Halloween

The Pumpkin Farm Stand

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Pumpkin farm stand on a gray autumn day

 

“No Spring, nor Summer beauty
 hath such grace
As I have seen
in one Autumnal face.”

                               ~John Donne

Beautiful colors of pumpkin to choose from this year…we picked a couple of larger, dark orange pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns, and I chose several of the smaller ones with interesting hues for our front steps.

With (American)Thanksgiving in November, we get lots of enjoyment (and decorating power!) out of the pumpkins…and as you can see from the photo, they are reasonably-priced. Even the big orange ones along the top were only $5.00.

Anyone else love visiting the pumpkin farm (or autumn stand?) I love seeing pictures of all the different ways the produce and items are displayed. Even with the season winding down, there is still so much to see and enjoy, and Nature sheds her colors in preparation for her long Winter’s sleep.

Vintage Ghosties…and the Power of Imagination

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A house is never still in darkness to those who listen intently; there is a whispering in distant chambers, an unearthly hand presses the snib of the window, the latch rises. Ghosts were created when the first man awoke in the night.
~ J.M. Barrie
imagesTHYNH9HXI like this Barrie quote, because along with the descriptive aspect of “ghostly” elements, he also acknowledges our own mind’s power to frighten ourselves. I’m guilty of that myself: imagination can be a wonderful and a terrible thing. 🙂
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When I was little, on nights when I’d spooked myself by reading my “Witching Hour” comic books or a spooky short story, I wouldn’t walk into my bedroom to climb into bed; I’d back up, run to the doorway, and leap from there into my bed, to avoid the “things” lurking in the dark under there, and to prevent them from grabbing my ankles.
skeletonWe’d also watch “Monster Movie Matinee” on Saturday afternoons, just before nap time (I’ll have to ask my mother why she allowed that, LOL). I recall one episode, called The Screaming Skull. After watching it, no nap was to be had, because my sister kept “seeing” the shadow of a skeletal hand moving down the hallway toward her bedroom and shrieking that it was coming to get her. 🙂
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I’ve gotten better at managing my imagination, now that I’m older. Usually I can reason through whatever is spooking me…though I can still experience a shiver and freeze up with the feeling that someone (or something!) is watching me from the dark, if I allow myself.Vintage-Halloween-Pumpkin-Head-Image-GraphicsFairy
I’ve had a few ghostly experiences as well, in the old house we first lived in when we were married, but those will have to save for another day.
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What about you – can you scare yourself silly…or have you had moments where you believe you’ve experienced something outside the natural world?

Vintage Halloween Post 1

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CLX1007Halloween0010-de[1]I’m sure by now it’s no surprise that I’m a “vintage” kind of gal…not necessarily in my clothing or even in how I decorate my home, but just in general enjoyment. Collectibles, cookbooks, music, art, books…I like old things, or things that look “classic”.

When it comes to All Hallow’s Eve, I’ve always been fascinated by the old-fashioned decorations and illustrations that are out there.

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Prior to the internet, of course, my exposure to these things were only through the occasional piece my parents had (similar to the paper mache’ cat head candy container pictured here).

 

 

 

Halloween+witch+owl+vintage+image+graphicsfairy8bWhen I was little, I loved to draw jack-lanterns. And big, yellow moons with witches flying across them. So illustrations like these, really tickle my fancy.5287ce33d06bd0637d1edd11a9dce24d

 

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And then there are the spooky trees and houses.

 

There is just something about old Halloween illustrations that really captures the old-fashioned nature of the holiday, rather than the more current focus on fear, gore, and demonic stuff. That’s not my cuppa. Give me “old” All Hallow’s Eve any day. How about you?

 

 

 

 

Danse Macabre

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Getting in the mood this Saturday night for All Hallow’s Eve, and since Danse Macabre by French composer Camille Saint-Saënsis is one of my favorite classical pieces of music for this time of year, I thought I’d share…I also fondly remember watching this accompanying PBS video in the 1980’s. Does anyone else remember watching this one (in elementary school, or like me, in high school…just because I liked it 🙂 )?