[...] pris en tenaille dans la crique par les oiseaux qui les becquettaient à la surface, des centaines de poissons sautaient de partout.
Certains se sont laissés prendre dans les rochers, j'ai relâché les vivants et puis je mange ceux qui sont morts, voilà [...] la mer donne son pain à chacun, en quelque sorte ! J'ai parlé à des Kiwis, on m'a dit que parfois ce sont d'énormes poissons qu'on peut ramasser ainsi sur les plages, à marée basse… Ces jols, comme le dit bien Guilhem, ici ils appellent ça plus simplement de "petits anchois".
It's that time of year again so it is good to remember that your favorite decorative gourd is not only edible but also (if you believe in such things) a protection charm.
First, every component of the classic Pumpkin Spice mixture is a ward against evil and negativity and also an attractor for luck. This includes Cinnamon, Nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
Not only that but you will find that for over a decade now most pumpkin spice confections, at least in the USA, contain actual pumpkin, whether dried pumpkin or pumpkin puree. In the US it's very hard (today) to find a pumpkin spice beverage or confection without actual pumpkin as an ingredient now.
Once upon a Time Pumpkin Spice used to just mean the spice mixture one adds to Pumpkin Pie but after Starbucks started adding real pumpkin to their Pumpkin Spice latte, a trend was started that almost everything Pumpkin spice would now carry actual pumpkin.
Though incorporating actual pumpkin to the pumpkin spice confections is relatively new, the use of pumpkins for Halloween is not. And their protective power is old as well.
Jack-o-lanterns have been a protection ward against wandering spirits for centuries. The Tale of stingy Jack says that he was a wandering soul not granted access to Heaven or Hell and The Devil and his minion laughed at him and tossed on an ember from Hell to light his way. Jack carved out a turnip to use as a lantern and placed the ember inside of it. But Jack was a coward so if he saw similar lanterns he'd flee an area. Over time the belief became that these carved turnips would ward off all wandering spirits and malevolent entities.
When the Irish came to America, they started to carve their Jack-o-lanterns out of pumpkins. Most pumpkins were larger and easier to carve. Also they taste better when cooked and incorporated into foods. It also became a common belief that the pumpkin worked just as well as (if not better than) turnip Jack-o-lanterns.
It is believed that on Halloween night Jack-o-lanterns provide the most protection though they can work all year long (so long as you can make one). If you keep a Jack-o-lantern lit all night long it promises good luck for the year. If it burns out before midnight (however) or if it is blown out, that invites wandering ghosts into your home and possible bad luck. This is why you should never blow out a Jack-o-lantern's candle but instead let it burn out naturally.
And finally we have Pumpkin seeds.
It's an old Eastern European belief that a pile of grain or seeds might distract a vampire, who will feel compelled to count the seeds rather than prey on the intended victim. There was the great New England Vampire panic in the late eighteenth century and nineteenth century.
Many Native Americans considered pumpkin to be one of the "three sisters" as important as corn and beans. Not only was it a source of nutrition but it was thought that pumpkin could keep away some pests and pumpkin seeds were used in medicine.
It is scientific fact that L-tryptophan is found in pumpkin seeds. This is a natural sleep aid and mood booster. A mild, natural, anti-depressant. Pumpkin seeds can help drive away sleeplessness and negativity.
So there you have it.
Pumpkins (in the modern version of the Pumpkin spice mixture that contains pumpkin too) works as a ward against evil.
Carved Pumpkin Jack-o-lanterns drive away wandering spirits and malevolent entities.
Pumpkin seeds can ward off vampires, aid with sleep, and improve mood- driving away negative feelings.
Pumpkins may be "basic" but there is a practical magick to them.
I love Jack-o-lanterns and I think a lot of people misunderstand why I love them. I don't think of Jack-o-lanterns as sinister or scary. To me Jack-o-lanterns are warm and comforting. Kind of like why some people collect teddy bears. (One of my friends collects teddy bears.)
It's something comforting and protective from childhood that lets you feel safe and soothed.
The original purpose of the Jack-o-lantern, according to the Irish legend, is to protect against wandering or evil spirits. They were a protection ward.
The earliest jack-o-lanterns were carved out of turnips but when pumpkins became a popular discovery from The New World (as they were delicious and easier to carve) Jack-o-lanterns evolved into the popular American-style pumpkin ones we see today.
Jack-o-lanterns were originally not just for Halloween.
They could be carved any time (so long as you had pumpkins around) to ward off malevolent spirits. So to me an image of a house with many Jack-o-lanterns is warm and protected. They are a light in darkness.
It's also supposed to be very lucky if you can keep a jack-o-lantern burning all night long.
It's bad luck to blow out a Jack-o-lantern before midnight on Halloween and it is good luck for the whole year if it can keep burning until dawn.
Pop culture depictions of Jack-o-lanterns being used to successfully protect against supernatural threats include:
Trick 'r Treat (2007 movie)
The House with a clock in its walls (novel and movie)
Mervyn in The Sandman: The Kindly Ones (Graphic novel an The Sandman audio drama act 4.)
German papier-mâché JOLs (Jack-o-lanterns) were some of the first artificial Jack-o-lanterns ever made. They were molded out of papier-mâché and on the inside, (viewable from the eyes and inside of the mouth), was a translucent paper insert. This gave an eerie glow when a small candle in a little metal holder, was placed inside the Jack-o-lantern and the candle light shown through the paper insert in the eyes and mouth.
These early artificial jack-o-lanterns were not very durable and the paper inserts were extremely flammable so they are highly sought after by vintage Hallowe'en collectors, especially if they still have the paper insert (which is semi-rare).
These German JOLs often didn't have a date stamped on them so reproductions and forgeries are pretty common. Collectors are advised to look for wear on both the inside and outside, and other telltale signs of age when trying to buy originals that are worth a lot more than the reproductions.
The reproductions are nice but should never cost as much as the originals.
Most German papier-mâché or "paper pulp" JOLs were made in the late nineteen teens into the nineteen thirties but some were made as late as nineteen sixty.
They were usually made for the US market. Germany didn't start celebrating "American style" Halloween until the 1990s after the success of films like Nightmare before Christmas.
German JOLs had different faces, mostly inspired by the artwork on UK and American (New England) Hallowe'en post cards from the nineteen teens.
Some German JOLs weren't Pumpkin headed but actually black cat heads. The black cat was named Enock by Patrick McHale for his Over The Garden Wall animated mini-series.
The orange JOL with a mouth making an O shape is known by collectors as "Coir Boy."
Here's an interesting article for collectors and would-be-collectors.
I don't actually own any of these but I find them fascinating.
Explore the intriguing history of paper pulp jack o' lanterns in this comprehensive guide to vintage Halloween treasures.
#anotherday another #salad with #jols and #fishermansfriend for #snacks 🙃 #consultant #canberra (at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnphsCWhIm2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1b7obavjafajc
