Last Night

 We had the grand total of two trick or treaters.  This is our neighbor and his little boy.  Gradin was dressed as a little skunk.  What a cute little stinker he was.  He had an awful time trying to hold his sucker in his "paws". 

......and Kiddo.  She's a Yorkie and I think Rascal likes her.  She's littler than he is and he was so excited to have another real dog in his house.  He would run over and grab his toy and look at her and then bark. 
Oh, I forgot.  Leonard looked out the front door once to see if there were any other kids in the neighborhood and there sat Luna, our other neighbor's cat so I guess that makes 3. 

Halloween has changed and probably for the better.  There are so many community events planned for the kids that they would rather be there than in an old neighborhood like ours.  But next year I'm NOT going to stock up on so much candy!!                             Diane

Gratitude - the occasional feeling of peace and well being that sometimes settles upon me

Happy Halloween

The month of October is winding down and the Halloween fun will soon be over.  It's been fun here in the blogosphere with all the cute things that have been designed and the graphics have been so incredible.  We have very few trick-or-treaters, things are planned for them at the churches, nursing homes as well as haunted houses and parties.  I hope you have a fun Halloween if you're celebrating it and if you aren't I hope you have a great evening, too. 

Gratitude for today - Fun.  It's just nice when people can laugh and be silly sometimes  Laughing is so good for you.                            Diane

Time To Move On

I figured it out. 

I think I finally figured Halloween out.  

It's not the trick-or-treaters, we seldom have many (nine last night).

It isn't the candy, heaven knows candy is wonderful, but it's not that. 

It's not the costumes and the sound of feet running down the street. 

What it is 

is the magic.

It's the softening light of day, the lit candles, the jack-o-lanterns sparkling

on porches.  It's the smell of burning pumpkins and firewood and the

excitement of something different than the ordinary.  

It's all the feelings of excitement 

which still flows in our blood even as we grow older

that we had as children....hardly being able 

to contain ourselves with

something wonderful happening.

That's Halloween.

That's what I love about it.

And I never want to lose it.

Happy Halloween!

Pixie, kobold, elf, and sprite,

All are on their rounds tonight;

In the wan moon's silver ray,

Thrives their helter-skelter play.

Joel Benton

Hat

O.K. - I just had to buy the hat.  It was $5.00.  Satin roses, moss green netting, black netting, little chenille balls, black spiders, black feathers and constructed out of moss green satin.  How could you go wrong?  And my husband was only too happy to take a picture and show people how much of a witch I can be!!  Anyway - it was fun! 

                                                                                                     Diane

In the Pumpkin Patch

Just had to show you the latest picture of my little great grandson.  This Halloween he's 22 months old.  I think he's quite a little punkin'! 

Lions and Tigers and Cats, Oh My!

Here's my fat little cat out on the dining room table to celebrate the upcoming Halloween festivities.  The best thing about him is his spindly little legs, they're so comical.

 And here's a journal page I just finished recently.  It was time consuming cutting out the edge between the letters but I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. 
Hope you're having a good weekend.  Diane

Funny Goings On

Wierd things have shown up around here......

We noticed that some strange person was snooping in the drawer on the patio and seemed to have had an accident.....

Jack-o-lanterns have taken up residence on the front porch.

A raven has decided to perch on the back porch...

Halloween is everywhere in our house

                                                                                                             Diane

Thinking About Halloween

To me Halloween is a time for celebrating autumn and the changing seasons.  With the darkness coming earlier and earlier it's a little spooky when I take a walk near dark.  The sound of a cat rustling in the leaves, a branch not quite where it's supposed to be and even the moon looks a little eerier. It hearkens back to the times when Mother would help us make gypsy costumes and we could wear MAKEUP and some of her old jewelry. When you never knew who would answer the door when you knocked, and shadows flitted around the streets.  It's fun.  Sometimes we just need to have fun.  Diane

Happy Halloween to All

Excerpt from Little Orphant Annie

An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin,
An'make fun of ever'one an' all her blood an' kin;
An' onc't when they was "company", an' ole folkes was there,
She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em and said she didn't care!
An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide,
They was two great big Black Things a' standin' by her side,
An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about!
An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you
Ef you
Don't
Watch
Out!
by James Whitcomb Riley

Starting to Look Spooky

This kitty is a graphic straight out of the 40's. I can't resist that era. I guess it's because those are the pictures I grew up with. They come from a time when Halloween was just fun, no gorey, terrifying, fingernails dripping with blood stuff. Just cute. Whenever I see one like this I try to get it.

The spindly legged kitty in the polka dot suit is still anxiously waiting for Halloween. He's ready with candy. Pretty soon I'm going to make another trip to the store for candy, though. It seems to be mysteriously disappearing. Diane