Now is the time to finish your final harvest as anything left on plants, trees, and vines on Samhain, October 31st is for the wildlife, gods, and goddesses to enjoy.
It is time, if you can, to can fruits and vegetables. To pick, during the right Moon phase for optimal power, and dry your herbs. To stick up on other non-perishables you have to buy, put extra meat and homemade or store bread in your freezer. I even buy a small thing of powdered milk in case we get snowed in.
I also check to make sure I have all my magickal supplies, candles, herbs, oils, etc, stocked and ready for use. I also make sure I have my Yule log under a trap so I don’t have a problem lighting on the Winter Solstice. Whenever possible I do a ritual outdoors for Samhain and the Winter Solstice because I do not have any type of fireplace indoors.
As for my home now is when I do a fall cleaning and through smudging in every room and my basement. I want to make sure I do not have any negativity in my home before the windows are closed and the furnace turned on giving it and/or nasty beings a place to hide in.
Please tell us what you do to get ready for you he darker and colder time of the year. Leave as long a comment as you want to. I hope I can get some new ideas from others on preparing for this time of year.