Brews – Drinks

🥗 Dietary Information

✅ Vegan
✅ Gluten-Free
✅ Caffeine-Free
✅ Naturally calming and floral

🌿 Ingredients

• 🌿 1–2 tbsp elderflower tea (or elderberry flower blend) – For protection, healing, and transition magic
• 🌿 1 cup sugar – Sweetens intentions and stores the memory of the brew
• 🌿 2 cups hot water – Carries energy and clarity

🔪 Instructions

1. Prep Your Teapot

   • Add sugar to the bottom of a teapot with a built-in strainer.

2. Steep the Tea

   • Place elderflower tea into the strainer.
   • Pour hot water over the tea and sugar.

3. Infuse

   • Let steep for 5–7 minutes. Do not stir until the tea is fully steeped—this allows the sugar to infuse slowly.

4. Stir & Cool

   • After steeping, stir well to dissolve sugar completely.
   • Cool and store in the fridge for use in cocktails, spritzers, or floral sodas.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• On a morning walk as the seasons shift
• Stirred into sparkling water while journaling
• When you need calm during emotional transition
• Or before casting a protection spell tied to growth

🍸 Elderflower Cordial Cup

Total Time: ~5 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Elixirs of Twilight – Cocktails & Mocktails

🌿 Ingredients

• 🌿 2 oz gin – For clarity, botanical depth, and courage during change
• 🌿 2 oz elderflower cordial (see recipe above) – For gentle protection and calm
• 🌿 Sparkling water – To elevate, brighten, and refresh
• 🌿 Fresh rosemary sprig – For protection, memory, and ritual clarity

🧊 Optional Sparkling Water Ideas

• ✨ Rose or elderflower sparkling water – Double the floral magic
• ✨ Grapefruit or lemon – Brightens and cuts the sweetness
• ✨ Cucumber mint – Cool and grounding for warm days or anxiety

🔪 Instructions

1. Mix

   • In a cocktail shaker or glass, combine 2 oz gin and 2 oz elderflower cordial with ice.

2. Top

   • Pour into a glass and top with sparkling water of your choice.

3. Garnish

   • Add a sprig of fresh rosemary for aroma and a little protection magic.

4. Serve & Sip

   • Enjoy slowly in good company, under moonlight or a breezy window.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• In moments of transition—before a move, a decision, or a new beginning
• On a garden patio, during a spring dusk
• While writing intentions, dreaming up futures, or honoring what you’re leaving behind

Thistle's Garden

Thistle was relieved to wake up, finally hearing the rain ease. After endless weeks of relentless downpour, she was smart enough to know it still wasn’t fully stopped. Still, the break in intensity would serve her and the Glade well.

She had been waiting for a day like today, a day when she could go out and assess the damage. At this point in the disaster, one of the most consistent problems was that people’s food stores were starting to dwindle. The Glade had not yet gotten the chance to recover the way it would after a long winter, as this spring yielded few crops.

Therefore, today, the task was to forage. Hopefully, the familiar feeling of foraging would take her mind off the destruction she knew she was about to face. As she readied herself in her boots, cloak, and enchantments—a routine that now felt second nature—she couldn’t help but notice how this season had been the most she’d ever donned these items. They had already begun to look old and weathered, as worn and familiar as childhood heirlooms.

And yet, when she did what she had been doing every day for the last month, her hands faltered once again when reaching for the door. Trembling ever so slightly. She was terrified that, despite everything they had done, it might not have been enough. She pushed away the thought as she pushed open the door.

Facing the Glade felt different these days. Everything felt sodden, down, and storm-sick. The stagnant air felt thick and sticky. And even though the rain had calmed to a mere drizzle, the gray-veined sky—still speckled with storm clouds—gave every indication that this was a fragile truce, not the end of the battle.

What was once her front yard was now an endless pond stretching from her cottage through most of the surrounding areas of the Glade. Passing slowly, she carefully hopped between the raised larger stones and the fallen logs, watching little minnows swim between blades of grass, persistent enough to pierce the flooded pathways.

What was once a thriving community was now a hollowed-out, waterlogged wasteland. Her favorite places now cradled in ruin, giving the illusion of a place torn asunder by time, when the season so far had only lasted no more than a month. It all made her feel so sick. A quiet grief that made her queasy, the biggest pain coming from the areas they tried so desperately to reinforce.

It would have been easier to reinforce when things were unnecessary of the extra effort. The thought of that made her sick. In the thick of the storm, those extra efforts didn’t hold... not under so much strain.

By the point she finally reached the community garden, she knew what she’d find... but it still hurt. Still, she stood staring at the remnants of what was her first project when she was appointed a Guardian; her first spark of inspiration.

It started as a simple idea—shared food, shared care. A place of exchange—of food, ideas, and kinship. Favorite foods were always something she loved to learn about the Fae in her neighborhood. The community garden felt as if she and the garden had taken root together. It was her gift. It was her proof that she was worthy of the title. A joint effort. A child.

Even the strongest roots couldn’t hold back the tide.

She touched the broken garden like a mourner at a grave and whispered, “Oh… sometimes the earth takes back what it was given.”

She had no tears left, only an ache. Sacred, not hollow.

Slowly, like a ritual, she began to remove her rain jacket. Peeled off her waterproof boots. In a fit of rage, she tossed them into the middle of what was once a beautiful, thriving garden. She watched them float sadly away. She stared up at the sky, arms offered wide, and let out the cry she’d been holding in her throat since the start of it all. She had no words, just pure, unrivaled emotion.

Even the strongest love does not always save the thing you plant it in.

And yet, she was not fully broken. Not yet, at least.

Something in her had broken quietly, but not without grace.

She would wake up, face the rain, and try again.

