Reclaiming Our Wildness: An Autumn Tea

 

Our second annual Autumn Tea Party felt magical this year. We met again at the Lavender Ridge Farm in Gainesville under a warm October sun, surrounded by trees and bright gardens. The café serves simple, stylish lunches of fresh sandwiches, fruit, and drinks like tea or lemonade, with lavender if you like. It was the kind of meal that felt easy and nourishing, just right for the day. We sipped from handmade yellow tumblers with original paint drippings. They were crafted by a Cherokee artist in the 1980s and I had found them this year at a local antique store. Each one had it's own wildness but were comforting and nestled perfectly in our hands.

My October this year is Merida's month. The fiery-haired heroine from Brave is a symbol of wildness, courage, and emotional honesty. Her spirit shaped this tea party in theme and heart. We gathered not to perform, but to be. To speak freely. To laugh loudly. To cry gently. To reclaim the parts of ourselves that feel most alive. This year has been heavy for each of us in different ways, and we needed this space to breathe. It also happened to be my 27th baptism anniversary, so I felt held and happy in every way.

I had created an activity titled, Sip & Share  and after going around the table sharing our responses with each other, we also did a gentle ritual called Reclaiming Your Wildness, where each of us selected a tiny jar of either dried basil, rosemary, or mammoth sunflower seeds. These tokens came from my new garden and though small, my hope is that their sincere invitation leads our spirits to be more alive in the season ahead. [examples below]

As we were chatting, a woman from a different group wandered over, curious about our setup. My daughter and I offered up our jars so that I was able to gift each of those women with their own jar. It was a sweet exchange.

Another wonderful surprise was that the farm had a photographer offering mini portrait sessions! The talented Jae Grey captured our afternoon beautifully. You can find her work on Instagram at "heyitsjaegrey." The location photos and activity photos are mine. Enjoy! 

 

 

 

 

For my Grandma Mac - she found straight faced photos hilarious, because we do them so poorly. 

 

Reclaiming Your Wildness Activity

 

"To the wild within us: the parts that feel, that dare, and that dance with the leaves."
Consider what wildness you’re ready to reclaim, then choose a jar. 

 Let it be a gentle reminder for the season ahead. 

 

Basil 

Clarity: Quiet the noise, focus on what matters 

Voice: It’s confident, true expression 

Intuition: For trusting your inner knowing 

 

Rosemary 

Homecoming: Returning to your truest self 

Boundaries: Protecting your peace 

Courage: To be intense; without shame 

 

Sunflower Seeds 

Joy: Showing delight without apology 

Growth: Turning toward what feeds you soul and spirit 

Radiance: Letting yourself be seen, without shrinking  

 

I adore that I was able to make these tumblers look so similar. :)
I also hand placed each element of the design

Invitation. AI helped me by crafting one to match the theme and even the centerpiece!