Halloween always marks the beginning of a series of seasonal celebrations that, for me anyway, wind up a calendar year.  It is my favorite time of year because it means opportunities to celebrate family and friends along with everyone in the country, and also marks the point when I force myself to slow down the frantic pace of life in crazy town.  I literally haven’t had a moment to sit down and reflect and write anything for days.  The other night I was forced to stop dead in my tracks and simplify in the blink of an eye because all the power in most of our county was out because of strong winds.  I had my children doing homework by candle light (there were no other electronic distractions to temp them) and I sat with a cup of tea and a candelabra and read while the wind wailed against the house.  It was the perfect backdrop for Halloween.  I knew it wouldn’t last, but the quiet didn’t even last as long as the power outage.  Just as I had settled into my big antique reading chair, I heard a very loud crash outside, which in itself is amazing given the wind was howling so loud you couldn’t hear much of anything else.  It seems that the top of one of our old oaks came crashing down on top of the gate to our pool smashing it, and a large portion of the fence to bits.  While I was thankful that said tree, didn’t hit our pool and damage it or our house, I was sad that the quiet and subdued light brought about the power outage was disrupted.  The power finally came on two hours later, but those first minutes after the candles were lit were the best.  I could breath again.  I’m just sorry it took the wrath of Mother Nature to get me to come to my senses.  I did get up in the middle of the night that night because the wind was so loud and forceful and I saw that one of the boys left one candle burning.  It was so beautiful that it took my breath away.  I slept deeply and dreamt amazing dreams after that……