PLOT LINES

WITH TIM FOSTER

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THIS weekend is the autumn equinox, when day length equals night length. It is also the time for one of the many harvest celebrations. In terms of Earth Festivals, this one is called 'Mabon.' Just in case you were interested.

I remember the harvest festivals at our local inner-city church when I was a nipper. There was always a large inedible bread sculpture thing on the altar and around it were the (mostly) food-related donations everybody contributed. These consisted principally of cans of beans. However, my father, being an allotment-goer rather than a churchgoer, sent in a few fresh items: a moth-eaten cabbage, perhaps, and a bunch of distorted, slightly rude carrots. Hymns of seasonal appropriateness were sung creakily and tunelessly (...All things bright and beautiful, the Lord God Made Them All. always puzzled me. Who was responsible for all the other things, dull and ugly?). Then all the produce was whisked away to feed the needy. I hope they liked baked beans. Probably preferred them to my dad's disturbing vegetation.

Anyway, it was an event, a celebration, and I'm a big fan of anything that recognises the growing season.