Fall is here! I know this because I have started drinking hot tea and coffee again, instead of the iced versions of summer. Despite the drought here in New England, local farmers have managed to wrest a harvest from the land, even though it is reportedly smaller than in other years. Asters are blooming predictably on the garden, and the maples are just beginning to shift from green to orange. The hummingbirds seem to have abandoned their feeder, beginning their fall migration (I am leaving the feeder up for a few more weeks, to help any stragglers). I recently splurged on bulbs, something I haven’t done in decades. Tulips, some with double rows of petals and other deer-resistant varieties, plus an assortment of daffodils in different colors and shapes, were planted yesterday, just before the rain. I am already looking forward to spring.
It is a time of tension and change; Queen Elizabeth has just passed away, and here in the USA the number one concern of voters (even more than the economy and abortion according to polls) is whether or not we can hold on to our democracy (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcn6PMwFTV8 ). The goons and brown shirts of the far right are arming themselves and voting for election denying leaders, which is chilling.
As always, I am seeking solace in nature and the unending beauty and bounty that she provides. Here are some Fall musings from a few of my books.
“Maples are in their full glory in North America where they make a display of brilliant yellows, reds and orange in the autumn. For this reason, tribes like the Seneca think of maples as great artists, because they understand color. Thus, Maple wood is a great choice for musical instruments, drums, and painter’s brushes.
Maples are one of the trees that are most tolerant of humans and all the noise and pollution we bring with us. Notice how maples survive along roadsides, even in crowded urban areas. Maples are endless in their generosity, providing their sugary sap even as we desecrate their natural living spaces.
A Musquakie Native American legend explains why the maples turn red in the fall;
“The reason that maples turn red in the fall can be explained by “Chasing the Bear”, where a long bear hunt ends with the hunters piling up sumac and maple branches and butchering the bear upon the branches. In another version of this legend, “Hunting the Great Bear” reported by Hageneder, the long bear hunt happens each year. The four brothers (who make up the constellation of the great bear) finally kill the bear and the bear’s blood falls down from the sky and turns the maples red.”
Maple and Olive Oil Granola
Ingredients:
3 cups old fashioned (not quick cooking) rolled organic oats
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled
1 cup raw Sunflower seeds, hulled
1 cup unsweetened grated coconut or coconut chips
1 ¼ cup raw pecans, whole or chopped
¾ cup maple syrup (the real stuff, not the synthetic versions)
½ cup cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
½ cup organic brown sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
Method:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Mix in a large bowl: the oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, pecans, maple syrup, olive oil, sugar and salt.
Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet.
Bake, stirring every 10 minutes until everything is toasted – for about 45 minutes.
Take from the oven, cool and add more salt to taste.
Store in an airtight tin or jar for up to 1 month.”
{From Tree Medicine Tree Magic, Pendraig Publishing, Los Angeles, 2017)
Fall Equinox – September 21-22
“When the harvest is done the reapers run to the highest hill and “Cry the Kern” by yelling that the harvest is finished. Some grain from the last sheaf is kept to be mixed in with the stores of new grain that will be saved for the next year’s sowing. This transfers fertility magic from one year to the next. A Doll is made from the last sheaf to be taken.”
“Teran is the Spirit of Winter who does battle with Mither O’ the Sea (The Ocean Mother) at the Spring Equinox for mastery of the Oceans. Teran’s voice is heard in the gales of March and His anger is seen in the stormy waves. At last, Mither binds him at the bottom of the Sea and her gentle Summer reign begins. At the Autumn Equinox the battle rages once more and fierce waves and wind show that Mither is banished until she rises triumphant again in the Spring.”
Michaelmas Day – September 29
“This is the feast day of St. Michael, patron of the sea and of sailors. In Barra, in the West of Scotland, a bannock is baked from the new grain and shared. It is a day for horse racing and in some northern areas, the celebration of the “first fruits” of the harvest. A woman gives a suggestive bunch of carrots to her lover, bound with red string.
A dance called Cailleach an Dúdain (Hag of the Mill-Dust) is done on St. Michael’s night (September 29). A man holds a Slachdan Druidheachd (Druid’s Wand) or Slachdan Geasachd (Magic Wand) over his and a woman’s head and the woman falls as if dead at the man’s feet. He dances around her as if in mourning then touches her left hand with the wand. The left hand slowly comes back to life. Then he dances his joy and touches different parts of her body as they too come back to life. Finally, he breathes into her mouth and touches her heart with the wand. She springs to her feet and both dance happily together.
