DECEMBER

Subscriber First Name, welcome to the Art of Harvest, where we will journey together to slow down and nourish the soul, soil, and senses.

In a world that often moves too quickly, this newsletter is intended to be a place for pause—a monthly invitation to mindfully connect with the rhythms of creativity, nature, and kitchen.

STUDIO

— for the soul

First, A Thank-You

Thank-you to all who bought one of the prints and welcomed a piece of the studio onto your walls. It is always a privilege as an artist to know that my work is a presence in your home.

P.S. There are still a few prints remaining in the collection if you would like to bring one of these pieces into your home, the link is below.

A New Series Awakens

Now that this collection of this year comes to a close, I feel the rhythm of creativity bringing me full circle to start the next series. While the garden sleeps, my imagination awakens. My mind is wandering to scenes that I’m drawn to. I am hoping to push myself this year to paint on bigger canvases and a bolder colour palette. I am hoping come January, I can put these ideas to canvas. I eagerly await for those quiet carved out moments where I can slip into the studio. We will see where the easel and paint take me.

Poetry

Aside from visual art, this is also the time of year where my creative outpourings gravitate towards poetry. My mind has been gleaning lines, images, and emotions - small fragments that I crave to capture into words. Another art form that sometimes visual art can’t quite encompass, I enjoy painting with words.

I have gone through some of my old poems, and have uploaded a few more to my website if you are interested in themes of motherhood, identity, creativity, and our relationship to nature.

GARDEN

— for the soil

This month is another one of dwindling tasks in the garden, where we can enjoy time inside and take care of a few things.

• Tool care - Sharpening the pruners, oiling the wood on hoes, de-rusting any rust on metal.

• Storing produce

  • Potatoes or other root vegetables (not still in the garden) - store layered, not touching, in wood crates with wood shavings or Rubbermaids/cardboard boxes with sand in a cool dark place. Garages or cool room in a basement. Place a pallet or something to ensure circulation underneath!

  • Sweet potatoes - store inside in a slightly cooler, less moist area in a mesh bag

  • Note on root vegetables: in zones 8-9, around coastal BC, you can actually leave root vegetables in the ground with a good layer of mulch

• Protecting containers - bring inside or in a heated greenhouse, herbs, rosemary or anything that isn’t cold hardy that are in pots

• Harvest any remaining alliums - if there are any leeks still in your garden, this is important time to harvest them before your garlic emerges. This is to reduce the spread of garlic rust, Puccinia allii, spores that can develop on the leaves of your garlic, onions and leeks. (This is a tip I just learned from Linda Gilkeson’s monthly newsletter! Definitely a wealth of information - especially if you live on the island.)

• WAIT to prune - its better to prune your fruit trees after the coldest risk is over

** Note: Where I live, my hardiness zone is 8a - so quite mild. If you live in a lower zone (Okanagan: 6-7; Southern Alberta 4), these tasks you may have already been done a few weeks ago!

KITCHEN

— for the senses

SHAVED BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD WITH CANDIED PECANS

This recipe is one I just recently discovered, but it made me fall in love with Brussel sprouts. It is also a little bit festive - so a great addition to holiday gatherings you may have. Brussel sprouts are one of those vegetables that are notorious for getting a bad rep. Most people hate’em. However, the sweetness of the candied pecans, dates, pomegranate and maple syrup in the dressing offsets the often pungent taste - to be more sweet and earthy.

• 3 cups shaved brussels sprouts, stems removed

• 1 ½ cups pomegranate arils

• 1 ½ cups Granny Smith or honey crisp apple, diced

• 1 cup pecans, candied (recipe below) or just toasted

• 5-7 Mejoodl dates (or ¾ cup dried cranberries)

• ¾ cup shaved parmesan

SEASONAL REFLECTIONS

The Creative Power of Darkness

As we approach the Winter Solstice, we are in the final descent of darkness. These months of dim light can be difficult. Lots of us find hope and renewal through being outside: feeling the sun on our faces, being surrounded by nature, catching the light before and after work. These sources are simply harder to find this time of year.

I suspect this is why my natural rhythm shifts inward. I find hope through art, creativity, and the intentional gathering of new ideas. I have found that it is often in the deepest, most quiet hours of winter that my creativity is renewed.

Just like entering a sensory deprivation tank, the absence of external light and sensory input brings the necessary quiet to explore what’s going on inside. The darkness outward draws us inward, and creating the space to reaquint us with ourselves.

The current stormy weather and the potential for power outages here have made this idea even more vivid. The forced lack of electricity disrupts our norm, requiring us to slow down and think differently, and ultimately, get creative.

Nature also illustrates this beautifully: most seeds germinate better in the dark and don’t need the light to start their growth. This gives me profound hope. That even in these dark months, there is still powerful work happening under the surface. Noticing that there are seeds waiting to arise from the rich, dark soil of our inner landscapes is a potent reminder of what can be, even when the path ahead feels uncertain.

The darkness is often something that we are taught to fear or despise, yet, there is so much richness to it if we can learn to sit with it. A call to journey to the depths of ourselves and to emerge renewed.

What helps you get through the dark months of the year? Although this season is dark, maybe this is the opportunity to see something in a different light. Take a moment to reflect on what may be going on under the surface. Although tiny, it may just be a seed about to burst forth.

Warmly,

Rachael

(P.S. If you know someone who might enjoy learning how to create, grow, and eat with the seasons, please feel free to forward this email.)