It is Halloween!

Trick or Treat? Happy Halloween. Remembering past years with children. This was such a magical time of year. It always makes me feel playful and like having fun. Remembering years of carving pumpkins, even (maybe especially) as an adult.

The origins of Halloween are deep in the Celtic culture and go back thousands of year. The celebration of Samhain. Traditional Irish Jack O'Lanterns were carved from turnips!

The Celts believed that at this time of year (Samhain) the border between this world and the "Otherworld" became very thin. Family ancestoral spirits were honored and evil spirits warded off. Samhain was also a time of taking stock of supplies for the winter ahead. Bonfires played a large part in celebrations. As animals were sacraficed their bones were thrown on to the fire. Sometime two fires were built side by side to usher the animal between as a purification ritual.

I think I am going to find a haunted house...or haunt this one! Happy Halloween!

Fall Tea Party

The days are fragrant the nights are frosty. Fall, the season of my birth, the season I love best...sometimes. Today, after a very tumultuous week, I savored the breeze on my cheek, the scent of wet, fall garden and the sun on my back. I dream of a tea party in the garden today. I wish Laurie was here to join me. We did talk on the phone and that was wonderful. Laura J. I miss you! Would be have Darjeeling, Assam or perhaps a Blueberry Rooibos Cambrick (which I have become quite fond of!)? It would be so lovely to sit, sip tea and talk. Someday again, I know we will.

After my near death experience, that was not, but still felt quite like (kind of like if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear...or one hand clapping sort of thing) I did some thinking and a whole lot of feeling. I delved into journals past, and found a really, really sweet piece by Eleanor Byers. I want to share it here.

Dearest Margaret

Yes, we've agreed when we grow newly old

to live side by side on your farm in Vermont

where we can raise goats

the small brown kind, following close

and bleating of love.

We've said we want cats, all colors of cats

to play in the shade on hot summer days,

to purr by the stove when the evenings are cold.

And, Margaret, remember our plans to grow plants

with long Latain names

and prizewinning Bibb lettuce!

for good tasting salads

You'll make tabouleh (you do it so well)

I'll roast the capon (with shallots and beans).

How well we will dine

drinking mint tea or watered white wine

followed by chese and sweet almonds

Indeed, we can travel

whenever we like

as long as we are home by noon

to pet the cats, feed the goats

water the prizewinning lettuce.

When winter snow falls

we sill pull on tall boots and warm, wooly coats

and slosh down our paths to the tin mailbox

by the side of the road.

To the postman we'll offer our best apple tart

hot from the overn, with cream

in exchange for choice letters.

(We'll write them oursleves!)

Oh, Margaret, let's read Ulysses

(again) and this time, patient with age,

unravel the prose of James Joyce.

But alas, Dear Laura J...I will settle for now and unravel the prose of James Joyce at my tea party with the girls!