Dumb Supper of Samhain

Hello and Happy Halloween or Samhain to you,

As this week's weather has been viler than a witch's wet fart, time has been spent indoors delving into the traditions of Samhain (Summer's End), the precursor to Halloween.  The Druids and Ancient Celts started it. October 31st sounded the welcoming of the harvest and the dark portion of the year. For three days and three nights, the wall between this world and the next was believed to be at its most permeable. 

Shape shifting spirits, be they malevolent or benign, could walk amongst men.  These were the days where fairies were vicious, hunting in groups, stealing souls and kidnapping folk. Celts would dress as beasts, with furs, paints, antlers and tails as a means of protection. Mandatory rituals led by Druid priests included animal and human sacrifice (according to ancient Roman writers) and the lighting of a community fire.

 [No gardening going on here today]

By Medieval times, the idea of a ‘Dumb Supper’ had developed. An altogether more personal affair, ancestors and deceased relatives were invited to join the family for a meal. Additional chairs were put out, but not to be looked directly at. Soul cakes were placed by open windows and children’s games sought to entertain the dead. 

Root vegetables were carved: turnips, beetroot and potatoes (later replaced with Pumpkins in America). Apples were placed to help lost souls find their way. By the end of the evening, the dead spirits would have happily departed.

[The kids trying out potato carving] 

The Roman invaders (55 BC onwards) tried to quash Druid culture in Ancient Briton and later, the 9th century Christians had a go at rebranding the festival in an attempt to banish its paganistic elements.

 Irish immigrants carried their traditions to North America (1840s) and by the 1920s, America had turned it into a major holiday, and has since held its own spectacular genre of Halloween. 

No matter the format, the transition from the light to dark has always been found at its core.

Here's some proof on how much rain we've  had  - look at the size of these puddles! 

Ahh, you really can't beat giant puddles infused with rabbit poo and mined arsenic...

Living as we do so close to a graveyard and on an old celtic site, I racked my brains as to how we could ward off any stray ghouls. With a rainy day craft project in mind, I hastily collected material from the garden on a unusually dry afternoon.

[Above: Beech, Nigella seed pods, Bay, Fetaher Top Grass, Wisteria, Cornus]

A Celtic Triquetra Wreath 

The idea was to make a protective wreath in the shape of a Celtic Triquetra, using gathered twigs and foliage.

Using long sections of bendy, semi-ripe wisteria trimmings (I didn't have any willow!) and paper string, I shaped the base. From there I wrapped round ivy (symbolic of survival), weaved in feather top grass and decorated it with dry Verbena flowers, Dill and Nigella seed heads.


 'Trefoil, vervain, John's Wort, Dill

Hinders witches of their will'    Sir Walter Scott

This was a calming way to spend a couple of hours on an otherwise miserable day. The feather top grass was especially useful in binding everything together, as the dry seeds stem pods didn't have any flex in them for weaving. But more than that, it made the house smell of a sweet summer's meadow.

If you ever tried wreath making before, you may agree it is a therapeutic process. If you are lucky enough to be reading this from your summer time, do consider drying some flower heads ready for the winter months. If the winter is already upon you, it is a great excuse to get outside and go foraging for materials.

This simple Bay triangle (the Romans believed Bay encouraged good fortune and health) took next to no time at all to make.

Even the right twig can work some protective magic. Here's my favourite antler shaped twig, which I found last autumn...


I struggle with winters, so anything to bring the outdoors in calms my soul.

Here are all our Samhaim crafting efforts, brought together for a special, sticky supper.


The wigwam willow tree in the corner was our alternate 'Christmas tree' a couple of years ago. It was meant to go in to the garden the following spring to be used as a climbing Sweet Pea support, but I just couldn't bring myself to put it out. 

It has since become 'that weird druid tree in the corner' - a sort of seasonal tree that we re-decorate every couple of months. The kids are particularly fond of pegging up their paintings on it to dry.


 
 
Meet Pegs, Pegileena and Peggy... they travel about the house, as and when the mood takes them...

Beech tree branches with home made, crazy eyed peg fairies.

When I do finally get out in the garden, I still have some bulb planting to finish off and winter bedding to sow. I saw  kitsch purple ornamental cabbages on Vix's blog and just couldn't resist them when I spotted them on a bargain bin bedding hunt in B&Q. I love how the blue Festuca grass offset them.

Spotted on the old Tremough Campus and on the wish list for injecting some additional purple colours into the garden next autumn...

Callicarpa bodinieri Profusion


Tibouchina urvilleana

Just my normal Friday night attire really...


Anyhow, that's all for today folks. Glad you could join me for a toffee apple and white wine spritzer, (we know how to party eh!).

Stay away from the naughty ghouls and leave a chair out for the goodun's,

Lulu xXx

p.s. do let me know what you've been up to in the comments section below, it really does brighten my day.


