10/31/21

“In Halloween, we see echos of the Gaelic festival of Samhain, which marked the arrival of the “dark half” of the year. Samhain was a way of marking that ambiguous moment when you didn’t know who you were about to become, or what the future would hold. It was a celebration of limbo.”

— Katherine May, from Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

One idea to keep it slow and simple… Light the past; see the future

In Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times, Katherine May writes of the magic that the cold months bring: “It’s s time for reflection and recuperation, for slow replenishment, for putting your house in order.”

In late October, as summer moves into the past but winter has not yet arrived, a space opens up. During ancient fall festivals, we celebrated this moment of in betweenness, looking back to remember those loved ones who have passed while preparing for the winter ahead and all that comes after.

To reflect is to look out from yourself in order to see back in. In that way, the past can be a mirror to the future. Maybe in the midst of your own fall festivities, you will light a candle for things past and see a glimmer there of things to come.

And some clickable fun!

We love to discover and share, so we’ve added three cool clickables. And just so you know, when we list products, it’s just because we like them. We’re not sponsored by anything but our dreams and imaginations.

Wondering what to do with cilantro stems, egg shells, or kale stems? Don’t toss them! Check out Food Waste Feast and “stop throwing out perfectly good food.”
Try your hand at Day of the Dead Bread, from chef Margarita Carrillo Arronte’s Mexico: the Cookbook.
If you’ve been reading about the supply chain lately, consider this article on why “It’s time for Americans to buy less stuff.” (OK, maybe this one isn’t “fun” exactly. But we found it enlightening.)