A Sleepy End to September

From the listless repose of the place, and the peculiar character of its inhabitants, who are descendants from the original Dutch settlers, this sequestered glen has long been known by the name of SLEEPY HOLLOW, and its rustic lads are called the Sleepy Hollow Boys throughout all the neighboring country. A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere. Some say that the place was bewitched by a High German doctor, during the early days of the settlement; others, that an old Indian chief, the prophet or wizard of his tribe, held his powwows there before the country was discovered by Master Hendrick Hudson. Certain it is, the place still continues under the sway of some witching power, that holds a spell over the minds of the good people, causing them to walk in a continual reverie. They are given to all kinds of marvellous beliefs, are subject to trances and visions, and frequently see strange sights, and hear music and voices in the air. The whole neighborhood abounds with local tales, haunted spots, and twilight superstitions; stars shoot and meteors glare oftener across the valley than in any other part of the country, and the nightmare, with her whole ninefold, seems to make it the favorite scene of her gambols. 

It is the eve of October, and my heart is still in Sleepy Hollow.

I have just returned home from spending the better part of a week in the enchanted Hudson River Valley, exploring the towns of Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Irvington, and meandering further north and east. I reveled in cemeteries with gravestones from the 1700's, got lost in a giant corn maze, ate apple cider doughnuts, drove winding back roads canopied by the limbs of trees growing on either side, squealed at the biggest jack-o-lantern display I've ever seen, and swept my fingertips over the very same walls and woodwork that Washington Irving did 160 years ago. I've still got the Sleepy Hollow spirit humming within me, and now I feel so ready to dive into one of the most magical months of the year.

The dominant spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted region, and seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air, is the apparition of a figure on horseback, without a head. It is said by some to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head had been carried away by a cannon-ball, in some nameless battle during the Revolutionary War, and who is ever and anon seen by the country folk hurrying along in the gloom of night, as if on the wings of the wind. His haunts are not confined to the valley, but extend at times to the adjacent roads, and especially to the vicinity of a church at no great distance. Indeed, certain of the most authentic historians of those parts, who have been careful in collecting and collating the floating facts concerning this spectre, allege that the body of the trooper having been buried in the churchyard, the ghost rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head, and that the rushing speed with which he sometimes passes along the Hollow, like a midnight blast, is owing to his being belated, and in a hurry to get back to the churchyard before daybreak. 

Such is the general purport of this legendary superstition, which has furnished materials for many a wild story in that region of shadows; and the spectre is known at all the country firesides, by the name of the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.

The history and folklore, old magic and superstition, and the hardworking and hopeful spirits of the early Dutch settlers, left an imprint on the land in the area along the Hudson River. That imprint would also include their treatment of the original inhabitants, the first peoples of that place, and the enslaved Africans they brought in to work on their farms. The raids and eventual surrender of New Netherland (New York state) to the English, and then the devastating spread of tuberculosis, added layers of complexity to the way of life in the valley, but through it all these small settlements flourished and grew into the bustling riverside towns of today. Spending even a short amount of time in this area it is easy to see why writers, inventors, dreamers and others took such a shine to it and chose to make it their home.

I can still hear the rustling of leaves in the old Dutch burying ground, the whispers of the great oaks and horse chestnut, and the dreamy burbling of the Pocantico River (more of a brook in the area where I met it). The voice of that place will surely haunt me for a very long time.

The year is flying swiftly along like the galloping hooves of that old Hessian's horse. I've found myself surrounded by a large stack of books and other goodies that will be making their way across spellbound bridges (via the modern pony express services of Canada Post) to some lucky folks in the weeks ahead. Sleep well tonight, if you can. The enchantment of this next month is bound to fill your head with delights and devilry and you'll need to keep your strength up. Pop back around tomorrow as the light slips from the sky and the first dusk of October settles. I've got a mug of something warm for you and some wonderful reads to curl up with.

Happy almost-October, friends.



Quoted excerpts above from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washinton Irving. You can read it here via Project Gutenberg. And if you enjoy a story being read to you, my friend Cory over at New World Witchery narrated the tale a few years back here.

PS - If you don't know what I'm talking about, this post from last year will give you more of a hint about the not-so-secret October happenings at Rue and Hyssop.

The Great October Book Giveaway - The Magic of Aidan Wachter

The lucky folks receiving Six Ways are:

Nichola
Jason
Lisa T.

Thank you again for joining me this year - you've made my autumn extra glorious!

************************************

The kind of weather that only deep October brings moved into the valley last night, winds tearing leaves from the trees and sending them spinning in fiery-coloured tornadoes. It rained lightly, but more moisture is on its way. I'm looking worriedly at the Halloween forecast, but the last days of October are always a roll of the dice. And in the end, the truly devoted creatures are out haunting the streets on the 31st no matter the temperature.