🍞Forager’s Flatbread🥕🍅

You use what you have to make the most out of any situation.

Recipe:

Recipe Information

🍄 Forager’s Flatbread

Total Time: ~15–20 minutes
Skill Level: Intermediate
Category: Feasts – Main Dishes or Sides

🥗 Dietary Information

✅ Can be made Vegan (with dairy-free butter and cheese)
✅ Can be made Gluten-Free (with GF flatbread)
❌ Contains Dairy (unless swapped)

⚠ Potential Sensitivities

• 🧀 Contains Dairy (feta; can be swapped for vegan cheese)
• 🌾 Contains Gluten (flatbread; use GF option)
• 🧄 Contains Alliums (leeks, garlic)

🌿 Ingredients

• 🌿 1 piece of flatbread (store-bought or homemade) – The base for transformation, grounding and versatile
• 🌿 1–2 tbsp butter (or plant-based) – For richness, nurturing, and connection
• 🌿 2 tbsp pesto – For creativity, balance, and herbal strength
• 🌿 1–2 leeks, chopped – For clarity, healing, and resilience
• 🌿 1 cup mushrooms, sliced – Earthy and comforting, bringing nourishment and wisdom
• 🌿 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved – For joy, brightness, and emotional balance
• 🌿 1 cup bean sprouts – For freshness, growth, and renewal
• 🌿 ¼ cup feta cheese (or vegan alternative) – For richness and comfort, grounding magic

🔪 Instructions

Toast the Flatbread

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Place your flatbread in the oven and toast for about 5 minutes to firm up the base.

Sauté the Aromatics

• While the flatbread is toasting, sauté the mushrooms and leeks in a pan with a little oil or butter until soft and aromatic.

Assemble the Flatbread

• Once the flatbread is toasted, spread a layer of butter and pesto on top.
• Scatter the sautéed mushrooms and leeks evenly across the bread.
• Halve the cherry tomatoes and dot them around the flatbread.
• Sprinkle the bean sprouts over the top.
• Add a generous sprinkling of feta cheese to finish.

Bake & Serve

• Pop the flatbread back into the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the feta has melted and everything smells heavenly.
• Serve warm, garnished with a little extra pesto if desired.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• On a quiet day when you want to feel connected to nature
• When you need a little grounded nourishment after a long walk in the woods
• At a gathering with friends who appreciate both simplicity and heartiness
• With a glass of fresh lemonade, enjoying the sunshine and good company

"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 adorned 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 that 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

🥧Desserts remind me of poems—they’re short and sweet. Here is a poem written by a friend of the Dreamer in The Reader’s Realm.

About The Author 🥧🍎🌿

Art for the wounded and chaotic.

Instagram : @jillianading

Listen to my New Song!
On Apple Music or on Spotify

🍎Apple Fennel Tart🥧

A sweet, spicy tart with a licorice bite!

Recipe:

Recipe Information

Total Time: ~30 minutes
Skill Level: Intermediate
Category: Celestial Confections - Pies, Cakes, Bakery Sweets

🥗 Dietary Information

✅ Vegetarian
✅ Easily customizable (can be made with dairy-free cheese)
❌ Contains Gluten (unless using GF puff pastry)
❌ Contains Dairy (unless swapped)

🍽 Notes from the Kitchen

This tart is part rustic comfort, part fairy market delight. Mandolin-sliced apples melt into puff pastry, and the fennel brings a slight herbal note that makes the dish feel both wild and intentional. It’s a dish that smells like fall and tastes like something you’d pack into a basket for wandering into the woods.

🌿 Ingredients

• 🌿 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed to room temp) – A vessel for wishes and layered transformation
• 🌿 2 apples, halved and mandolin-sliced – For knowledge, sweetness, and seasonal grounding
• 🌿 1 tbsp sugar – To sweeten intentions and warm the soul
• 🌿 1 tsp cinnamon – For love, protection, and homey comfort
• 🌿 1 tbsp fennel seed or powder – For clarity, strength, and inner healing
• 🌿 2–3 tbsp honey goat’s milk cheese (or dairy-free soft cheese) – Brings charm, softness, and a floral balance
• 🌿 1–2 tbsp butter (or plant-based) – For golden glow and richness

🔪 Instructions

Prep the Pastry

• Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and let it rest at room temperature until pliable.

Slice & Toss the Apples

• Halve the apples, then slice them into thin, mandolin-style half-moons.
• In a bowl, toss the apple slices with sugar, cinnamon, and fennel until well coated—like you would for pie filling.

Roll & Score the Pastry

• Roll out the puff pastry and cut it into 6 rectangles.
• Score a smaller rectangle within each one, about ½ inch from the edge (this helps the edges puff up around the filling).

Assemble the Tartlets

• In the center of each scored rectangle, spread a thin layer of honey goat’s milk cheese.
• Sprinkle a bit more fennel over the cheese for added flavor.
• Lay the apple slices in an overlapping line, like a soft accordion fold or mini ratatouille.

Finish & Bake

• Brush the outer edges and tops with melted butter.
• Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10–12 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and puffed.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• When the breeze smells like spice and fallen leaves
• Shared with someone you’d invite to forage beside you
• With warm cider or mulled tea, feet tucked under a quilt
• On a kitchen windowsill, cooling beside a vase of wildflowers

Fortification

Thistle adjusted her cloak, though it was no use. The thunderstorm had pelted the Glade from every direction all day. By now, she’d lost track of how long she and the other residents had been out in it. Even so, they’d made great progress since the morning, reinforcing the walls around the community garden and focusing most of their efforts on redirecting the runoff to fill the wells and water stores. Although this strange, endless storm had caused more damage than most seasons, the sheer sheeting of rain had replenished the basins with enough water to nourish the garden through summer.

