Recent Acquistions

Picked up an insane cement tombstone and a massive iron cauldron for a steal at the aforemtioned Collectors Bazaar.  

That cauldron (over two feet across) will surely be making an appearance in a future Haunt.  

Fire And Brimstone

“If I can but reach that bridge,” thought Ichabod, “I am safe.” Just then he heard the black steed panting and blowing close behind him; he even fancied that he felt his hot breath. Another convulsive kick in the ribs, and old Gunpowder sprang upon the bridge; he thundered over the resounding planks; he gained the opposite side; and now Ichabod cast a look behind, to see if his pursuer should vanish, according to rule, in a flash of fire and brimstone.  

- Washington Irving

Image by Ray.

Headless Horseman Haunted Attraction

More images here.

A Nightly Scouring

An opening in the trees now cheered him with the hopes that the church bridge was at hand. The wavering reflection of a silver star in the bosom of the brook told him that he was not mistaken. He saw the walls of the church dimly glaring under the trees beyond. He recollected the place where Brom Bones’s ghostly competitor had disappeared. “If I can but reach that bridge,” thought Ichabod, “I am safe.” Just then he heard the black steed panting and blowing close behind him; he even fancied that he felt his hot breath. Another convulsive kick in the ribs, and old Gunpowder sprang upon the bridge; he thundered over the resounding planks; he gained the opposite side; and now Ichabod cast a look behind, to see if his pursuer should vanish, according to rule, in a flash of fire and brimstone.  Just then he saw the goblin rising in his stirrups, and in the very act of hurling his head at him. Ichabod endeavored to dodge the horrible missile, but too late. It encountered his cranium with a tremendous crash—he was tumbled headlong into the dust, and Gunpowder, the black steed, and the goblin rider, passed by like a whirlwind.

- Washington Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Image source.

J. Wakefield Brewing: Sleepy Hollow

The seasonal offerings of autumnal beer are always tricky.  I've mentioned in the past that my hopes are always high at the start of each Autumn...  high hopes that there will be a pumpkin ale that soars above the rest.  Something that isn't too sweet but has a distinct pumpkin flavor.  A beer that feels like pumpkin season.  I feel like I'm still on that quest - everything is just too sweet for me.  Thankfully there are folks like Pumpkin Ale Reviews' Sam Heimer and Fatherkrespi documenting this stuff each season.  

We stopped into a beer distributer over the weekend and got some nice stuff for Memorial Day.  While we were looking around, we saw something called Sleepy Hollow from the J. Wakefield Brewing Company.  The design was fun and the description was intriguing:  sour ale with blueberry, lemon, orange, lactose, and vanilla.  The color of the ale was berry-like.  The taste was a little shocking.  I love sour ales, and this dark drink was extremely sour.  Full of sweet and tart notes.  Felt very Halloween-night-ish (if that can be a descriptor).  Definitely something you share with someone, as it can be like eating too many Smarties (I mean that in a good way).

I think I dug the uniqueness of this one.  It's not pumpkin ale.  It's not the usual flavors of Autumn.  It's sour and sweet and strange.  So much so that I think I would call this one Witch's Brew and not Sleepy Hollow.

Sleepy Hollow, New York

In the bosom of one of those spacious coves which indent the eastern shore of the Hudson, at that broad expansion of the river denominated by the ancient Dutch navigators the Tappan Zee, and where they always prudently shortened sail and implored the protection of St. Nicholas when they crossed, there lies a small market town or rural port, which by some is called Greensburgh, but which is more generally and properly known by the name of Tarry Town.

From the listless repose of the place, and the peculiar character of its inhabitants, who are descendants from the original Dutch settlers, this sequestered glen has long been known by the name of SLEEPY HOLLOW...

- Washington Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Spent yesterday in Rye, New York and the beautiful Hudson Valley.  Got to see some original artwork from Charles Addams and Edward Gorey at the Rye Arts Center.  We then headed to Sleepy Hollow and visited the Old Dutch Church and Cemetery and checked out some local taverns.  In the evening we visited with friends, and as we pulled away to head home, we heard hundreds of Spring Peepers in a local marshland.  Ichabod's mind would have gotten the best of him.

We Take The Indian Trail

...to the Tree of the Dead.

Image by 13thofoctober.

A Haunted Place

Even today the western woods is a haunted place, where brave men will not venture.

Image by Parc Du Petit Prince.

Sleepy Hollow: The Chase

Another fun scene from Burton's classic...

An Appetite For The Marvellous

No tale was too gross or monstrous for his capacious swallow. It was often his delight, after his school was dismissed in the afternoon, to stretch himself on the rich bed of clover bordering the little brook that whimpered by his schoolhouse, and there con over old Mather’s direful tales, until the gathering dusk of evening made the printed page a mere mist before his eyes. Then, as he wended his way by swamp and stream and awful woodland, to the farmhouse where he happened to be quartered, every sound of nature, at that witching hour, fluttered his excited imagination,—the moan of the whip-poor-will from the hillside, the boding cry of the tree toad, that harbinger of storm, the dreary hooting of the screech owl, or the sudden rustling in the thicket of birds frightened from their roost. The fireflies, too, which sparkled most vividly in the darkest places, now and then startled him, as one of uncommon brightness would stream across his path; and if, by chance, a huge blockhead of a beetle came winging his blundering flight against him, the poor varlet was ready to give up the ghost, with the idea that he was struck with a witch’s token. His only resource on such occasions, either to drown thought or drive away evil spirits, was to sing psalm tunes and the good people of Sleepy Hollow, as they sat by their doors of an evening, were often filled with awe at hearing his nasal melody, “in linked sweetness long drawn out,” floating from the distant hill, or along the dusky road.

- Washington Irving

Image by hey its k.

The Hessian

Another of his sources of fearful pleasure was to pass long winter evenings with the old Dutch wives, as they sat spinning by the fire, with a row of apples roasting and spluttering along the hearth, and listen to their marvellous tales of ghosts and goblins, and haunted fields, and haunted brooks, and haunted bridges, and haunted houses, and particularly of the headless horseman, or Galloping Hessian of the Hollow, as they sometimes called him. 

Click here for a wonderful miniature photo shoot from Willow Cove.

Tim Burton's White House Halloween

This set of photos came up during one of my searches for blog material.  From 2009, it's a bunch of pics from a Halloween event at the White House, and it's very interesting to see Tim Burton and actors from his films in candid shots roaming around the joint.

Click below to see what I'm talking about...  pretty neat:

Headless

I always wondered why this guy panicked and jumped out of his fortified enclosure.  Though I can assume the Horseman was chopping at one side of it.  I would have done the same.  Though I think I would have run through the woods and not down the road, extending my drama and horror for at least five more minutes until my head was removed.  

This thing was made in 1999 and the effects are insane STILL.

Click below...

We Cannot Win This

Man, I'd compare the effects in this film to the first time I saw that T-Rex in Jurassic Park.  Never had a headless effect been done with this kind of realism.  I'd dare say it was elegant and beautiful.  

And it has yet to be topped.

Click below to watch...