Halloween

Halloween – Day 1084

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Spooky House! – Photo: L. Weikel

Halloween

My family was in a pumpkin carving mood this year and I’m the richer for it! I adore the look these translucent gourds bring to our old house. We look the part of the spooky haunted house for Halloween. Bwahahahah!

I’m simply going to offer the bounty of carvings that were created this year to entertain you in your morning perusal of my post.

My Contribution

My job was roasting the seeds that we extricated from the pumpkins. Yum. It’s a simple task, actually. First, of course, separating the seeds from the stringy orange innards, then rinsing them in cold water. I then line a cookie pan with foil and spray it with olive oil. I spread the seeds out onto the pan and sprinkle either sea salt or Spike on the glistening seeds. I’ve occasionally been known to sprinkle cayenne pepper on them as well. I put them in the oven at 350 degrees and roast them for about 10-15 minutes. I then stir them and flip them and swirl them all around, and then pop them back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so.

While I know they’re absolute calorie bombs, I’ve been sneaking them nonetheless. There’s something inherently powerful in the act of ingesting something that’s filled with the potential for growth and new life. It feels especially powerful to both eat the seeds in a sacred manner (i.e., when not sneaking them), consciously focusing your awareness on the creative energy latent in that tiny package, and engaging in this deliberate ingestion of energy at the time of the new moon.

How powerful (and delicious) it will be to infuse whatever projects, ideas, or intentions you set at this new moon (arriving this Thursday, November 4th) with the power of Mother Earth’s pumpkin seeds.

One Other Thing

Finally, please don’t forget to join me in our one small act to counteract the effects of climate change. Yes, believe it or not, November will be upon us in the blink of an eye. Don’t forget to engage in the Essence of Perelandra (EoP) Biodiversity Process sometime during Monday, November 1st. It’s only five minutes (at the most) out of your life and yet it promotes our unique relationship with and awareness of the forces of Nature and manifests an intention to keep it all together and functioning in balance by counteracting the effects of climate change.

Wishing you all a sacred Samhain.

T’s Cauldron – All photos: L. Weikel

(T-27)

Ridiculousness – Day 1069

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
I My view upon waking in the morning – Photo: L.Weikel

Ridiculousness

Has anyone else written a check lately and struggled to recall what month it is? First of all, I realize that ‘writing a check,’ in and of itself, is an archaic concept that undoubtedly merits ridicule. So compounding that ridiculousness with a straight up admission that I’m having a hard time keeping track of what month it is probably puts a strain on my credibility as a contributing member of the 21st century.

Putting that aside, I’m asking the question in all honesty. We’re only two weeks away from Halloween! I went to Pet Smart today (not to buy another toy for the pups) (really!), and I nearly fell over when I realized that the entire main aisle of the store is now dedicated to Christmas regalia and toys. CHRISTMAS.

Meanwhile, I’m sitting here on the couch, surrounded by my minions, with my front door open to a cacophony of cricket and katydid chatter. It sounds like it’s the middle of summer. And the ever-so-slight coolness of the breeze coming in feels much more summery than fall-like as well. My senses are confused.

How Quickly It All Could Change

Would any of us be surprised if two weeks from now we suddenly found ourselves under two feet of snow?

I, for one, don’t mind snow. But it wouldn’t be good for the trees. Many would still have their leaves, and snowstorms in October are notoriously ‘wet’ snows, which cling to branches and weigh them down. More leaves on trees would mean more snow piling up – increasing the potential for branches snapping or entire trees being felled.

But I have to cop to an even greater immediate concern: puppy hygiene.

It’s hard enough at the moment to catch them in the act and whisk them outside to do their business. Once it’s frigid outside? Oh yikes. I’m praying for a miracle here, guys.

Evening Sprawl – Photo: L.Weikel

For Now

So for now, before we have ‘Pacha and Brutus’s first snowfall’ photos, I am going to give you two shots of my perspective on these puppies today.

The first (at the top of this post) is the somewhat M. C. Escher-like conglomeration of paws and fur, one creature seamlessly blending into another, that greeted me when I opened my eyes this morning. It’s literally the view I enjoyed this very morning.

And the photo above, in the middle of this post, you’ll find is just ’giving the facts, Ma’am.’ We start our day together, we’ll end our day together. It’s clear to all (or me, at least) that Tigger is refusing to relinquish his ‘by my side’ status to these interlopers. Nope. He’s planted his flag. He’s here to stay. These ‘children’ can rough and tumble, bite his tail, and yip at him with all the puppy aggression they can muster. But he’s staying. By my side.

(T-42)

Belated Homage to All Hallow’s Eve – Day 355

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Halloween Hellions – Photo: L. Weikel

Belated Homage to All Hallow’s Eve 

Funny how things work out.

Due to a mid-month impromptu visit from afar, we ended up having an early pumpkin-carving extravaganza this year. (Early, late – sometimes we end up not carving at all.)

Creativity ran thick in the air a few weeks ago, and we amassed quite the collection of most excellent hollowed creations.

Lest I be accused of failing to share these masterpieces, I offer photos of them in this post.

The ‘funny’ about my first sentence lay in the fact that, while everything was carved so far ahead of time, because of a couple days of very mild weather, nothing survived until the actual day of Halloween.

The Creations

T.D.’s Dragon – Photo: L. Weikel

S.A.’s Cheshire Cat – Photo: L. Weikel

Anonymous’s Green Ghoul – Photo: L. Weikel

My Contribution

I bowed out of the festivities this year. However, given this cool article on the origins of jack-o-lanterns, I feel it’s only right to give a shout out to my very – odd – carrot (I.M. Carrot), who most definitely could’ve gone really creepy if I’d permitted it.

Ha ha ha ha.

(T-756)