When Thistle proposed the idea of strengthening the Glade to the more senior residents, it didn’t take much convincing. This surprised her; she’d been apprehensive about the magnitude of the task. She expected pushback, especially given the danger it posed. The damage was extensive, and repairing it would mean asking nearly the entire Glade to volunteer; to risk themselves for a collective effort. She knew how much that required.

But to her surprise, everyone agreed. Few hesitated to help the young guardian to stand together, face the cyclone, and protect what they had worked so hard to build. And it was just as well. The deluge showed no sign of stopping.

She’d expected the brave volunteers to falter by now. They stood tired, frustrated, or worse for wear as the rain battered their brows. All of them were soaked to the bone, despite the enchantments Thistle had cast on their clothes, and the days out working grew longer with each passing storm.

Yet as the night thundered on, so did their morale. Even through the downpour, she was met with smiling faces. Faces that still believed they had a chance.

Thistle was proud of her community. And though she would never admit it aloud, she was also beginning to plant seeds of pride in herself. She was starting to believe: maybe she was cut out for this. Maybe it was her time. Her turn to lead.

And yet, even as that hope bloomed, unease crept in. It was all coming together faster than it should.

Still, they pressed on, sore but steady, determined to finish what they started together. All the residents pitched in, including friends with unique skills. The nematodes carved paths with their tails. The foxes lent their expert skills in digging to create new wells. The rabbits stomped the leaves back into the soil to assist in composting for when the wet season finally cleared. The Fae with powers provided warm fires that would not be quenched by the typhoon until the work was done, using a spell Thistle taught them from her Grimoire. They cleared out branches from fallen trees as Thistle worked tirelessly to repair them. Whatever leftover branches existed, the Dryads used to create tiny blockages, fences, dams, and passes to assist in rerouting the new streams into the wells, rivers, and basins throughout the Glade.

Everyone had a role, and each role mattered just as much as the next.

Seeing all this made Thistle smile as she restlessly directed each resident, making sure to lend a hand whenever needed.

That was until she spotted, through the blurry gale, the beaver family running up from their home by the dam.

“It sprang a leak!” the baby beaver cried.

Thistle’s heart dropped. “How bad is it?”

Papa beaver ran up to her urgently. “The river is rolling fast downhill. We have to get the residents out from down below.”

“All right then... let’s go,” Thistle said breathlessly as they ran toward the dam.

They rushed, Thistle slipping through the mud. The dam was a ways away from the garden, and the route had become treacherous. The family was adept in moving quickly through the mud, helping Thistle by clearing a path with their tails as they ran. The journey was enough time for her stomach to turn and tumble like a rockslide

When she finally saw the dam, it took everything in her not to lose her newly grown confidence. The leak was much larger than she had anticipated.

“It’s manageable,” she fibbed. Her voice barely held.

“You don’t have to lie. We came straight away because…” Mama Beaver swallowed the thought. “We tried to go in and do some repairs when it was first spotted by our youngest here,” she said solemnly, “but anything we make with our mud, the rain just washes it away. We usually have more time for the adobe to dry, and then it’s resistant.”

“No, thank you. You’ve done such great work already, especially spotting it so soon. I can enchant the mud for you, that way it’s more resistant. Or even ask the Dryads to ask the trees to stretch until it’s fully dry,” Thistle offered, surprised at how mature the plan sounded when she said it out loud. She could see it in their eyes — a glimmer of hope reignited as she spoke. She continued. “It proves that the Glade is stronger together. Right?”

“Always stronger together.” Papa Beaver said, grabbing his youngest in his famous ‘Big Beaver Hug.’

She laughed, but inside she felt her gut twisting again. Something felt off... too quiet. Too still. Even the celestial tantrum around them seemed to pause.

Suddenly, a strong crack like thunder broke the tender moment. The group immediately looked around. A crack of thunder, but no lightning.

A crack.

Not thunder.

Thistle gasped. She whipped around to see the leak opening like a gaping catfish jaw, spilling water rapidly into the burgeoning river.

“No!” She shouted as she ran to the bank, assessing the direction of its flow. The dam protected a major part of the Glade; now, a major flood rushed toward it. Towards the homes of the many residents who were fighting to protect the rest of the Glade. The residents she had asked to protect the Glade alongside her.

"How many?" she whispered.

"I don't know what –" Papa Beaver squeaked, transfixed by the horrible waves.

"How many houses will be lost down there?"

Thistle couldn't tell if it was the squall casting a shadow over his already forlorn face or the weight of the situation. He met her eyes desperately, but he couldn’t say. She already knew.

And there it was again — that crushing weight in her chest. That slithering doubt, like a snake swallowing a stone. The horrible, persistent voice telling her that she had no business leading, no skills to guard her own. Telling her that she wasn't a guardian at all.

If only she had-

No. She is. They are.

Thistle squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed hard. This wasn't a time for her to cry. She wasn't the one who might lose her home. And she will refuse to allow any more destruction to take place, especially when she sees what everyone else was capable of. Who was willing to risk all that they were to protect the others?

“Go. Please, clear everyone down below. I… I’ll figure out how to patch it!” She shouted through the stormfront. They nodded as they rushed away. “I have to.”

She kneeled, trying to steady herself, and placed her hands into the mud.

The roots from the nearby trees and river intertwined underneath where the dam was built, enough that, if she petitioned the roots, they could grow tall enough to cover the dam.

She steadied her breath and focused her will, letting it flow like the river itself. Letting all the thoughts of anxiety— the fears, the doubts, and the not good enoughs—flow in and out until all she could hear was the patter, the lightning, the thunder, and the rhythm of the river’s movement. She had to use this anger to contain the angry waves. To use the land to save it.

