Yarn Along -2 November -All Soul’s Day

As expected, Guide camp sucked up all my free time last week.  I got a little bit of knitting done on my lacy blue socks.

I got a little reading done, but not the book I told you about last week.  I found a couple of new books for only $4 at No Frills.  I took The Kingmaker’s Daughter, another Philippa Gregory book.  It actually takes place the generation before The White Princess.  It’s kind of neat to read them in this order because you see the same struggle in history from another family’s eyes.

The second book (for $4) is Catherine the Great.  It’s non-fiction.

I’m still trying to get everything cleaned up from camp.  I’m still not running at full speed because I’m still coughing.  Gave in and went to the walk-in this morning.  Luckily it was the doctor that I like at the clinic.  HE believes that I have asthma and actually takes care of me instead of blaming the cat or the (non-existent) corn stove.  Drugs and a stronger inhaler, hopefully I’ll be feeling better soon.

Ella and Daddy did up a couple of the pumpkins from the garden.  Colin’s pumpkins are always so thick.  I don’t think Ella could carve them without help.

Couldn’t get a nice picture inside Grandma’s house so we took an action shot.  Any ideas?  She’s Nurse Joy from Pokemon.  Nurse Joy takes care of any injured Pokemon.  Grandma made her costume this year.

And yes, even though I was wearing gloves and my winter jacket (a sure sign I’m not really better yet), Ella did 3/4 of her trick-or-treating without her jacket!  She went ‘old school’ this year and used her pillow case.  People were very generous this year…

All Soul’s day, remembering our loved ones.

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All Soul’s Day 2014

I don’t know why this song is played on their Christmas album.  It’s obviously a Hallowmas/Halloween song.  This time of year is when, traditionally, apprentices and other poor people would go from house to house begging coins or soul cakes (sound familiar).  In return they promised to pray for deceased loved ones on All Soul’s day.

I’ll be making soul cakes today and remember those that have gone before.

 

Eternal rest, grant unto them O Lord

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace. Amen.

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Halloween 2014

Ella in her costume she made.  Any ideas who she’s being?

Wildstyle from the LEGO movie.

She was so disappointed that only one person knew who she was (without being told).  She did all the painting on her hoodie and was so proud of herself.

Ella and Daddy got a couple of the pumpkins carved up and looking ‘spooky’.  Ella actually did most of the scooping of the guts this year.  We had such a great time at the Pentecostal church in Pembroke.  Ella got lots of candy and had lots of fun.  And I got to stay warm and dry.  My perfect trick or treating idea.

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All Saints’ Day

We’re having weather related internet issues today, so while I’m still online I thought I’d share a great link for All Saints’ Day.

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Halloween

All Hallow’s Eve again this year.  We didn’t make soul cakes after all, since we just made the sugar cookies yesterday.

It was such a wet and miserable day today I was really worried about trick or treating tonight.  Ella was going to be a fairy princess, wearing her purple princess dress and her new wings.  But we decided to go with a shorter (and easier to be warmer) outfit and just be a regular fairy.  So Ella wore her skating dress and wings.  The evening turned out to be fairly decent, not as warm last year but much better than expected.

 

As usual we went to Grandma and Grandpa’s house first and then headed over to Grandma’s in Beachburg.

 

Wow, the people of Beachburg were generous this year!

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A Soulin’

A soul, a soul, a soul cake

Please good Missus a soul cake.

An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry, Any good thing to make us all merry.

One for Peter, One for Paul, One for Him who made us all.

To hear Peter, Paul and Mary doing a lovely version, click here.

Today is All Soul’s day, the day we remember the dearly departed.  Traditionally this is where Trick or Treating comes from.  This year I thought I would try making Soul cakes.  This is an adaptation of an old recipe from the 1800’s.  It’s very simple ingredients lead me to think it’s a much older recipe.  It’s almost like a spiced shortbread/sugar cookie.  Traditionally they should be round with a cross cut into them, but I made them heart shaped since we are remembering our loved ones.

Soul Cakes -makes about 3 doz. 2 inch cookies

1 2/3 c flour                 1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t allspice                 pinch of nutmeg

2/3 c white sugar        3/4 c butter

1 egg                                 1 1/2 t vinegar

Mix together dry ingredients.  Cut in butter.   Beat egg together with vinegar and combine with dry ingredients.  Dump out onto table and knead into a soft dough.  Roll out 1/3 inch thick.  Cut out cookies and place on lined cookie sheet.

