If you participated in the Mysteries with an Extra Shiver pen giveaway and you don’t receive your pen this week, please let me know. I’ll get one in the mail to you forthwith.
If October is a golden-haired girl with sunlight on her shoulders, she is preparing to leave the stage to her older and more somber sister, November. But this morning is all hers–a glorious start to one of the last October days. The leaves of the crepe myrtle are shining in the early morning sun, the maple has, overnight, exchanged its green for yellow, and a bright carpet lies on the ground. This may be one of the last days to savor the warmth of summer because Hallowe’en is forecast to be a rainy, chilly night.
Here’s a question for you–how do you pronounce Hallowe’en? Is it Hollowe’en? Do you say it like this because of the first syllable, hall? Or, is it Hal, as in a man’s name? I’ve always used the second pronunciation simply because it means All Hallow’s Evening, the evening before November 1, All Saints’ Day. It is interesting to read about the origins of this day (or night). People have decided opinions about it, some declaring it to be evil and some, just fun.
Sunlight warms the old railroad ties that hold up my mailbox. One of these days, those strong, square pieces of wood will tumble down, and they look pretty disreputable now, but I like them. They are weathered and rugged, they’ve had an interesting past, and even though their original usefulness is gone, they still have a job to do. Mr. Gray used to sit there when he came to visit, staring at the window until I put his bowl of food on the porch.
Memories of other Octobers linger–the grandchildren raking leaves into a pile, jumping inside and disappearing. A little voice would come from the depths, “Can you see me, Mem?” Of course, success was when I couldn’t see them at all, but knew they were there because the leaves wiggled.
I hope your October was a good month and November comes in with a glad burst of newness. Gather in the firewood! Be sure your kerosene lamps have trimmed wicks and clean globes. Keep that basket of cozy mysteries close at hand. And, may blessings fall on you as rich and golden as the autumn leaves.
Manos Mysteries
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