Mabon, 2013...

("Boreas"; by:  John William Waterhouse, c. 1902)

Autumn is finally here. The cooler temperatures produced by this moodier season of the year have already started to filter in. Southern humidity still brings its heaviness to the party here in Savannah, but it's not as suffocating as it has been when partnering with the remaining high temperatures of summer. The possibility of rain is ever present, and the leaves have started showing the subtle changes that magical Autumn brings.

The celebration of Mabon (Autumnal Equinox) is a couple of days past, so my post is barely late. It's the time of the second harvest, with the third (Samhain) just around the corner. The battle continues to rage between the two kings, and with the darker portion of the year beginning the Holly King begins to get the upper hand.

It's a time of Thanksgiving not only for pagans, but various cultures the world over. It's a time to be thankful for the gifts from the earth, and to acknowledge that the soil is dying to lay dormant in the coming months. It is the harvests that will carry us through until the seasons turn warm. Also, it being a time of equal day and equal night, it signifies a time of balance.

Autumn has always been my favorite time of year. The richer colors that emerge, the crisp air that plays around everything, the moody and magical energy that permeates the air. I have really missed my old friend Autumn.  So glad they are coming back to stay for a bit.

Happy Autumnal Equinox and Mabon to all!

(My Jack O'Lantern from 2010)

No post about Autumn would be complete without this song. Absolutely sublime. I did peruse the other recordings, but have defaulted back to my favorite version by Eva Cassidy. Just her and her guitar. Her soulful voice evokes the exact vibe the season holds for me. To listen to the song, just scroll down to the bottom of this page to pause the pages music player.