31 October 2013

Happy Samhain - All Hallow Eve Blessings!!


I simply love this time of year!

Memories of my childhood press in on me.  Not of Trick or Treating, as we did not do that.  Where we lived the houses set on huge tracks of land, 20 to 100 acres or more each, so going from house-to-house would have been an all day and night project!  The mothers (and a few dads) began donating their time to turning the school into a Halloween Festival every year.  On stage in the auditorium, Mummers and Minstrels would put on a show, and the whole building was transformed into a spooky wonderland. 

At 4PM the kids, dressed in their costumes, would hurry back to school,.  There was something oddly magical about being inside the school at night, slightly taboo, vaguely sinister.  Once the classes were organized, there was a parade through the whole town.  Often, kids with ponies would ride them as part of their costumes.  The parade would wander back to the school, and then everyone went up on the stage by class, and the audience could clap for the best costumes for each homeroom.

 Before the children glimpsed the magic in the basement rooms and gymnasium, there was a turkey dinner for everyone in the school cafeteria.  Our kitchen staff was super cooks and it was always a favorite event in the village.  After that, the gym would be opened up and the awe of wonderland would unfold.  It had been decked out with hay-bales, pumpkins, crepe paper, dried cornstalks and orange and yellow lights.  There were various booths for games of chance - a cake-walk, bean bag toss, even bobbing for apples.  A band was brought in to play music.  Monster Mash was always much requested.  In one room, they had set up a projector that screened cartoons with a Halloween theme.  Another was given over to a professional Punch and Judy style puppet and marionette show.  Each year the honor fell to the eighth grade kids to create a haunted house, back in the storage rooms that were rarely used.  And boy did they!  I recall, when I was eleven, they gave me NIGHTMARES with their gruesome scenes of torture!  Bingo was held down in the far wing for those seeking quieter entertainment.  There was simply something for everyone to enjoy.  

The love at the holiday festival spun my Shoes, Shades and Faerydust short story.

When I was 12 was one of the best ones the parents had put on.  The night was glorious. Sadly, after that it was decided that parents were too busy to bother.  They kept on with the turkey dinner and the parade, but it was never the same.  Something very precious and innocent was lost to going around begging for candy.

So this day, I will enjoy the kids coming to the door in their costumes, smile at their pleasure, yet I will feel sad they are denied the childhood magic I so enjoyed when I was their age.

Happy All Hallow's Eve


27 October 2013

Serendipity's view of Trick or Treat La Grange Day




Downtown La Grange businesses tossed a bash for the kids (though the adults have a marvelous time, too).  They close off Main Street and allow the kids to to from business to business Trick or Treating.  I won't load all the enchanting images, too many.  211 and I am STILL loading. 




A BIG Congrats go to Lillian and Becky at Serendipty Cafe and Gifts for hosting the Zombie Walk.  They must have started over with around 150 people, and picked up about 50-75 more as we went along.  I was tired and almost didn't go, but was glad I did.





Lilian, owner of Serendipity


Serendipity's Staff getting into the Zombie Walk spirit!




Facebook Album -https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151932930085709.1073741839.659475708&type=1&l=33a206780c





Sue Ann, of Rainy Days hosting the costume judging and looking lovely.





A wonderful Dad taking his two girls out to enjoy the day.





Candy has a ball.  Serendipity allowed her to pass out the treats to the kids.  She dressed at a witch and the children loved it.



A marvelous time was had by all!!
 

 




25 October 2013

And the winner is SHADOW!!!

Halloween Flash Fiction Bash: Deborah Macgillivray's contest has ended! And the winner is Shadow! She won print books of Sisters of Colford Hall series by Deborah Macgillivray– The Invasion of Falgannon Isle, Riding the Thunder, and A Wolf in Wolf’s Clothing, and of Dawn Thompson's books: Renegade Riders, Counterfeit Heiress, and The Daughter of Time! Congratulations! Don't forget the FREE READ is for all trick or treaters. 


 



 


Shadow please email me at Romance.Writer.UK@gmail.com to arrange shipment of our books!

