"Samhain," Storms & Things

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Our son Eric has a friend from Scotland who passed on this information about "Samhain."

“Samhain (pronounced Sow-win) is the Irish and Scottish Celtic new year. 31st of October is the last day of the year and the tradition dates back about 2000 years. Samhain is a little similar to the ‘day of the dead’ where ancestors would cross over to visit their families as ghosts and spirits. 

This wasn’t without risk for dead ancestors; as the barrier between worlds was weakest on this day various soul eating creatures (called Fairies) would cross over to attempt to devour the ancestors. There were many types but chief amongst them were the Dullahan who appeared as headless riders on horseback to sweep through villages. To keep the Dullahan and other Fairies away, and the ancestors safe, offerings were left outside the villages and the Celts would dress in animal skins to resemble even more fearsome monsters to scare the Fairies away. Celts so dressed would travel from house to house where feasts were underway to share in the foods.

In the middle ages many new traditions began to appear around Samhain, including the carving of Turnips to resemble gruesome faces and lit with lumps of coal. These would be placed outside homes to keep the fairies away.

Around 1200 years ago, efforts by the Catholic church in Ireland and Scotland to stamp out pagan traditions saw Rome declare the 1st of November All Saints Day, locally this was called “All Hallows Day”, Hallow being another word for ‘holy and saint like’. The festivities of 31st of October became ‘Hallows Eve’ which over the next thousand years truncated in to “Halloween”. Halloween was carried across to the US with Irish and Scottish immigrants, especially during the potato famine.”

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We had a series of storms pass through our area Thursday evening. Fortunately there were no tornados or heavy wind damage in our immediate area. 

Today is sunny and cool with a frost warning for tonight. The frost helps alleviate those things that affect my allergies. So having cool temperatures is fine with me.

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There were warnings to those going out for "trick or treat" to be back before the storms. Everyone in our neighborhood seemed to have followed the suggestion.

The best costume to visit our home was a little girl dressed as a unicorn. She and her Mom thanked me for the acknowledgement.

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"My friend, I am going to tell you the story of my life, as you wish; and if it were only the story of my life I think I would not tell it; for what is one ,an that he should make much of his winters, even when they bend him like a heavy snow?"
Black Elk

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This is the first day of November. 

I was looking for a November poem but did not find one that I liked. Perhaps I've been looking in the wrong places. There are many excellent poets out there, I just haven't found the right one.

I think that a November poem should make one appreciate that the leaves are falling, blanketing the land as if they are covers I pull up at night to keep me warm. 
The colors be bright oranges, crimson red, burgundy, butterscotch and golden yellow.
There should be nothing sad that summer is gone, but joy that autumn is beginning.

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Brother Maynard - Monty Python and "The Hotly Grail"l

“Thou shalt set the time one hour back,

no more,

no less.

One hour back shall the clock be set,

and the setting of the clock shalt be one hour back …..”

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Andy Kim - “Baby I Love You.”

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Go over to Kelly's "This Ain't the Lyceum," for more takes.