Mabon and Ushering in the Fall

The end of summer is here, and Mabon, the second harvest in the Wiccan wheel of the year, is upon us. I have been tending to my garden all summer. I am grateful for the harvest that I have been enjoying. I had a smaller harvest than last year. I am not sure why, other than the weather being unpredictable and the sun scorching the leaves. My kale was not as abundant as last year; two out of three of the plants died. I still have one kale putting out strong and I have been enjoying it lightly sautéed and added to various things. I also froze some in the form of kale pesto. I still have a bit of frozen kale and broccoli from last year. I have gotten several eggplants, which I have enjoyed both roasted and as Baba ghanoush. The bell peppers and serrano peppers were abundant. It is magical to watch the change from green to red on the bell Peppers.

Reflecting on the end of summer and the things I have experienced, I am grateful for my harvest and what I have learned. I have been trying to figure out the cucumbers. Some of the cucumbers are very bitter. It might be it’s something with the soil PH but that is a bit much for me to figure out right now. I have been peeling them and if necessary salting and rinsing. The ones that are not bitter, however taste great. I learned about roasting tomatoes and then freezing them for soups and sauces later. I have been enjoying margherita quesadillas with cherry tomatoes and basil from the garden, and mozzarella cheese. I made two new canning projects. I made both cucumber sandwich pickles and pickled jalapeños. Now, I am embracing the change in the weather and a change of pace in my morning routine as the garden dies down. I am looking forward to more reading, writing, and crafts.

Mabon is a day of balance between light and dark; thereafter, the dark increases and takes over the light as we move towards winter. I love this time of year and the change in weather and the colorful leaves. I enjoy the slowing down of the season and seeing the pumpkins arrive. I am also excited to switch my cooking to focus more on soups, root vegetables, apple dishes, and pumpkin, of course.

Although I love fall, I am a firm believer that one should not decorate before September 1^st. I do not decorate elaborately; I will be buying some pumpkins closer to Halloween to sit around outside. I made the Mabon wreath a couple of years ago, and everything else is from Dollar Tree. Every little action and impression on your mind counts. I like the decorations as reminders as I walk through the house. Reminders of the season and where I am in the present moment. They bring me joy and appreciation for the season.

I have not been making as many beauty products. I am keeping everything simple and making things seasonally. I am making body scrubs, body oils, scented body powder, roll on perfumes, face oil for Gua Sha, and lotion bars or body butters, seasonally. I have been more focused on simplicity while trying to get the book published and available in my shop on September 23^, 2026.

I am also simplifying my seasonal celebratory rituals.

Create my sacred circle (clockwise) and call in the four elements. Use sage to smudge and purify the space.
I will light a candle, dressed with frankincense essential oil, to connect with the Crown Chakra.
Then I will meditate with carnelian and clear quartz. The carnelian is to enhance creativity and motivation. The clear quartz amplifies the other stone and promotes clarity and balance. I will give thanks for my harvest and the lessons of the season and close the circle counterclockwise.

This is my third blog post on Mabon. My first blog post was informative, and I wanted to share a solid structure for celebrating the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. That was my post in 2023 here, which includes Wiccan lore and rituals. My 2025 Mabon blog post here includes seasonal reflections and my poem, Autumn Song. I skipped writing a post in 2024 because I felt like I had already written about Mabon in my informational post the year before. However, as I live more in tune with the seasons, I want to celebrate them and mark them as sacred every year. Each year is different and brings new lessons and revelations. Celebrate and enjoy ushering in the fall with friends and pumpkin everything.