Nature Net News
October 2007
Seasonal Rituals
"On the motionless branches of some
trees,
autumn berries hung like clusters of coral beads,
as in those
fabled orchards
where the fruits were jewels . . ."
Charles Dickens
Dear Reader, Every month seems to bring its own type of ritual for a busy family – whether its school supply shopping at the beginning of fall or spring cleaning once the snow has melted and muddy boots make their appearance. But what about some of the 'original' rituals – those determined by the rhythmic cycles in nature? There’s no better time than October to begin celebrating seasonal rituals – from the end of the summer harvest celebrations to rituals that prepare us for the upcoming winter. These events and rituals harken back to days of old, but have one thing in common – a celebration of the natural world. Enjoy! Kathe & Betsy |
Halloween's origins are rooted in celebrations from 2000 years ago? Celtic people observed the end of the harvest with bonfires and costumes. Find out more from History.com.
What to Do This Month:
Visit a near-by
orchard to sample the season's fruits.
Roast pumpkin seeds.
Make costumes from recycled materials - how crafty can you get with a paper grocery bag?
Take a tour of Wisconsin and catch the fall colors at their peak.
Celebrate the season with events at Aldo Leopold Nature Center or MacKenzie Center.
Check out the Nature Net Calendar of Events for other fun family programs.
Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Staying Safe in the Dark
Many of the seasonal rituals for kids this time of year are enjoyed in
the outdoors – and especially at night. It’s a magical time of year, but
be sure that "child safety" is in your bag of tricks! Remember these
tips when having fun outdoors in the night:
Instant Outdoor Expert:
Seasonal Rites
As far back as ancient Grecian times, the harvest season has been
celebrated. According to Greek Mythology, Zeus and
Demeter, the goddess
of corn and the harvest, bore a daughter, Persephone, who was so lovely,
Hades, the god of the underworld, claimed her as his wife. Demeter,
distraught at loosing her daughter to the underworld, neglected the
fields and land, causing famine and loss so great, Zeus forced Hades to
give up Persephone. Hades agreed under the condition that she return for
one third of the year. Demeter, elated at her daughter's homecoming,
caused the earth to spring with blooms and bounty. Each year, however,
when Persephone returned to her husband, Demeter's sorrow caused the
plants to die and the harvest to end. It was a time of changing seasons,
reflection, and tribute to nature's cycle of life and death.
In Celtic time, this season of the last harvest and advancing winter was
considered the beginning of a new year, a time to honor not only the
cycle of death and the harvest, but also human death and the dead. To
protect themselves from spirits thought to be roaming on the eve of
Samhain (pron. "sow-in"), the Celtic holiday, Druids (or priests) would light sacred
bonfires and people would dress in costume to foil the wandering ghosts.
Many years later, as Christianity sought to convert these
celebrations into religious events, Pope Gregory III declared November 1st
"All Saints Day" (or All Hallows Day or Hallowmas) as a day to celebrate
all saints known and unknown. Therefore, the night before
Hallowmas became known as All Hallow's Eve which later metamorphosed into
"Halloween".
Its clear our current day traditions and rituals are rooted in the past.
An interesting intermingling of the harvest's bounty, nature's cycles,
death, spirits and saints has created a secular yet spiritual
celebration everyone can enjoy.
Learn more about Samhain from the
American Folklife
Center and how All Saints Day is related from
HowStuffWorks.com.
Eco-Exercise:
Sun Salutation
Light and the sun have always played an important role in harvest-time
celebrations. Try this yoga sun salutation to get in the right mindset.
Stand facing the direction of the sun with your feet touching and your
hands together, palm-to-palm, at the heart. Now, inhale and raise your
arms above your head, slowly bending backward.
As you breathe out again, bend forward to lay your hands on the earth,
your head touching your knees. From here, breathe in, take a wide
backward step with your right foot and raise your head to face the sun.
Exhale and bring the left foot back to align with the right and arch
your back. Then, slowly lower your entire body to the ground. Now,
repeat each step in reverse order until you are again standing with your
feet together, facing the sun. For full step-by-step instructions, visit Santosha
Shop.
Featured Nature Net Site
Nature Craft
Aldo Leopold Nature Center
The Aldo Leopold Nature Center (ALNC) is a private, not-for-profit organization created
in 1994 to promote environmental education and provide opportunities for
children to connect with nature. The center's primary services, in both Monona and Black Earth,
includes naturalist-led programs on the
land, school field trips, summertime mini-camps, seasonal family programs, scout
programs, special events and teacher training workshops.
ALNC's mission is to provide hands-on programs for young children, their
teachers and families that "...teach the student to see the land, to
understand what he sees, and enjoy what he understands" in the spirit of
famed ecologist Aldo Leopold. Through these programs, ALNC fosters
admiration and respect for nature and the understanding of the
interconnectedness of all living things. Check out ALNC's October
family events or borrow a Family Backpack which offers tools and ideas for exploring (available
anytime the building is open).
Hours:
Trails: Dawn-dusk everyday
Building: M-F 9am-4pm
Pumpkin Carved Naturally
Carving jack O' lanterns is certainly a tradition of the season. This
natural, face-less lantern adds a little flair (and twinkle) to the
standard version. (An adult is needed for this craft.)
First, draw or photocopy a branch design to fit your pumpkin. (Make sure
your design has no overlapping limbs.) Now, cut off the pumpkin top and
scrape the interior clean. Transfer your design onto your pumpkin, and carve, first making shallow cuts with a small blade at a
45° angle for precision, then making larger cuts with a serrated carving
tool. Now, with an electric drill fitted with a small bit, create holes at
the branch tips for a berry effect.
Next, cut a hole for an electrical plug in the back of pumpkin,
near its base. Through the top opening, place indoor-outdoor twinkle lights
inside your pumpkin, feeding the cord and plug through the hole in the back.
From interior, poke individual lights into berry holes, keeping the
remaining lights inside pumpkin or trailing out the back if desired.
)
Suggested Reading:
"Autumn Walk" by Ann Burg (age 2-6)
"Pumpkin Soup" by Helen Cooper (age 2-8)
"Autumn Is for Apples" by Michelle Knudsen (age 2-8)
"The Autumn Equinox: Celebrating the Harvest" by Ellen Jackson (age 4-8)
"Autumn Story" by Jill Barklem (age 4-8)
"Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden" by George Levenson (age 4-8)
"In the Leaves" by Huy Voun Lee (age 4-8)
"A Kid's Fall Ecojournal" by Toni Albert (age 4-10)
"D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths" by Ingri D'Aulaire (ages 10+)
