Sunday Ways

Growing up in central New York, Sunday's were about church,Sunday school and a big Sunday dinner.  This is were I learned many of my cooking skills as the dinner was a family cooperative but it is also how I formed the ideas and connections of honoring the Ancestors. The Presbyterian church that I was born into, was founded by my Ancestors that settled the small farming community that I was raised in.

 Behind this church, those same Ancestors are buried along with my father, nephews and many aunts and uncles.

One of my very favorite things to do after church was to walk the cementary. It is a beautiful spot, with creeks running threw it. My dad used to dig up horesradish root from these creeks and later process it in our kitchen. My mother would tell us stories about the doings and adventures of her grandfather Guy, Grandmother Emma and Guy's sister Maude. I have pictures of each of them along with many others on my ancestor altar at the end of the hall. The Presbyterian church can be very conservative, and honoring the dead was not part of the normal service to say the least and questioning my sunday school teacher about ghost was not recieved well. I wanted to talk about the ghosts that were present in the 150+ year farm house that my family (and many of the others families in the community) lived in. When I finally got a camera for my birthday-(the kind with flash cubes), I took pictures of there graves. My Dad took me to visit his father's grave on memorial day one year. I was about 11. Those pictures have been lost with time and since my father's passing, not many people visit my grandfather's grave.

 I located the cementary in 2008 when I went home for my nephew's funeral. There is also an unmarked grave of my Great Grandfather and uncle that no one can find in this same cementary. My hope is to loacate this when I go home to New York next month.

Yesterday, I had the privelage to visit the grave's of some of my husband Bo's family and honor them along with my wise sisters of my coven.

 Aunt Bev was our tour guide and was so gracious as she spoke from her heart about her memories. I am still overwhelmed today as I type and mull the memories of the day.

 We had a picnic,celebrated a birthday and shared our stories with the Ancestors. The spiked and spicey cider was delicious and kept away any chill from creeping in.We had a doe walk within 30 yards of us.
We could not ask for a more perfect day.

Ancestors-We honor you

Named and Unnamed,

 Known and Unkown,

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

As above, So below

We honor you.