This is an amazing creation by artists Matthew Kirscht, Greg Rozeboom with music by Jack Hylton and His Orchestra and written by Montague Ewing. Click any pic to link to YouTube site and enjoy!
Tag Archives: JackoLantern
Mirth and Musings Part 20
I love Hallowe’en parties. They are my favorite parties to give, to attend, to plan and to savor. I’ve traveled hundreds of miles for a Hallowe’en party and I would not hesitate to do so again. As I’ve got older I think they become more precious to me, being the lone remainder of the nostalgic seasonal occurrences of youth. I can no longer trick or treat, and I’ve no more schoolroom parties awaiting me. Haunts are months of planning and weeks of production and since we are the dreamers and designers and do-it-yourselfers of our haunts, it holds little surprise for us. The Hallowe’en party remains to offer that feeling of anticipated wonder. We get to don a costume and be thrilled and chilled and immersed in the experience. An evening, a few precious hours to indulge in the spectral spectacle. What is it that makes it all so special? It shares all the common elements of every other type of party; music, food, decorations…and yet. There is that something other…a sense of whimsy, of mystery, of funhouse fear that is singular and potent.
The most fantastic advice on how to give a Hallowe’en party must have come from the Dennison’s Bogie Books, please click pic to link to an archived site to read further on how to give just such a bash, with perhaps a dash of Monster Mash.
Don’t be caught in the dark…
Tempt your olfactory organs and stock up on these wonderful candles from Witch City Wicks. I have been a customer for some years now, I can recommend the Pumpkinhead and Trick or Treat and I use the mini travel tins in my jack-o-lanterns and the smell is gorgeous! So don’t delay to halo your haunt, add glow to your graveyard or set your party aflame with these wonderful offerings from Salem, Mass.
Click on pic to link to site…
Mirth and Monsters
Something to think about…first, apologies for lack of posts recently, I am in Southern California and when the blowing winds aren’t causing power shut-downs which means no computer, and often when power is up, no internet, there are evacuations caused by fires. It’s been difficult to get to posting and now we are at the end, though, thankfully, even with the fire line in sight, there are still trick or treaters up and down our streets, a calming vision of contentment amidst chaos. When you all close your doors this evening and reflect on the nights frivolities, follies and frights, keep in mind the resplendence of such simple pleasures as to be found on the other side of a door knock, the catharsis of carving a jack o’ lantern, the pleasurable problem of wondering if you’ve bought enough candy. Tomorrow will bring a new set of challenges and I for one will be grounded by tonights event. For those of you wishing to extend the season that bit longer, may I recommend for your perusal the book Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kroger and Melanie Anderson, a 2019 Quirk Books publication. Pick it up anywhere online or brick and mortar, downloadable or hardcover, but be sure to treat yourself to its spirited illustrations, lively writing, and deadly wit. To Countdown to Halloween and its fearless leader J.R., please accept my sincere gratitude for all you have done these many years past for your wonderful site which helps to connect Halloween bloggers. For all of you out there in the dark, please accept my great hope that your Halloween is both mirth and monsterful!
What’s that noise?
Thought I would put together a playlist – be warned – this may seem quirky, odd, even, well, you tell me what you think, hope you recognize at least a few and perhaps there are some surprises sifted in.
Bandages, Hot Hot Heat
In The Room Where You Sleep, Dead Man’s Bones
Once Upon A Dream, Lana Del Rey
Uninvited, Alanis Morissette
Lullaby, Nox Arcana
Lydia, The Tattoed Lady, The Marx Brothers
A Kind of Magic, Queen
Dancing in the Dark, Bruce Springsteen
Devil Inside, INXS
Boadicea, Enya
Pour Some Sugar On Me, Def Leppard
Shadowplay, The Killers
Masquerade, Berlin
Moonage Daydream, David Bowie
Moonsea, Phildel
Starlight, Muse
Magic Carpet Ride, Steppenwolf
Great Pumpkin Waltz, Vince Guaraldi
Golf Claps (From “Hush”), Christophe Beck
Octopus’s Garden, The Beatles
Candy, Iggy Pop
The Killing Moon, Echo & The Bunnymen
Clair de Lune, Claude Debussy (The APM Orchestra version)
This is Halloween, Danny Elfman
What’s This?, Danny Elfman
Violet Hour, Sea Wolf
Strange Magic, Electric Light Orchestra
Eclipse (All Yours), Metric
Just Another Day, Oingo Boingo
Time of the Season, The Zombies
Dragula, Rob Zombie
These selections are all available on itunes, though perhaps you already have lots of these in your playlists, and like I mentioned, obscure at times, but fun and interesting, anyhow if you braver souls try it out, chime in 😉
Pumpkinology – for the Equinox
“Equal day to equal night heralds Autumn’s waning light
and winks of fireflies go bright to guide our paths into the night
But should you find yourself alone, amongst the glooms of darkened home.
Be crafty, clever, sure and quick, and light yourself a ready wick.” -A.E.
A Hundred Eve’s
Sometimes it can feel like Halloween is just around the corner, sometimes it can feel like a long walk just begun. I feel that now as the warm weather beats down and the feeling of a cool breeze is just a memory from a long-ago winter. Wait. What is that I see in the distance? It beckons and guides me. It flits about in the wilderness. A lightning bug? Some phosphorescent lichen? The glowing form of some ancient wood dweller? Hmm. I don’t know what it is but I will keep heading towards it. The light is a wonder, a bedevilment, an enchantment of the senses. I yearn to be surrounded by such a light and I will gladly endure a hundred eves to get to where it awaits me. I will wait for you there.
Image – Artist unknown.
Eve of the ‘Eve
Harried preparation
Porchlights all a-glare
Breath held in expectation
Of whom we hope to scare
Necksore from constant craning
We side eye here and there
Glad that it’s not raining
On the Haunt we want to share
Footfalls drawing nearer
Ears prickle at the sound
Rustles of hustled furor
Echoed through the ground
What gathering of stitches
represent the costume trends?
Is it a group of witches,
or super hero friends?
Alas it’s just a lone dog
Not werewolves on parade
Just leaves scraping sidewalks
And not a zombie raid
Cones tumbling at random
Aren’t spiders on attack
Not thrills but chills in tandem
Cause those shivers down my back
Pleased anticipation
Is the order of the night.
Waiting on congregation
As capriciousness takes flight
Patience sorely tested
Spirits wait for their reprieve
Sure to end up fete and fested
On this eve of Hallows Eve
– by A.E.
Eve of October
These resplendent works of artist Debbie Criswell are not only charming and whimsical depictions of what we are all looking forward to at the end of this month, but also delightful reminders of the nostalgia we seek to hold onto and create ourselves. I bid you all a long, slow month of days and eves towards our collective fete.
A dash of Pumpkin to your Thanksgiving…
From a 40’s image of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade – a great reminder that there is always room for Halloween in your celebration, and the best use of pumpkin!