Happy Celtic New Year

The first of November is the Celtic Festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-en) and marks the beginning of the winter half of the year. In the Christian world, this coincides with the Feast of All Saints. And, as is the custom with the Gregorian calendar, the New Year is a time for assessment and resolutions. It is a time to bring ourselves into alignment with the blessings, work and opportunities of the darker half of the year.

Here at The Hideaway we have changed the clocks, checked the smoke alarms, cleaned up the yard, bungeed down the trash cans, drawn the shades earlier than usual, and settled down into winter mode.

This involves staying home knitting, quilting, reading, working jigsaw puzzles, and napping. And of course, watching sports on TV. (Blazer mania!) The dogs still want to go for their walks so we all wear flashing lights to be visible in the deepening late afternoon gloom. Work, craft activities and community involvement continue unabated so it's time to dust off the Gore-tex.

It's downhill now to The Holidays, and Christmas has already come to Walmart. It seems far away and a bit of a sin to start promoting it so soon. (Remember when it was a scandal to see a decoration before Thanksgiving?) But don't blink...it will be here soon.