“Please… Please be here with me. Save us. Let me save them.” She pleaded.

And then she felt it.

Vines giving way, allowing themselves to stretch up toward the turmoil, but not without strain. Strong grasping tendrils wrapped around the dam to cover the leak. She dug her hands into the soil, dirt painfully lodging underneath her nail beds. She focused the magic through her veins, feeling it rip through them like boiling water into the roots. She squinted through the maelstrom. Begging the vines to keep their shape. To hold. To not buckle under the pressure.

They obliged. Growing and shifting roots reached around like scraping claws to hold each stone in place. Snaking through the cracks, slowly plugging the rushing surge.

“Wow,” said Daddy Beaver, breathless from the walk.

Thistle forced herself up, body numb and sore from the effort, to slowly meet his gaze. She was surprised to see not just him and his family, but many residents whom he gathered and whisked to safety. Their eyes snagged on her like thorns in fabric, not afraid, spellbound

“No kidding,” said Mama Beaver. “That’s some real powerful magic. I haven’t seen anything like that come out of someone so small.” She smiled. “Small, but powerful, Thistle Rose. We’re lucky to have you as our Guardian.”

Thistle turned her face away, exhausted and unsure. Even still. Mama Beaver could tell—she was smiling. Maybe even believing it.

💦Leek and Potato Soup🥔🍲

For when your clothes are soaked but your morale is unbreeched.

Recipe:

Recipe Information

Total Time: ~45 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Cauldrons – Soups & Stews

🥗 Dietary Information

✅ Vegan-Friendly (with plant milk)
✅ Gluten-Free adaptable (use GF flour or omit)
✅ Cozy, simple, and pantry-friendly

⚠ Potential Sensitivities

• 🌾 Contains Gluten (flour; swap or omit)
• 🥛 Contains Dairy (if not using plant-based milk)
• 🧅 Contains Heavy Alliums (onions and leeks)

🍽 Notes from the Kitchen

This is one of those soups that hugs you from the inside. Whether you're drenched from an unexpected downpour or just need to feel warm all the way through, this recipe is rich, earthy, and easy to pull together with a handful of basic ingredients. Mandolin-cut potatoes give it a silky texture, and the soft green leeks bring healing energy to every bowl.

🌿 Ingredients

• 🌿 4–5 potatoes, peeled and sliced mandolin-style – Potatoes bring grounding and stability
• 🌿 1 stalk leek (both green and white parts, separated) – For clarity, healing, and resilience
• 🌿 ½ onion, finely chopped – For emotional strength and a steady base
• 🌿 Water or vegetable broth – Water holds memory; broth adds body and soul
• 🌿 ¼ cup milk or plant-based milk – Adds softness and emotional nourishment
• 🌿 1 tbsp flour (or GF alternative) – Thickens the bond, like pulling everything together
• 🌿 Salt – Essential for purification and flavor release
• 🌿 Seasonings to taste – Season until you're sneezin’!
  Suggested: truffle-Parmesan blend (for richness), cilantro (for brightness and cleansing), black pepper, garlic powder
• 🌿 Capful of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar – To awaken and sharpen all flavors

🔪 Method

Prep the Potatoes

• Peel and slice your potatoes mandolin-style thin rounds instead of cubes.
• Add to a large pot and cover with water or vegetable broth.
• Boil until fork-soft.

Smash into Soup Base

• Once tender, mash the potatoes directly into the broth using a potato masher or large fork until thick and well combined. (Use this to release pent up emotions, so satisfying)

Build the Body

• Add ¼ cup milk and 1 tbsp flour to the pot and stir well.
• This will create a thick, comforting soup base.

Add the Greens

• Slice the leeks. Use the green, grainy parts in the soup and save the circular white rounds for garnish.
• Stir chopped onions and sliced leeks into the pot.
• Simmer until everything is soft and fragrant.

Season for the Soul

• Season until you're sneezin'(Seriously!).
• Make sure to include salt, and your favorite warm, herby blends.

Finish with Acid

• Add just a capful of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar to brighten all the flavors.

Garnish and Serve

• Top with those pretty leek rings you saved earlier.
• Serve with crusty bread, pour over a baked potato, or—if you’re feeling bold—dip your fries in it.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• After being caught in the rain, dripping with laughter or exhaustion
• When your clothes are still damp, but your heart is warming again
• With a hot bowl in your hands and a blanket around your shoulders
• Shared with someone who’s willing to get soaked with you, and then stir the pot while you dry off

“I am, by nature, a seeker of light. And you, Sunpetal, are the brightest beam in the Blooming Glade.” She sighed. “But you already knew that.” -Sylva, The Silk Moth

The Moth Sized Crush

Thistle wouldn’t have noticed how much time had passed if not for her stomach growling loud enough to break the spell of her book, pulling her back to the gentle patter of rain against her cottage windows. It was only then that she realized the sun had already gone down, though it was difficult to tell the difference these days. Thick storm clouds had been looming over the Glade, turning every hour into a perpetual night.

However, there are some perks to rain, even when it seems like it's never-ending. One of which being the unhurried time in the stillness—the ability to sit down with a good book, knowing that you won’t be interrupted by the guilt that comes with staying indoors on a beautiful day. Tonight, for the first time, it felt more like a usual spring rainstorm—one where she could lose herself into a new world with the light pitter-pattering, and the gentle breeze that made the branches lightly press against her windowsill by her reading nook. She had everything she needed, though she desperately wished she had a nice blanket.

Thistle lazily stretched and made her way to the kitchen to see what she could pull together without taking too much time away from her book. She was uninterested in overdoing it. She wanted something simple so she could find her way back to her story and curl up next to the hearth. She was happy to find bread from yesterday’s bake—perfect for a grilled cheese to pair with her favorite comfort: tomato soup by the fire.

