Halloween Spooks

It's that time of year again, and although I've decorated for it, I couldn't get into it as I have in past. However, I'll share my various pics from the house, and beyond.

I've always collected jack-o-lanterns, and these are small ceramic ones

I can put a flameless candle in and light up areas around the house.

I also collect skulls. This one to the right is one of my oldest wax pieces. I couldn't say for sure, but

I think it dates back to the '70's.

The card, to the left, was sent by my sister, and it plays the Psycho notes.

My sister and I love Halloween. We're both a little strange. 

Decorating my French doors is always something I get into. Here is one pane with the greeting in

the jell decorations I've collected.

I always wait until after the season to grab up whatever is left over.

Here is another pane with the bloody hand prints. The feel of the jell makes it somewhat believable.

A number of my decorations fall under the category of handmade, either by me or others. Two more wax pieces dating back to 70's are in among the decorations.

The ghost behind the gravestone [RIP] my husband cut the figures out and I painted and put together a long time ago when I did crafts. Not sure why this little guy never sold, but my gain, right?

Here are more jacks which light up. The black one to the right does the various colored lights inside. I couldn't get the foam pumpkin on the left to light up as I took the picture, as this Jack was simply too quick.

In the middle is a ceramic black cat arching it's back, and again, I've got flameless candle in it, and in the

glass candle holder in front of it.

 More Jacks here, lit up. The large ceramic one is my oldest ceramic piece.

And this is the small afghan I made last year (last year's photo).

This year I've draped it on the back of couch. But this shows it off better.

Below is sample from a local store I frequently find my most recent pieces, but I look/shop all over for just the right things.

Hopefully, if weather is good (isn't looking like it at this point), I'll have pictures of the Pumpkin Fest.
All for now!

I'm Into Halloween

This was a beautiful fall day. My husband and I took a walk out in the park--we are managers of Afton Forest Preserve in DeKalb County. We watched the geese on the water, they were rolling, flapping their wings and preening on the pond. I could watch birds and wild life for hours. We also saw the "woolly bear" caterpillars--the orange section of their black and orange bodies was wider than the black. I can't recall what that means about winter's duration. Probably means long or cold, or snow amounts. Who knows? Also, I was very excited to have spotted a praying mantis. It was about 3" or 4" long. Not the largest one I've ever seen, but I must say it was a first here in our prairie preserve/wetland.

We are quite excited about the new oven we've finally gotten as part of the forest preserve's renovations on the kitchen. It's electric. Our gas stove was fumigating us and leaving black soot all over the house! So, tonight it is getting a little test. Originally we were going to bake a chicken. But my husband found a turkey breast and we decided "why not?" We bought cranberries (organic with no high fructose corn syrup), and baking an acorn squash with it. YUM! (^;

Tomorrow I'm baking cookies. I was excited that I could finally bake without this terrible smell. We have avoided using the gas one. But now, the electric oven is just wonderful. I'm baking sugar cookies and frosting them with orange frosting (made from scratch). I want to bake an apple pie, and cupcakes--chocolate, of course!

Normally I have designated Sunday as my post day for this blog, but I wanted to enter this today, just a general "my day" thing. Tomorrow I will address the blog award I've been given by Vivienne Moss. I think you guys are great thinking I deserve a blog award. This makes 3 blog awards here on this blog alone.

I will pay it forward. I'm to give it to 5 other people/bloggers and I'm making my choices tonight. Come back tomorrow to see who I give it to. I think you will see I've gone with a theme--of Halloween.

Now, the sun is making it's way into the shadow world. Light your pumpkins because you know you don't want the demons approaching you. Or . . . maybe you do?