Latest posts here - https://longmizzle.blogspot.com





Comments

  1. Catmac31 October 2020 at 05:07

    As we are Celts in Scotland too, we celebrate Halloween. In my youth we had "neep lanterns" (what we call turnip but you may call swede). Quite a task to carve out scary heads from such a small root vegetable - total respect for your tattie lanterns above! There are a number of traditions, dookin' for apples, treacle scones (I ruined a party dress as a child trying to eat hanging treacle scones with no hands) and guising. Children dress up and go from house to house where they must perform a party piece in exchange for gifts of fruit and sweets; lets face it, though, they prefer money!!! It was such fun getting together with other families for Halloween rituals so I really enjoyed your post. Last year I planted ornamental cabbages I got reduced and they flowered till Spring. I went to B&Q after Vix's post and none were to be had. Gutted! Love your wreaths and other crafty bits, Lulu. What a stylish and fun way to celebrate Halloween.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lulu1 November 2020 at 02:56

      Thank you Catmac! I had to laugh at the image of you trying to eat suspended treacle scones. Our youngest sprog had red treacle over her whole head following our toffee apple treat. She looked like a frenzied vampire, especially with her eyes rolling, midst sugar rush. So lovely to hear about your Scottish traditions and you have great names for things – neep lanterns and guising. It is good to know your ornamental cabbages lasted until spring. I was wondering if I’d only get a couple of weeks out them. Lulu xXx

      Delete
  2. Vix31 October 2020 at 11:08

    Happy Halloween/Sahmain to you and yours, Lulu! I only found out about the Irish taking their traditions over to America following the Famine by watching the Jeremy Vine Show this week.
    We've never celebrated it but I do remember, like Catmac just mentioned, Mum carving swedes when we were little.
    Your activities with the girls look like so mcuh fun despite the miserable weather. those wreathes are gorgeous and the dining room is so pretty and inviting, although that lady in the veil looks a bit scary!
    The cabbages look fabulous in your garden. Jon was reading your blog over my shoulder last week and said to tell you that your garden should be on Gardener's World! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lulu1 November 2020 at 02:57

      Hello Vix, what lady in the veil??? I can’t see anyone sat round the table! (ahwhooooo…) The tatties were a bit fiddly for me, but easier for the kids to cut into. I was so happy when I saw the ornamental cabbages following your post. They had white ones at B&Q too, but I preferred the purple. I tallied the price up in my head, but it was even less at the till as they had slashed the prices. Unfortunately they still smell like cabbage, but don’t they look gorgeous with big raindrops sitting on them?! Lulu xXx

      Delete
  3. Lulu1 November 2020 at 03:08

    P.S. I should admit that that gorgeous big pumpkin (top image) is not mine! I spotted it in the walled garden by Tremough House last week. My pumpkins have been a complete disaster this year. I put them out too late, then the slugs partied on them and a sleet storm finished them off.

    I have planted them out that late previously but must have been lucky with the weather. One year we had ripened pumpkins for Christmas! Monty Don's pumpkins looked great on the end of season Gardeners World. It would be great if one day he came round for a cuppa to show me how it is properly done!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Small Fabric Of My Life2 November 2020 at 07:34

    What an uplifting post. I used to dread autumn as it meant winter which I dislike even more but then I realised I was wishing my life away trying to live in eternal spring and summer. Over the past few years I have made a determined effort to embrace all seasons and posts like these help to make me appreciate the wonderful qualities of each time of the year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lulu2 November 2020 at 13:58

      Thank you, that’s really kind of you. I know what you mean about trying not to wish life away. Many a time I’ve thought I’ll just grit my teeth and bear things until spring, but it is so important to value each day. Today I made a point of escaping my work desk and going for a lunch time walk. It was glorious! I took a look at your lovely blog and left a message, but I’m not sure if it came through (?). I was admiring you rocking the yoga in those leather effect leggings! Lulu xXx

      Delete
  5. Flowerpot5 November 2020 at 03:34

    Good to meet you, Lulu, and I'm guessing you live quite near me? Falmouth direction? Lovely to come across your blog. Take care Flowerpot x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Flowerpot5 November 2020 at 03:34

    Good to meet you, Lulu, and I'm guessing you live quite near me? Falmouth direction? Lovely to come across your blog. Take care Flowerpot x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lulu6 November 2020 at 04:34

      Hello Sue, many thanks for visiting and good to see you here. Yes, I live on the outskirts, looking across to Falmouth. I recognized your local pictures and think I may have even see you in town! Lulu xXx

      Delete
  7. sustainablemum15 November 2020 at 23:49

    I love your wreaths, they look fantastic. I would love to make something like that for our home but I know that my husband would not entertain me putting it up anywhere! Perhaps I should have one for each season on our front door, I put one out for winter after all........

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lulu27 November 2020 at 05:41

      Ooops, just spotted your message ...Thank you sustainable mum, yes you should sneak in extra front door seasonal wreaths! My poor monsieur has to put up with a lot of plant weirdness around the house ... but then I have to live with the daily Trump (Donald) news and lots of thrash metal!!! Lulu xXx

      Delete

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