The month's completion brings us not only a parade of costumed revelers (and whatever celebrations we get up to ourselves) but for the past several years I've tucked my October festivities away with a final gift from my wonderful friend Aidan Wachter.

Aidan is a talismanic artist, author, dirt sorcerer, and an all-around fantastic human being. He is in the process of revising how he creates and releases his talismans to the world and is nearly ready to pull back the curtain on his shop again. While re-working his artistic process, caring for a small farm with his amazing partner, and hopping from interview to interview, Aidan found some time to sign a few copies of his first book and send them along for you.

Six Ways: Approaches and Entries for Practical Magic is an exceptional read. Offering solid methods for personal work, ritual ideas, and laying out how the author has formed and molded his own praxis over many years, Six Ways is an absolute gem. Whether you are new to magical practice or have been working your own system for ages, you will be sure to find something to inspire you in this book. It is compact in size but vast in scope - I've read it twice and have several dozen sticky flags all over it. It's also peppered with Aidan's wit and humour, which makes it wildly fun to settle in with, too.

Be sure keep up with Aidan online or subscribe to his newsletter in order to hear when his shop re-opens and he begins to release his wild magic once more.

I have three copies of this fabulous read to slip into your hands as October fades away and the Wild Host rides us into the November chill. Please leave a comment before 9pm Pacific on Thursday November 1st. Alternately, you can use the "make contact" form above if the Blogger comment platform isn't playing nice. You can get your name in the hat a second time if you want to share a link to this giveaway or any of Aidan's wonderful work. Just pop back around to let me know and I'll make sure you get entered again. As always, please ensure that there is an email attached to your comment or account in some way so I can get in touch with you if your name is pulled.

Thank you again for joining in the autumn fun with me this month. Every year I get so much joy out of sharing the wonders I find, and it makes it all the more festive that you get such a kick out of playing along. I believe that in the end, I will have sent out a total of twenty packages of October cheer this month and it wouldn't be nearly as grand without the generosity and kindness of some of the artists and authors who help me pass along their work in this yearly celebration.

I hope the last days of this magical month are exceptionally good to you.

Legal Bits:

* This giveaway (or "sweepstakes") is open to all residents of Canada, (exluding Quebec residents) the USA, Great Britain, Europe, South America,  who are 18 years of age or older. This giveaway is void where prohitibited by law.  Please be aware of the contest/sweepstakes laws in your area.

*  Canadian residents will be subject to a skill testing question before being able to claim their prize (this is standard law in Canada).  The skill testing question will be in a form similar to: 1 + 2 - 1 =

*  This giveaway is not for profit and no purchase is necessary to enter.

*  This giveaway is sponsored/administrated solely by this blog/blog author and is not affilitated with or sponsored by Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, or any other entity, nor can they be held liable.

* By leaving a comment intending to enter into the draw for the giveaway (or "sweepstakes") you are knowingly agreeing to these rules/conditions.

I have chosen all the books/cards featured this month myself.  I have not been paid to feature a book, nor have I been asked to advertise for anyone.  This giveaway is not endorsed or sponsored by anyone other than Rue and Hyssop

The Great October Giveaway - Sabbat Sign

Thank you again for joining me this year, it was a delicious amount of fun for me! I did receive all your email entries and just about gave myself carpal tunnel by writing out all your names (twice, at times). Thank you for making me smile and for digging the books and goodies and folks I've featured this year. Do click through all the photos and links, and track these authors and artists down, too.

My internet dropped out yesterday during our first snowstorm of the season, so I'm a bit late in posting this, but...the lucky soul taking home Aidan's beautiful work is:

Jennifer Larochelle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You know it is coming. Every year. The last day of October. The haunt of all haunts. The motherlode of candy. The scent of scorched pumpkin, spent firecrackers, and the bonfire smoke on the wind. The laughter and the screams of all the little monsters running amok. And all that before you engage in your own festivities. Samhain reigns from dusk on the 31st until sunset on November 1st, and whether you observe the sabbat or simply frolic with Halloween glee, the finale of October is definitely something to celebrate.

To wind up our October fun here at Rue and Hyssop, I've saved the witch's best accessory for last. A striking talisman, Sabbat Sign, created by the marvelous Aidan Wachter. If you don't know Aidan yet, you need to. A superior precious-metal artist, author of Six Ways (soon-to-be-released from Red Temple Press), and just a sincerely awesome person, Aidan has generously offered up one of his sigils to a very lucky trick-or-treater.

