<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.3790.2541" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><!--StartFragment --> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><IMG alt=Punkin hspace=0
src="cid:001301c5db3b$e4ef5250$2a0a6510@americas.cpqcorp.net" align=middle
border=0></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face=Arial size=6><STRONG>It's the Great Punkin
Shoot</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face=Arial size=4>Oct. 29, just after dark</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face=Arial size=4>Wanderer's Rest</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When Linus and Charlie Brown sat in the pumpkin
patch all night waiting for the "Great Pumpkin" to come bearing gifts they had
it all wrong. The grimacing, ugly-faced Jack o' Lanterns are not something we
should welcome but are instead something we should be prepared to defend
ourselves against..<BR><BR>The tradition of carving Jack o' Lanterns goes back
to ancient times when people believed evil spirits roamed the Earth and returned
to their homes in winter. Irish legend tells of a rude, abrasive man named Jack
who, upon his death, was not welcomed in Heaven or Hell. "Stingy Jack" had
played tricks on the devil himself. Not even welcome in Purgatory, Jack was
destined to haunt the Earthly world. He carried a lantern and came to represent
souls trying to escape the forthcoming winter.<BR><BR>Pagans in northern Europe
held an annual festival to celebrate the harvest and prepare for winter long
before Christianity spread to Scotland and Ireland. On the eve of the new year,
Celts tried to prevent wayward dead souls from returning to their homes by
carving faces on potatoes, rutabagas and turnips, and displaying them around
their doors and windows.<BR><BR>All-hallow, or All Holy Saints' Day, has been
celebrated in much of Europe for twelve centuries. November 1st was designated
to honor Saints and innocent youth, and welcome them back from their graves for
visits with family. Offerings were made to their memories and to appease all
souls that returned to visit. If not appeased, evil souls were thought to play
tricks or wreak havoc. Because cake and sweets were plentiful in prosperous
times, children went from house to house asking for treats and threatening the
stingy with tricks. From old beliefs, the practices of Pagans and Christians in
old Europe formed modern Halloween.<BR><BR>Irish immigrants in the New World
carried on the tradition displaying carved Jack o' Lanterns on All Hallows' Eve.
But, they carved faces on the gourds native to the land. Pumpkins were an
important source of food and materials to the Native Americans and had helped
the early colonists survive in the New World. Placing candles inside the gourds
symbolized the fires that kept evil spirits away in old Europe.<BR><BR>At the
end of Fall, the Halloween celebration represents the time when things die
before life returns to the Earth to bloom in Spring. The Jack o' Lantern is
associated with the dead who have returned to haunt the Earth through winter
carrying lanterns. Local folklore often tells of dark figures holding lanterns
along highways and railroads. In the legends, the source of the eerie light can
never be found. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Here in southern Ansteorra where I grew up we have
our Ghostly Lantern in the form of Brit Bailey. Cynthia and I had our
wedding celebration at the Bar-X Ranch in Bailey's Prairie a mere arrow
shot from Brit Bailey's grave. Being a local boy, Brit Bailey and I are
old friends and if he shows up I will be happy to share my jug with him.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.bchm.org/Sites/Bailey.html">http://www.bchm.org/Sites/Bailey.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.texasescapes.com/DEPARTMENTS/Guest_Columnists/Times_past/Bailey's_light.htm">http://www.texasescapes.com/DEPARTMENTS/Guest_Columnists/Times_past/Bailey's_light.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>For the past number of years I nave not seen old
Brit, but Stingy Jack has shown up at my house with his
lanterns. I am convinced he is trying to steal my jug before I can share
it with Brit or my friends. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>You are all invited to Wanderer's Rest on Oct 29 to
help me defend against Stingy Jack. I am sure that with a few well placed
arrow shots we can snuff out Jack's Lanterns and keep him at bay for another
year.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Strictly mundane, bring your archery gear and we
will start shooting as soon as it is dark. We will enjoy a variety of
Pumpkin themed foods as well.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>To get here follow these directions to Wanderer's
Rest. <A
href="http://gatesedge.ansteorra.org/files/gearchery.htm">http://gatesedge.ansteorra.org/files/gearchery.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>RSVP is not strictly necessary but is appreciated
so we know approximately how many to plan for.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you wouldl ike to help with food please contact
cynthia as <A
href="mailto:cymills@scabrewer.com">cymills@scabrewer.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>