Celebrating Samhain 2011

The wheel of the year has turned and, once again, we find ourselves entering the dark half of the year with Samhain.  Our ancestors walk the Earth once more now that the veil is thin.  The Cailleach is awake and covers the land with her frosty shroud.  The Morrigan flies overhead looking out for the sick and weak to pick off.  The Pooka claims the last of the year’s berries on the vine.  Winter is here.

How does this Druid mark the occasion?

On Saturday, Weretoad and I went to Muin Mound to celebrate.  It was a magical celebration held in the main nemeton.  We hardly see it outside of Samhain.  It’s usually too buggy or caked with snow to get to.  We lit torches and stood in a grove of trees filled with glowing jack-o-lanterns to honor our ancestors.

This year’s jack-o-lanterns carved from pumpkins and turnips.  Weretoad’s are on the left and mine on the right.  Many in my grove talked about waning to carve turnips as is traditional, but worried it would be too difficult.  Hubby and I have been doing it for four or five years now and it’s actually quite easy.  Perhaps a workshop is in order for next year?

Of course we have candy for any trick-or-treaters.  It’s so much fun to see the wee ones in their costumes.

I did a *ton* of baking.  Vegan veggie pot pie for pot luck at the grove.  It was delicious!  Of course, we gave a slice to the ancestors.

I also made some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with the goop from our jack-o-lanterns.  Some of these were given to the ancestors as well. I worked on an offering for The Morrigan.  This was placed on the fire.  It looked quite gruesome as it burned but seemed a very fitting as a gift to Lady Death.

Offerings for the ancestors at our family altar.  If you look close, you can see the swirl of incense smoke…

Delicious baked pumpkin seeds, freshly made green juice (I’m calling it Witch’s Brew), and my newly arrived “Oak Leaves” – complete with articles for Yule!  I’m already excited. 😀