Wicked Grin

Had a day off from work yesterday and had a creative impulse. This is the result - an impromptu finger-painting to hang above my workshop table. Made with acrylic paint on a quarter-inch sheet of plywood, this was done in about an hour. The shape of the pumpkin shows up better in person - it's a very deep orange/black that disappears as the workshop grows dark (and the eyes and mouth are painted with glo-paint so they light up at night).

The face was borrowed from here:

http://ericfreitas.deviantart.com/art/Jack-o-lantern-2-184798515

Blazing Jack

Jack on fire
Originally uploaded by Kellie Megnin

This year, after the trick-or-treaters are gone and the props are stored away, I'm remembering to blaze a few jack-'o-lanterns.

Time Lapse

From Rob Zombie's YouTube channel...

That's Life

This image is courtesy of a feature LIFE magazine ran in which they confessed that not all of their front covers were iconic. This one, clearly, they got wrong. With the tagline: "The stuff bad dreams are made of," I thought this one was terrific (and almost exactly what my son wore for Halloween this year!) Not sure why they picked this one as a 'worst cover,' but personally I love it!

See the rest of them here:
http://www.life.com/gallery/66721/image/ugc1273001/lifes-20-worst-covers#index/0

Gang 'O Jacks

Some of the jack-'o-lanterns we carved from pumpkins picked from our garden. Counting pumpkins we brought home from visits to two different pumpkin patches, I ended up carving 20 jack-'o-lanterns in total.

Happy Halloween!

IT'S FINALLY HERE!

The greatest day of the year - I've literally been up since before dawn thinking about all that I have to get done today - there's no rest for the wicked on this, as Edgar Allan Poe called it, "Night of all nights in the year." I'm looking forward to filling treat bags, carving jack-'o-lanterns, watching scary movies, getting the yard haunt ready for action, and getting my own costume on. I think it would be wise if I could cram a nap in there somewhere since I was up with the rooster - but I'm sure I'll be too excited to sleep. I'm thinking there might be a pumpkin spice cappuccino in my future...

Here's wishing everyone a happy, haunted, Halloween! I urge you to remember your mythical past and call to mind why we celebrate this darkest of days. Remember that tonight the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. Remember to be a kid (if only for one night). Be safe. Have fun. Remember the rules. I'll be out long after the last trick-or-treater has begged for candy. Stop by - if you dare...

TRICK OR TREAT!

-Hallowzing

Off Target

A new member of the family. Picked this cool mug up from Target, which is unfortunately about the only neat thing they had there. I'm not sure what the execs at Target were thinking when they rolled out this year's Halloween line, but it's disappointing to say the least. It pretty much represents everything commercial and soulless about the season. Cartoony instead of quaint. In years past I've always been rather impressed with how Target actually seemed to 'get it' as far as huge, faceless corporations go when it comes to Halloween.

Not this year.

There ARE a few jack-'o-lantern items that are kind of turn-of-the-century retro (including a cookie-jar that matches this mug; something I'll probably pick up the day after Halloween). Overall, Target ranks up there with Hobby Lobby for disappointing seasonal wares. Definitely not their best offering, but I suppose that won't stop me from enjoying my daily cup of morning brew from my awesome mug...

http://www.target.com/c/party-supplies-holidays-halloween/-/N-5xt2o

Garden Gourds

Once again we got hit with the white spots of mold on our leaves this year - so our pumpkins are only about half the size they should be. I treated them with a fungicide, but I think it was already too little too late. Anyone have any reliable home remedies for this?

Most of these are slightly smaller than a basketball, but a good crop considering we didn't get ANY pumpkins at all last year - just vines and flowers! We ended up with about a dozen medium to small sized pumpkins this year (our most ever was 26!)

Found this one that snuck into our strawberry patch. A nice, cozy home - he's the biggest by far!

I love this little pumpkin flower. Long after the rest have gone, this one just keeps on blooming each morning on a vine that's barely there.

And not to be outdone in the color department, these peppers have turned the most amazing shade of yellow and orange. Beautiful!