The Haven

Just a quick note to wish all my US friends a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Enjoy the day with family and friends! ~ Heathen

"For flowers that bloom about our feet; For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet; For song of bird, and hum of bee; For all things fair we hear or see..." excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow. ~ Heathen

I'm curious to know what your plans are for this Thanksgiving.  We all "celebrate" differently but most of us have annual traditions that we stick with.  What are your traditions? This Thanksgiving I'll be taking most of the week of from my day job, something I don't usually do.  On Thanksgiving day I'll be dragging out the Holiday decorations, and putting up the tree as usual.  We don't typically do the whole big dinner thing, there just aren't enough people in one place to eat that much food.  We've tried it a couple times, but it's just too much.  Too much food and too much stress, what with me making a mess of the house by emptying all the bins and boxes marked "Christmas".  If it's cold out I usually just cook a big pot of chili and leave it on the stove so food is ready whenever we want to eat.  If it's not (I live in Florida remember) then I like to get some turkey from the deli for sandwiches.  Of course if I get tur...

While visiting my favorite blogs, I realized today that I have not done a post about the things I'm thankful for.  Since Thanksgiving is almost upon us, I guess I'd better do that before I run out of time.  So here are a few things I'm thankful for this year: My job.  While it doesn't leave much free time to do the things I love, it usually pays the bills and there are far too many people without one right now. My family.  Sure they make me crazy some times, but they're always there for me when I need them.  And let's be honest, I love them. My hobbies.  Like most of you, I love doing something creative and I'm thankful I have the opportunity to be creative in my free time. My friends, both old and new.  In addition to the life-long friends I have, I've met so many new and wonderful friends here in blogland. Okay, I know my thankful list is a bit generic but it's honest.  These are the things I'm most thankful for.  Maybe tomorrow I'll...

I do so love the quiet time.  This weekend the October decorations will come down and I can curl up a bit before the crazy days of the Holiday season.  For me this time of year is: Sweaters and boots Hot chocolate and flavored coffee Hearty meals and spicy deserts Curling up with a good book or movie Cloudy days and cool nights Candle light and a blanket on the porch A general sense of peace and calm It doesn't last long since the Christmas decorations go up on Thanksgiving weekend, but I always looks forward to it and enjoy it as much as possible! ~ Heathen

Thanks for dropping by.  Have a Happy Halloween and a Blessed Samhain! ~ Heathen

Samhain, also know as Halloween, All Hallows Eve, and the Witch's New Year is the last of the harvest festivals and a time of dark mysteries. It's a time for new beginnings, reflection, and honoring the dead. In the tarot, the Death card represents change; an end to something which has served its purpose. While not all changes seem good in the moment, change is necessary in all things. This season is the beginning of the end of the Wheel of the Year. After Halloween we change our clocks back, bringing more of the dark to our days, and prepare for Winter. As anyone who lives in colder climates knows, Winter is the dead season when the landscape is bleak. All the plants and animals, even the Sun, go into hiding and wait to be renewed come Spring. This is the quiet time. On Halloween we carve and light Jack o' Lanterns as both protection for ourselves and guidance for the dead. We dress in costume in order to blend in with or ward off the roaming spirits. And we hand out f...

A little creepy Halloween spirit for you... ~ Heathen

The Autumn Equinox also known as Mabon is the first day of Fall.  This day is considered a time of mysteries and balance. Day and night are divided equally. It's a time to stop & relax and enjoy the fruits of our own personal harvests. Customs & Activities: preparing for the quiet time ahead finishing old business walking in the woods Colors: red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, gold, violet Decorations: gourds, acorns, colored corn pine cones, grains, vines, dried seeds apples, grapes, pomegranates horn of plenty Foods:  I like to serve a stew with hearty bread and apple crisp. root vegetables; potatoes, carrots, onions breads apples nuts Spellworkings: harmony and balance self confidence security prosperity

Fall is the season to take a look at what you've planned to accomplish this year.  Reap the rewards of your own personal harvest and focus on motivating yourself to finish your remaining business.  Write out a plan, make some magic, whatever you need to do to feel like you can put your goals to rest.  This may mean rethinking your goals and making them more realistic.  It's very easy to bite off more than we can chew when life happens.  Don't get discouraged if you need to do this!  Any step toward your end result is progress!  Think of yourself as a garden where your goals are the plants.  Be proud of anything that's come to fruition this year, finish what you can before winter sets in, and plant some new goals for yourself.  Happy harvesting!

Sometimes it's hard to remember that September is a holiday month.  What with getting the kiddies back to school, the start of football season, and of course we all know Halloween is just around the corner.  But September is a holiday month.  It's the start Fall, the changing of the seasonal guard, and in our excitement for what's to come, we tend to overlook it.  I know I'm not the only one guilty of bypassing September in a blur, almost wishing it away so I can get on with Halloween goodness. So I challenge you all to take a break from your spooky preparations, just for a bit, and celebrate this season.  Take a walk in the woods, visit an orchard or vineyard, donate some old summer goods before just shoving them back in the closet, or write that thank you note you've been meaning to send.  Remember, it is the equinox, a time for balance and harmony.  Tuck in those good summer memories and learn what you can from the bad ones.  Take some time ...

Just last week I was saying how nice the weather was, you could actually feel Summer leaving and Autumn creeping in.  Somewhere between then and now, Summer has found it's way back!  Temperatures are back in the 90's with well over 50% humidity.  Ugh.  Hopefully we'll see some more cool weather here in Florida soon.  We don't get the changing leaves here, so cooler temperatures and lower humidity are the best we can hope for.  I do hope all you northeners are enjoying this beautiful time of year.  Please, post some pics so we southerners can at least feel like we're a part of it too!

Found this image on the web and thought it was perfect for September! This is my favorite part.  I love dragging out the decorations bins each new season to put away the old and bring out the new.  Every year I find something in there I'd forgotten about, it's a little like opening a present!  Yes I have different bins for each season, plus separate ones for Halloween and Yule/Christmas. So on this extended weekend I'll be dragging out the Fall bin (trying desperately to ignore the Halloween ones) and getting my home ready for Autumn.  I'll post some photos once it's done and I'd LOVE to see some of your decorations as well. Happy decorating!

August is over and autumn is almost here.  Even here in sunny Florida there's a subtle change in the wind, and you just know the crisp calm of autumn is right around the corner.  Now that the Autumn month is upon us, it's time to change out some decor to reflect this wonderful season.  Here are a few ideas... Make a corn doll to display Fill a basket/bowl/jar with gourds, small pumpkins, acorns, fall leaves, etc. as a centerpiece. Make a new grapevine wreath Hang dried ears of Indian corn on your front door Don't forget to change out your candles and flower arrangements. I haven't found the right candle yet for this time of year but I'll let you know. More ideas and possibly pictures in the coming weeks as we head toward the Equinox.