Dear Friends,

So today is Halloween.  Next Monday, Nov 7th will be Samhain… the cross-quarter Holiday celebrated by the ancient Celts.  Some contemporay Pagans celebrate on the 31st, others on the astronomical mid-point between the Solstice and Equinox.  I tend to split the difference and view the entire time between the two as a holy festival.  A time for remembering the beloved and honored dead, and the wonder of imagination and childhood.  Remembering the ancient rhythms even as I acknowledge how out of step or disconnected from the world around us our society can be.

It’s already been the beginings of  a full and festive Holiday here at Grayhaven, as we’ve named the apt.

The Fabulous Jonathan and I went to a Halloween Dinner party thrown by our friends Will and Gene.  We wore t-shirts from his site… I wore the “Strangers have the best Candy” shirt with a domino mask and a big-big bag of cheap Halloween chocolate candies and lollipops.   Which huge bag if candy I will be taking BACK over there later today when Jon and I help the boys hand out candy at their house, and Jonathan tries to help Gene scare the unholy stuffin’ out of trick-or-treater’s.  Jon has discovered a kindred Halloween Spirit in Gene and I fully expect them to start putting their heads together sometime in August of next year, with a number of expeditions to Home Depot and obscure hardware and electronics stores in advance of next years Holiday.

In other news, I am enjoying the prospect of having some time at home this week, having taken a few days vacation time… I usually have Sundays and Mondays off after working the 11p-7a shift at the motel, and frequently get joyously pulled into events at the U.U. Church on Sundays… can make Sat-Sun a bit of a long if blessed day!  So anywayI have Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday off.   A nice little mini vacation, one of the first times I used my vacation time at work!   It will be nice to have some ime spent puttering around the apartment finally sorting through bookshelves and puttering in the Kitchen.

Speaking of which…

There is a Pork Picnic Shoulder in the fridge rubbed with herbs and spices and with cloves of garlic stuffed into knife-point holes all over.  There are veggies, including carrots and celery cut and chilling in water, onions and red potatoes waiting to be cut or peeled.  These will all be put into my mom’s roasting pan with a cup of 4 thieves vinegar and some olive oil drizzled over the veggies …. or perhaps I will toss them in some olive oil and salt before tucking them around the pork shoulder… and roasted low and slow in an oven at around 150-200 degrees Fahrenheit  (65 to 93 Celcius) for around 6 to 8 hours…

I also have found a roasted Apples with Balsemic glaze recipe that I may have to try… although I may wait and pair that with a more conventional higher temp and shorter cooking time roast for logistical convenience.

Well, I had better get a nap before getting up to start the roast.

Have a Blessed Halloween!

Pax

PS- look for some more Halloween/Samhain Posts this week…