Halloween 2020

 Happy Halloween friends,

Well it's a full moon tonight. I'm watching the old Addams Family on TV. We'll probably be partaking of our usual Halloween feast see my past Halloween Post. We've already snacked on the pumpkin cookies my Mom baked.  We'll be watching our old Halloween staples tonight I assume. I really haven't been in a Halloween mood this year. The mental health hydra has been bothering me a lot lately.

Artsy Fartsy Time: Jack'o'lanterns 2020

We carved our pumpkins last night. I was at a loss what to do this year so I went with a Geeky pumpkin:

This was my folks offering Mom conjured up this year:

The shall light our place tonight as will the rare Halloween blue moon tonight and Mars. I also send out condolences to Sean Connery's family. He will be missed.

I hope you have bats in your skies tonight, magic all around, Happy Halloween! As always Good bless you!

*Thrifty Geek*

After Halloween 2019

Happy Friday my friends,

Today I bring you the after Halloween report. First let's back up to the day before Halloween when we carved our pumpkins.

On the left is my Pop Star Pumpkin on the right is my parents'. We use large orange Christmas lights instead of candles. It's safer, and brighter, but I miss the candle flicker.

Halloween we watched the old Halloween staples Garfield's Halloween Adventure, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and The Midnight Hour.
As we watched we feasted on a ghoulish meal. Red mash potato brain, green mac and cheese, monster fingers, and ham:

The ham was dressed up to look like a mouse:

And much to our surprise and my Mom's delight it started snowing. It snowed enough to get the truck white. So guess that's nature's Halloween trick on us.

So how'd ya guys spend your Halloween, let me know in the comments.

Have a good weekend, eat lots of candy, and God bless you.
Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Musical Moment- Halloween Playlist

Happy Monday music lovers,
It's that spooky time of the year so in this segment of Musical Moment I'm sharing some of the songs from my Halloween Playlists. So join me on my Spooky musical journey.

This is Halloween by The Citizen's of Halloween Town-
From one of my sister's favorite movies The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is the song that tops the playlist. It's just not the Halloween season without hearing this song. It's also the first of the three versions I listen to.

Samhaim by Heather Alexander, now known as Alexander James Adams-
This is about Samhain and the beliefs surrounding it. It's a beautiful piece of just guitars and vocals.

Monster Mash by Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers-
An old Halloween classic you always got to include in your Halloween playlist.

Headless Horseman by Kay Starr-
This version I believe came out before the Disney Version. I first heard this version in a video Bob Robertson put up of Sindy Skinless and the Decomposers. It's a nice little Jazzy number.

Witches' Brew by Hap Palmer
This is an old song they played for us back in elementary school. I think your kids might enjoy it.

Amas Veritas by Alan Silvestri
From the Practical Magic soundtrack. This musical number makes me think of Fall and New England.

I Put a Spell on You by Singer's Edge Karaoke
This is my favorite song from Hocus Pocus, but sadly it's not on the soundtrack, so instead of Bette Midler's vocals we have to settle for this.

A Nightmare on My Street by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince
I first heard this on Halloween Radio. It's all about Will Smith's encounter with Freddie Kruger. Fangirl probably hates this song due to an encounter with a haunted house Freddie.

Midnight In Montgomery by Alan Jackson
This is the only country song to be found on the list and it creeps me out, probably more than any song on here. It deals with a spooky encounter in Montgomery with I believe the ghost of Hank Williams Sr. To add to the creep I was watching a Face the Music episode on CMT a long time ago and they showed the footage that they couldn't use cause these white blobs looked like appeared on it even though there was nothing wrong with it.

This is Halloween- Pop Version by Marilyn Manson
The second version on the list and the only song by Manson I like. Can really head bang to it.

Samhain Eve by Damh the Bard
A haunting song about the celebrations of Samhain. Beautiful, haunting male and female vocals.

Harvest Dance by Manheim Steamroller
Usually known for Christmas music the group brings us a tune we can do a little jig to.

Samhain Night- Loreena McKennitt
McKennitt sings of a love story in her haunting tone. I assume it takes place on Samhain night.

This is Halloween by Minniva and The Quintin Cornet
This is done by women. This is a really great version that gives us another rock version with a hint of island.

The Headless Horseman by Vocal Spectrum
Another version of this song done as an acapella

Science Fiction/Double Feature by Richard O'Brien
I first heard this on Halloween Radio, I didn't realize it was in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I've only seen pieces of it.

