Writing Thoughts

All Hallow’s Eve

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 3 Comments

Soul Cakes anyone?

Don’t these look good? Soul cakes were given to children who went souling on All Hallow’s Eve. They were given in exchange for the promise of prayers for the deceased. It was believed that souls went to purgatory when a person died and prayers were needed to get them out. The Soulers carried hallowed out turnips with candles in them that supposedly represented a soul trapped in purgatory. It was also a good lantern!

The Irish immigrants brought this custom with them when they came to America in the mid 1800’s due to the potato famine. Like many customs, it changed to a night of song and treats. It took awhile for Americans to adopt the idea but they did. Trick or treating became popular throughout America in the 1950’s. Since costumes had been worn by the early Soulers to ward off spirits, that custom was borrowed too. Of course it was Americanized!

I don’t know why the veil between heaven and earth is thought to be thin during this time of year, but if you believe this, then it’s a good time for fortune telling. The early settlers celebrated the harvest with hard cider and fortune telling. My uncles told me stories of upsetting outhouses and buggies on Halloween. For these farm boys, it was a night of mischief which drove my grandmother crazy! I think they were letting off steam after working so hard to get the crops in.

I wish you all a Happy Halloween! Lots of candy will be given to children in costumes, but there will be no Soulers. There are recipes online for soul cakes for you bakers! But I’m sticking to raisin oatmeal.

Don’t text and Fly!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 3 Comments

She landed in my tree because of texting!

Witches and Halloween go together. A witch costume continues to be one of the most popular. Little witches in capes and pointy hats will be seen on Halloween and adult sexy witches will be at Halloween parties. I wonder what a modern witch would really wear? Yoga pants? Handwoven sweater? A cool hat of some kind?

Witches were originally considered wise women and healers. They did know how to use herbs and other organic materials for healing. Healings didn’t always work, so it is likely that was when they began to be blamed for all misfortune in the village. Witches also called upon the spirit world to help. Saul consulted the Witch of Endor according to the Bible. She accurately predicted the deaths of Saul’s sons and his. I’d say she was psychic!

I plan to wear my witch hat and enjoy hot cider this Halloween. I never learned to ride a broom, but it does sound like fun. If you do fly, watch out for the bats and don’t text while flying!

It’s the Little Things!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 2 Comments

A Joyful Sight!

Many people keep gratitude or blessings journals. I think a good question to consider are the things that bring you happiness that don’t involve another person. Lots of us would say a cup of coffee!

I was doing my annual switching of summer clothes to winter and pulled out my sock drawer. I immediately smiled. I love my variety of socks. They make me happy. Since it’s gotten cooler, I can wear them, and I have a very nice fall selection!

I remember a fellow teacher saying that writing with a sharpened pencil made her happy. The first snowfall makes a lot of kids happy! I would love to hear from my readers where you find little pockets of joy!

Beware of the Grammar Witch!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 1 Comment

“Tis the Season for Spells!

I think this year I’ll be a Grammar Witch for Halloween. As you can see I have a beautiful hat to wear. I know teaching language arts for over twenty years has made my ears sensitive to improper grammar, but honestly, can’t the writers of Hallmark movies get their pronouns right?

It’s pretty simple. Me is never the subject of a sentence. Me doesn’t go to the store and giving me a friend doesn’t change anything. I go to the store, and Jill and I go to the store. Easy, right? Me receives. Give it to me. Give it to Jill and me (Not I). For football fans, think of me receiving a pass!

I’ll be a nice witch who gives lots of candy, and I’ll keep my evil cackling to a minimum. But if I hear bad grammar, I’m casting a correction spell! I will banish any trick or treater who I hear say, “Do you wanna go with?” This seems to be the new ‘hip’ expression. To me it’s an incomplete thought. Is it that difficult to say “with me”? Beware! I’ll be listening!

Silence is Golden!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / Leave a comment

I grew up hearing that saying a lot! Today I learned there was more to this ancient proverb. I read “Speech is silver and Silence is golden,” is just part of the proverb and the source is unknown.

I enjoy silence. It allows me to think. Ideas create stories. Reading in silence allows for images to form. When it is quiet, I can make connections between things I’ve seen, experienced or read.

I don’t understand people who run or walk with earbuds. They are missing out on what is around them. Birds do sing, people say hello and little children laugh! All those wonderful things can be heard on a walk through my neighborhood.

Even though I value my golden silence, I also value the silver sounds of nature and loved ones voices. I suspect there are others who share my feelings.

Why Write?

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / Leave a comment

A standard English class question is, What is the author’s purpose? The answers to choose from are: to entertain, explain, inform or persuade. We all write for a variety of purposes. Leaving a list of chores for someone has a very specific purpose!

In Hummingbirds, Pennies, and Hope, I created characters with real life experiences of seeing hummingbirds, finding pennies, and receiving messages from deceased loved ones. The main character is a teenage girl, Anna, who does a report on angels which leads to surprising consequences. The book entertains, informs, and I hope is inspirational!

Since I enjoy learning as well as being entertained, I researched Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) when I wrote In God We Trust. I learned that the apples he planted were not for eating, but for making cider. Water wasn’t always available, so the settlers made cider. The main character, Ted Song, is an Anointed One which means he possess extraordinary gifts and he learns a lot about John Chapman when he is sent to Maple Grove, Ohio.