Countdown to Samhain……

Merry Meet my witchy friends!  It is October…the best month of the year!  The countdown has begun to Samhain, All Hallows Eve, the Night of the Dead, the night when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest.  The Witches New Year..the most magickal night of all!!  All over the world pagans are preparing…they are finishing up their harvesting of herbs, veggies and preparing their gardens for winter.  They are decking out their homes in pumpkins, mums, apples, ravens, owls, scarecrows, candles and all the “scary” stuff that goes along with Beggers Night.  They are preparing their altars, organizing feasts and bonfires, and wood is stacked by the fireplace. 

This is the time of year I love the most..always have.  Autumn to me was always the time of year where Mother Earth is at her most beautiful, where the smells of woodsmoke and leaves burning and apples cooking  can bring me to tears in gratefulness for the Blessings from the Goddess at this time of year.  I have so many fond memories of raking leaves and jumping in them with my siblings.  Of having Halloween parties with all the trimmings…bobbing for apples, donuts and apple cider, the costumes and candy…. of helping my grandmother pick apples to make her applesauce and apple butter.  The magick and excitement of trick or treat night…trying to see thru a smelly plastic mask ..tripping over my too long costume…and feeling the cool crisp air and the heavy bag of candy.  So magickal indeed!     

Then there are the quiet times too…taking a walk, needing a jacket..the cool air, blue skies or dark starry night..leaves crunching underfoot…spiced cider in the pot, warm and ready.  Sitting on the porch with blanket over the knees, watching the critters scurrying to gather, birds flocking to fly.  Or taking my daughters to the pumpkin barn for pictures and to find the best pumpkin there.  I now get to enjoy that with my darling granddaughter.                                                                                                                                                 

I will post more information about Samhain, my altar, my own festivities as this month goes along….but I wanted to write about the joys of this month.  I hope that you all, along with me, celebrate every wonderful moment of it.  Today, go take a walk, or go buy some mums or pumpkins, or pop some apple cider into a pot, or have a caramel apple.  Light a fire, read a book and sip that cider.

Autumn blessings to each of you until we visit again!  Autumn