Hex Girls by Moon Sisters and The Nostalgia Girls
I original heard this on Scooby Doo and the Witch's Ghost done by the Hex Girls. This is the only version I've been able to find.

All Soul's Night by Lorenna McKennitt
This song combines Celtic and Japanese imagery and they way they deal with the souls of the dead. Check the info page for this song's write up.

Rush by Aly & AJ
This song was in the T*Witches movie. I get a Halloween vibe from it for some reason.

The Zombie Song by Stephanie Mabey
The singer gives us a zombie love story to surpass Twilight.

October Wedding by Montreux
This song gives me images of the leaves falling.

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by A*Teens
A cover of the ABBA song, to it has a creepier vibe than the original.

If you like what you see head over to my Spotify Halloween Playlist and jam out to the spooky tunes.

Hope you have a good week, stay spooky, and God bless you!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Halloween Goodness

Happy Friday my friends,

Sorry for the blog silence. Between an abscessed tooth, the mental health hydra, and worrying over getting the tooth pulled, I've not been in the best of states. Well the offending tooth has been removed, by a great dentist that made the process practically painless, which was not the case with my last tooth I had pulled in middle school I recall feeling needle pain, unless that was for the tooth fillings... Any who I'm good.  So today I'm going back to this past Saturday. With it being September the world is erupting with Halloweeness, well actually that probably started in July, but Fangirl and I just now started looking at the stores for Halloween goodness. I though I'd share some of my favorites.

First is the return of Ashland's® Meditating Yoga Skeleton at Michael's. I want this so much, but it is a little big for my current space. That is why I'm happy to see Halloween Makers Namaste Yoga Skeleton that is smaller in size at Jo-Ann's.

I saw also at Michael's Ashland's® Typewriter. I love typewriters. This one had the ominus message: help typed out. Strange thing is Maker's Halloween has a type writer with the same message at Jo-Ann's. So who copied who?

I also loved Maker's Halloween animated radio with a glowing skeleton head. I like you turn knob and get different music numbers.

The next two are both favorites of Fangirl's and mine. First from Jo-Ann's The Boneyard's Mini mermaid skeleton. You can totally use it for your year round bathroom decor.
Michael's wowed us with another Ashland® piece with this winged skeleton on a tombstone. It's all morbidly beautiful.

We also made the stop at the orange Halloween Express tent. As usual it was hot even more so on this warm September day. We didn't stay long, just long enough for me to oggle over the John Lennon style glasses for their hippie costumes. I so want those style glasses.
The one thing I noticed at Halloween Express this year was the disturbing clown pieces by Morris Costumes especially this Tug of War Clowns one.

That is some of my favorite things I have seen this year. Do you have any favorite things you've seen in the stores this year? Let me know in the comments.

I hope you guys have a good weekend, stay weird, and God bless you!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Halloween Left Overs 2018

Happy PreThanksgiving Friends,

Well I was suppose to return with this post like the day after Halloween, well here we are almost a month later. Well better late than never I guess. So here's some of my fun from Halloween last month:

First up do to hectic schedules we had to carve our pumpkins on Halloween.

Mine is on the right

 My Mom decided to have a little fun with the pumpkin innards:

Think she's itching for snow?

Then there was our Halloween feast. There was pumpkin cookies with this delicious icing, they have chopped pecans in them. Nummy. We also had our traditional Ham Monster:

Isn't he cute?

The rest of our meal included red potatoes and green macaronis we have gross names for them, but they escape me at the moment. We also fix monster fingers from garlic bread with olive finger nails.

Such a ghoulish spread...

We then spent the night watching the old Halloween favorites. So that kinda closes the Halloween door this year. May it have been spooky and candy filled.

Well I hope for you who will be celebrating tomorrow that you have a good Thanksgiving, and may God bless you my friends!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer and Vampire >vv< Kitty

Pumpkinfest 2018

Happy Halloween my friends,

I thought I'd spend this Halloween talking about a PumpkinFest I attended recently in Franklin NC. This year marked the 22nd year of this festival. Fangirl and I have been going for a few years. It's amazing to see how it's grown from the first one we attended. 

So first things first our Costumes:

Fangirl: She really wasn't sure what she was once she put together her costume.

That dragon scale potion bottle belt pouch can you believe she designed and made that herself.

Myself: Mermaid Out of Water

My sign says "If found return to ocean immediately." It's attached to a bubble wand I blew during my costume contest presentation. Fangirl made my starfish hair clip and did my scale makeup.

 Our day began kinda rainy, but I guess for a mermaid that was no big deal.