“Let’s see what we have,” Thistle said to herself.

It had been a couple of days since she’d been able to look through her garden for what was left. Tonight was the first time in weeks that the glade was not pelted so harshly by the rains. On her last journey, she was able to forage some tomatoes. She definitely had onions, plenty of salt (kept more for protection than flavor), and a pot of broth made from damaged vegetables she'd salvaged before the worst of the rains.

“The only thing I’m missing is rosemary,” she said. No worries. She had already dried rosemary well before the rains began, a practice that Ma Violette insisted on each winter. She just needed to make her way down to the cellar to collect it, and then she would be on her way to a cozy evening alone.

Or would she? As she drifted down the stairs, she was surprised to see the candlelight already lit in the cellar. But before she could wonder why—she saw her.

“Sylva.” She said breathlessly.

Sylva – the silver-tongued silk moth– draped dreamily across the cellar beams. A fae who wove satin from an enchanted pouch. Creating wearable art that draped around those lucky enough to receive her lovely sweaters, and blankets that were both impossibly soft and breathtakingly gorgeous in the homes of the Glade. Tunisian crochet is what she called it, something she learned from the Reader’s Realm. She always kept her needle close by, hanging off her satchel, wielding it like a magic wand.

Sylva had opaline skin that shimmered in the enchanted candlelight of Thistle’s cellar, her soft white gossamer hair flowing as if it was taken by an unfelt breeze. She perched gracefully upon the beams, allowing her satin wings and silken cloths to dry, like the herbs hanging from the beams in the cellar. If the Glitterbrook could speak, it would sing her name. The way she embodied the movement of the ripples and the sparkle of the moonlight as it caught the brook was almost uncanny.

Thistle’s heart tucked itself into a drawer when she was finally spotted in the doorway. When Sylva caught her eye, her knees went traitorously soft.

With a velveteen voice that always gave Thistle goosebumps, Sylva hummed, “I was wondering when you would notice that I was here. I was beginning to think you may never.”

She chuckled, a sound that reminded Thistle of a babbling stream—and soft-spun sugar.

“I didn’t expect company today,” Thistle said, her voice catching. “In this storm – you know you shouldn’t get your wings so wet.”

“I am by nature a seeker of light. And you, Sunpetal, are the brightest beam in the Blooming Glade,” Sylva sighed. “But you already knew that.”

Thistle’s cheeks went red-hot at the compliment, and even hotter when she caught Sylva noticing her red-hot cheeks. She busied herself, untangling the rosemary from the rafters.

“Oh, well, you definitely shouldn’t go out again in this rain,” Thistle said, trying to sound as silky-smooth in her lilt as Sylva naturally imbued. Almost on cue, her stomach growled once more, only much louder—the ultimate betrayal. Thistle wanted to melt into the moonbeams that criss crossed against the cellar floor. “If you aren’t too busy… why don’t you stay for dinner?” She pressed on. “I was just whipping up some tomato soup. There’s enough for two” she offered meekly.

Sylva smiled. “What an honor to share a guardian’s hearth on a rainy night—and even more so, to share some of your magical cooking. My wings are tired and heavy. Warm fire and warm company is exactly what I need”

Thistle bloomed at the concept of being honorable company, especially to the Silk Moth Fae. Her heart fluttered like tiny moon moths as she looked into Sylva’s midnight eyes.

“It’s really my pleasure,” she said breathlessly — almost too truthfully.

And in return, Sylva lulled. “I’ll make you a new blanket—one that will ride out this never-ending storm.”

This time, Thistle beamed with unabashed fervor, unable to hide her excitement. She smiled like sunbeams, and carefully helped Sylva down from the rafters.

“See, Sunpetal,” Sylva purred, brushing a stray curl from Thistle’s brow. “This is the light I meant.”

Tomato Soup 🍅 and Grilled Cheese 🧀Sandwiches to Ride Out The Storm ⛈️

The Dreamer agrees, Grilled Cheese Fixes Everything 🧀

Recipe:

Recipe Information

Total Time: ~1 hour
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Hearthside Comforts – Comfort Foods & Family Favorites, Cauldrons – Soups & Stews

🍽 Notes from the Kitchen

This is one of the first recipes that got me into cooking—simple, warm, and absolutely comforting. It’s especially easy if you have a Dutch oven and immersion blender, but can be made with a baking dish and blender (or even a potato masher if you’re determined).
For the grilled cheese, I highly recommend making it with a slice of Peasant Bread—you can click here to get the recipe and circle back to the start of the spring season.
[Click Here for Spring Loaf 🍞💐]

🥗 Dietary Information

✅ Can be made Vegan (with dairy-free cheese, butter, and milk)
✅ Can be made Gluten-Free (with GF bread and flour)
❌ Contains Dairy (unless modified)

⚠ Potential Sensitivities

• 🧈 Contains Dairy (cheese, butter, optional milk)
  Can be swapped for vegan and/or dairy free substitutions
• 🌾 Contains Gluten (bread; swap for GF)
• 🍅 Naturally acidic – mellow with milk if needed

🌿 Ingredients

For the Soup

• 🌿 4–6 large tomatoes, chopped – For love, protection, and warmth
• 🌿 2 large carrots, chopped – For grounding and sweetness
• 🌿 1 onion (or ½ if preferred) – For stability and foundational flavor
• 🌿 1 stalk celery – For focus and inner balance
• 🌿 Oil of choice (canola or olive) – Canola for simplicity, olive for richness and heart magic
• 🌿 Salt – For purification and moisture drawing
• 🌿 Seasonings (to taste) – Season until you're sneezin’!
  Suggested: rosemary (luck & clarity), parsley (communication), cilantro (cleansing), lemon pepper (energy), garlic (protection), Italian blend, Herbes de Provence
• 🌿 Optional: parmesan or truffle seasoning – Used lightly for depth and umami
• 🌿 Vegetable broth (if needed) – Adds warmth and body to blend
• 🌿 Splash of milk (any kind) – Only if too acidic; adds creaminess and softness
• 🌿 1 tsp brown sugar – For childlike sweetness and comfort memory magic