I'll let his own words speak for this stunning piece:

The Sabbat Sign came about while working on an altar piece (which also produced the Descent piece). While they contain strong Saturnal and Neptunian aspects, the story they tell is of those who engage in spirit flight, like witches flying to the Sabbat. They also have resonance with Lucifer and the Watchers. They come in two forms, ascending and descending. This is the ascending or upright form...

These next three days are alive with magic and remembrances. Go out into the world and make merry (or make mischief) on your Halloween, Samhain, and All Saint's Day, but have your name in the hat here by All Soul's Day (November 2nd) at 8 pm Pacific time in order to have a chance at gathering up this lovely silver sigil.

Once again, your comment counts as your entry. If the comment form isn't working out for you, drop your name in the hat by using the "contact me" button up top. If you'd like a second chance at this gorgeous piece, please share Aidan's shop, or link to one of his pieces that catches your eye, at your favourite social media site and then stop back here and let me know and I'll put your name in the hat again.

Thank you so much for joining me this year - it's so fun for me to see familiar names flying by each October, and extra lovely to meet new folks. Immense thanks to the wonderful authors and artists that lent a hand this month in making this another enchanting Great October Book (and cards, and amazing art) Giveaway. I could never pull this off without you!

Happy Halloween, and a bewitching Samhain to you!

Legal Bits:

* This giveaway (or "sweepstakes") is open to all residents of Canada, (exluding Quebec residents) the USA, Great Britain, Europe, South America,  who are 18 years of age or older. This giveaway is void where prohitibited by law.  Please be aware of the contest/sweepstakes laws in your area.

*  Canadian residents will be subject to a skill testing question before being able to claim their prize (this is standard law in Canada).  The skill testing question will be in a form similar to: 1 + 2 - 1 =

*  This giveaway is not for profit and no purchase is necessary to enter.

*  This giveaway is sponsored/administrated solely by this blog/blog author and is not affilitated with or sponsored by Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, or any other entity, nor can they be held liable.

* By leaving a comment intending to enter into the draw for the giveaway (or "sweepstakes") you are knowingly agreeing to these rules/conditions.

I have chosen all the books/cards featured this month myself.  I have not been paid to feature a book, nor have I been asked to advertise for anyone.  This giveaway is not endorsed or sponsored by anyone other than Rue and Hyssop

October Prep and Predictions

We are rocketing into the most fantastic, pumpkin-filled days of awesomeness that the year can offer. (Pumpkin-Filled Days of Awesomeness is going to be my new book title.)

Terrible, nonsense sentence aside, it is nearly October and I'm hovering somewhere between stretching out on my grandparents' graves with a pitcher of lime daiquiris for a long nap, and trying to arrange the last few items on the Great October Book Giveaway to-do list (while drinkng a pitcher of lime daquiris.)

My third-annual giveaway is not the only party going on around these parts in October.  There is a crazy amount of mischief to get up to in the blogosphere this coming month. I'll do my best to point out what sounds wonderful and wicked to me, and I hope you'll let me know what kind of naughtiness you get up to as well!

Just skimming the surface of the October madness, Magaly over at Pagan Culture is hosting her annual All Hallows Grim again, and the Samhain Sirens are running amok starting October 1st.  Also - if you are on Facebook, do stalk the lovely and fiercely intelligent Judika Illes on her fan page.  She is doing a "month of witches" and will also be giving away some Halloween loot.

Happening just after October's end is the Pagan Podkin Super Moot in New Orleans.  If you are in the area, or want to fly in, because it's New Orleans, then do check out the meet and greet where you can chat with some truly wonderful podcasting folks (and some bloggers who were invited to play with the cool kids!)  I've not given up hope of attending, but now that I need to replace my car, it's looking like I may have to sell a kidney to do so.  I'm not even kidding - I have two rather awesome kidneys - I'll trade one for a plane ticket.

Back to the world of blog - I do want to mention that at least two of my favourite bloggers have responded to my post about Little Witcheries and have pulled back the curtain on their own magical lives. Please do run over and read Danni's post at The Whimsical Cottage and Cory's revelations at New World Witchery. If anyone else has shared their daily or household witcheries, please leave your link to the post in the comments - I'd love to read it!

It is hard to believe that September is winding down.  I do hope you had a lovely full moon and autumn equinox this past week!  As October draws near, it's time to get out your pumpkin-colored party hats, your mini candy bar of choice, and your favourite divination system.  I predict it's going to be a fantastic month!

