The Harvest Moon and Mabon 2013…..

The Harvest Moon hangs round and high
It dodges clouds high in the sky,
The stars wink down their love and mirth
The Autumn season is giving birth.
 ~Pearl N. Sorrels

Merry Meet!  I hope this post finds all of you well and looking forward to the start of my favorite season…Autumn!!  I am so happy that it’s upon us.  In the last week or so, except for today and yesterday, we have had a taste of Autumn weather. And after a couple of Summer-like days, it is going to rain and bring in the cool weather again this evening.  I love it!!  There is something about the end of a long, wonderful Summer..when the weather starts subtly changing, the nights get longer, the gardens are about finished up, and you can open the windows and air out the house again. 🙂 My energy level increases, my soul lifts and my mind turns to Fall activities!

Last week I was in Florida, a vacation for just my hubby and I, and my Sea Witch self had a wonderful time.  I had the pleasure of meeting up with a Witchy Sister and we hung out on the beach, feet in the sand and talked and talked. It was exactly as I knew it would be! True sisters in heart and Spirit (love you Dory!)  Hubby and I did the same thing, every day and night, watching as the Harvest Moon waxed to Full over the beach.  It was just perfect!  I was home for Full Moon and Her pull was the same.  No matter where I am, She is beautiful and magickal. 🙂

Now we move on to Mabon..on Sun day.  My Circle will be meeting here at my house for some feasting, fire, and making corn dollies.  I’m making veggie soup and chili, bread and we’ll have wine and grapes and apples  to celebrate the end of Summer’s bounty and the Harvest of it.  The magick and love will flow between my Sisters and the Goddess who is always with us!

My gardens are pretty much finished for the year. I have a few peppers still growing and my garlic is coming up but otherwise they are finished.  Rosemary and lavender is still doing well in the garden beds but all the rest of my herbs are harvested and hung to dry.  The flower beds are still in bloom and looking great, we have some time with them yet 🙂 I plan on planting Spring bulbs soon as there are none in our new yard and there are lots of places to put them! How are your gardens doing?

So now my thoughts turn to Autumn….of sweaters and jackets, crisp, clear nights and breezy, blue sky days. Brilliant color on the trees and harvested, fallow fields.  Chipmunks and squirrels gathering, birds migrating.  Of woodsmoke and gold/red flames, cider and apples, pumpkins and mums, walks with leaves crunching underfoot, and the Sun rising late and setting early, casting longer shadows and of the Moon, oh our lovely Moon, shining bright on an ink black, starry sky. *sigh*…there is nothing like this Season in my mind.

“Autumn:  bright flame before winter’s deadness; harvest; orange, gold, amber; cool nights and the smell of fire. Our tree-lined streets are set ablaze, our kitchens filled with the smells of nostalgia: apples bubbling into sauce, roasting squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, cider, warmth itself. The leaves, as they spark into wild color just before they die, are the world’s oldest performance art. Everything we see is celebrating one last violently hued hurrah before the black and white and silence of winter. Fall is begging for us to dance and sing and write with just the same drama and blaze.” ~Shauna Niequist

Pretty much sums it up for me 🙂  How about you?  For past postings on Mabon, including recipes etc…just type in Mabon on the search box on the right side of my blog. There are lots of great things in my past postings, including about what Mabon is all about etc.  I’ll be back soon to tell you about something fun I’ve the pleasure of being a part of.  In the meantime, make the most of the First day of Autumn.  It’s after all, about Balance…day equals night.  Stop and think about your life..is it in balance?  Does something need fixed?  Mabon is a great time to focus on that and make some changes if it isn’t!  Many Blessings to you all! Have a great Harvest festival!

Blessings and Love,

Autumn