Happy Howl-oween’s Eve. Today is Monday and the snow that blanketed the Ranch has moved out (with apologies to folks who will experience the first visit from ole Man Winter). We were greeted with clear blue skies and 11ºF/-12ºC degrees and optimism for warmer temps today. Elsa greeted the morning with a sniff of the air and a very quick squat. No point dallying obviously.  Despite the cold, the clear blue skies left us feeling excited for the week where temps will reach between 40ºF to mid-50’s (4ºC to 14ºC) and possible even reach the low 60’sF (16ºC) toward the end of the week. All I can say is, yes, please. This blast of Arctic cold came a bit too soon for me, though with Halloween this week, not untypical.

And in the spirit of Halloween (or Howl-oween), today is a nod to this annual holiday. Do you know how Halloween came about? According to the Tai Chi Foundation, I found this interesting article  by Seán O’Neill (Lic. Ac.) explaining its origins:

“…a celebration observed in many countries on the 31st of October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day.  It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.

It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain.  Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the “darker half” of the year. Traditionally, it is celebrated from 31 October to 1 November, as the Celtic day began and ended at sunset. This is about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice.  Samhain was seen as a liminal time, when the boundary between this world and the Otherworld could more easily be crossed. This meant the Aos Sí, the ‘spirits’ or ‘fairies’, could more easily come into our world.  The tradition of dressing up is believed to have been a way of imitating, and disguising oneself from, the Aos Sí who some believed could take you back with them to their world.  If they saw you looking like a spirit or deceased being they would ignore you as a potential candidate for bringing back with them.

However you feel about these things, we wish you a day filled with only good Aos Si who are kind and benevolent and who don’t get carried away with the pumpkin spice. Have fun this week and join us tomorrow where Elsa actually might dip her paws in the costume pool. Stay warm!

Live, love, bark! 🐾

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration. A blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion and Spanish culture, the holiday is celebrated each year from October 31- November 2.  While October 31 is Halloween, November 1 is “el Dia de los Inocentes,” or the day of the children, and All Saints Day.  November 2 is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead.  According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on November 2.