Now Playing: Derelict Spaceship Mix // Dark Space Ambient

A great mix from Cryo Chamber's label.

Click below for a soundscape (and a mesmerizing video)...

The Order Of The Halloween Tree

A photo series tribute to Ray Bradbury's classic tale.

Chapter 4:  The Devil Boy

"But, let me introduce myself! Moundshroud is the name.  Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud. Does that have a ring, boys? Does it sound for you?”
  
It sounds, the boys thought, oh, oh, it sounds … !

Moundshroud.

“A fine name,” said Mr. Moundshroud, giving it a full sepulchral night-church sound. “And a fine night. And all the deep dark wild long history of Halloween waiting to swallow us whole!”

“Swallow us?”

“Yes!” cried Moundshroud. “Lads, look at yourselves. Why are you, boy, wearing that Skull face? And you, boy, carrying a scythe, and you, lad, made up like a Witch? And you, you, you!” He thrust his bony finger at each mask. “You don’t know, do you? You just put on those faces and old mothball clothes and jump out, but you don’t really know, do you?”

“Well,” said Tom, a mouse behind his skull-white muslin. “Er—no.”

“Yeah,” said the Devil boy. “Come to think of it, Why am I wearing this?” He fingered his cloak and sharp rubber horns and lovely pitchfork.

Now Playing: Seance

This song came on during a nice drive last weekend and we couldn't get enough.  Turns out it's from a composer named Mort Garson.  He released an album called The Unexplained back in 1975 under the name Ataraxia.  It's a perfect addition to our Halloween playlists.  With track names like Tarot, Sorcerer, and Astral Projection, it's like a strange horror soundtrack from the 70's that you'd find playing on some late-night radio station.

Click below...

Or click here for youtube.

House Of Shock

I see a light up ahead.  It must be a way out.

Click here for more images.

A Pope And Some Pizza

Growing up in a suburban area packed with row homes, apartments, and strip malls meant a windfall of candy every Halloween night.  Heavy pillowcases FILLED with the stuff.   

At the end of our night of begging for candy, we'd drop off our trick-or-treat bags and walk a couple of blocks to a strip mall with a pizza shop at the end of the long row of stores. Each Halloween they gave out free slices of pizza. That's a pretty cool thing to do (though they were about half the size of a standard pizza slice [I don't blame them as there was a perpetual line of local kids stretching out the door and winding around the building]). One year, as we got down there, my brother's Pope costume got the attention of some older kid dressed as a police officer. Gun pulled; he started yelling "IT'S THE POPE! LET HIM THROUGH!!!  LET HIM THROUGH!!!!"  My brother in his cardboard Mitre got an escort and a lot of attention.  Me, in my would-never-do-that-today costume, received no escort at all. Thankfully, I still got pizza.

Now this is the neat part.  As part of this ritual of dropping off our candy bags at home and getting free pizza, we would then head off to a neighborhood near that strip mall for what I can only describe as a Halloween variety show.  To this day I have no idea who organized the event (or who built the massive wooden stage in the center of a terrace).  But we all knew it was going to be there... when trick-or-treating was over.  When Halloween was ending.  

I recall lots of lip-synching routines, mostly from teens dressed as their favorite heavy metal bands or singers like Mick Jagger or Tina Turner.  I can recall a magician at one point and maybe a comedian.  We stood in the audience in that cold October 31st air clapping and cheering and laughing.  After it ended, the pack of friends with whom I trick-or-treated would head back to our homes on near-empty streets.  Walking past darkened porches and jack-o-'lanterns with dying flames, as each of us parted ways (to be reunited with our candy loot and to head off to bed).  Going to a Catholic School meant that the day after was a day without school... making the Halloweens of my youth even MORE glorious.  

I haven't thought of that Halloween concert in a long time.  I wonder who organized it... and who took it all down after. 

Here's a previously-posted photo of us on that incredible night of faux police escorts and wonderful Halloween pizza (just ignore my costume).

Classic 80s Halloween Commercials

Click below...

Halloween Hostess

More images here.

American Daydream Antiques & Miscellanea

Some fun Halloween shopping in York, PA today...

The Order Of The Halloween Tree

A photo series tribute to Ray Bradbury's classic tale.

Chapter 3:  Henry-Hank Smith

Fires burned all over Europe. At every crossroad and by every haystack dark forms jumped in cats across flames. Cauldrons bubbled. Old hags cursed. Dogs frolicked red-hot coals.

“Witches, witches, everywhere,” said Tom, amazed. “I never knew they were so many!”

“Mobs and multitudes, Tom. Europe was flooded to the dikes. Witches underfoot, under bed, in the cellars and high attics.”

“Boy oh boy,” said Henry-Hank, proud in his Witch costume. “Real witches!

Memories Of Halloweens Past

Anoka, Minnesota is known as the Halloween Capital of the World (read about it here), and I've joked more than a few times that my ultimate goal in life is to move there.  I received a wonderful email from a fellow haunter who actually resides in Anoka, and he shared his favorite memory of Halloweens past.

Dan Wiswell writes "My submission for this topic is my vintage Anoka Halloween banner.  At nearly 5 ft tall and 3 ft wide, and made of heavy duty canvas, it flew in its official capacity decorating downtown somewhere during the 1950-1965 time frame.  At a family gathering in the summer of 2009, the topic of these banners came up, and the quest to find one began.

After consulting with the chamber of commerce, who provides the city with the banners, I learned that the city had housed a number of the banners and other old Halloween memorabilia in the basement of city hall. However, a vast cleaning around the year 2000 had sent many of these items to the landfill. I was crushed. They suggested a few members of the Halloween committee may have spared some things, but would probably be reluctant to sell.  I was offered a contact with a previous Anoka Halloween president and was able to purchase a newer style black canvas banner with three pumpkins.  This was the redesigned logo, not the orange top hatted pumpkin banners of my youth which were made of thick vinyl similar to a school patrol flag.  The money went to charity, but I was still disappointed. Then I found this banner on ebay in October of 2009. The seller had asked $300 for it, but found no takers. Against policy, (sorry I was new to ebay) I privately messaged the seller and struck a deal. It hangs with its newer counterpart in the basement near the fireplace and is on prime display outside during the public viewing nights of the house decorating contest and on Halloween night.  It always sparks conversation, and I have been asked numerous times, especially during the 2020 season (Anoka's 100th year celebrating), if I would sell it. The chamber and city even returned to this design in 2019, because it was beloved, in a nod to tradition. 

These banners remind me of not only my own Halloweens, but also of celebrating with my niece and nephews, and of the now 15 years of being involved officially with the celebration through the house decorating contest."

Thanks, Dan!  So glad you're the curator of these banners. I can't think of a more suitable home for them.

Click here to see some photos of his Home Haunt.

For anyone interested in submitting, you can email me at pumpkinrot @ gmail . com (remove the spaces, of course!)

And click here to see past entries!

And thanks again to Mr. Macabre for the suggestion for this fun blog series!

Lady M's Mosaics

Some beautiful new pieces from the talented Lady M.

Click here for her blog.

Now Playing: Madness

By Musica Cthulhiana.

Click below...

Brach's Mellowcreme Autumn Leaves

We found these over the weekend and I'm happy to report they're really great and packed with flavor (Caramel Apple, Pumpkin Spice, Sweet Maple, Salted Butterscotch, and Spiced Cider).  A nice addition to the annual Brach's candy corn and mellowcreme pumpkins candy.

Party City

Had a nice day of Halloweening.  Started out with some pumpkin spice coffee on the road and ended up at a Party City which was fully decked out for the season.  Ended the day at a cozy place in Lambertville, NJ...