Love to the full moon!



Autumn Gratitude Ritual

When the trees are losing their leaves, I like to honor the end of their yearly cycle with a gratitude ritual. This is often done on the eve of the Autumn Equinox. Throughout the year the trees give us shelter, oxygen, food, and beauty. This ritual is essentially an offering, giving something of meaning in exchange for all that the trees have given us. Achieving balance. The best offerings in my opinion take effort - in this case I made bread from scratch (an overnight process) and apple cider (a full day undertaking). So there was effort a-plenty! Choose a tree that is special to you - maybe one you pass daily on your way to work, or one that looks especially beautiful this time of year. The tree we chose is a young maple that I stare at through the kitchen window while doing the dishes. It also looks gorgeous this time of year.

Our offering is ready

We tie the bread to one of the branches with string

Flowers adorn the base of the tree

We thank our beautiful maple tree

This ritual can be accompanied with singing, a declaration of gratitude, silent thought - anything! Whatever you feel moved to do is fine - as long as it is done with a genuine heart. I usually hum while I put out the offering, and end by saying a few things aloud. When the offering was complete, we went inside and enjoyed apple cider hot from the stovetop. Happy Autumn everyone!

Elder Tree

Here are some photos of a nearby tree I visit every time I walk the dog. The first time I saw this tree I was struck by the resemblance to a woman with her arms outstretched. So to me this tree has a female energy, and I call her the Elder Tree. She is covered in thick moss, and her branches reach out over a small creek. It's a beautiful spot at any time of year.

Her arms are outstretched

Soft moss covers the trunk and branches

Dramatic on this overcast day

Elder Tree is in a public wooded area, so while it's somewhat private there still sounds of traffic and other urban noises. It doesn't bother me (although I do feel sad when I see trash or graffiti) as I simply accept it as part of the landscape. The beauty and power of nature doesn't go away, we are just distracted from it by other things. So, all you have to do is make a conscious effort to notice. I feel quite lucky to have a wooded area like this the same distance from me as the grocery store and movie theatre.  

Full Harvest Moon

What better way to celebrate the Harvest Moon than by harvesting some apples and throwing a cider making party? Exactly - there isn't (ha ha). We bought a small press, invited some friends, and shared some good food. It was a great team effort.

First we picked the apples

The dog stole one

Then we washed them

Next we cut the apples into quarters

And the tiring task of grinding up the apples began

Put the apple pieces into a mesh bag and into the press

And press away!

Grace!

Saying grace is a wonderful idea, and obviously it needn't be religious My partner and I say the following (fairly secular) grace before dinner:

May we appreciate and show gratitude for all that we receive. For the food which comes from the earth to nourish us; for the people who prepared it. And for the good company we share it with today.

That's all for today. Be well!