Farm Friday, November 4th, 2022
Noticing connections with loved ones who have passed
It was a big week on the farm. Saturday we hosted the families of the students who had been living here for the last two weeks. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and everyone was happy to see their families. We pressed apple cider, carved pumpkins, played a huge game of capture the flag, and ate tons of snacky food.
Then Monday was Halloween, and while my co-workers took the whipper snappers out trick-or-treating, I led my morris dance team in a different neighborhood. We stomped and danced and celebrated the evening. Some places even gave us adult treats (alcohol) as payment for our dances.
I came home before my co-workers, turned off all the lights at the school, and lit all the jack-o-lanterns. Then I saw them on the road and told the students that something happened to the power and the school was dark. I’m glad they don’t associate Wisconsin with serial killers, yet.
Then I went home and lit a candle for my friends and family who have passed and I poured a glass of good alcohol to set out for the spirits who want to partake. I spent a while working on a family tree by candlelight, which I thought was a good way to pass the evening when the veil between worlds is lifted.
On Tuesday night, we had our final night with this group, and we did a candlelight poetry reading and then we walked to visit the graves of our llama, Precious, and our sheep, Lily. We told stories around the graves about those two special animals. It was a magical moment.
I don’t know how much to believe about our connections to those who have passed. I tried to describe it to the students. I said it is important to be able to let go, without forgetting. There is some way that ceremony and ritual around death and the departed can help us do both. We each shared the names of someone we had lost, and I realized that some of them had not yet experienced a significant loss.
In writing news, I am working on a story about racism that might never be published and I am thinking about my next genealogy story. I submitted my dragon story to Vocal, and it has four views.
Next week is the mid-terms and my heart is in my throat. I am truly concerned that if enough Republicans win, they can end democracy in the USA, and by doing that, doom the planet to catastrophic climate change and neo-feudalism. That is a lot of dread to carry around.
Meanwhile, here are some sunsets.
