Welcome to BriarVeil, where weird is the default setting. From nosy neighbors to surprise ghost squirrels, get the inside scoop on small-town oddities, family drama, and the people who definitely weren’t in the relocation brochure.
I’ve met a lot of unpredictable forces since we opened Backcountry Mystic, but none of them hold a candle to Nova Blackthorn. She arrived in my care wrapped in duct-taped glitter, righteous indignation, and a fierce determination to never again wear matching socks. At eight years old, Nova is a walking contradiction. She’s loud but…
Rowan isn’t loud, but he’s seismic. An 11-year-old astrology prodigy with a dry wit, sensory sensitivities, and zero tolerance for nonsense, Rowan navigates the world with cosmic precision and an unmatched talent for telling hard truths. He may not say much—but when he does, the stars listen. And sometimes, so do I.
Talia doesn’t light candles for show or stage her spirituality for social media—she walks with the land like it’s a relative. As Isaac’s younger sister, she carries stories in her bones and speaks to the spirit of the forest in ways I’m still trying to understand. This week, I’m reflecting on what it means to be a settler learning from someone who never asked to teach—but whose presence rewrites everything I thought I knew about spiritual connection.
Meet Rainey Parker, Everlie’s skeptical, conspiracy-loving mother and Backcountry Mystic’s most unpredictable ally. A skeptic. A chaos agent. A legend.
Raising Caleb was like parenting a charming raccoon with a knack for spiritual insight and disappearing acts. He never followed the rules—but he somehow always knew when to hug you, hand you a snack, or light the wrong sage wand at exactly the wrong moment. Now he’s back in BriarVeil, crashing on my couch, charming the customers at Backcountry Mystic, and accidentally becoming our store’s chaotic TikTok oracle. He doesn’t call himself spiritual—but I’m starting to think he’s the most mystically tuned-in one of all.
Some people ease into your life with a polite knock and a thank-you-for-having-us fruit basket. Owen Blackthorn came back into mine wielding a crowbar and a wet-vac. That’s how he became part of Backcountry Mystic, whether he meant to or not. To be fair, he wasn’t exactly planning to move in. Not at first. But…
She showed up in sequins and said the word “brand strategy” before I’d had coffee. Meet Calliope, the digital whirlwind behind Backcountry Mystic’s chaotic glow-up—and the woman trying to convince me I’m a witch.
At some point, it occurred to me that if I’m going to drag you all through the chaos of Backcountry Mystic—our accidental spiritual B&B turned metaphysical sideshow—you might as well meet the cast of characters I call family. Consider this a proper introduction to the people behind the sarcastic blog posts, mysterious wind chimes, and…
I never set out to perform a squirrel exorcism. That’s not a service we offer. We do sell ethically sourced herbs, locally roasted coffee, and the occasional self-deprecating sticker —but nothing in the official Backcountry Mystic business plan includes rodent-based spiritual intervention. And yet, if you’re a regular around here, you won’t be surprised. Things…
Meet Isaac Nodin, the bold and grounded Anishinaabe chef who co-founded Backcountry Mystic Café. Learn how he partnered with Everlie, what drives him, and how he brings spiritual integrity (and excellent tea) to BriarVeil.
