1 August marks Lùnastal (Scottish Gaelic, pronounced “loo-nas-til”) or Lughnasadh (in Irish Gaelic): the halfway point between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and Autumn Equinox (Mabon), and the beginning of Hairst - the harvest seasons in the Celtic Wheel of the Year. To celebrate, I thought it was apt to finally share news of The Big Writing Project with you, as Hairst is when it begins…
Gloaming: folklore, recipes + crafts to spark glimmers of light in the darker months will be published by Bloomsbury on 22 October (and 12 January 2027 in the US).
Gloaming is a collection of cosy crafts, soul-nourishing recipes and mindful activities to lead you through the darker half of the year - from Hairst (harvest) to Waretym (earliest spring). The whole thing is inspired by Scottish autumn and winter folklore and Celtic traditions of seasonal living, rooted in mindful noticing, guided time in nature and simple creative projects to help you embrace the darkness and find the light in autumn and winter.
I’ve been working on Gloaming a.k.a. The Big Writing Project for almost two years, since Baby L was 3 months old. It’s one of the main reasons I left teaching after ten years so I could give it my all and I’m so excited the secret is finally out! I’m sharing behind the scenes in my paid community and wee snippets on my Instagram. Do let me know if you have any questions about it and I’ll try my best to answer them!
It would mean so much to me if you preordered, which you can do at the link below:
Plus if you live locally and want to be one of the first people to see my new book in person, then do join us for my Lùnastal Seasonal Gathering at The Cookbook Shop. I’ll be demonstrating two recipes from the new book (plus one from Slow Seasons), including the spiced honey fermented fruit you’ll be making with Odysea honey in Kilner jars to take home. Delicious pickle plates and seasonal cordial from Mara’s Picklery, a reading from Slow Seasons and a sneak peek inside Gloaming. Secure your spot here by 5 p.m. today when I close bookings to put in my order with Mara’s!
Now onto the rest of today’s newsletter! Things to make and do to mark the start of the harvest seasons…
5 Ways to Celebrate Lùnastal
To me, this is the start of a seasonal shift: the landscape turns increasingly golden, later Summer flowers such as dahlias and rudbeckias bloom, and the nights are starting to lose the endless quality of Midsummer. Lùnastal celebrates abundance as crops ripen on farms and the first blackberries appear, tasting of late Summer and the anticipation of early Autumn. There’s so much seasonal goodness to enjoy during this glorious in‑between time as late summer gives way to the earliest hints of autumn.
Blackberrying
The blackberries are beginning to ripen in the hedgerows – I’ve been monitoring my usual spots, have you noticed them too? When blackberry picking you’ll need dedication, gardening gloves, maybe a ladder or tall person and a large box or basket to collect them in. For the best flavour of berries, pick at the end of a sunny afternoon, opting for fruit that is plump and sweet. Pick sparingly from each patch, making sure to leave enough fruit for other foragers and plenty for the wildlife. What do you make with yours? I’ve got a whole section on blackberries in Slow Seasons with recipes for blackberry shrub, blackberry fruit leather and blackberry, chocolate and cardamom cake and I have to say these are among some of my favourite recipes in the book! Otherwise, a batch of bramble and bay leaf jelly is definitely on the cards as my stocks are dwindling…
Purple Hillsides
August sees the heather in full bloom and hillsides transform with purple hues. If you’re lucky enough to have heather where you live, head to the hills to see the spectacle up close. I’m biased but it’s pretty special here in Scotland. And even if you don’t have heather near you, I still recommend heading to a vantage point near you to make the most of the beautiful late Summer light and to see things from a different perspective if you can, to spend time in nature as it turns beautifully golden, and to spot wildlife as the seasonal shift begins. Even living in the city here in Edinburgh, a walk up Arthur’s Seat or Blackford Hill feels like a brain break from my day to day: something about the scale and distance never fails to put my worries into perspective.
Make a Lavender Garland
In both of my books you’ll find all sorts of simple, seasonal crafts to help you tune in with the time of year, to inspire creative flow and to celebrate the moment. Here is one such craft that didn’t make the final draft, but I thought I would share with you instead! You’ll need colourful string or twine, a small bunch of lavender & miniature pegs to make this simple Summer garland that smells amazing too. Measure the length of string for your garland against the space you want to hang it. Make small bunches of 3 small stems of lavender each, trimmed to around 3 cm. Cross the stems as you peg them to the string, evenly spaced along its length, make a loop at each end, knot and hang! The lavender will dry and curl a little as it hangs, but it will still look and smell beautiful. If you live near, I thoroughly recommend a trip to Scottish Lavender Oils to get your flowers - we went on Friday and I’m still dreaming of the otherworldly scent!
Enjoy Seasonal Produce
Late Summer goodness meets early Autumn produce at this trans‑seasonal time of year. Tomatoes are spectacular just now and the plant we grew from seed even has some budding wee toms on it! Our The Free Company food box has been filled with beautiful plums and I’m so excited for all the orchard fruit to come. If you have a farm who does veg boxes near you, why not check it out? They can be incredible value for money, while supporting the local economy and enjoying the freshest late Summer produce. Speaking of seasonal produce…
Plum, Hazelnut and Chocolate Cake
I love baking with plums, when and if there are any left: they bring a lovely sharpness to cakes that feels fresh and vibrant for the new season ahead. This plum, hazelnut and chocolate cake has a delicious mixture of sweet and sour, nutty and fruity flavours that are perfect for this time of transition. To make the cake, you will need:
120g unsalted butter
120g caster sugar
2 large free-range eggs
120g self-raising flour
2 tbsp whole milk
50g plum, chopped into chunks (about 2 - 3 Victoria plums)
40g milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces
30g hazelnuts, chopped
For the topping:
150g plums, chopped into thin slices
10g hazelnuts, chopped
1 tbsp Demerara sugar.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160C Fan and grease and line a 20cm round tin.
In a stand mixer or in a bowl with a wooden spoon, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time with a little flour, then fold in the rest of the flour followed by the milk to loosen the batter a little, stirring until combined.
Fold through the 50g of plum, chocolate and hazelnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and top with the thinly sliced plums, a sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts and Demerara sugar.
Bake for 40 - 45 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
If you enjoy my seasonal newsletters, do consider joining us in my paid subscriber community for more regular posts. Together in this wee corner of the Internet we are creating a beautiful community of like-minded old souls who want to slow down, simplify and connect with the seasons. Here’s a flavour of what I’ve been posting over there this last month:
Celebrating Lùnastal and behind the scenes of the Big Writing Project Reveal
Gooseberry and Elderflower Pavlova
Thanks so much for being here and all your support! See you again for Mabon xxx
How wonderful and congratulations! ✨ I’m sat with Slow Seasons right next to me, off to pick blackberries and greengages later to do your recipes!
Congratulations on the publication of your second book. Am so, so excited for you. I cannot wait to read your words 🩵