For the Grilled Cheese

• 🌿 Slices of Peasant Bread – Hearty and homemade, symbolic of simplicity and strength
• 🌿 Cheddar cheese – For courage and cheer, and naturally lactose-free
• 🌿 Butter or vegan butter – For sealing and golden warmth
• 🌿 Optional: truffle seasoning or nutritional yeast – For richness and a boost of flavor magic

🔪 Method

Tomato Soup

Chop and Roast

• Chop your tomatoes, carrots, onion, and celery.
• Add them to a Dutch oven or baking dish and coat generously with oil.
• Sprinkle with salt and your chosen seasonings—season until you're sneezin’!
• Bake at 350°F (or 375°F if in a rush) for 30–40 minutes, until fragrant and fork-soft.

Blend

• Once roasted, use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
• If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer to a regular blender or mash well with a potato masher.
• Add vegetable broth if more liquid is needed.

Adjust Flavor

• Taste your soup—if too acidic, add a splash of milk.
• Stir in a teaspoon of brown sugar to bring out that nostalgic, cozy flavor.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Prep Your Bread

• Butter the outsides of your bread slices.
• Place cheddar slices between them.

Add Magic (Optional)

• Sprinkle truffle seasoning or nutritional yeast into the center before closing the sandwich.

Toast

• Toast on a skillet, in a panini press, or in a toaster oven until golden on both sides and cheese is melted.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• On a rainy day with an old friend, laughing over a shared memory
• Split in two—one half for you, one for someone who needs a little comfort
• Curled up with a good book, nestled by a hearth or windowsill
• When the world feels a bit too sharp, and you need something soft, familiar, and a little bit cheesy

🍧Desserts remind me of poems—they’re short and sweet. Here is a poem written by a friend of the Dreamer in The Reader’s Realm.

About The Author 🍒🥥🌸

From the winding backlots of film studios to the quiet hum of a kitchen at dusk, The Dreamer, Jasmine "Jazzy" Middleton, has always sought the magic in everyday moments. A professional performer, production designer, writer, illustrator, and immersive artist, she has spent years weaving stories across stage and screen. But ✨The Twilight Table🌙 is more than a project—it is a calling.

Rooted in Black femme traditions, folklore, and the ever-changing rhythm of the seasons, The Dreamer blends cozy magic, food, and storytelling into a world that feels like home. Drawing from a deep well of experiences—acting, mermaiding, clowning, cooking, crafting, crochet and storytelling—she invites you into a space where the fantastical meets the familiar.

✨The Twilight Table🌙 is a love letter to those who find comfort in stories, creativity in their hands, and joy in the rituals of daily life. Whether through a carefully baked pie, an embroidered charm, or a whispered tale by candlelight, this is a place to honor the past, embrace the present, and create a future steeped in warmth and wonder.

Instagram: @jazzyjaybooking

TikTok: @jazzyjaybooking

YouTube: @jazzyjaybooking

🍒Pink Fluff🥥🌸

Something light, fluffy, and most importantly PINK!!

Recipe:

Recipe Information

Total Time: ~10 minutes (plus chill or freeze time if desired)
Skill Level: Beginner-Friendly
Category: Sweets and Treats – Desserts

🍽 Notes from the Kitchen

Traditionally made with pineapple in the American South, Pink Fluff is a nostalgic warm-weather dish often served at gatherings and potlucks. This version swaps in lychee juice for a floral, spring-inspired twist. The result is still comfortingly sweet but feels a little more ethereal—like something you’d serve at a fairy feast beneath blooming trees.

🥗 Dietary Information

✅ No-Bake
✅ Easily Gluten-Free
❌ Contains Dairy

⚠ Potential Sensitivities:

• 🥛 Contains Dairy (whipped cream, sweetened condensed milk)
  A little harder to make dairy free or vegan but might be possible with Full Fat Sweetened Coconut Milk and Dairy Free Whipped Cream!
• 🥥 Contains Coconut (optional; may be omitted if allergic unless trying to make vegan)
• 🍒 Contains Cherries (pie filling and optional maraschino topping)

🌿 Ingredients

• 🌸 1 tub whipped cream – For joy, softness, and attracting sweetness into your life
• 🌸 1 can cherry pie filling – Cherries are associated with love, luck, and divination
• 🌸 1 can sweetened condensed milk – Milk represents nurturing and emotional healing
• 🌸 25 oz lychee juice – Lychee is tied to romance, beauty, and abundance
• 🌸 Coconut flakes (optional) – For protection and purification; in lore, gifted from Mermaid Calypso of the Siren’s Cove
• 🌸 Maraschino cherries – To crown each portion with bright, joyful energy
• 🌸 Chocolate magic shell (optional) – Chocolate carries energies of pleasure and grounding

🔪 Method

Prep the Whipped Cream

• Let the whipped cream soften slightly at room temperature. Swap for coconut whipped cream to make Vegan.
• Add the entire tub to a mixing bowl (stand mixer recommended, but hand mixer or whisk works too).

Mix It All Together

• Add in the full can of cherry pie filling.
• Pour in the can of sweetened condensed milk. (Swap for full fat sweetened coconut milk to make vegan)
• Add about 25 oz (half a 50 oz bottle) of lychee juice.
• Blend until smooth, pink, and airy.

