Halloween

Sitting on the front steps
into my house are
a pumpkin and colorful gourds
which are reminders of the season.

Halloween, shortened from All Hallows' Eve, is a cross quarter day; also know as Samhain. It falls more or less half way between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. 

            "the seed now begins its time of gestation

        the harvest is gathered, the fields lie fallow,

        and the gates of life and death are open."                   

            from Earth Prayers

        edited by Elizabeth Roberts and Elinas Amidon

This cross quarter day is near the Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos which is a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and most of Latin America. So rather than writing the usual two blog posts, I have chosen to incorporate both in this post.

This is the first Halloween and the first Day of the Dead that Dwight will not be with me to celebrate. Much to my dismay this is the beginning of celebrating holidays without Dwight. Of course, he will be front and center in my mind when I do honor these two holidays.

                                        

As we honor those ancestors that have gone before us and those loved ones who have died leaving us bereft, may we prepare our alter with food they enjoyed. The alter may also be covered with colorful leaves that are so abundant presently.

Dwight loved broccoli
so I purchased a modest amount at
this morning's Farmers Market
to enjoy eating on Halloween.

  The longer we are together

the larger death grows around

us.

How many we know now

who are dead! We, who were

young.,

now count the cost of having

been

And yet as we know the dead

we grow familiar with the 

world.

We, who were young and loved

each other

ignorantly, now come to know

each other in love, married

by what we have done, as

much

as by what we intend. Our hair

turns white with our ripening

as though to fly away in some

coming wind, bearing the seed

of what we know. It was bitter

to learn

that we come to death as we

come

to come, bitter to face

the just and solving welcome

that death prepares. But that is

bitter

only to the ignorant, who pray

it will not happen. Having come

the bitter way to better prayer 

we have 

the sweetness of ripening.

How sweet

to know you by the signs of the

world!

                              WENDELL BERRY

to usher in these holidays and open connections with your past ancestors and loved ones that are no longer with you in physical form.

Halloween: Cross quarter day

The moon is full, the autumn nights grow longer,

In the north forests startled crows cry out.

Still high overhead, the star river stretches,

The Dipper’s handle set to southwest. 

The cold cricket grieves deep in the chambers,

Of the notes of sweet birds, none remain.

Then one evening gusts of autumn come,

One who sleeps alone thinks fondly on thick quilts.

. . . .Man’s life is not as the grass and trees,

Still the season’s changes can stir the heart

WEI YING WU

“California” pepper tree, Schinus molle, originates 
from the arid regions of northern South America
 and the Peruvian Andes.

Each morning when I walk with Shasta I have the glorious opportunity to pass by my all time favorite California nonnative tree which is pictured above. Although it is not native I have been drawn to it since I relocated to  California in the '70's. In the past, on a small rental property where I lived, I planted two. They were a devil to find but I finally did purchase two in a Carlsbad nursery while visiting my now passed aunt and uncle.  At this time of the year it is especially beautiful as the "pepper" seeds turn bright red.

Halloween, short for All Hallows' Eve, descends from the ancient festival celebrated by the Celts and Druids in Britain who called this cross quarter day Samhain. It is also known as the "Witches' New Year according to Starhawk. This cross quarter day occurs half way between the Autumnal equinox when the sun sets due West and the Winter solstice when the sun sets at its most southern point on the horizon. Thus this day marks the longest night of each year for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere.

Tradition has Halloween occurring on October 31 when the true cross quarter day is actually November 07, 2021. Another discrepancy is evidenced in the ancient Celts' practice of celebrating the beginning of the year at this time.  We in today's world say Fall begins on the Autumnal Equinox. 

The local vineyards are alive with brilliant Fall color.

However, no matter your point of view Halloween is approximately half way between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice making it an astronomical holiday. And it is also one of the four cross quarter days occurring each year.

And South of our border in Mexico the people call this Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos). This year the holiday falls on November 01 and 02. The souls of those passed are honored. Some say they are able to readily communicate with these souls at this particular time of the year when the "veil" is the thinnest. Often altars are created commemorating the dead and people prepare their favorite traditional dishes which are added to the altar. Celebratory parades are also widespread not only in Mexico but here in the United States as well.

Shasta enamored with the ghoul's recording.
The neighborhood with  new family homes located to our North
has a plethora of Halloween decorations
in both yards and front porches.

However you view this particular time of the year, may each and everyone of us have a releasing belly