The Rustic Elk

10/21/2026

There’s something about October that makes me want to spend every spare minute in the kitchen. 🍂

A pot of soup simmering on the stove, something baking in the oven, apple c***r in the fridge, and a ridiculous number of recipes I want to make before the season slips away.

I’ve been pulling out old favorites, experimenting with a few new things, and remembering just how much I love this time of year.

So tell me… what’s one thing you absolutely HAVE to make when the weather turns cold?

Soup? Homemade bread? Apple butter? Something your grandma used to make?

I’m always looking for a little kitchen inspiration. 🖤

10/20/2026

One more day of freedom before it’s back to work and classes. What should I make or can? Give me all your ideas and suggestions on what you’d love a recipe for.

10/19/2026

Hey wild ones. 🍂

I know, it's been a little quiet around here, hasn't it?

Life has been absolutely insane lately. Between work, family, studying, and everything else I have going on, I've barely had a second to breathe, let alone spend an afternoon creating a beautiful mess in the kitchen.

But man, I've missed it.

I've missed cooking simply because I feel like it. I've missed photographing, writing, experimenting, and sharing little bits of life out here.

Lately, though, I've found myself drawn even more toward the old-fashioned things I've always loved... seasonal cooking, growing and preserving herbs, traditional remedies, folklore, good books, and all the cozy little rituals that make a house feel like home.

I'm not making any grand promises about how often I'll be here. Life is still incredibly, and beautifully, chaotic.

But I miss this little corner of the internet, and I miss all of you. And I've made it through midterms relatively unscathed, so my hope is that I can peek in a little more often than not at all.

So tell me, what's been simmering in your kitchens lately? And what's been happening in your little corner of the world? 🖤

09/27/2026

Tsuki is entering her dark cottagecore era. 🍄 She was told there would be treats. There were, in fact, no treats. So now she’s just a tiny woodland creature contemplating murder.

07/20/2026

I just sent this week's Wild Almanac.

A quiet letter about hazy skies, cicadas, peaches, good books, lake water, and paying attention while summer is still here.

If that sounds like your kind of Monday I'd love to send the next one your way.

Here's a link to check it out: https://view.flodesk.com/emails/6a5d8e0156549b25915352d0

07/16/2026

This weeks drink of choice? Mini b**r shots.

FYI… they contain ZERO b**r. They go down far too easily, only need two ingredients and taste divine.

Just fill a shot glass 3/4ths with licor 43. Top with cream. Enjoy. ❤️

07/15/2026

There's something about wandering a bookstore with absolutely no agenda.

You walk in telling yourself you're just looking.

Forty-five minutes later you've somehow adopted three novels, a notebook you'll definitely use this time, and a latte.

I'm convinced it's cheaper than therapy. 📚

07/15/2026

Respectfully...

I'd like to unsubscribe from this week's obligations.

If you could spend one afternoon anywhere, where would it be?
Mine involves old trees, a forgotten cemetery, a good book, and a hot cup of tea.

07/10/2026

Sweet, juicy peaches, a little heat from jalapeño, plenty of lime, and just enough red onion to keep it from becoming fruit salad.

This is the kind of salsa that belongs beside smoky grilled chicken, fish tacos, tortilla chips, or honestly straight from the bowl while you’re waiting for dinner to be ready. Bright, fresh, a little spicy, and one of the best ways to use up summer peaches.

https://www.therusticelk.com/peach-salsa-canning-recipe/

07/09/2026

Found Along the Way: Antique-Style Chambersticks

I’ve been slowly collecting little pieces that make an ordinary evening feel a little more intentional, and these dark, antique-style chambersticks are exactly that.

They have that aged, slightly gothic finish I love... pretty enough for a bedside table or entryway, but useful too. Add a taper candle, let the wax drip a little, carry one from room to room when the house gets quiet. Tiny atmosphere upgrade, zero haunted-doll energy.

NIKKY HOME Mini Taper Candle Holders Set of 2, Rustic Metal Candlestick for Table Centerpieces, Wedding Decor and Dinner Party, Brown