The Furious Spinner

May you all have a Happy Halloween and a Stupendous Samhain. On Bill Maher last night he was complaining about adults celebrating Halloween when it's really a child's holiday. In actuality, Halloween was (and is) a community celebration. It's the night before the new year, the last of the harvest festivals. After this celebration, it is time for winter and stories. It wasn't until after the last harvest or after the wheel of the year had turned toward darkness that people began telling stories. We had a Halloween party here Thursday as part of our monthly Gathering. (I might put up photos later.) We dressed as who or what we wanted to be in the coming year. I want to be healthy, hale, and hardy. Alive in all the senses of that word. We went around the room and talked about what our costumes meant and what we wanted in the coming year. Then we exchanged symbolic gifts. Mine was a walnut: find sustenance within. (Some say ancient witches used to dance under walnut tress before they started their rituals.)

Think about taking an offering out to the crossroads—whichever crossroads you chose—a gift for Hecate. Speak your heart's desire. Who knows what will happen? Magic is afoot.

May you dance under the moon in beauty!

Blessed be!

From the Gathering:

My friend Betty (under the clock) sits next to Linda telling us tales.


My living room and my friends: Claudia, Barbara, Mara, Sheila (as a white-faced witch), Joelle (as Green Tara), Barb (as goddess)


More goddesses, fairies, and witches


Me, dancing in the kitchen, before tights and jacket


My friend Claudia said her wish for the year was to be able to laugh again. The whole group tried to get her to laugh, but she couldn't. I stood up and said, "Have you heard the story of Demeter? She was in mourning over the loss of her daughter Persephone. The whole world withered as the goddess Demeter sat in grief. Then Baubo came to serve her. She saw how sad the goddess was. So we walked up to her and—" At that point I walked over to Claudia and lifted up my dress (just as Baubo did to Demeter). Everyone laughed, including Claudia. Baubo strikes again!

The following are photographs of drawings, so they aren't perfecto, but I found them today and thought they were appropriate for this time of the year. I drew and colored them about five years ago one night when I was up until dawn.

Elemental Witches
Medium: crayon









Coyote Cowgirl Spurred on By Flowers
Medium: pencil
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All photographs and written material copyright © 2003-2008 by Kim Antieau unless otherwise indicated. May not be used without permission.