The grass was soft like in her dream. And the scent of herbs and flowers was exactly like in the dream. There was the sound of paper flapping all around her as the tree continued to shake. She lifted the starburst rhinestone pin above her head breathlessly. Her hand was trembling now, not wanting to be disappointed. She moved the pin back and forth until suddenly, like a Christmas cracker, the light broke through and multicolored sparkles rained down on her face. She could actually feel them, the colors so cool they were warm, like flakes of snow.

Her entire body relaxed and she laughed. She laughed like she hadn’t laughed in a long time.

She needed this. She needed this proof.

Yes, everything was going to be okay now.

Perfect, in fact.

FROM THE WAVERLEY KITCHEN JOURNAL

FROM THE
WAVERLEY KITCHEN JOURNAL

Angelica - Will shape its meaning to your need, but it is particularly good for calming hyper children at your table.

Anise Hyssop - Eases frustration and confusion.

Bachelor’s Button - Aids in finding things that were previously hidden. A clarifying flower.

Chicory - Conceals bitterness. Gives the eater a sense that all is well. A cloaking flower.

Chive Blossom - Ensures you will win an argument. Conveniently, also an antidote for hurt feelings.

Dandelion - A stimulant encouraging faithfulness. Frequent side effects are blindness to flaws and spontaneous apologies.

Honeysuckle - For seeing in the dark, but only if you use honeysuckle from a brush of vines at least two feet thick. A clarifying flower.

Hyacinth Bulb - Causes melancholy and thoughts of past regrets. Use only dried bulbs. A time-travel flower.

Lavender - Raises spirits. Prevents bad decisions resulting from fatigue or depression.

Lemon Balm - Upon consumption, for a brief period of time the eater will think and feel as he did in his youth. Please note if you have any former hellions at your table before serving. A time-travel flower.

Lemon Verbena - Produces a lull in conversation with a mysterious lack of awkwardness. Helpful when you have nervous, overly talkative guests.

Lilac - When a certain amount of humility is in order. Gives confidence that humbling yourself to another will not be used against you.

Marigold - Causes affection, but sometimes accompanied by jealousy.

Nasturtium - Promotes appetite in men. Makes women secretive. Secret sexual liaisons sometimes occur in mixed company. Do not let your guests out of your sight.

Pansy - Encourages the eater to give compliments and surprise gifts.

Peppermint - A clever method of concealment. When used with other edible flowers, it confuses the eater, thus concealing the true nature of what you are doing. A cloaking flower.

Rose Geranium - Produces memories of past good times. Opposite of Hyacinth Bulb. A time-travel flower.

Rose Petal - Encourages love.

Snapdragon - Wards off the undue influences of others, particularly those with magical sensibilities.

Squash and Zucchini Blossoms - Serve when you need to be understood. Clarifying flowers.