Bake 350F for 15 minutes.

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Halloween 2011

Ella and Daddy got to work on her pumpkin Sunday.  Daddy had been saving a great pumpkin out in the pumpkin patch.  Ella drew up her plans.

This is the only action shot.  Ella decided the insides were too gross so good Daddy cleaned the guts out for her.  Ella then marked out her face and Daddy did all the cutting.  It’s a good thing Daddy was home because the pumpkin was so thick, I’m not sure I could have done the cutting.

Sticking in the scary pumpkin teeth!

Very pleased with her creation.

As I mentioned yesterday, Ella is coming down with another cold.  She was so miserable Sunday night.  We actually spent the night downstairs.  Luckily she perked up by Monday afternoon.

Ella as Rapunzel (from Tangled).

I have the best Mommy.  I have been so exhausted with this pneumonia, it’s been hard to do anything.  I didn’t have a clue how I was ever going to make Ella’s costume this year.  So my Mommy offered to do the sewing if I cut the pieces out.  She did a great job.  Thanks Mom!!

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Busy Sunday

Even though Daddy could have used a nice quiet, warm day on the chesterfield (he finally succumbed to the cold), we spent the morning planting garlic.  Doesn’t sound too bad until I tell you about the morning’s blizzard and Renfrew County clay.  It was way too wet and cold to let Ella help, so she had to try to entertain herself.  She did pretty good for an hour but then got too cold.  Ella ended up in tears in the greenhouse.  Daddy let us come in and get Ella warmed up.  We planted about 700 of our 1000 garlic cloves.  Weatherman says it’s supposed to warm up a little this week, we’ll finish then.

Ella and I played in the kitchen this afternoon so Daddy could watch his NASCAR  in peace and quiet.  Some days Ella is a little too chatty for Daddy.  Can you see where we are playing?  Love Ella’s goofy face.

We got Ella all layered up and headed over to see Grandpa Fletcher before going over to Beachburg.  We trick or treat on Grandma’s street since she actually has neighbours.  As you can see, Beachburg got more snow than we did and it actually stayed.  In fact, one road I went down looked like Christmas.  All the evergreens were beautiful with snow.  Everyone loved Ella’s fairy princess costume and she got quite the haul.  I think Ella would have done the entire town if I had let her.  She was nearly flying between houses.  She had such fun.

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Hallowe’en

I know a number of my internet friends will disagree, but I really don’t have an issue with Ella going out trick or treating.  My sister and I did and we turned out ok  🙂

The Celtic celebration of Samhain, which means ‘summer’s end’ in Old Irish is pre-Christian.  It celebrates the end of summer and preparation for the coming winter.  There was also fear of roaming spirits and divination and other pagan rituals.  This aspect of Halloween has been embraced by the growing pagan/Wiccan movement.  There seems to be more and more people going back to the ‘old religions’.  I think this is because Christianity and God have been removed from nearly every aspect of every day life.   We all know that nature hates a vacuum and so people find anything to fill the void that has been left by the over-secularization of post 20th century society.

Halloween and actual trick or treating are Christian in origin.  October 31st is All Hallows’ Eve, or the evening before All Saints’ Day.  In the Middle Ages poor people went from house to house begging for pennies or soul cakes on All Hallow’s Eve and in return they promised to pray for the departed on All Soul’s Day.   This year she’s going as a ballerina dressed as a Fairy Princess.  It’s called making use of last year’s dance dress -easy costuming 101.

 

A soul, a soul, a soul cake
Please good Missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,
Any good thing to make us all merry.
One for Peter, One for Paul,
One for Him who made us all.

God Bless the master of this house, the mistress also,
And all the little children who around your table grow.
Likewise your men and maidens, your cattle and your store,
And all that dwells within your gates,
  we wish you ten times more.

A soul, a soul, ...

The lanes are very dirty and my shoes are very thin,
I've got a little pocket I can put a penny in.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha' penny will do,
If you haven't got a ha' penny, then God bless you!

A soul, a soul,...

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