Haunting Herbals And A Blessed Hallows

I had grand plans for a Halloween/Samhain post but time has not been a friend this month, so I'm re-posing a work that I contributed elsewhere.  I did want to stop by and wish you all a very happy Halloween and a magical evening.  I know that many will be having to skip the celebrations this year as they recover from the storms out East.  Here in the north-west, we are having constant rains and winds and snow a bit higher up from us.  I'm thinking the door-bell will be very quiet tonight.

My wish for you is a safe, dry evening, with the warm glow of jack-o-lanterns, and the scent of roasting pumpkin seeds and hot, spiced drinks.  Be well!



This post of mine was originally published at Samhain's Sirens on October 3, 2012.

Herbs invoke a myriad of images, from a delicious plot of culinary delights to the perfect medicine to calm an upset tummy.  These lovely green allies are just as happy to perch at the edge of your plate as a garnish as they are being tossed in a charm bag to bring you luck.  Today, we turn to herbs for all manner of reasons, but not so long ago the lore surrounding these natural helpers was anything but innocuous.  Let’s take a look at the more mysterious side of our herbal friends.


First we consider basil.  Commonly believed to invoke venomous beasts, basil was quite the fearful herb once upon a time.  A favorite herb of witches, basil was used in flying ointments which were then rubbed on the witch and their preferred mode of transportation.

“A mystical Herb employed by Witches.  I dare write no more of it!” ~ Nicholas Culpeper

In keeping with the forbidden nature of the herb, basil was also employed as an aphrodisiac. “Even old men felt its charm.” ~ Ovid.

And speaking of dark desires, our friendly neighbourhood mint has a naughty side too.  Culpeper says it is an herb of Venus and “…it is an incentive to venery and bodily lust.”  Legend has it that Minthe was a nymph that Hades had taken a liking to, and when his wife Persephone found the two entwined, she turned the nymph into a herb, that would forever be constantly creeping along the ground searching for her underworld lover.  Hades, in his favor of her, made her wonderfully scented and gave her aphrodisiacal qualities so that she would be desired evermore.

Mints are also apparently helpful against the biting of serpents and mad dogs.  I’m not sure how mint would stand up to a zombie bite though - so take no chances!

One herb that may keep zombies (and everyone else) away is garlic.  Garlic is more famously known for its vampire deterrent qualities, but was also used in old Europe as a charm against the evil eye of enemies.  A dear friend of mine swears by putting a fresh head of garlic on the inside of her windows each new moon for protection.

And garlic doesn’t seem to mind a bit of abuse.  An old wives tale says that crushing or bruising a garlic clove before planting will improve the flavor of the growing plant.

One herb that was not thought beneficial to be gifted or moved about the garden is parsley.  “Transplant parsley, transplant sorrow,” so the saying goes.  And if you dared transplant it?  Southern folklore says you’d have bad luck until either you or the parsley died.

Parsley takes a significant amount of time to germinate (2-4 weeks.)  An old folk tale explains this length of time by saying that parsley must travel to Hades and back 9 times before it will begin to grow.

Parsley was believed to be a foreteller of death and was also carved on tombstones to please Persephone, with whom it was associated.

Most importantly, parsley is a member of the Umbelliferae family.  These plants are distinguished by their umbrell-shaped blooms and hollow stems.  Family members of parsley include the aromatics dill, fennel and cilantro and also the incredibly deadly hemlocks (not the tree) which, if ingested, can cause respiratory paralysis and death.

Lastly, let’s talk about nightshades.  The nightshades we know and love would be our tomatoes, peppers and potatoes, but the family Solanaceae also includes mandrake, henbane, bittersweet and deadly nightshade (belladonna,) all of which are poisonous in different doses.  Even a safe-bet like potatoes can leave us with an upset stomach, and worse if we eat the green parts of the plant.

Belladonna is perhaps the most recognized of the baneful nightshades and folklore has it that it is a plant tended by the Devil, who can only be distracted from its care on May Eve or Walpurgis night.

This Halloween, whether you are leaving parsley out to please Persephone as she heads home to her husband in the Underworld, or wearing garlic to protect you from those that bite, remember that our herbal helpers were as feared in days of old as they are valued today.  Be thankful that those who have gone before have done the hard work (and the deadly work) of identifying and recording the merits and evils of these intriguing plants.

Soul Cakes

A soul! a soul! a soul-cake!

Please, good Missus, a soul-cake!

An apple, a pear, a plum or a cherry,

Any good thing to make us all merry.

One for Peter, two for Paul,

Three for Him who made us all.

(1891)

A Hallow's tradition of old Ireland and Britain, involved the door-to-door begging of soul cakes.  These cakes, which were more like the sugar cookies I bake today, with added cinnamon and nutmeg, were usually marked with a cross to signify that giving them was a religious practice (think, giving alms to the poor as a sign of virtue.)  The cakes, referred to as "souls" were given to the poor and the children in exchange for singing and saying prayers for the dead.

