Halloween

Pumpkin On A Stick (Solanum aethiopicum)

with the ceramic skull created by Dwight

and Day of the Dead skeletons

adorning our front "hallway".

One of our neighbors loves Halloween. She tells us that it is her favorite holiday of the whole year. MidOctober each year her yard decorations become more and more elaborate. Dwight and I wonder how she get the witches up in their huge Cottonwood tree?

As we prepare to celebrate the Blue (second in the month of October) Full Moon on a different kind of Halloween during this pandemic, may we also enjoy a good belly

Turning

 

Cottonwood leaves turning golden
along the Santa Fe River Trail.

“It’s a challenging time—

but also an exciting time 

as the forces of change gather strength, 

and the veil thins 

between the world of the seen and the unseen!  

 This is the time to ground, 

to weave the webs of resilience 

that keep us connected to our loved ones—

those who are alive 

and those who are on the other side of the veil—

to commit to defending our democracy, 

to claim our power 

and raise our voices!”  STARHAWK 10/17/20

As we look around us may we “celebrate what’s right with the world”. And may we all notice the turning of seasons so enthusiastically demonstrated by the leaves changing from all shades of Summer greens to a myriad of Fall colors. Here are a few pictures taken in my garden just a week ago or so.

Hargrande Apricot tree leaves

Saint Theresa red grape vine 
with the morning sun shining
through the turning leaves.

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
native to the tall grass prairies

Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)

Woods’ Rose (Rosa woodsii)

One fourth cord of Pinon Pine firewood
from EcoFirewood 
now covered to be kept dry
and ready for burning in our fireplace.

This picture below was taken around noon this Tuesday past from our door to the backyard. At this time of the year we are usually enjoying our midday meal and/ or our evening meal outside at this glass topped table we inherited from Dwight's granny.

“Early winter storms in New Mexico 

are a mixed blessing, 

reminding us of the storms in our country

and the storms in our world. 

Storms bring moisture to our parched land 

in the high desert southwest, 

and they clear the air 

of the heavy smoke 

from the terrible fires north and west of us.” 

UPAYA Institute and Zen Center (10/27/20)

As we await Halloween, All Saints' Day and the 2020 election results, may we celebrate what's right with world and 

Grief

 Condor perched atop of the bluff of the

Colorado River running through the Grand Canyon.

I for one am experiencing enormous grief about the human caused climate catastrophe. The wildfires in California has disrupted the condors habitat leaving 9 adults missing. These magnificent birds are now fewer.

The California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) 

is a New world vulture, 

the largest North American land bird. 

This condor became extinct in the wild in 1987 

(all remaining wild individuals were captured), 

but the species has since been reintroduced to 

northern Arizona and southern Utah 

(including the Grand Canyon area and Zion National Park), 

the coastal mountains of central and southern California, 

and northern Baja California. 

Although other fossil members are known, 

it is the only surviving member of the genus Gymnogyps. 

The species is listed by the IUCN* as critically endangered.

May 2, 2019 by Dr. Roger Lederer

in Ornithology: The Science of Birds

*International Union for Conservation of Nature 

 

Millions of birds, and a disproportional number of swallows, have been found dead. Bird experts are puzzled and working on figuring out what happened. The most recent explanation is that the migratory birds in California were forced to leave before they readied their bodies for the lengthy flight South. Then the cold snap happened in the Southwest as they were flying through so no insects were available hence birds were literally dropping from starvation. Their carcasses were mere skeletons.

 

                                                              Tree Swallow sitting on a barbwire fence

                                                               near the Point Reyes National Seashore, California.

Earth mother, star mother,

you who are called by 

a thousand names,

May all remember

we are cells in your body

and dance together.

You are the grain

and the loaf

That sustains us each day, 

And as you are patient

with our struggles to learn

So shall we be patient

with our struggles to learn

So shall we be patient

with ourselves and each other.

We are radiant light

and sacred dark

- the balance -

You are the embrace that heartens

And the freedom beyond fear.

Within you we are born

we grow, live, and die -

You bring us around the circle 

to rebirth,

Within us you dance

Forever.

STARHAWK

Focusing on balance as we deal with all the emotions swirling around and in each of us, may we breathe deeply and have a wonderfully releasing