 A special guest star this day was my sister who was Steampunk. That's how she answered people generic Steampunk.

She made and altered everything for her costume. I think that's an octopus in her hat globe.

There was amazing music and even a bike show, that was my sister's favorite part of the festival. There was also some amazing costumes:

 This lovely cosplayer and her pooch was actually not with the other two. Love when these unplanned meetings happen.

 I entered the costume contest, sadly I didn't place, but I was in the line with some cool people that helped pass the time, few of them were bloggers and con goers. As I was in the contest line the sun came out. Rough when your in long lines.

But can't deny it's a good view. And if you can't tell by the sign we had Gyros for lunch, and lemonade.

The only down side is the lack of color we've had so far this year, but Fall is trying to gain a foot hold.

 I picked up this pencil at a Recycling booth it's made completely of recycled tires, they even had a white one made of newspaper.

It was fun getting to hang around with my sister and see some of my favorite spots on Franklin's Main Street. It really has lovely things to see.

This was the first year I noticed this little cabin after the tents cleared out from here. It's called Uncle Bob's Cabin, I sadly couldn't find the story behind this cute little cabin.

To finish off the festival day we descended upon a local Chinese restaurant, before heading home into the cooling night, where we were greeted with a lot of winds blowing leafs along our path.

Well friends I hope your Halloween is frightful (in a good way) and fun. I'll be back soon, maybe tomorrow,  to show you some of the Halloween fun we've had today. God bless you guys!

The Ninja Writer's Library- Halloween 2018 Edition

Happy Monday my friends,

Here lately I have read a bunch of books, many perfect for the Halloween season. So let's dive back into the pages.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving - I have enjoyed and been terrified by many versions of this story on the screen: the Fox TV Series with Tom Mison, that one of my friends happily called Ichy. The movie with Johnny Depp as Crane, even the Bing Crosby Disney version- yes this version even creeped me out especially when the next morning after you've watched it your having to walk to the bus stop before the sun rises and part of your road was shrouded by trees. But I have never actually sat down and read the original story. As I read it I found many parts of the book, especially the line describing Crane to be familiar, mostly cause they were used in the Disney version's narration. I was surprised by it's brevity. When I usually see physical copies of they seem huge, but it's like only 20 something pages, at least the digital version I read. It is great to have read the original and it opens your eyes to things surrounding the late night chase, and the aftermath. It's a quick read, and I totally suggest you read it to know the original tale.

*Update*
Bryt of InLiterature.net has been doing a lot of posts about Sleepy Hollow she's prepared meals found within the story.

Witch City Mystery Series by Carol J. Perry-  I think discovered this series through GoodReads suggestions. I have read the first three books Caught Dead Handed, Tails, You Lose, and Look Both Ways. The books main character is Lee Barrett a 30 something widow who has found her way back home to Salem, Massachusetts where she gets herself tangled up in a lot of mysteries in town, and learns special things about herself. I was fascinated by witches and stories involving them when I was growing up. So I really was intrigued by this series. I like the mysteries, witches, and the bit of surreal found in the books. Two of my favorite characters in this series is Lee's semi retired Librarian who keeps an in home library organized by the Dewey Decimal system, and O' Ryan the cat, who was orphaned when his witch owner was killed. He was very human like qualities. If you want a quick Halloween read start with Caught Dead Handed: A. Because it's the first book of the series
2. It takes place during the Halloween season.
I really recommend this series for your fun, light, mystery reading needs.

I hope that gives you a couple of ideas for some Halloween reading in these last few days up till Halloween my friends. What out for the spooks and zombies and have a good week! God bless you my friends!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Of Spooky Late Night Searches

Happy Saturday Friends,

I hope you all are having a good Halloween season, I have been munching on Oreo's Halloween cookies, and eyeing the caramel apples. Last Saturday I attended a Pumpkin Festival, I'll post about that day as soon as I get my sister's pics. But today I wanna share a little creepy research fun I ended up having earlier this month.

It all started one late October night when I checked the peeps I follow on YouTube and this video from LarenZSide popped up where she's looking at spooky things sent to her by her users. Some of them to sound and look creepy I will say, but the one that intrigued me was a pic of a Subway sign that said you couldn't use Ouija boards of do seances there.

