Bonding With My Backyard, Plus Updates & Media Recs

Nonya's Nonsense Newsletter for May 22nd, 2026

May 23, 2026

Well, hello there, beautiful soul!!

I want to kick today’s newsletter off with a giant THANK YOU! Thank you for hanging out with me - for your steady encouragement and support.

I am grateful for you 💙

In This Issue

Bonding With My Backyard

My word for this year is connection. Connection to source, nature, and connection to real-life people. One of the goals that falls under this focus is getting to know the nature that surrounds me a little more intimately.

I’m aiming to learn at least one new thing every week this spring and summer about the plants, animals, and rocks in my backyard, and I thought you might enjoy it too!

By the end of this season, I would like to have:

Made a balm with plantain and dandelion,
Grown at least one vegetable successfully,
Learned about at least five weeds that are actually medicine and/or food,
Found and identified at least one species of mushroom,
Found and identified at least one magic rock (My area is known for Aquamarine and Garnet).

Here are a few of the plants I got to know on my recent walks:
(I am learning - don’t eat anything without consulting someone who actually knows what they’re doing - helpful links below!)

1. Mullein

I was so excited to realize I was able to identify this one without a second thought! This amazing little plant has been used for hundreds of years for respiratory issues and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and more. I have experienced its respiratory magic personally.

2. Jack-in-the-pulpit

Another one that I knew right away, though this was the first time I’ve seen one in real life. While there are ways to prepare it that may be edible, this plant is quite toxic, so they’re best left for the wild turkeys!

3. Skunk Cabbage

We’ve got a ton of this stuff in my area! Native Americans used it for various medicinal purposes, and it was even used in US pharmaceuticals for a time. This is another plant that is toxic unless prepared correctly, so I probably won’t be experimenting with this one anytime soon!

4. Dock (various species)

This one is commonly used in salads and has a host of medicinal properties, just don’t eat them in large quantities. Among other uses, the leaves can be used to soothe burns and blisters, while the root has astringent properties. Be careful if you have conditions such as gout, arthritis, and kidney stones, as dock can aggravate these conditions.

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Take care of yourself, Beautiful Soul, and take care of your neighbors! 💙

Today’s Featured Bit of Handmade Magic 🥰

Monstera Plant Purse/Bag Charm | Green Aventurine & Quartz, Gold-Tone | "Spring Tidings!"

Visit Shop

Media Recs

I’d like to start this section with a little helpful info for books. There are two free library apps that I use that you will love - Libby and Palace.

Both allow you to borrow audio and ebooks using your library card. No library card? You should be able to request a library card via the app or your library’s website.

Books

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky

A friend recommended this movie, which I loved, and I recently saw that another friend had read the book, so I had to give it a listen!

“Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

Kindred, by Octavia E. Butler

I first saw this as a series on Prime, and it hooked me instantly! Of course, the book was even better :)

“Dana’s torment begins when she suddenly vanishes on her 26th birthday from California, 1976, and is dragged through time to antebellum Maryland to rescue a boy named Rufus, heir to a slaveowner’s plantation. She soon realizes the purpose of her summons to the past: protect Rufus to ensure his assault of her Black ancestor so that she may one day be born. As she endures the traumas of slavery and the soul-crushing normalization of savagery, Dana fights to keep her autonomy and return to the present.”

Movies & TV

Euphoria, Psychological Drama, Series on HBO/Max
Starring: Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, & Maude Apatow

I generally avoid shows and movies that are aimed at teenagers, so I slept on this one until recently. Now I’m enthralled!

From, Psychological Horror, Series on MGM+
Starring: Harold Perrineau, Catalina Sandino Moreno, & David Alpay

This series is amazing, seriously! There’s a twist in every episode, Season 4 just started, and they just renewed for the 5th and final season. It’s got a Walking Dead vibe, but even better :)