A lovely and haunting take on the soul cakes song, sung by Kate and Corwen, can be heard here.

You can find a recipe for soul cakes here.

A soul cake is just one of many things you might wish to leave out for your ancestors this Hallows.

Up The Airy Mountain

This is my post as a participant in Pagan Culture's "All Hallow's Grim" celebration - The Dark Side of Faerie.

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know that I wander in the woods quite a bit.  I love to walk with friends, but often go out alone as well (having told someone where I will be.)  The Valley hills are far from vacant.  Filled with birdsong, the woods also house deer, coyote, bear, cougar, lynx, moose and more.

There are plenty of common sense ways to stay safe while wandering alone in the woods.  I take my cell phone (fully charged.)  Even if there is no cell service, the face of the phone is reflective and can be used to signal.  It is good idea to have water and some sort of sealed food in your car, as well as a blanket and a lighter or waterproof matches.  A small first-aid kit is a great idea too.  Wearing suitable clothes and shoes is a must.

While walking, be aware of your surroundings.  Are there animal tracks?  What do you hear?

Here's the part that should be self-evident:  do not follow anything.  Do not track animals (unless you are a hunter.)  Do not follow flickering lights.  And don't bother following trails of mushrooms.

Having given those cautions, I can honestly say that I've done all of those things.  I was never one for taking advice.  My most recent run-in with the odd, was a brief stop within a circle of trees that I had found after following a trail of mushrooms.  The mushrooms themselves, circled the trees and I stood within that circle listening to the buzz of the hummingbirds above me.  After a very short time, I wandered back to the car and looking at the clock on my dash, realized that the few minutes I'd been standing there had, in fact, been almost an hour.

A circle of mushrooms is sometimes called a "faerie ring."  Considered in folklore to be a gateway to the faerie realm or simply evidence of a faerie fete, the ring is the subject of many myths and cautions.  Stories about people losing time, dancing until they lose their toes, or becoming blind after seeing the faeries are common.

A ring also has ties in folklore to witches, who are supposed to be prone to dancing in a circle, leaving a "hexenringe" (witches' ring) and the devil, who apparently leaves rings wherever he sets his milk-churn.

 Image:  Plucked from the Fairy Circle

The Fairies

Up the airy mountain,

  Down the rushy glen,

We daren't go a-hunting

  For fear of little men;

Wee folk, good folk,

  Trooping all together;

Green jacket, red cap,

  And white owl's feather!

~William Allingham

As for the fae's connection to Halloween, W. B. Yeats has this to say:

"On November Eve they are at their gloomiest, for according to the old Gaelic reckoning, this is the first night of winter. This night they dance with the ghosts, and the pooka is abroad, and witches make their spells, and girls set a table with food in the name of the devil, that the fetch of their future lover may come through the window and eat of the food. After November Eve the blackberries are no longer wholesome, for the pooka has spoiled them."

~from "Trooping Fairies"

This Hallows, I'll be leaving offerings out for the passing dead, as well as a generous plate in the side garden. That garden has always been rather 'active' and as long as I am polite and offer a good drink and some occasional treats, everything I plant there grows marvelously without any help at all from me.

And the next time I head up into the hills, I will not follow trails of mushrooms, or flickering lights, or paths into the trees.  But if I do, I will be sure to leave a trail of breadcrumbs.

The Face of Fall

I've been working two jobs this month, which has seriously eaten into my wandering-in-the-outdoors time.  I have had a few nice walks this week though.  October has moved from unseasonably warm, to full-blown Fall.  Storms have been blowing in and out of the Valley for days now.  We lost power briefly when the high winds knocked a tree into some power lines, but damage has been at a minimum, thankfully.

Blustery!

We are being warned of very low temps coming next week as well as a chance of snow.  It's not snowed this early in decades, I think, so it will be interesting to see what happens.  I still have a few herbs in a sheltered location that need to be brought in and dried.  I'm hoping I find the time to get to them before the weather turns.

This weekend I'm heading to a Samhain Festival.  I'm really looking forward to experiencing some different teaching and rituals.  I've also got to fit in a visit to the haunted corn maze and the farm stands to buy pumpkins before Halloween.

I hope your October weekend is wonderful!

Bewitching Home - Fire Bundles

Today is "The Bewitching Home" blog party over at The Witch of Howling Creek.  The theme of the blog party is domestic witchery and Hallow's Eve party ideas, recipes & more.  Head over to see Tenae and the other party goers for some creative ideas and clever posts!

