Malevolent mischief needs a playlist…

Did you hear that….?  Those sounds far off in the darkness?  That beautiful melody leading you on?  Are those lilting strains the plucks of a tortured soul, a winsome witch-call, a shudder of delight or a ghoulish mumble?  If you’re like me, you will follow those sounds to their source, and enjoy every moment of musical mischief you find.  Please sample these 31 gathered tunes, I hope they hold you spellbound…

Counting Days….

It is just three months until Hallowe’en 2022 and with the retail side in full swing already…(yikes or yay!?!?)…some might wonder if seasonal burnout is possible………not!!  I absolutely adore that the season is edging into end of Summer, all the better for replacing watermelons with pumpkins and trading firecrackers for candlelight.  If you are looking to get ahead on your Fall cards, may I suggest these from 1canoe2? Just click pic for link and enjoy sending out a reminder to friends and family to seek out the sweets of the season.

The First

Excerpt from

The Call of Fall 

Here now at last

is the turn of the year

when wind is a whisper

that prickles your ear,

and moonrise glows brightly

with merry foretell

and starshine lends glamour

to seasonal spell.

Clouds gather darkly

and fogs rise from earth

and the hammer of rain

is a furious mirth.

A season to savor,

to hold near and dear

of madcap behavior

and mayhem to cheer.

So hang well the buntings

and etch well the gourds,

make sure that your doorways

well welcome the hordes.

Make fast all devices

of fanciful scheme

and wait on the players

of mischievous theme.

Soon now all fey and

their sundry will rise

to caper with us

beneath Hallowe’ens guise.

– A.E.

 

Counting Days…

I have always been fond of Friday the 13th, and as today is the only remaining one of 2021, I thought perhaps it would be prudent to make the most of it and make a witch-wish of the Season ahead.  It is now 78 days until Halloween, I see decor and display going up – though the Summer sun still beats a loud thrum.  As though the very act of adornment would truncate the heated weather and summon the cooling wisps of autumn through the trees.  Well, I suppose it’s a “gather ye pumpkins while ye may” idea.  I don’t mind – it’s lovely to see and experience, as it is lovely to anticipate and propagate.  I wish you all well in your lead-up to Fall, and if you pass by a fountain or well, make a wish of your own…

 

Spirits of the Season

I would very much like to thank Countdown to Halloween for once again hosting a delightful grouping of inspired Halloween blogs, a much needed respite from the flurry of 2020, it can’t have been easy for the new hosts of the Countdown and they’ve earned commendation and appreciation for their efforts 😉

I received more than I gave this year and many thanks and much gratitude to all of the wonderful blogs that rose to occasion and offered excitement, frivolity and magic.

I was standing outside that night, observing the full moon when it appeared from behind dark clouds determined to keep the lights on until 10pm. I listened to music playing in the distance and watched the lights flicker and gut inside the jacks displayed around the yard delighted we’d been able to find some fiendish folly to enjoy – hesitant to extinguish the light against the late hour and the passing of another Eve. I look forward to what beguilements will tempt us and til then….

“Stroll with me beneath the Moon,

for surely, They’ll be coming soon

to share with us the deepening gloom,

upon the Hallowe’en.

Fellow Revelers walk this Night,

as They awake from yearly plight

deprived til now of sweet delight,

upon the Hallowe’en.

Mischievousness the only goal,

for these few hours on parole.

And none but They could be so droll

upon the Hallowe’en.

Sorry am I that They must wait,

upon the Eve to cross the gate.

Alas that is Their yearly Fate,

upon the Hallowe’en.

All too soon the Night will fade,

and All shall pass into the Shade

to wait upon the next parade,

upon the Hallowe’en.

Perhaps you’ll stroll with me once more,

when Gate stands wide and Spirits tour.

No other sight stir’s my hearts core,

upon the Hallowe’en.

~ Moonlit Revel by A.E. (repost from 2016)

Mirth and Musings Part 19

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I think that one of the undeniable characteristics of Halloween is the mystery it embodies.  Wherever you find yourself on the Eve, whichever side of the Haunt you’re on, however much time you’ve spent planning, or whatever last-minute costume you’ve cobbled together, it boils down to a night of amiable adventure, constructed chaos, fiendish foolery and the mayhem of mystery.  I think that if you are a lover of Halloween, it follows that you are a lover of the mysterious, that you embrace the unknown.  We are all of us dealing with unknowns daily – with chasers of anxiety, even fear and that niggling sense of foreboding.  Like that Hallows Eve, there are lights in the darkness showing us, if not the way out, at least a pathway through, in small kindnesses, in simple resolutions, and in shared experiences.  I am not alone in the darkness, I am looking out my windows at a world now masked, I will wave at passersby and keep my porch light on, that ever hopeful beacon in the dark.

Mirth and Monsters

71BQhQUouAL

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!

bookshot

 

Deny, perhaps, but don’t Delay

EG1

If you find yourself with nothing better to do this weekend than staring longingly at that bowl of candy you’ve purchased (so as to beat the crowds, wink wink) or you’ve done your pumpkin shopping early and while the lure of freshly roasted pumpkin seeds is calling, you know you must stay your knife-hand another 13 days and you find the hours in between now and then taxing your patience to its limits, stress no more!  Take up your writing/drawing implement of choice, scour your abode for an envelope of any size, fix yourself in a comfortable chair at your favorite kneehole desk, play some apropos music and muster imaginings of “uncomfortable creatures” and draw!  Why? Well, why not? If you require further prompting, consider this:

2019 Halloween Envelope Art Contest

Deadline: Postmark by Monday, October 21st, 2019

For an entry form, click any pic for link to contest page.

The Edward Gorey House is now accepting original artwork from artists of all ages for their 2019 Halloween Envelope Art Contest. An Edward Gorey-inspired decorated envelope decorated with the theme of Uncomfortable Creatures is what they are looking for this year. There is no entry fee and not a particularly big prize but winning entries, runners up, and very-close-to- being -runners up will all be displayed in the Edward Gorey House, on their website, and on their Facebook page. Winners will be notified and results will be announced on Wednesday, 10/31/19.

Mail entries to:

Edward Gorey House
8 Strawberry Lane
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675
USA

Tell your friends!

EG3

…..and perhaps these images of past submissions will help you along, mind that deadline 😉

EG2

EG4

EG6

EG7

EG8

EG5

Pumpkinology

Pumpkin Pie Pop TartsOk, put down the pumpkin spice latte, back away from the pumpkin spice bagel with pumpkin spice shmear and stop reading about the rise of pumpkin spice futures from your mobile device of choice.  Stop everything, head to your local grocery and purchase these AMAZING Limited Edition Frosted Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts.  I can barely stop sampling to type this review, major YUM, major TASTINESS, right out of the box or warm from the toaster.  Those mini Halloween candies are for suckers.  Stop reading this, GO and Enjoy!!