Samhain blessings...

 

  

 Hello!  Happy Halloween and many Samhain blessings to you all!  I hope this finds you enjoying the spirit of the day and having a bit of fun too.  

I spent a good portion of yesterday getting ready for today.  I took a quick drive to the farmers market for a variety of things, including cut flowers and a carving pumpkin.  Then I spent the rest of the day setting my dining table and sideboard area for Halloween and The Ancestor Offerings.  I made some banana bread using one of my grandmothers recipes and made a few plates with some of their favorite food for offerings to the Ancestors.  One of my Grandmothers used to keep Zero candy bars in the freezer so when I saw a Zero bar in line at the grocers I just new I had to get it for her.  I haven't seen these in ages!  Some of the offerings include, pimento cheese sandwich (a favorite of my Great-Grandmother Ida), pasta with homemade sauce (for my Granddaddy, Lester, whose knickname in college was Spig, because he ate so much spaghetti having never seen it until he moved to NC), pepsi (my other granddaddy, George, retired from Pepsi Bottling Co. after a lengthy term of employment), and iced sweet tea (because everyone drank it).   

I cleaned up my year-round ancestor altar on Saturday and spent this morning making up fresh bouquets for them and one for Maman Brigitte's altar.  I used elements of the flowers I picked up yesterday and a few things from my own little garden.  

I'm feeling very right today, I don't even know the correct word.  I just feel as if I'm doing the things I should be and that everything is good.  I pulled out one of my journals last night to find that I hadn't read tarot for myself since last Samhain.  I read over the year reading I did and boy, was it spot on.  I'll do another for myself for the coming year, tonight.  (As I've been typing, the word I had been looking for came to me - balanced.)

I've walked the line between the worlds my entire life.  For the most part I've kept it to myself, and/or hidden what I am and the gifts the Ancestors have given me.  Recently, I've realized that this is the time to step up fully into those gifts and use them.  What is the saying, use it or lose it?  Well, I lost this gift several years ago and it was the most miserable year I've ever spent.  Not like anything bad happened, I just didn't feel like myself.  I didn't feel...whole.  But this autumn, things are feeling balanced.  Like I'm no longer trying to keep from tripping off the rope into one world or the other.  So, I'm going to use it, as much and as often as I can.

I'd planned to do a giveaway at the beginning of the month so I could send out some Halloween goodies, but time and other things conspired against me and it didn't happen.  However, there is no rule that says Halloween can't be enjoyed throughout the year!  So, I'm having a little giveaway today.  I have some Halloween items to send to someone out there in bloglandia.  Included will be what you see in the picture above as well as a few other little things (like maybe some candy!).  I'm also offering the winner a tarot reading.  You can ask a question or just see what the cards and spirit have to tell you if you'd like.

To be entered in the giveaway, leave a comment telling me your most favorite Halloween memory* and I'll enter your name into the mix.  I'll put everyone's name in the witches hat and draw one out (old school style!) on Saturday, Nov. 5th.  Entries will be cut off at 11:59pm Friday (Nov. 4th).  

*To be sure I don't add someone who doesn't want to be added please be sure to start your comment with "My most favorite Halloween memory is".  For an extra entry, you can mention this giveaway on your blog.  Nothing big, just a line or two will do.  Leave me a separate comment that you did so, please, and I'll enter your name a second time.  

Well, I just realized what time it is and I must run!  I still have treat bags to fill and lunch to eat and a pumpkin to carve!!

thanks for stopping by!

love & blessings

~*~

 

Happy Halloween and Blessed Samhain

We had quite a day of rain and storms a few days ago.  Late in the afternoon, I went to look out the back and saw the gorgeous play of light on the trees.  I grabbed my camera and when I stepped outside was surprised by the beauty of a double rainbow.  

Today, I took my annual trip to the neighboring county to pick up our yearly supply of brunswick stew with my mum.  It was a nice little ride in the countryside and despite having my camera with me, I wasn't able to get but a few photos.  

After I left my mum and headed home, I stopped at a store that I'd seen that little pumpkin girl in a week or more ago.  She was still there, sitting all by her lonesome with the 50% off Halloween decor.  So, of course she had to come home with me.  Us lonely girls need to stick together!  :-)  I posted a photo of her on Instagram when I arrived home and it turns out she has an identical twin sister that lives with the marvelously magical Miss V.  Now I know why she seemed so familiar to me when I first saw her.  I'm still waiting for her to tell me her name.  She seems like either a Penelope or maybe a Pepita.  :-)

I'm off to get dressed for giving out treats.  I have much left to do on this All Hallows Eve.  My yearly tarot reading, an ancestor reading I discovered today on Instagram that I want to try out.  I need to start on supper for the ancestors (and myself), my last inktober drawing and I'm going to make time to sit and see what the spirits have to say (if anything) to me tonight.  I also have started some other work that I want to continue today.  

What are you planning for this evening?  Do you have any special rituals or habits that you do each Halloween/Samhain?

thanks for stopping by!
love & blessings
~*~

ps...I'm several days behind in my blog reading thanks to the cold I've been fighting for a week.  I hope to catch up with you all over the next few days. xo