This is my project today for my own bewitching home:

Herbal Fire Bundles

These scent-sational bundles are simple to put together and make use of the 'waste' material from your dried herbs that might normally go into the compost bin.

I love a good fire at Samhain/Halloween (and just about every other day during Autumn & Winter,) and the only thing better than a nice crackling blaze is a heavenly scented bonfire.

After hanging your herbs to dry throughout the Summer and stripping the leaves, keep the stems!  If you toss them all in a bucket for convenience and don't remember which is which - that's just fine.  You'll have lovely surprise fire bundles.  But if you do remember, or keep the herbal sticks separate, you can create bundles for specific purposes.

I've created a garden sage and sage brush bundle for purification.  Yarrow sticks (which were used for divination in days of old) are burned for insight and fire scrying.  Lavender and lemon balm stems are burned for health.  And I made several multi-herb bundles for lovely-scented fire offerings.

Know anyone else that likes a good fire?  Give some away as gifts!  A very simple and pleasing way to use up the last herb material of the season.

Enjoy your All Hallows fires!

Haunting Housewares

With October on the horizon, my mind wanders to devilish decorations and haunting housewares. After all, a proper Halloween household would not be complete without a few spooky accoutrements. And who doesn't need a skeleton corkscrew?

Photo, property of Kikkerland Design.  Designed by Ariel Rojo and Stephanie Suarez for the Kikkerland Mexico Design Challenge.

Vanessa Valencia is no stranger to fabulous Halloween decorations.  As head creatrix at A Fanciful Twist, she designs amazing posts, blog parties and has her own art and design studio on Etsy.  These potion and spell labels are sure to make any bottle you place them on, look charming.

Photo property of www.afancifultwist.com and Vanessa Valenica

When doing up the dishes from your Halloween bash, why not use some chic linens?  This vintage-look towel might even make dish-washing duty fly by. 

Photo, property of Williams-Sonoma

Shots are ten times the fun in these skull glasses!

Photo, property of Crystal Head Vodka

I can think of a few other uses for these cocktail pics (poppets, anyone?)  Still - they would be incredibly fab impaling olives in a very Dirty Martini.  It's too bad that they are just a tad (a big tad) out of my price range.

Photo, property of Ralph Lauren Home

All your hors d'oeuvres will look more appealing on these spooky appetizer plates from Williams-Sonoma.

Photo, property of Willams-Sonoma.

And lastly, when having that nightcap of tea (or absinthe,) these sugar skulls are the perfect sweetener.

Photo, property of Dembones on Etsy.com

These are just a few ideas to get your Halloween decorations and party started.  If you track down any more scary or skeletal housewares, let me know!

Last Minute October Fun

My niece and I took one last drive out the farm stands yesterday before they closed for the season.  The pumpkins and squash were pretty picked over, but we found some lovely specimens that will do nicely for tomorrow night's light-up.

Because I live in a suite with an entrance that faces the backyard, I'm not able to entertain trick-or-treaters, so I make my annual Halloween pilgrimage one town over to my parents home, where little ghouls run rampant through the streets.  There, I mass jack-o-lanterns on the porch and sit on the stairs with a good book waiting on the kids...and possibly snacking on a few treats myself.

After hitting the farm stands, I went with friends last night to a haunted corn maze.  It was fairly child-friendly, so no big scares for me.  Except tripping over corn in the dark.  Still, it was fun and will be on our list of things to do next year.  My friend wants to visit larger mazes next year, so I've been tracking down a few must-see mazes.

Check out this list of mazes in North America.

*photo found here*

Whatever you do for Halloween/Samhain, I hope your holiday is sweet and scary (if that's your thing!) 

PS - don't forget to get your name in the hat for the book "Spirit of the Witch" by Raven Grimassi.  I'll be drawing the winner's name tomorrow night.



Spirits of October - Giveaway #3

The graveyard I visited last week had a substantial amount of statuary and other objects arranged at the gravestones.  The stones themselves were not particularly ornamental, but most of them had many decorations placed around them.  I found these little vignettes sweet, and sometimes sad - in the manner that children's toys were placed around a child's grave.

I was particulary taken with this statue of the Mother at one of the cemetary gates.  I realize that she is stepping on the snake as a nod to the old testament, but I couldn't help but feel a bit of Hekate in her, with the snake and her place at the crossroad/gates.  I'm sure Catholics would NOT agree!

Our last book giveaway this month is another book of Spirit.  Raven Grimassi's "Spirit of the Witch."

From his website:

"Spirit of the Witch was written to convey the religion of Witchcraft as a spiritual path.

In this book the reader will discover the spirituality of being a Witch (the Witch in Moon light) and how to apply that to daily life (the Witch in Sun light).

