roadside find

[asakiyume]

Mugwort was what I set out for, as I have become addicted to mugwort tea.

Exhibit One: Mugwort



It's taller than me, which is something I love in a wildflower or weed.


But on my return, I found something wonderful by the side of the road: a book



It turns out to be King Spruce, by Holman Day. It was published in 1908.



Holman Day (1865-1935) was a Maine native, a journalist and newspaper publisher, and the author of twenty-three novels and three books of ballads. A scholarly article that wakanomori kindly procured for me dismisses the novels ("None of his publications, unfortunately, can be placed much above the level of the pot-boiler") but takes interest in the ballads. I think I'd like to find the ballads.

I think I'll try the book too, though. I opened at random and found this passage:

"And now, speaking of arresting in the name of the law," snarled the lumber baron, "and your duty that you seem so fond of, Rodlliff, get out your handcuffs for something that's worth while. It's three years in state-prison for maliciously setting fires on timber lands. It's a long vacation in the county jail for assaulting a man without provocation. There's the girl who set that fire; there's the man that struck me. So you see, Lane, your prisoner is going to have company."

Do you sense a villain?

Comments

Curious Serendipity!

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I was watching some videos today about herbs, weeds, and edible plants, and in one of them, the speaker mentioned mugwort and specifically their use in dream pillows. Someday, I shall have to have one.

Re: Curious Serendipity!

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

I've made dream pillows with mugwort & other herbs. They're quite nice.

Re: Curious Serendipity!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I started drinking it in part in hopes of dreams! (Nothing yet to report, but I do love the flavor).

The leaves are so aromatic; I can see a dream pillow would be a good thing, too.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I sense a growing mugwort theme. What does the tea taste like?

Also, I have the distinct impression that lost things follow you. How else would you find a hundred year old book at the roadside?

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

There is definitely a mugwort theme! (scheme.... dream....)

The book is simply remarkable. When I discovered that the author was a Maine native and that it is set in Maine, I thought of cinda_cite. (Do you read her journal? I think yes? She's a marvelous LJer.)

ETA: LOL main/Maine typo

[bogwitch64.livejournal.com]

Well...I can see why someone might want to toss the book out a car window, but what a find for you! It may not be the treasure itself, but it LEADS to treasure--the ballads. I bet you'll enjoy that muchly.

And--THAT is mugwort?? Holy moly, woman! I have that stuff growing all over the place!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Holy moly, woman! I have that stuff growing all over the place!

Well you can brew delicious tea or make a dream pillow, then!

As for King Spruce, I rather liked the excerpt, in a ripping-yarn sort of way. It seems exciting! Not subtle, but fun.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Ooh! You must reviewthe book for us ;o)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Will do!

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

wow

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

At j_cheney's suggestion, I'll post a review when I've read it.

[redcoast.livejournal.com]

What does mugwort tea taste like?

I used to drink sassafras tea. You know, it has that root beer flavor? It was soooo good.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I loooove sassafras--the leaf stems have a citrusy flavor. And yeah, if you get some sassafras root and scratch the bark of it--wham-o, root beer scent! I've never made tea of either the leaves or root, but I bet both would be delicious.

I can't really describe the flavor of the tea. It tastes the way it smells, which is a little like chrysanthemums, but the scent is stronger and richer than that.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a delicious day of finds!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Truly!

Each chapter has an initial capital letter that's done large with spruce needles and pine cones around it, and there are illustrations. The frontisepiece illustration has a girl and boy together with a lantern in the snow, and it reads, "I know your heart."

[cheapriboflavin.livejournal.com]

Neat find!

The last cool thing I found lying around outside was a Blues Traveler CD and the DVD for Once Upon a Time in Mexico... man that was awesome. :) (I still have them!!!)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Wow, was the CD in listening condition? That's very cool! I think Blues Traveler had a hit that I liked.

[tooticky.livejournal.com]

You always find such interesting things on your walks. 'The Spruce King' definitely sounds like a ripping yarn - although the title makes me think of the troll king in Hans Christen Anderson rather than derring do. I do love the idea of random books released into the wild like that, and I'm glad you rescued it from the road.
Wonder how it got there? Flung from a car by someone maddened by the purple prose or early 20th century attitudes to forestry???

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

My prosaic guess is that it was destined for the local library as a donation to their ongoing book sale (you can get some fantastic old books at that--my younger daughter came back with one from 1823, if I recall correctly) and then fell off the back of the truck, as they say.

This book was written in that period in which the fear of the word "said" was at its height. Opening to another random two-page spread, we have people suggesting, remarking, breaking in [i.e., interrupting], growling, and shouting.

(To be fair, opening at another two-page spread, I find three instances of "said" and one "retorted")

Ooh, ooh, I just found an exciting illustration: Writhing at his bonds, his contorted face toward the red flames galloping up the valley OMG, the guy is tied up and a forest fire is coming!

[snakypoet]

You definitely live a magickal life! And/or in a magickal place.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Magic really bursts out all over the place, around here.

[skogkatt.livejournal.com]

What an awesome book find! I have found mugwort growing on the bikepath and have plans to make tea of my own! But how much to use? And how long to steep? Suggestions?

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I pick a good handful, put it in a large saucepan, and pour a full kettle of boiling water over it. Then I let it sit until it has cooled off, then I take the mugwort out and put the water into a big jar or pitcher. It should be that nice green color.

[avalonestel.livejournal.com]

Love that excerpt from the book! It's so neat to find such old things; I used to peruse the college library trying to find old books. I think the oldest one I've found was published in 1901. It's just sad how it was torn up like that.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I thought the selection sounded pretty exciting too. Yeah, it's sad about the binding. Fortunately the book itself is all intact--so it's just a matter of reattaching the binding. I'm not sure how real book restorers do it, but I'm thinking I could do it with glue.

Wow!

[mizannie.livejournal.com]

That is an incredible find!

Now, I'm curious about mugwort tea?!

Re: Wow!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Mugwort tea--well, really it's an infusion: you take mugwort leaves and pour boiling water over them, then let it sit for a couple of minutes--is delicious!

It's very fragrant, though hard to describe the fragrance--a little like hardy chrysanthemums, though, if that helps at all. And it's bright green in color. I had never made it before this year, but I enjoyed it a lot all summer long.

[starconverse.livejournal.com]

The excerpt was really thrilling ~

Mugwort tea, that also sounds interesting. :)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

The story is proving to be very exciting :-)