“God! Whose hand was I holding?”

—The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson

 

and our cutie of the week–another seen and being seen on the streets of down town Mt. Dora

check out downtown Mt Dora on their live web site

http://mountdora.axiscam.net:85/view/view.shtml?id=12815&imagepath=%2Fmjpg%2Fvideo.mjpg&size=1

If human beings had genuine courage, they’d wear their costumes every day of the year, not just on Halloween.

Douglas Coupland

She stated that “some…question the origins and legitimacy of Halloween”  I really thought that was a given….in fact in places I have worked they have stopped allowing the celebration of the holiday as it is offensive to some Christian groups.

Ms. Simmons re-enforced by understanding of the holiday and its origins:

“The holiday is believed to have originated with the celebration of Samhain, a Celtic harvest festival, observed between sunsets on October 31 and November 1. According to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, Celts began the Halloween tradition of wearing costumes, often animal skin to hide themselves from spirits, and masks to impersonate ancestors who had preceded them to the spirit world.”

So far I’m right on point for the day.  And then she went on to increase my knowledge of the day:

Some believe the day has pagan roots. Christian leaders stepped in to transform pagan holidays, and in the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV decreed November 1 All Saints’ Day, or All Hallows’ Day. In some parts of the world, Christians attend services and visit graves. The celebration of Halloween became more popular with Irish immigration to the U.S. in the 1800s. Anoka, Minnesota, may be home to the United States’ oldest official Halloween celebration. In 1920, the city began staging a parade and bonfire to mark the day.

So there you are—and if that’s not official enough:

Consumers are expected to spend $8.8 billion on Halloween. Beyond the billions in candy and decorations, there’s this: 29 million people plan to dress their pets in Halloween costumes.

and since in the good ole USA Bucks talk I think she covered all my talking points.

“WHEN WITCHES GO RIDING, AND BLACK CATS ARE SEEN, THE MOON LAUGHS AND WHISPERS, ‘TIS NEAR HALLOWEEN.” – AUTHOR UNKNOWN

• 

  Nine and a quarter Inch Beck’s Octoberfest Clear plastic Beer Tap Handle

   $15.80

https://www.etsy.com/listing/716568427/nine-and-a-quarter-inch-becks?ref=shop_home_active_2

Well that proves it—even I don’t spend that much money on Halloween all by myself.

OK what could you do for the holidays—–just wanta stay home and pass out candy—how about a movie:  Not those slasher ones—-I mean how many times can you see a hacking without loosing interest?  I use to work in ER I have seen blood beyond belief—-and had to clean it up as well—that doesn’t impress me.

How about some fun vintage numbers with stars only a few of us (like an oldie like me) remember—but do so much better in the way of acting than all the performers in most of those slasher flicks (sorry Jamie Lee—you got better).

I just watched one:  The Red House

• Rating:
  PG
• Genre:
  Classics, Drama, Mystery & Suspense
• Directed By:
  Delmer Daves
• Written By:
  Delmer Daves
• In Theaters:
  Jan 1, 1947  Wide
• 
  Edward G. Robinson
• Best known for his tough guy and gangster movies in this one he play more deranged than demanding…..and a bit of a split in his personality
• 
  Rory Calhoun
  as Teller
• I remember him from his TV show The Texan a thousand years ago—but I was amazed in the similarity of looks with George Clooney in some of his scenes.

http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2016/09/the-red-house-1947.html  For more info

I’d check around if you want to see it for free—probably Youtube has it.

• 

  Hecho en Mexico large handled tray

  $195.80

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/702736482/hecho-en-mexico-large-handled-tray?ref=shop_home_active_6

Still don’t have your costume yet—-OK you have less than 48 hrs:  Here’s some suggestions:

THERE IS MAGIC IN THE NIGHT WHEN PUMPKINS GLOW BY MOONLIGHT.

UNKNOWN

• 

  EYE MAGAZINE August 1968 Vol 1 #6

  $77.16

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/236740099/eye-magazine-august-1968-vol-1-6?ref=shop_home_active_7

How about a Halloween themed bar:

39 W Pine St, Orlando, FL 32801

HALLOWEEN WRAPS FEAR IN INNOCENCE, AS THOUGH IT WERE A SLIGHTLY SOUR SWEET. LET TERROR, THEN, BE TURNED INTO A TREAT… –

NICHOLAS GORDON

• 

  Victoria/Czech Dessert Motif TEA SET with 4 Small Cups and Saucers, Creamer and Serving Plate

  $101.90

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/493702765/victoriaczech-dessert-motif-tea-set-with?ref=shop_home_active_9

How about visiting a haunted place like

Well in London I’d say you could just wander about any section of  The City and

find some type of spook but one that comes to mind and that’s included on many of the Jack the Ripper tours is

The Ten Bell Pub

https://www.tenbells.com/

84 Commercial St,

Spitalfields, London E1 6LY,

United Kingdom

Now I’ve found that the pub which is of considerable age—has a history of creepy happenings—labeled poltergeist activity—but for me the clincher is

That this pub is reputed to be where Annie Chapman spent some time throwing back a drink or two and probably picking up a bit of business.as well—and Mary Jane Kelly apparently picked up her (ah….) business out front of the pub.  So what you say—well they were two of the ladies of the evening that met their untimely under under the horrible attention of one Jack the Ripper, the most notorious  killer of all time and while Mary Kelly remains outside and not reported as a haunt—Annie Chapman is said to still frequent the establishment but not for profit anymore.

How about  Michigan–say a haunted house maybe

100 Monroe St,

Kalamazoo, MI 49006

Ok we’ve gone from London to Kalamazoo—but you got to admit the building is Great.  It’s over 100 years old.  It’s a bed and breakfast so you can actually stay there not just stop by for a drink .  The Henderson are there according to the info on the place (Frank and Mary the original owners—hey I wouldn’t want to leave such a great place either.) There’s also a Vet (Spanish American War) a little girl and a dog (sex and breed I didn’t find).  They’ve been known to  touch people, and just appear in full form to impress the living spectator among other haunting efforts.

SHADOWS OF A THOUSAND YEARS RISE AGAIN UNSEEN. VOICES WHISPER IN THE TREES, “TONIGHT IS HALLOWEEN!

– DEXTER KOZEN”

• 

  PENTEX VINTAGE Camera Set Including Telephoto Lens, Filters & Flash With Case

  $255.76

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/270657433/pentex-vintage-camera-set-including?ref=shop_home_active_10

   

OK back tomorrow with the rest of my memories of a Halloween 2003

and Thursday I’ll do your Halloween special bits and pieces—hopefully not of anyone you know,

“Smells of dirt and wet and long-gone vegetables would merge into one unmistakable ineluctable smell, the smell of the monster, the apotheosis of all monsters. It was the smell of something for which he had no name: the smell of It, crouched and lurking and ready to spring.”

IT—-Stephen King

and this is SCARY

In 1882 and 1884, Madam Violet of Edinburgh was voted scariest woman alive. She was apart of the notoriously dark vampire hive located in the U.K.

21 Scary Pictures With Horrifying Backstories That Will Keep You Up At Night

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