Well I wanted to show Fangirl this, but I didn't want her to see all the video so I searched the web to see if I could find the pic, well I not only manage to find the pic on the Food For Thought post, but they tell the story behind the sign. Apparently it's an old building that may already be haunted and they don't wanna open a can of supernatural worms... Smart thinking. I use to own one of the Parker Brothers® ones that a neighbor girl gave me cause I thought it was awesome, but then heard way to many stories, so I gave it to Fangirl who's gonna make art out of it, or use it for decoration. I'm weird I think their beautiful and cool looking, but I'm not gonna use one and risk calling up something I can't get rid of.

Watching that video taking the info from that and doing that late night search it put me in the mind of Fiona Phillips from So Weird. Particularly the Vampire episode from season two when she pulls an all night research session on the title creature. Do any of you guys remember that old Disney Channel show, it was awesome, they really need to release it on DVD or something.

*insert cheesy vampire accent* Vell my friends. I hope you all have a good veekend full of spooky fun. Stay safe and God bless you!

Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

The Halloween Season Chronicles

Hello friends! Seems our calendar has come around to the final couple months of another year. Soon we'll be running around throwing up the Christmas lights, we have to start putting them up before Thanksgiving to get done. Mom's already begun the great light check to make sure they are in good shape. But before we begin the journey to the Holiday Season, let's take a look at the recent Halloween season.

Where the Sky is Filled With Balloons

Almost every October Fangirl and I have made a trek to Franklin for their Pumpkinfest. It's the main time of the year, excluding conventions, we can rock the costumes. Fangirl went with her tried and true Fortuneteller get up, this makes the third or forth time since we've been friends that she's dressed as one.

Forgive the scowl, the sun was in her face.



I went as a Fall Fairy this year. My decision for this was based on that leaf crown. It was suppose to be used for my costume last year, but in the rush to leave I forgot it, so I decided to come up with a costume I where I could utilize it.

I've come to sprinkle Fall magic about, or at least some orange glitter.

We got to enter main street the same way we did I think the year before last and found a new tagging, the rat. Some of his toxic waste seems to have spewed on the street. The Crying Guy tag on the doorway in the background was there last time. I wonder what was their mindset. Was it just bored taggings or messages behind these pieces.

Now when we pass through the archway you see in the background some part of me always feels like your stepping into a new magical world. Which when you think about it it kinda is. It's a world of mermaids and pirates, princesses and book characters, superheroes and characters of the screen. It's where you'll see a flame shooting mini bike and a bookstore with cats. So yeah there's a bit of magic it if you look at it with the right set of eyes.
Thankfully it was a beautiful day, though more like a cool Summer day than Fall, which mean still pretty warm.

Lovely sky to receive the 22 balloon we saw lost into it's vastness

When I come into town I have two shops I love to visit. The first is one of my favorite book stores Books Unlimited. I mean it has books first off, but it has so many things I love about it. There's the wood floor, this grandfather clock you pass going into the used section of the store, they have a ship hanging from the ceiling, and of course the cats that are usually found around the shop. I didn't really pay attention this year to see if I saw the cats, I was in a fog of lack of sleep.

The second shop I visit is the Art Room. I love their selection of charms. Last year I think I purchased a charm for my charm bracelet that said beads of life which really I think reflects what a charm bracelet is. This year I decided to start a Halloween charm bracelet. I got a tea cup and saucer charm to represent my Hatter costume and a golden leaf for my fall fairy costume. I want to find charms that represent costumes of the past at some point and just other things that represent my Halloween memories.

You never know the friends you'll meet on a bench

The Thimblerig Circus was back and the lady of the trio was in her gorgeous costume again from last year, we later watched as she allowed her fellow performer to slice the banana in half she was holding in her teeth with his whip.

I LOVE THIS DRESS!

One thing Fangirl and I always do at this festival is the costume contest. This year was brutal and not the contest. It was hot and we're in layers standing in a looong line. We're in the last age group and my mouth was powder by the time we got to be judged. Neither one of us places 3rd when to a Green Arrow, 2nd to the Beast and his little Belle, and 1st was a homemade Edward Scissorhands costume, but they all deserved their wins.

Our day ended with we dining on pizza and visiting my sister awhile, where we were treated to bearded dragon antics.

Evie Pumpkin the Vampire Librarian

Our pumpkin carving was stalled when a call came in from my Granny saying my Grandpa was being sent into emergency surgery to have his appendix removed, it was 82. *Never fear he's alright he got to come home after five days in the hospital* But after the surgery we came home and got the pumpkins done. Thanks to the Daedalus Books catalogue I had books on the brain so I decided to put spooky and books together. With those themes in mind I created: Evie the Vampire Librarian!

Shush or she'll suck your blood.

