A month of very little rain. I’ve been trying to care for our perennial plants as best I can at the garden these past few weeks, in the hope that they will not be damaged from the stress. As things quiet a bit in the garden, they become more lively in the studio as I prepare for the bustling months ahead. I hope you are keeping well and settling peacefully into this new season.

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reading:

an interview with and a poem by Jane Hirshfield in Emergence Magazine

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I've been collecting still more native plant seeds from our garden beds, and am continually moved by the incredible abundance of seeds that even one single plant can yield. So in following that thread along, a few more seed-adjacent things:

- saving native plant seeds, via A Way To Garden -

- and from the Wild Seed Project, a guide to autumn & winter sowing -

- seeds up close by Anna Laurent -

- following the work of Vivian Sansour & Truelove Seeds -

- adding Robin Wall Kimmerer's new offering to my reading list, and this book, too -

- and looking at Ellie Irons’ beautiful work -

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listening:

to Cécile McLorin Salvant’s latest album, Mélusine

the serendipitous duets of Ayman Fanous (classical guitar & bouzouki), Frances-Marie Uitti (cello) on their album Negoum

I’ve been a fan of Yasmin Williams for some time now, and have had her most recent album on repeat at the studio this month

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above, clockwise from top left:

I’m delighted to offer a very special discount on this bundle of my most beloved botanical skincare formulas for the colder months ahead. Our Rose & Chamomile Honey Clay Cleanser, Rosehip & Calendula Facial Tonic & our Nourishing Serum will keep you feeling soft and glowy throughout the cold dry days of autumn and winter.

Every so often I come across a bit of magical vintage teaware to offer you alongside our collection of small-batch loose teas & tisanes. This set is just so lovely, with double-walled cups, a beautiful pink lotus motif and lots of golden shimmer.

Tis the season to keep well stocked with beeswax candles. I’ve been pouring lots of fresh batches this month in the studio, you can find them in the shop as a set of three with a vintage tray, a set of ten mini tapers with a brass stand, or a set of five narrow tapers on their own.

I love to watch the light shift in and out of our west-facing windows in the spring and fall. In the autumn, the sun begins to recede behind the building and in the very early spring, it starts to wrap back around and enter more fully into the windows. This always gives me a little moment of nostalgia for our long-lost West Broadway studio space, where we also faced westward.

above, clockwise from top left:

Pouring a batch of our beloved jasmine & cardamom butters, with just the right mix of flowers and spice for the cooler days ahead. My best tip for using our butters? Apply to damp skin just after a warm shower or bath, they’ll absorb beautifully and lock in the moisture like a dream.

Sending this lovely vintage piece out recently, filled with our forest perfume balm. Take a peek at our current vintage collection here. I’m always adding new treasures as I come across them.

Reflecting for a moment on the compositional process of our latest botanical perfume release, tilth. This little vignette represents just a few of the drafts made on the way to the final version. This scent has been such a fascinating one to work with, as it really needs significant time to meld and cure, more than some of our other perfumes. thus the process has been a not entirely linear one, pursued over the course of many months. A collaboration with time, in a way.

Some of the gifts-with-purchase that I often send along to our newsletter subscribers. be sure that you are on the list to stay in the loop about special offers!

Found the most beautiful locally-grown turmeric and ginger at the market this month. More than ever, it’s become possible to source all kinds of herbs and botanicals grown on small regenerative farms here in the Northeast, I’m so grateful to be able to use their harvests to bring our botanical skincare and teas to life.

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below from the garden, clockwise from top left:

The seedheads of our New York Ironweed (Vernonia Noveboracensis) in the autumn sunlight.

A visitor on the last leaves of the swamp rose-mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) alongside a bit of milkweed fluff.

The lovely shape and texture of the solomon’s seal (Polygonatum sp.) as it fades.

And a last, lingering sungold tomato in the children’s garden.

“I have been younger in October than in all the months of spring.”

— W.S. Merwin

(read the full poem here)

Until next time,

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