October holiday

At my front entryway
there is 
no pumpkins to be carved

Carving a face pumpkin was
so enjoyed by my
late husband.
Since his passing there 
are only decorative pumpkins. 

A friend recently visited and brought me three miniature pumpkins she grew in her garden. She shared that the seeds came from a pumpkins she was given. Perhaps I will save seeds to plant in my garden next year. With some searching the name of this miniature pumpkin is Jack Be Little*.

*Each flattened, deeply ribbed 

fruit measures only 5cm (2") tall

and about 13cm (5") across the top. 

If cured fully on the vine, 

the fruits will last as ornaments 

for as long as twelve months! 

Jack Be Little makes perfect 

little bright orange pumpkins 

for fall decorations, 

and each plant produces 

up to eight fruits.

One of my long time local friends celebrates her birthday on this holiday. She has had Halloween parties in the past where she encourages everyone to wear costumes. I recall Dwight often attended while I stayed home. Since I am naturally a very early riser I go to sleep quite a few hours before my late husband did.

When we as youngsters of course we use to canvas our neighborhood for candy and other offered treats. My mother use to make candied apples to hand out or sometimes popcorn balls. Either were deliciously tasty! When we lived in two different Iowa towns all the kids flocked to our house early for their Halloween "trick or treat". They did not want to miss out on whatever my mom made that year.

For all of you birders out there, I have recently read a fabulous book. The title is Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper. which I highly recommend reading. I must confess that I kept National Audubon Society The SIBLEY Guide to Birds (written and illustrated by David Allen Sibley) within easy reach to look up the birds he mentioned as he often traveled about our planet, Mother Earth.

Asarum caudate
(Western wild ginger)
along the North side of my house

While hanging clothes out on my retractable clothesline earlier this month I looked at the plantings along the North side of my house. There in all it subtle glory was a flower on the Western wild ginger that my friend in Pt. Reyes Station invited me to dig up. Not wanting to have only one I dug up two clumps. One of the clumps is quite challenged where it is planted. Hopefully next year it will have settled in more and also have a flower blossom.  

As this October holiday arrives may we each enjoy a belly

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

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 

Halloween and Harvest

Pumpkins seem to be quintessential symbol of Halloween.
These were photographed at Sebastopol's
own Hale's Apple Farm where there were about 8 different
kinds of pumpkins. These are the French version called Cinderella pumpkins.

Halloween, October 31, is the secular holiday when children and adults alike dress up their favorite costumes. Growing up we use to go door to door in our little town knocking on doors and shouting "trick or treats." The older teenagers moved outhouses to school yards and other locations about town. Today however with lethal threats placed in "treats," parents are not so eager to have their children out and about on Halloween. Although in Sebastopol children with their parents gravitate for the traditional "treat or treat" Halloween outing to Florence Avenue, which year round is adorned with Amiot's delightfully fun "junk art" sculptures.

This date is also our friend Judy Withee's birthday. Here's a song for you, one that Tanis sang to me on my most recent birthday. She called it the Bolinas Birthday Song.

Happy birthday

Happy, happy birthday

We’re in love with you.

May happiness be yours 

throughout the coming year

And all the best to you.

So keep smilin’ every day

And may your troubles go away

And may you never ever be blue

So happy birthday

Happy, happy birthday to you

The blue flour corn recently harvested to dry for later shelling and grinding.

And Sweet Meat squash ready to be plucked from the vines.

Sweet Meat squash ready to be stored for Winter consumption.

And there was a recent visitor to MuRefuge's greenhouse that was such a surprise.

Several days later, while I was setting out of the greenhouse the native grass filled Todd planters, this BEing was curled up in a corner of a black plastic tray upon which rested one of the Todd planters. The brilliant colors in the stripes were more evident than here where it is stretched out across the Todd planter onto the cement. Seeing this BEing in this "L" shape caused Dwight to