Spirit of the Witch is a personalized examination of the core essence of practicing Witchcraft and honoring its beliefs.

It is the first book written solely on the topic of spirituality in Witchcraft."

You know the routine by now...leave a comment and a way I can get ahold of you if you don't have a Blogger profile.  I will draw the final name on Monday, October 31st!

Best Witches!

The Spirits of October Giveaway #1

Over the next week I'm going to be posting three giveaways.  Three wonderful books on different aspects of Spirit will be up for grabs, and I'm going to post them along with a few pictures I took while on my graveyard tour last week.

The graveyard I visited was a few towns South, situated on a rolling hill.  This stunning climber has been standing guard in a vineyard just below the graveyard for years now.  I call him The Ghost, and he looks rather handsome in the Autumn.

This is the view of the valley from the graveyard.  A nice place for eternal rest, no?

The first book you can get your hands on is "Spirit Speak" by Ivo Dominguez Jr.

 



~from the website:

"If you do magic, pray, or venerate your ancestors, you are working with spirits. If you seek information or guidance through channeling, through mediumship, or through the words and visions of mystics, you are also working with the beings of the subtle realms.

Spirit Speak presents a unified system for understanding a broad range of nonphysical beings that we call spirits. Dominguez is able to make complex ideas accessible, through analogy and example, without oversimplifying. This comprehensive book can be understood and appreciated by readers from all different faiths, backgrounds, and levels of experience. It explores concepts such as:

* spiritual lineage
* the assumption of god forms
* divine embodiment
* the limits and potential for many spiritual practices"

This book came highly recommended by my sister-friend T, and I have a copy on my bookshelf just waiting for a few Winter eves to dig into it. You can have your own copy too, simply by being a friend of the blog (or blogger!) Follow the blog, follow on Twitter, friend me at Facebook, or subscribe to the RSS feed and let me know in the comments on this post.

You've got three short days to enter. I'll draw the name of the winner on Tuesday, October 25th!  Best of luck!

Ancestor Reverance or Veneration

Based on the idea that life continues after death in one form or another, most cultures have certain rituals or traditions involved in caring for or communicating with their ancestors.

** The word "ancestor" can be defined as:
1. a person from whom one is descended.
2. a person who serves as an influence or model for another; be it mental, artistic, spiritual, etc.

Therefore, an ancestor need not be a family member of a direct bloodline, but also beloved friends or someone who excelled in your field of practice who has passed on. For example, people who engage in charity work, may feel that Mother Theresa is an ancestor. A musician may look to John Lennon or Johnny Cash as ancestor.

In some groups, such as the Catholic church, saints or "ascended masters" are venerated as messengers or intercessors to God. These saints had their holiday in "All Saint's Day" and some had their own individual holiday, such as Saint Michael's Day. The mass that was said on All Saint's Day was called "Allhallowmas" (the mass of all who are hallowed) and the eve before All Saint's Day became known as "All Hallows Eve."

In most cultures, no intercessor is believed to be required to have a relationship with one's deceased family, friends 0r societal ancestors.

Please note that ancestor reverence (honouring) is not the same as worship. Most cultures do not worship their dead as gods. There are some cultures that believe their ancestors may ascend to attain god-like status, but this is not what "reverence" is referring to here.

The idea behind ancestor reverence is that your ancestors maintain some kind of existence after death and may influence, in some way, the lives of the living. This influence may come in ways as simple as communication to as complex as being able to procure good fortune in many forms.

In some cultures, ancestors are seen as needing to be cared for, but usually an offering is a way of showing respect or acknowledgment to the ancestor. In this way, caring for them is a way of honouring them. To "care for" an ancestor can mean merely leaving an offering of water or wine out for them, going to their grave and cleaning it or leaving flowers, or building an entire altar with photographs, flowers and favourite treats of the deceased as offerings.

Here are some various ancestor practices by different cultures:

-Mexicans celebrate Day of the Dead, where offerings of candles, food, sugar skulls and photographs are set out in cemetaries to honour the dead.

-Egyptians believed that to be forgotten, was the end of the soul. So, building remembrances to the dead was not just a way of honouring them, but essential so that they would not be forgotten as long as their statue/tomb stood. Priests could be hired by the family to continue to speak prayers for the dead and make offerings at the tombs.

-In India, a yearly observation called "Tarpan" is made to the ancestors where the deceased's favourite food is made and offerred to them, as well as to animals considered holy, such as crows and cows.

-The Romans venerated their dead in the month of February during a 9-day festival called Parentalia, when they visited cemetaries and shared cakes and wine with each other and as offerings to deceased family members.

