Fawn and Crow Apothecary

09/18/2026

07/02/2026

Join me in my Apothecary garden on a sunny day.

A soft breeze carries the scent of flowering Valerian, freshly clipped Holy Basil and flowering Sweet Peas. The sun shines down a kind and comforting warmth that us folks in the north adore, we all feel it. The mercury is just right, a sweet spot for us and the plants. My Calendula bows to the sun and opens it petals. A reunion of kin, so beautiful to witness.

The birdsong is filling the air with deep resonance. These frequencies are so important to the garden, just like water. A bumble bee lands on my unfurling Meadowsweet flowers, I'm sure they told their queen the nectar is almost ready.

A stronger wind arrives unannounced, or maybey the Aspens invited the wind so they can dance in the warm sun. Their leaves in the wind is a unique and precious audio experience. Trembling is a world used to describe their dance, but I hear a melody almost like a belly dance tune instead.

The same wind that carries the birdsong, Aspen dance and warmth gives a strong gust over my tall Mugwort plants, just enough to see their silver underbelly. Reminds me of the moon. As much as they need the sun, these herbs also need the moon. Just like us.

Soon, harvest will be upon us. I have been telling the plants everyday how much we benefit from their essence. Each step between their lives in the garden and as a preparation is gealingbinnits own way..... I also give them detailed human situations, even names of folks I want to share their medicines with. I think they get excited and respond in subtle but very noticeable ways. They want to help our nervous systems regulate, nourish our belly, bones and brains, they want us to have deep sleeps, heal our skin and clear our lungs. It's magic buddies. It truly is.

06/26/2026

BALSAM POPLAR - POPULUS BALSAMIFERA

I wanted to share the lengthy process of harvesting, extracting and then crafting the oil into several products. Our Balsam Poplare salve, Body oil and Balsam Moon perfume are our main products but you can also find the oil as supportive ingredient in our Moon Balm, Wilderness Folk Balm and Lus face oil,

Globally there are about 30 different species of the genus Populus, many of which are highly medicinal. The bark, leaves, or dormant leaf buds are used for making medicines, but it is the sticky late winter/early spring buds that most people seek. The common compound found in these trees is Salicylic Acid or Salicins. This ingredient is more commonly found in Tylenol in our modern world and has so many useful, soothing and beneficial applications. This resin is nothing short of pure gold in my books. Truly special.

The buds are soaked in oil for many months to extract the amber colored resin. The oil is commonly used in topical preparations for skincare ranging from rashes, dry or cracked skin, eczema, burns, and wounds but also used as a wonderfully warming pain reliever for arthritic joints, sore muscles, strains and sprains.

Balsam Poplar buds are my absolute favorite aromatic tree resin. With notes of caramel, amber and honey, I find the smell intoxicating and deeply nostalgic. Often times when I smell the tree buds during harvesting or as the buds leaf out in spring, I remember being a wandering curious child or have illuminated memories of forest experiences.

You can find all of these offerings on the website, a link is provided in our bio !

06/24/2026

I formulated Honey in the Heart Elixir to support emotional resilience during periods of grief, loss, and heartache. This blend combines Wild Rose Petals, homegrown Passionflowers, Motherwort, Wood Betony, Holy Basil, and Skullcap—each selected for their traditional use in supporting emotional wellness.

ROSE
Rose is a flower for the heart. The flower itself and aroma can be a gentle reminder of beauty, of our senses and of the flow and rhythm of life. Rose is especially there for us during times of grief or loss, moments that feel disconnected, unclear, hazy, and confusing. Rose allows you to be as you are while grieving, all the while holding your hands and heart as you release emotion. If you have ever stood in a wild rose patch, you will recount the feeling of bliss and surreal beauty.

PASSIONFLOWER
It's absolute unique beauty is wonderful, but the medicinal properties of Passion flower is why I grow it. While Passionflower will not "cure" or specifically reduce the emotional pain of grief or loss, it works by binding to GABA receptors in the brain, helping to settle a mind stuck in circular, looping thoughts.

MOTHERWORT
Grief often manifests physically as a tight chest, rapid breathing or anxiety causeing extreme discomfort. At times this grief can cause an unsteady, fluttering or jumpy heartbeat. Motherwort acts as a gentle cardiotonic, relaxing the heart muscle and stabilizing blood pressure caused by emotional distress.

WOOD BETONY
Heartbreak, sorrow and loss can often cause us to clench or grind our jaws, hunch our shoulders up, squish our foreheads and cry deeply. This all can create a serious headache or frontal lobe tension. Wood betony acts as an a natural pain reliever to relax tension.

HOLY BASIL
Tulsi /Holy Basil is a gentle adaptogen for stress, mental fog and exhaustion from chronic stress and grief. Especially helpful for those feeling depleted.

SKULLCAP
Herbalist Alexis. J Cunningfolk writes it best “Skullcap restores strength to an overwhelmed nervous system, relieving spasms, nerve pain, and cultivating calm. I have found Skullcap very helpful in cases shock and prolonged periods of stress/sleep deficit.

Live on the website now!

06/07/2026

Spruce tips!

