The ‘Eve Approaches

Eve of the ‘Eve

Harried preparation

Porchlights all a-glare

Breath held in expectation

Of whom we hope to scare

 

Pleased anticipation

Is the order of the night.

Waiting on congregation

As capriciousness takes flight

 

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?

 

Is that a ghostly meeting

In the yard just down the bend?

Or perhaps just soggy sheeting

Drying in the wind

 

Alas it’s just a lone dog

Not werewolves on parade

Just dry leaves scraping sidewalks

And not a zombie raid

 

It’s just the neighbor’s car alarm

And not a banshee shrieking

No haunted house but backdoor

That’s making such a creaking

 

Is that a bubbling witches brew

assailing my senses?

Or just the smoke of burning jack’o’s

sat upon some fences.

 

Pinecones dropped at random

Aren’t spiders on attack

Not thrills but chills in tandem

Cause those shivers down my back

 

Patience sorely tested

Spirits wait for their reprieve

Sure to end up fete and fested

On this eve of Hallows Eve

-a.e. (Revision)

 

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

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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

 

What’s that noise?

HeadphonesJack 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 😉

 

 

A Hundred Eve’s

Woodswalk.jpg

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

wip__homecoming_by_madlittleclown-d6tgmct

 

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.