The Crystal Desert - One-Time Box Purchase

In May 2024, subscribers met the Crystal Desert.

The Crystal Desert is a moon-like landscape of wind-scrubbed boulders and wizened trees.  Instead of grasses and moss, the Desert grows gardens of stones. In the daytime, it is blanched by the sun.  Under starlight, its colors deepen into a jewel-toned vision. Those who wait and watch will eventually see the colors swirl into each other.  The stars begin to spiral. 

And then a procession of indescribable beasts emerges. They bear unfamiliar features: iridescent fur; extra pairs of legs; forked tongues, tasting the air; scaly wings. Here, an oversized mouse in lacquered armor, like an insect. Here, a lizard covered in thorns.

Everything seems to be in motion, vivid and trembling.

The Crystal Desert Box includes an abundance of beautiful objects; hints and additions to expand the story; a mysterious document; and a lore card.  

Some items are available for individual purchase.

• Mysterious Document
• An instructional document is augmented with marginalia which will help you interpret clues.  It is available only in the Crystal Desert Box.

• Lore Card
• The Crystal Desert are introduced in a full-color collectible 4x6 inch lore card.  The artwork for this month's lore card was created by Joanna Rzepecka, a Warsaw, Poland-based illustrator. She says, "My work is inspired by biodiversity, mainly animals. Through my work, I'm trying to capture moments where nature is untouched by humans. Peaceful scenery, colors, and rough textures are some things that I enjoy the most."

• Seeds for a Crystal Garden
• You receive a bag of white and gray dolomite rocks to grow your own crystal garden.  Place the dolomite in a small glass or ramekin and cover with white vinegar, allowing the tips of the tallest stones to peek above the surface of the liquid.  As the vinegar evaporates, snowy aragonite crystals will form on the rocks. Speed up the process by placing your garden in a sunny windowsill.

• Desert Flora
• Many varieties of cacti grow in the Crystal Desert. They all begin as tiny sprouts. Your real living cactus is natural and one of a kind. When it arrives, water it by placing it in a saucer of filtered or spring water for a few minutes, so that the bottom layer of its growing medium becomes damp.  Water it monthly going forward. After several months, when it begins to outgrow its terrarium, remove the top by twisting it from the base with your hands or pliers.  Then you can transplant your cactus to a larger container.

• Benevolent Beast
• The sky above you grows more dazzling and raucous and then you are approached by an unusual beast. After greeting you, she explains that the Crystal Desert is different from other places in Birdmoss. It is easier to see the Moon and stars here, and easier to feel their effects.  Likewise, the creatures here feel the earth’s grinding layers deep beneath their feet, setting their whiskers and wings to trembling.

• Stone of Transformation
• She digs around a flowering cactus and nudges out a stone with her snout: a small piece of chalcopyrite. When it is acid-tarnished, it transforms, developing an iridescent patina. Wherever you are, it appears to be lit by the Desert’s Moon. In Birdmoss, chalcopyrite symbolizes transformation and growth through experience.  It is used to support expanding the mind, self-knowledge, and integrating physical and spiritual awareness. 

• Tangle Tree Ring
• Before she leaves you, the Beast draws your attention to a nearby tree.  The Tangle Tree is hunched and twisting, adaptations that help it survive in this harsh but beautiful place. It is a reminder that you can grow in your own twining way; the Moon will still shine upon you.  Your ring has been quickened with mesquite smoke to help neutralize feelings of loneliness and self-doubt.