Whenever I stand with the Spruce trees, my spine straightens, my heart opens, my mind clears. They have such generous medicine and friendly energy. Beyond their rad vibes their nutritional and medicinal properties are profound!! Each spring the Spruce tips grow new arms, the shoot out soft tips at the end of their branches that will later become limbs!! The optimal time to harvest them is when they are still soft, tight and supple. If they have become hard or fluffed out, you missed your window. But don't fret, you can always go up a few hundred meters in elevation and I'm sure you will find your spruce tips at the perfect harvest time.

Not only are the tips high in vitamin C and minerals, they are also one of natures best expectorants. Used in a tea or steam they help loosen phlegm from the lungs and sinus cavities wonderfully. They are basically super food for the immune system friends!

Spruce tips also naturally possess antimicrobial and antiseptic properties that work wonders on our skin. When used topically in salves, or poultices, Spruce tips naturally help heal minor cuts, abrasions, rashes and skin eruptions.

You can find Spruce medicine in my Aurora balm where I use the resin, my Emerald forest body oil containing the needle extract and resin, my Danu resin perfume and the dried tips in my delicious North Mountain tea blend. All of these offerings can be found on my website. The link in my bio will transport you over there!!

06/04/2026

This foraging and garden year feels different. Not sure why exactly but I am having a hard time keeping my head above water!!

Just when we thought we are in the clear and planted most of our gardens...they changed the forecast and it is set to be 3 degrees celcius for next few night which means risk of frost. Back to hooping everything!! I have been sidetracked with pain flare up, supporting loved ones through grief, and playing chess with mother nature. When you start medicinal herbs in feb and march you can't replace them. If you lose them it's done for the season. There is nowhere to buy starts quickly!! You are plant mom and have to make sure these babies stay alive. Me against the northern bc cold nights!!

I have been fiercely protecting my babies in the apothecary garden and somehow the veggie garden planting times are falling on weekdays when my love is at work!! I have had to pace myself and just accept I am exactly where I should be. The cards will fall where they fall, the cookie will crumble how it wants. Right ?

A break will come soon right ?? Hehee.

06/01/2026

Finally, planting day has arrived. Well... day 1 of about 3 planting days. My babies are rootbound!! They need too get in the ground asap!! We have had our last cold snap, like cold as in 10 degrees during the day and - 3 or 4 degrees celcius at night. OUCH!! It has not been very pleasant.

But today, the sun and safe planting weather has arrived. My perennial plants are well established now but the annuals I love will always have to be sown, tended and cultivated. After 4 years here, I have noticed I need to sow less varieties and focus on annuals...and all my precious flowers.

This morning I started of planting Spilanthes, Echinacea, Goldenrod, Vervain and Calendula. The birds are so fantastic right now, I decided to just let the sounds in the video transport you to my garden with me instead of adding any music. It is very peaceful and serene here.

These have been some tough days friends. I have been dealing with chronic pain, strange new pain, anxiety out of the blue and to be honest a slight lost feeling. This spring has not been as smooth as others. Planting theses herbs I have tended since winter has helped ground me but also reminded me, this makes me so happy.

At the same time, my body is hurting!! I am thankful for Willow bark, Mullein root and solomons seal tinctures right now. They are helping !! Chronic pain from injury doesn't go away, it just fluctuates in intensity. Some days are better than others. Thankfully today is not too bad and I can manage, but it's usually in the evening I really feel it. I am thankful to be here, doing the best I can. I know these plants, they know me. Together we would like to share and be in community with more humans!!

For now, it is far too hot to keep planting. A pleasant difference from the past few weeks. Time to work in the apothecary to produce some stock for upcoming markets. Thank you for being here!!

05/31/2026

05/16/2026

Have you tried our Tulsi Rose tea blend ??

This is my queen of tea blends. Simple, wildly flavorful, relaxing, nourishing and supportive.

My love and I married on summer solstice 24 years ago this June. Since mobing north, our ritual is to gather rose petals together on this day. 54 degrees north, the petals are always in the peak of their magnificent blooms on June 21st. Each tin of this tea shares the love and ritual of our partnership and the sacred energy of what we call the rose temple. The rose temple is a place I discovered near our home, a place that is dear to my heart. I have never seen so many wild roses in one spot. This is where I spread some of my mother and dogs ashes. With the majestic telkwa mountain range as our backdrop, we meticulously pick 2 petals from each flower for this lovely tea blend. A ritual, a gift, a kiss from nature.

We then blend these beautifully dried roses with our home grown Tulsi that we grow right here in our gardens. I wasn't sure when we moved this far north if my beloved Tulsi seeds would thrive. I am so happy they do! I dedicate a whole 6 foot by 4 foot bed in my greenhouse to theses glorious plants. There is nothing like sticking your head in a bed of Tulsi. It is truly uplifting and magical.

This blend is a perfect choice for when you need to feel more calm and centered in your daily journey, for a gesture of care to yourself, before bed for a restful sleep, or in a tea ceremony amongst loved ones!! I drink it hot or cold, in all seasons!! These two herbs are so valuable for your nervous system, digestion and overall energetic health!!

You can find this blend on my website a link can be found in my bio. 🌹