We enjoyed an outside fire this weekend at my folks home this weekend. It reminded me in a "light fire under my behind" kind of way to finalize the plans for the lantern walk this week! Last year we hosted our first lantern walk- it was chilly, filled with friends, and enough fun to say lets do it again.
Checking my notes from last year I am remembering to warm up the cider much earlier and just keep on the stove and not mess with crock pots. I am going to try and make a couple different type of lanterns this year. Possibly from a gourd or turnip. Last year we made little wood fire spirits to give to friends.
This year we might try and make little packets of our sunflower seeds to give to friends to keep and plant in the spring. Still working that out, but I love the connection between carrying the flame or light (sun) forth throughout the winter months until the spring. I love this book any time of the year for doing seed work.
I also love the notion of the gnomes guiding the little seeds to mother earth by having the seeds follow their lanterns. Ahhh the culmination of the autumn festivals! All of this planning on top of making Sunday supper and setting up the story table for the evening meant I was falling asleep with my youngest once more last night! I bet you can guess the theme for the story table- Turnips with 2 new lovely toy additions from Woodmouse and a Russian made puzzle from Child's Dream Come True.
Here are a couple resources for your planning this week too! And that Sunday super ended up being Sweet Potato Soup, Roasted Chestnuts, bread, and Fuyu Persimmons for dessert- how is that for a harvest meal! I am on a bit of a learning to cook phase so I attempting a Oatmeal Apple bread from this wonderful cookbook for the Lantern Walk- wish me luck, it means using yeast- Yikes!
Here are those resource spots that are fun to look at:
http://www.suite101.com/content/how-to-make-a-lantern-a156899
http://kleas.typepad.com/kleas/2009/10/lantern-walk.html
http://naturenest.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/martinmas-links-info-lanterns-poems-songs-stories/
Enjoy!
