A Cooking Song: on Samhain

It snowed last Tuesday. Heavy, wet flakes began to fall around ten in the morning, earlier it was a mixture of rain and snow. Mild, wet and very clean. This is a good time for snow. Samhain is here and the seasons change. Summer has become Winter and though still officially Fall, outside the weather speaks, Winter. Strong, cold winds blow from the North, floating along huge, belly-laden dark clouds threatening/promising rain.

I am ready for snow, now is the time. Now is also the time for the song I mentioned last week. I sing this song most often when I am preparing a meal.

Weave and spin, Weave and spin.

This is the way work begins.

Mend and heal, Mend and heal.

Take a dream and make it real.

Repeat.

I usually sing 3 or 4 rounds when getting lunch ready. I like to cook when my mind is clear, calm, light. There are a number of reasons for this, one is if I am going to do something, I want to enjoy it. I spend a lot of time reading, reviewing, writing, in short, working. I find meal preparation frees my mind to wander and rest but sometimes I need help to get to that quiet place. Singing helps. But not just any old tune that might be running through my head. This little ritual chases away all the words that are running through my mind as I draft a letter, article or email. If I simply replay a blast from my considerable past, my work intrudes.

Samhain is an ending and a beginning. The last harvest is past. The ground will be frozen soon. We bring in the Brussel sprouts, broccoli and other cold weather crops. Pumpkin pie, hazelnuts and other delights await. The Wheel turns and we have a moment to look back and be thankful, to look ahead and imagine and to be aware and alive now. A time for celebration and remembrance and what better way to celebrate than a meal prepared from your own harvest.

I usually slow down for a bit during this period of transformation from Light to Dark. I plan to take a few days and give pause to my life and work. We move too fast through Life when we are always planning and preparing, sometimes we just got to slow down and smell the pumpkin pie.

Singing slows me down.

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