-Some of the oldest Catholic churches house tombs for their dead as well as having altars that often are said to contain the bones of a saint. And, of course, the "blood" and "body" of Christ sits on the altar in the form of wine and wafers.

-In China, many believe that honouring their ancestors is part of the duties of life, in that your parents gave you life and took care of you while they were alive, and could also care for you after they are gone and offer assistance. In Spring and Autumn festivals bring families to the graves of their ancestors to make offerings, and during another festival, called Ghost Festival, it is believed that the ancestors come to visit the living.

-A "dumb supper" is a dinner where a full place setting, with a serving of dinner is set out for an ancestor, and the entire dinner party eats in silence. Often this is to not only honour the dead, but to encourge contact. The living do not speak, that the dead may do so if they choose, and be heard.

An invitation can be given at the supper such as:

"This is the night when the gateway between
our world and the spirit world is thinnest.
Tonight is a night to call out those who came before us.
Tonight we honor our ancestors.
Spirits of our ancestors, we call to you,
and we welcome you to join us for this night.
We know you watch over us always,
protecting us and guiding us,
and tonight we thank you.
We invite you to join us and share our meal."

~from Patti Wigington at About.com

-In old (Celtic) Europe the last harvest festival is celebrated, and offerings of food and lit candles are left out for the dead that wander this time of year. This is the festival of Samhain (pronounced "Sow-en" or "Sow'een") when spirits were believed to freely roam. The practice of leaving out food and lit candles is part of the beginnings of what is commonly celebrated as Halloween now.

Athough the last harvest time is thought to be the time when the space between the two world's was thinnest and most conducive to spirit contact, you can honour or seek to contact your ancestors at any time of the year.

Where I've Been This Week - In Body & Mind

The wheels are starting to turn for our Annual Chicks Wine Tour.  The first year (two years ago) we did a haunted winery tour, visiting such vinters as: Blasted Church Winery and Black Widow Winery, not to mention getting a first-hand account of ghostly happenings at another local winery.  Last year, we hit a wine festival, where 50 wineries from around the Valley were represented (and who were giving very generous tastes!)  Our destinations this year are not yet set in stone, but I'll be sure to give you a run down and post pics when we finish our tour (and sober up.)

Yesterday I got my hands on my very first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season.  I don't often go into Starbucks, but you'll find me there often while this limited edition flavour is on the menu!

In Halloween news, Martha has her annual Halloween magazine out on the newstands.  It's a bit notorious for recycling articles/pictures from previous years, but I'm a sucker for the pretty pics and cool ideas, so I pick it up each year.

Also, over on Facebook, Judika Illes noted that Target has it's Halloween items out already.  Our local big box store has Halloween items in the card section, but hasn't emptied it's seasonal aisles of the back-to-school supplies yet.  Here's hoping those pencils disappear soon in favour of pumpkins!

In world news, we are all praying for rain clouds to fill the skies over Texas.  Over at his Inciting A Riot blog, Fire Lyte is organizing Project Texas Rain Magic.  Wherever you are, this Saturday September 10th, please send prayers, thoughts of rain and direct any rain spells toward Texas and the wildfires devastating that state. 

I hope this first week of September is treating you all remarkably well!

Farmers Market Saturday - Pumpkins!

Today at the farmers market, I saw the first pumpkin for sale! 

Never one to pass up an opportunity to score a pumpkin, I went for the handsome squash, only to be foiled by the little boy in front of me, who had convinced his mother to buy it for him.  In an effort to console myself I came home and dug through some Autumn decorations and then went through my recipe box and pulled out a few pumpkin recipes to try (I still have frozen pumpkin in my freezer from last Halloween's jacks.)

While I was in the pumpkin mood, I tracked down a few pumpkin festivals that sound too good to miss.  If you are in the area, check out these popular pumpkin parties:

Keene Pumpkin Festival in Keene, NH on October 22, 2011.

Halloween in Central Park in Manhattan, NY - October 9 through the 31st.

Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Fest in Half Moon Bay, CA - October 15 & 16, 2011.

South Jersey Pumpkin Show in Egg Harbor, NJ - October 8-9th, 2011

Festival of Pumpkins in Snohomish Valley, WA - throughout September & October at multiple farms.

Circleville Pumpkin Show in Circleville, OH - October 19-22, 2011.

Nanaimo Pumpkin Fest, Nanaimo, BC, Canada - October 16, 2011.

There are so many more too!  Check out your local farms and other agricultural organizations to see if they have any Autumn themed festivals planned.  There are many farms that turn their corn fields into mazes and open their pumpkin patches for picking.

With a bit of planning, you can stretch Summer's harvest into an abundant Autumn by making your way to your local farms and festivals this September and October.  Enjoy!