29th Day of Halloween - Hawk sighting!

This handsome fellow sat high up in one of our trees, checking out our compost pile (which I suspect must be home to a few mice he's interested in).

In other news, this week has been sooo busy! I had a party this morning for my kids and the kids I watch. We had cupcakes, ghost and pumpkin shaped cookies, pumpkin bread, "blood juice" (red food coloring in apple-strawberry juice), and other yummies.  We played ring toss onto a pumpkin stem, did freeze dancing, colored pictures and sang songs.  This afternoon the kids are watching It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown with some popcorn in pumpkin-colored bowls.  It's been a blast so far!

This weekend we have 2 parties and a Samhain ritual to attend. I am most looking forward to the ritual, personally.  It is an adults-only ritual. I always advocate for including children in our rituals, but admittedly I am looking forward to having the solemn ritual and honoring my ancestors.  This year in particular I am in need of some "just mom" time (hubby is staying home with the kids so I can attend the ritual).  My beliefs are important to me, but I often kinda shuffle them a bit more to the background in favor of daily life.  I definately try to take time each day to ponder nature, enjoy the sunset or a swift breeze (or salute a handsome hawk in a tree), but it is not the same as the very deliberate planning and participation in ritual.  I love the focus that ritual draws me to, causing me to place more intentionality in my celebrations of the season.

Hail to the honored dead!