One of my favorite reads of 2021 was Rachael Hendersen's The Scent of Lemon and Rosemary, so it was with joy I picked up her most recent book, Natural Home Wheel of the Year. It exceeded my expectations in every way.
First, there is the conversational style of writing. This is not some lofty, top-down, let me tell you how it is tome. Not at all. Henderson is cheerful, witty, and makes yo feel like you're hanging out at a friend's home making things with a purpose. Here's a glimpse:
I am a crafty witch. Not crafty in the sense that I am wily, sly, or tricksy, but in the sense that I call on fire through my glue gun, water with my E-3000 glue, air with glitter, and earth with clay.
And then there are All The Crafts! Henderson's hope is to inspire us to delve deeper into what makes the Wheel of the Year meaningful to us. Not as a form of busywork, but a way to engage in specific activities that tap into the energy of each holiday. This is not about how to change a bouquet of flowers every six weeks, so much as how to consider changing what we eat, contemplate, and engage in throughout the cycle of the year. Each craft is a kind of moving meditation. I enjoyed many of the recipes and the few decorative crafts I made. I'm looking forward to working with this book all through the coming year.
Did I mention that this is a beautiful book? Pictures abound, and there is color everywhere.
High;y recommended!
~review by Lisa McSherry
Author: Raechel Henderson
Llewellyn Publications, 2023
$27.99, pp. 272