CONGRATS!!!


20 October 2013

Shoes, Shades and Faerydust - a KMN Halloween Flash



My friend Karen Michelle Nutt asked if I would pen a short story for her Halloween Flash
at KMN Books

http://networkedblogs.com/QeEG4

Check out the sweet romance of young love and special pair of red shoes

While there, enter the contest - I am giving away three books

The Invasion of Falgannon Isle
Riding the Thunder 
and
A Wolf in Wolf's Clothing

In remembrance of my dear friend Dawn Thompson
I shall also include three of Dawn's book

Renegade Riders
The Counterfeit Lady

and
The Daughter of Time



16 October 2013

Boots looking so healthy


Boots has been staying inside about 13-17 hours a day.  I gave up trying to get him moved in with Algie in the carport room.  Algie was having none of sharing his house.

I started bringing Boots in to make sure he was getting food, instead of other cats outside stealing it.  He's gained weight, and staying inside most of the time and the half-starved cat is looking so good.  Mouse isn't thrilled he's inside, but she is doing better than Algie is.

15 October 2013

Nice, Nice, Baby





I have been watching the Vanilla Ice Project on DIY for over a year. Vanilla Ice was a big one hit wonder – a white rapper with Ice, Ice, Baby . . .long time ago. When I first saw the show I thought. . .WTF? But I quickly learned Rob (Vanilla. . .lol) has excellent taste in renovation/flipping. He generally doesn't go in for middle class houses, but takes on Mansions of Palm Beach that have seen their better days long before Ice, Ice, Baby was a hit. He blings them out in high ticket taste and really knows what he is doing. He especially does gorgeous kitchens.

So when the second season came along – Vanilla Ice Goes Amish, I went WTF?????. The Amish are known for shunning many of the ways of the world. What was Mr. Tattooed Rob going to do dropped in the middle of people that likely have barely heard of him? Despite his rapper persona he wins them over, finds gentle humor in the culture clash and comes across with a wonderfully genuine show that points out two extremes the world can find a middle ground and work small miracles.

Doesn't get more perfect than this!




13 October 2013

Magic and Wonder of Serendipity at Halloween

Serendipity Cafe and Gifts 
116 East Main Street, La Grange, KY, United States 40031

is the most magical place.  It's owned by Lillian and her daughter Becky and they create the most magical place to come and visit.  I love exploring the many rooms of items for decoration, the best scented candles going, treats, most heavenly ice cream, burgers, chicken salad, chili and more.  They just have it all.
I love having lunch, or just sitting outside and writing.

I thank the lovely ladies and their wonderful staff for welcome Candy and me nearly everyday on our walks!

This is Serendipity ready for Halloween.  I cannot wait to see them all decked out for Christmastime!















La Grange's Railroad Festival

The beautiful day started off at The Copper Awning where we shopped for neat stuff and sampled the Chili Cookoff.  There were nine different Chili pots.  Candy and I both thought #1 was the best.  I came home with a statue of Neptune for my garden.

The back to the village for the Railroad Festival



Utopia Galley has one of the most imposing scarecrows

 

Dizzy Dave's East paid homage to both big universities in the area - U of L and U of K
with their scarecrows.


Jennifer at The Art Galley on Main Street added this adorable scarecrow



La Grange Arts & Crafts added a Spongebob Scarecrow


We paused by the kiddies train ride










We watched the train robbery reenactment at the Railroad Museum, done by
Christian County Cowboy Church

 

 



Yeah, that is a life-size "dog" walking through the crowd!  lol

There was bluegrass bands all through the days.



You never know what you will see in La Grange. One of the surprise highlights was Mario. A couple brought their parrot down to enjoy the music. He was happy to pose for me. Accepted by compliment "You're a pretty bird" with the reply "Yeah" LOL. His favourite song of the day was "Summertime" and he seems to love small girls.



Even the horses passing by took an interest in the music and the crowds.

Candy and I even managed to get 4 mile walk in, so the day was great fun all around.