Chill or Freeze

• For soft, creamy fluff: refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• For scoopable, ice cream-like texture: freeze until set.

Serve with Style

• Scoop into bowls and top with coconut flakes (if not allergic).
• Garnish with maraschino cherries.
• Optional: drizzle with chocolate shell for a candy-like finish.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• In the early days of spring, when you need sweetness and softness to return
• As a shared treat at a picnic or garden party with fae-like flair
• When nostalgia calls for something familiar, but your spirit craves something new
• Under a flowering tree, with sticky fingers and bright laughter

“ You have to create solutions so the problem doesn’t drown the potential.”-Nimbella, The Water Witch

The Wanderer

The rain thundered on as Thistle attempted to save the last of the vegetables in her rapidly flooding garden.

It was loud enough that she couldn’t hear much—just the splashing, the pitter-patter, and the aggressive, progressive downpour.

That was until she heard a cry.

“Oh no!” a voice exclaimed in the distance, close to her watering well. Thistle rushed, all of her hair standing on edge, to make sure she reached the emergency in time.

Everything had been so tense lately, ever since the rain had continued well past the length of the usual storm.

The residents in the Glade had all but lost their gardens. There had been so many horrible defeats—things that made Thistle wish she could banish the water, make it go away, or destroy it. If she could combust wood instead of mending it together, if she had the power to get rid instead of grow, maybe she’d be able to make enough fire to burn the water back into the clouds.

And there was really no end in sight.

Thistle, trudging through the mud, made it to the well to find a cloaked visitor kneeling beside it, staring sadly at a broken rod in her hand.

“My! What are you doing out in this rain?” Thistle called.

“I’m a water witch,” the visitor said. “Rain is kind of my thing. But this time it has broken my poor, dear dowsing rod.”

She held the rod up in dismay. Her long antennae twitched slightly. “Now I’m gonna have to find and enchant a new one. And I’ve had this one for ages. It’s about as old as me… we’ve done so much together”

“Oh boy… Would I be able to-” Thistle responded, reaching out a hand. “If I may?”

Thistle was happy for a problem she could actually fix in the midst of so many she hadn’t been able to. She gently grabbed the dowsing rod from the wandering water witch’s hands and closed her eyes, petitioning the wood as she held it in place. In an instant, she had mended it together again.

This act of growth magic stopped the witch briefly—a pause, a recognition now showing on her face.

“You must be the Guardian… are you Thistle Rose?”

Thistle blushed slightly. “Yes, that’s me. Though it hasn’t been feeling so much like I’ve been guarding much lately,” she said, as she handed the dowsing rod back.

The water witch simply smiled. “Well, you certainly helped me out. My dowsing rod’s good as new. Maybe better. I can’t thank you enough”

Thistle smiled softly, but inside she was conflicted. Though she felt helpful now, she hadn’t all week.

“Sorry,” the witch added. “I suppose it’s only fair. If I already knew your name, then you should know mine. My name is Nimbella. I’ve been dowsing the Glade for many years. The people around the Glade call me Doodlebug, because of my rain scribing. When I see the signs of rain, I’ll write them in the dirt with my dowsing rod and let the rain wash away whatever I haven’t already notated.”

“A rain scribe! Wait! You said that dowsing rod is as old as you are… Are you the historian that wrote the story of the rain from before?”

Nimbella nodded calmly. “I have written about every storm here for the last 200 years. Yes, of course. It seems like you have a book of mine in your library.”

“I have so much to ask you! I-” A thunderclap cracked above them, interrupting her.

“I’ll make you some tea,” Thistle concluded. “It would be better to go somewhere less noisy!”

Inside the cottage, Thistle was able to get a better look at Nimbella’s features. Because of her hard outer skin, it was hard to tell her age. She resembled the water bugs that skirted across ponds in the Glade, with large, dark eyes that looked like a night full of clouds.

Her long antennae sensed moisture in the air—which was quite useful, because of her powers. She was an aquamancer—a creature capable of moving water.

“How do you do that?” Thistle asked in amazement, as she watched Nimbella move water from the pitcher into the kettle, the droplets dancing across the cottage from the table into the hearth.

“I speak, and the water listens. I figure it’s similar to your growth magic in some ways.”

“Yeah…” Thistle trailed off.

She was deep in thought. She had so many questions for the author of the book—especially questions about the Glade itself and how it had survived.

However, every time she attempted to ask, the words would get caught in her throat. The questions suffocated her for fear of the answer.

Thistle had already read the book and yet still underestimated the severity of the storm. This lack of confidence had become a persistent problem and brought about a shame because of the inaction. What Guardian has a feeling that they don’t immediately act on? Why did she let herself get so comfortable that she didn’t already prepare for the imminent threat? Better yet, why didn’t she know for sure the threat was coming in the same way someone like Nimbella would?

Nimbella sensed a shift in Thistle’s mood.

“What’s on your mind, Guardian?” she asked slowly.

“A lot, I’ll admit,” Thistle replied cautiously. “Truthfully… I’ve been thinking a lot about the story of the last time it rained so fiercely—and your words: ‘abundant growth.’ At first, they gave me peace. But now… now they give me pause. I have so many questions, because of how devastating the storm is.”

Thistle took a deep breath, deciding. “I have to ask. Have the storms before ever gotten this bad? The one you wrote about—was it this severe?”

Nimbella looked away, turning her attention to the hearth and making sure the kettle was properly replaced. When she looked back, Thistle couldn’t ignore the worry in her expression.

“Now,” Nimbella began gently, “like I said, I don’t mind helping out a Guardian… however…”

She hesitated.

