Honouring the Ancestors - An Ode to my Nan

On this day, I will honour you
Remembering what you used to do
Like tell the tales of days gone by
And watch the twinkle in your eye
As you spoke of all the boys you'd kissed
And on each star you'd made a wish
When I look up to the sky tonight,
I'll see your star burning bright,
I'll know you're safe and at His right hand,
Cause you've journeyed to the Summerland.

I miss you still, every day
It's silly but I miss the way
You used to make us giggle and laugh
Just because you were acting daft
And how you'd spot crumbs on the floor
But could never find the lock to the door!

You guided me and gave me advice,
You showed me how to enjoy my life,
We had a friendship that was deep and true
And now that's gone, I will always miss you
But I know that as Old Vera said,
We'll meet again, but just not yet
And until that time is again here
I'll honour you, every year.

Preparation for Samhain

Hello my lovelies,
So, Samhain is just around the corner. Literally. And am I prepared? No. That's a big, fat... NO. Not one iota. The local pagan group I am involved in was scheduled to have a Samhain ritual at one of the members' houses, but now that's had to be cancelled, so I have been trying to drum up support and find somewhere else for us to have ritual. So far, not good. Also, I have done absolutely no personal planning. I have no altar set up, my 'witchy room' is looking more like the 'junk room' and I'm just frazzled. Today, I plan to research Samhain and will write a group ritual, continue to chivvy up the members of the local group and get my witchy room in some sort of... order. I really want to celebrate Samhain properly this year... As is Celtic tradition, I too view Samhain as the end of the light part of the year and the beginning of the dark part, but I also view November 1st as my spiritual new year. I want to make sure that I can banish myself of all that has gone badly over the past year and open myself up to new things and a new life.
I have a plan that I want to visit my local cemetery over the coming weekend, take some photographs and honour those who have walked before me. According to Judika Iles in 'The Element Encylopedia of Witch Craft', it is Breton custom to pour libations over graves and tombstones at this time. This is something I may well do. I also want to write a poem for my Nan, who passed away on December 14 last year. I have not been to her graveside since the funeral (mainly because I haven't really been home either), but I want to do something special and personal to honour her memory. I miss her.
OK well I will get nothing done unless I actually begin *doing* rather than *saying*, so I shall sign off for now and then catch up with you later. If anyone actually has any interesting ideas for what I could do over the weekend... please do share, I'm open to anything and everything!