I doubt you can see them in this picture, but she comes complete a scar and warts, warts were already a part of her lovely aesthetic

Halloween Night Antics

Halloween Night was kind laid back, we made our scarey themed supper, watched our usual movie and I finally caught Hocus Pocus on the tube.
　

Our Ham monster got black olive ears this year.

Well my friends I guess it's time to bid adieu to the Halloween Season. Although Fangirl and I are hoping to do one last bit of Halloween fun by going to see Maedea's second Halloween movie. I hope your week is good friends and may God bless you all.
.

Favorite Halloween Episodes

Hello my friends hope your well this fall day. Whelp we have the pumpkin lights and hay bales upon the porch, defiantly feels like the Halloween season is here. We find ourselves watching spooky Halloween themed episodes of our favorite TV shows. So in that spirit I'm going to share some of my favorite Halloween TV Episodes over the years

The Addams Family (1990's Cartoon): The Poltergeist
You know between Saturday morning helpings of this cartoon along with the cartoon versions of Beetle Juice and Tales from the Crypt Keeper no wonder I'm such a strange character, I learned from the best. Given the Pleasantville atmosphere of the town the Addams live in why am I not surprised the local haunt, excluding the Addams' is something that is a country clubbers horror story. *Giggles as she pictures Bill Murray's character in Caddyshack trying to take on this golf ball headed menace (someone do a drawing of this please)* I cringe thinking of their neighbors scooping out potato salad to Trick or Treaters I mean that is gonna get messy and gross before the night is over, plus I'm not overly fond of Potato salad. I mean just scoop it right in their bags. *Bleh*

I learned when I looked up this episode's info on IMBD that actually it first aired on Halloween. I more than likely watched it so I imagined this helped put me in good spirits for candy begging that night.

So Weird: Boo
I LOVED THIS SHOW! Still do, they need to release it on DVD! I was especially excited for this episode cause to only was it their Halloween episode, but the show's executive producer Henry Winkler, aka The Fonz, was gonna be guest starring. It's also the first time I think I heard of the celebration know as Samhain, which the main character Fi Phillips preferred to celebrate instead of Halloween. The show used what I've learned is the Irish way of saying it Sow-en. I think the writer(s) might have chosen that pronunciation given the main characters ancestry and the town.

Even Stevens: A Very Scary Story
This is probably one of my favorite episodes in general of this show. Louis Stevens and his Penguin Jockey costume really sticks out in my memory. I just wonder if when this aired this made young kids fear drinking milk and eye exams?

Pepper Ann: Tween Halloween
Ah that stage in life when we are torn between wanting to Trick or Treat and wondering if we're too old to do so. I love the fact the show's main character, Pepper Ann, goes to a thrift store for her unique Halloween costume creation the Hot Rod Beauty Shop Patron, or whatever it was. For some reason it reminds me of the time I went as a rocking Grandma for Halloween.

The Weekenders: Nevermore
This is another scenario deciding one's to old to T and T, and what happens when your friend is not pleased with the decision. I find it humorous that at one point one of the characters is singing the show's theme song to himself. I love how the character Tino keeps displays of his past Halloween costumes in the attic. I actually out of curiosity decided to revisit s of Halloween past trying to remember what I've been over all the years of my life.

Hey Arnold!: Arnold's Halloween
It's Halloween time at the boarding house and Arnold and Gerald have decided to frighten the adults with some H.G Wells and Orson Welles style frights, only to accidentally cause city wide chaos. It's strange hearing Brain's voice from Pinky and the Brain being used for the alien "expert" Douglas Cain, which when I was looking up the voice actor name for Brain, Maurice LaMarche, I learned he also does Big Bob Pataki's voice so I guess it's not all that weird. I actually purchased a Nicktoons Halloween DVD mainly for this episode.

Charmed: All Halliwell's Eve

This episode is one of my top favorite Charmed episodes. On this Halloween day these magical sisters get sent back in time when being a witch was a high casualty risk. I'm left wondering if the writers actually researched Wiccan beliefs for this episode, cause I seem to recall coming across similar things mentioned in this episode before.

Castle : Vampire Weekend
It's every cops favorite day of the year, and I mean that very sarcastically. This is one, if not my ultimate, favorite Castle episodes, I know I've said that about almost all the shows on this list. Anyway this episode's got vampires, a Buffy, the Vampire Slayer reference, and a blatant nod to Firefly.

That's where I'll end this list tonight. I'm sure there's many more shows I could list, but I think this will do for now. Have a happy and magically Halloween friends! God Bless!