“Even for a water witch, this storm has proven… Formidable. Before, the rains were harsh—but nothing we couldn’t weather. Of course, that was before all the residents, and their houses, the roads and blossoming gardens. The first rains allowed for enough abundance to get people started—helped them make things how they are today. The rains thereafter helped the flowers grow. But…”

She looked at Thistle carefully.

“I fear the elements may be too strong for the Glade to handle on its own this time.”

Every muscle in Thistle’s body tightened, and the butterflies in her stomach that had been fluttering nervously since the start of the storm turned to lead.

She stared anxiously out the window at the flooding water and the rain as it pounded the trees, causing them to dance in a violent, anxious way.

She felt a lump form in her throat—like a frog trying to swallow a too-large cricket.

“I see,” was all she could manage to croak.

Nimbella’s face softened as she saw the young Guardian’s anxiety. She crossed the room, placing a hand gently on Thistle’s shoulder.

“Luckily, we have something now that we didn’t have before. A Guardian! Here for the whole community. And one who I know is capable of leading us through it.”

At this, the water finally began to pour from Thistle’s eyes. It’s funny how a water witch has the ability to dowse the water out of anything, including a scared and shaking Guardian sitting on her cottage couch. She was able to find the fears inside of Thistle, the ones she buried deep below, the same way that she was able to find groundwater under hard soil.

Thistle finally let out a small sob. Tiny tears began running down her cheeks.

“I sure hope we do,” she whispered, “but I don’t know what to do.”

She began again, fighting through the tears.

“I don’t think I can fix it. I wish I could destroy the rain, but all I can do is make things grow. Usually, there isn’t something I can’t fix… but I’ve never had a problem that needed me to destroy. Instead, I…”

A thunderclap boomed overhead, making her shrink into herself even more.

“But I believe,” Nimbella said gently, “this is something that needs mending… not more destruction.”

Thistle thought on this for a second. She wiped her tears gently—before realizing Nimbella had already whisked them off her face into the hearth.

“Abundant growth,” Thistle thought. “How can something so devastating still allow for roots to form?”

And at that, she finally understood.

The Glade wasn’t strong enough. But that wasn’t an absolute—that could be changed. The Glade could be stronger.

“I have to reinforce the land,” she whispered, looking up slowly to meet Nimbella’s large, dark eyes.

“Exactly,” Nimbella said. “And who better to lead the Glade than someone who understands growth? Who understands creation? You have to create solutions so the problem doesn’t drown the potential.”

And with that… the kettle began to sing.

🥧Shepherd’s Pie 🥔

Savory lamb meets smooth potatoes

Recipe:

Recipe Information

Total Time: ~1 hour (plus resting time)
Skill Level: Intermediate
Category: Feasts & Forager’s Pockets – Savory Pastries and Pies

🥗 Dietary Information

✅ Can be made Lactose-Free (with Gouda or sharp cheddar)
✅ Can be made Gluten-Free (with GF flour and mashed potato mix)
✅ Can be made Vegetarian/Vegan (with meat and dairy substitutes)

⚠ Potential Sensitivities

• 🐑 Contains Lamb (swap for plant-based meat if needed)
• 🧈 Contains Dairy (cheese, butter, and mashed potatoes)
• 🌾 Contains Gluten (flour; swap for GF option)
• 🍷 Contains Alcohol (red wine used to deglaze; sub tart cherry juice if avoiding)

🌿 Ingredients

• 🌿 1 small onion, diced – For a savory foundation and grounding energy
• 🌿 2 tbsp butter – For richness and protection
• 🌿 1 lb ground lamb (or plant-based substitute) – Heart of the feast
• 🌿 Seasonings of choice – Salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, etc.
• 🌿 Splash of red wine or tart cherry juice – To deepen and deglaze
• 🌿 Rosemary (recommended herb) – For memory, warmth, and tradition
• 🌿 2–4 tbsp flour – To bind into a hearty, pie-friendly texture
• 🌿 1½–2 cups stew vegetables (frozen mix works great) – Color, comfort, and strength
• 🌿 2 cups mashed potatoes (instant or homemade; any flavor you like) – A blanket of softness
• 🌿 2–3 slices of cheese (Gouda or sharp cheddar, lactose-free preferred) – For melt and flavor pull

🔪 Method

1. Sauté the Aromatics

• Dice the onions and add to a hot pan with butter.
• Sauté over medium-high heat until fragrant and softened.

2. Cook the Meat

• Add ground lamb (or substitute) to the pan.
• Tenderize with a meat tenderizer while cooking.
• Season generously “until you’re smoothing.”
• Once browned, deglaze the pan with red wine or tart cherry juice.

3. Add Vegetables & Thicken

• Add your frozen stew/soup vegetables.
• Sprinkle in rosemary and stir to combine.
• Once flavors are balanced, slowly stir in flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture resembles a meatloaf-like paste.

4. Prepare Mashed Potatoes

• While meat mixture simmers, prepare your favorite mashed potatoes.
• Flavors like roasted garlic, cheese, or bacon pair well with the filling.

5. Assemble the Pie

• In a pie tin (no need to grease), spread the meat filling on the bottom.
• Lay slices of cheese on top of the meat.
• Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top.

6. Bake & Set

• Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes until the top is golden.
• Optional: broil briefly for crispier mashed potatoes.

7. Let It Rest

• Allow to cool slightly before slicing.
• For cleaner slices, refrigerate and reheat to serve.

✨ Best Enjoyed…

• When you’ve been holding back your power and need a nudge to rise
• Shared with someone who reminds you of your strength when you've forgotten
• As you gather your courage, plate in hand, preparing to lead with heart
• At the turning point of a hard season, when comfort gives way to purpose
• While the world outside feels uncertain, but the warmth inside reminds you—you’re ready