Musicians accompany the dance with pipes, fiddles, or mouth music that shifts and changes with each aspect of the dance. Sword dances are also performed which have roots in pre-Roman Gaul. These dances sometimes feature a mock “decapitation” of one of the dancers, symbolic of the cutting of the grain.”
“Deep magic at this time involves sowing seeds of continuity and of taking steps to leave a legacy for the world, both physical and spiritual”.
(From Scottish Herbs and Fairy Lore, Pendraig Publishing, Los Angeles, 2010)
FIRE CIDER! Make Hot Spiced Apple Cider Vinegar
As summer transitions into fall we are more likely to get colds. This may be because the occasional warm day prompts us to remove our coats too soon. During changes of season we need to be more mindful than ever to keep our lungs warm.
This is a recipe that warms the whole body. “Cold people”, those who are habitually chilly, might enjoy taking a spoonful daily. Everyone can take it at the first sign of illness. In my case, being a somewhat “hot” person, I like to use it in my salad dressings because the oil cools it somewhat.
A friend first passed this recipe along to me and he swore he hadn’t had a cold in years.
(Please use only the finest organic ingredients)
Ingredients
Organic apple cider vinegar
½ cup grated ginger root (Zingiber officinale)
½ cup grated horse radish root (Armoracia rusticana, syn. Cochlearia armoracia)
1 medium onion (Allium cepa) chopped
12 cloves chopped garlic (Allium sativum, A. canadense)
2 hot peppers (also called chili peppers), chopped
Zest and juice from 1 lemon (Citrus limon),
Zest from 1 small Orange (Citrus sinensis)
1 tbsp. Turmeric powder (Curcuma longa)
¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum annuum)
½ tsp. whole Black Peppercorns (Piper nigrum)
Other herbs to consider: Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), Rose Hips (Rosa spp.), Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), Grapefruit zest (Citrus paradisi) Astragalus (Astragalus membranicus), Schisandra berries (Schisandra chinensis), Parsley (Carum petroselinum), Burdock root (Arctium lappa), Oregano (Origanum vulgare), Basil (Ocymum Basilium), Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus).
Put everything into a glass jar and barely cover with organic apple cider vinegar. Cap tightly and store in a cool, dark place. Please make sure the jar has a plastic lid or else put a layer of plastic wrap or wax paper on top of the jar then screw on the top (because vinegar corrodes metal). Shake the jar regularly. After about a month you can strain out the vinegar and reserve it in another very clean glass jar. Add ¼ cup of raw organic honey and stir until well blended. Keep in the refrigerator for 6-8 months.
You can use the strained-out vegetables and spices in a stir fry with cabbage and carrots when everything is finished. Mix with more honey for an awesome sore throat and cold remedy.
This recipe is from my book Secret Medicines from Your Garden, Healing Arts Press, Vermont, 2016
BOOK AND MEDIA NEWS
A recent podcast interview for an Iowa station: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k21i7u7fVEs
Another interview for Moon Books: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgdutIGd2aI
Book reviews – Once Around the Sun – Stories, Crafts and Recipes to Celebrate the Sacred Earth Year
https://www.thehearthandhedge.com/blog-1/review-once-around-the-sun-by-ellen-evert-hopman
Making a Fall Equinox Altar and other Fall Projects
https://innerself.com/living/home-and-garden/27619-making-an-equinox-altar.html
And if you have been following all the frantic media posts about the new Disney mermaid, Ariel, being a mermaid of color – my wonderful illustrator Lauren Mills came up with this mermaid image at my request, years ago! It’s featured in the Fall Equinox story in the book.
Priestess of the Forest- A Druid Journey
Another nice review for this Iron Age Celtic novel. It’s the first book in a trilogy – the next book is The Druid Isle and after that comes Priestess of the Fire Temple- a Druid’s Tale.
https://www.portlandjones.com/post/priestess-of-the-forest-a-druid-journey
*Reminder! You can find my books and blog at www.elleneverthopman.com The books are also available in all the other usual places. Also, Yule is Coming! Books make great gifts*
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
October 20, 2022 4 PM Eastern
The Sacred Herbs of Samhain
A Zoom talk (free)
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conversation-club-the-sacred-herbs-of-samhain-tickets-235465472567
16th Annual Celebrate Samhain
Ellen will speak about plant magick
October 23, 2022 10am-6pm
DoubleTree by Hilton Nashua
Nashua, NH
https://www.facebook.com/NHSamhain/
AND JUST LIKE THAT, SUMMER FELL INTO FALL.