Vacation in the Mountains

This picture has been my desktop wallpaper for quite some time now. Every time I look at it, I am instantly transported to a serene place surrounded by mountains. This feeling is so overpowering that I had to pen it down. So here goes...

Vacation in the Mountains
- Narmeen

The clouds hug the mountain top
Flying low over the snow;
And the mist shrounds the growing crop
Beside the clear lake below.

The plain stretches across the land
As far as the eyes can see
And there the white windmills stand
As tall as they can be.

By the mountain runs a babbling brook
Teasing the giant oak trees
And there in a cool shady nook
Whistling, comes the breeze.

A pretty little house stands beside the lake,
Facing the rising sun.
The aroma spreads as I bake
Cinnamon cake and a sweet bun.

Faraway from the madding crowd
Solitary as the fabled Reaper,
I sing my song not so loud
And dive into my thoughts deeper.

Samhain's Tale

Samhain means the 'end of summer' and marks the third and final harvest after which starts the dark winter half of the year. It is generally celebrated on October 31st or November 1st. This 'Feast of the Dead' is celebrated by leaving food offerings for the spirits of loved ones and other naughty and good sprites that enter the world through the Veil, which is the thinnest on the night of Samhain. In today's world, Samhain also coincides with Halloween's eve. The symbols of Samhain include Jack-o-lanterns, mint, black stones, sage, mulled wines.

Samhain's Tale
- Narmeen

Darkness spreads her wings at night
Amidst mugwort, sage and mandrake.
Disturbed by the Jack-o-lanterns light,
She heads towards the lonely lake.

Carrying the scents of nutmeg and mint,
She glides toward the village fire
And then without a clue or hint
She descends upon the folks of shire.

With besoms and nightshade and cats all black
She calls her sprites through the Veil;
They catch the unsuspecting in a sack
And tell them Samhain's tale.

Majestic Fall

Fall - the festival of colors evokes powerful emotions in most people. The fading light of the sun and the crisp scented air lightens the heart and spirit. Autumn is celebrated by most cultures as a time when Mother Earth gets ready for her annual sleep before rebirth. Wiccans celebrate the aging of the Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone and await the winding down of the year at Samhain. The Druids call the autumnal equinox feast as Mea'n Fo'mhair and honor the God of the forest - the Green Man by offering libations to trees. It is a time to finish old businesses and get ready for a period of rest, relaxation and rejuvenation with warm pumpkin pies, hot cider and lots of reading.

Majestic Fall
- Narmeen

Red and orange leaves drift by the window,
Leaving a blazing trail around the wall.
My face is lit up in a fireless glow
As I witness the arrival of Fall.

A hazy smoke lies over the harvested field
Like a curtain blocking the winter's call,
And gathering the bounty of this year's yield
I walk under the red light of Fall.

With scent of fallen apples and the dust of threshed grain
Lingering over turned earth in the far away knoll,
I wander alone on the meandering lane
In the sharp gentle chill of Fall.

Around the grapes' sweet odors, the yellow butterfly
Crowns the Autumn maple in the seasonal ball,
And under the fair September sun I lie
Basking in the glory of the majestic Fall.

As the Harvest moon rises over the crispy night
And black robbins sing out in a silky drawl,
I sit by the hay in the fading light
And offer a toast to the Green Man of Fall.

- Narmeen