This Is Halloween?

Mark claimed he was unable to resist devouring Halloween candy, so we didn’t have any the morning of Halloween. This necessitated a run to the local chain grocery — Mark insisted that I needed supervision buying Halloween candy — where we discovered a two-for-one sale on fun-sized Skittles and Twix bars. And aisles of Christmas decorations.

“Hmm,” Mark said as we went home. “We didn’t get fine chocolates for ourselves.”

“True,” I said.

He baked gluten-free brownies.

On the pumpkin front, this year is very low key. I gave the single pumpkin I impulse bought last week a jagged lid and carved a skull out of the pumpkin’s thick rind with holes for the eyes and nose. The teeth look a little like a car’s radiator grille. It’s very basic. Sometimes I like it, other times I’m dissatisfied with how crude it feels. In retrospect, I should have drilled holes around its brows and stuck in marigolds.

At least we have a ton of paper bats adorning the walls. Which I like.

Mark has put up the blower-powered Eldritch Horror: large, purple, inflatable, light-up tentacles. It’s under the front rhododendron and behind some plastic old-timey graveyard fencing. It looks very effective, and it’s the one Halloween Thing Mark seems to be into because he wants to order another one for more tentaclely fun.

I wasn’t sure what the night was going to be like, weather-wise. A dense (and possibly freezing) fog advisory for the morning meant a grey pall over everything. The predicted clearing came around 4:30 PM. At least there wasn’t a deluge. Or — thinking back to Minnesota decades ago — snow and dented parked cars.

I set up the long folding table, placed a green tablecloth over it, and set up the wooden skull, the ceramic jack-o-lantern my Aunt Joanne made, the light-up skull candles, the lava lamps, the spiky-winged siren-ladies crystal ball stand, the blue glass orb, and various tea candle votive ware.

I really wanted to set up a cauldron with an old copper punch bowl and our sonic fog machine, but after an hour of searching the garage and loft, I could not locate it. I am sure I saw it over the summer when we were reorganizing the bedrooms, and it is not in any of the places I recall seeing it. Undoubtedly I will find it this week when I’m tearing the house apart looking for something else.

I did find my RollerBlades (and wrist guards), so I threw on my large black-and-purple cloak, put on the RollerBlades, and swooped around the street for a quarter hour. Apparently, the Dragon Dancing I’ve been doing has been good for my balance: my muscle memory kicked in and it felt like I’d been RollerBlading forever instead of only once a year. Real bats did not join me as I glided up and down the street (as they did once, several years ago), but yes, Saint-Saëns’s Danse Macabre was playing in my head. (“Look, Aoife, John’s back. He didn’t need his cell phone to call the ambulance from the middle of the street at all…”)

Our first group of trick-or-treaters appeared shortly after six. Which was a little late; usually the little-little kids are making the rounds by 5:30 PM. “Oh. More Skittles,” one grateful little ghoul said.

Since Aoife was going a little nuts, I figured it would be a better night if the doorbell wasn’t rung too much, so I set up the square card table in the driveway, next to the garage and in front of the skull jack-o-lantern, with a white tablecloth, two white camping lights, and my tarot cards. (Setting up a flood-lit path to a tarot card reading booth in the backyard had been vetoed earlier that afternoon.)

I shuffled and shuffled the cards. I murmured the invocation to the circle and four quarters. I broke out The Book of Art and a pen. I shuffled the cards some more. I heard trick-or-treaters shrieking from several blocks away. I shuffled the cards and attempted to formulate a question. The night grew cold, and so did my hands.

I settled on a nine-card spread and shuffled the cards some more. This was probably a mistake, as the spread I chose is more suited for a yes-or-no answer with temporal cards filling in the why, and I was asking a “how do I” question about community. The most interesting aspect of the reading was that it started with the King of Cups (fire expressed as water) reversed, and ended with the Queen of Wands (water expressed as fire) reversed. Why, yes, The Chariot reversed showed up, too. And the Two of Pentacles, reversed.

I wrote the cards down in The Book of Art; all suits represented, three upright, six reversed. I will need to do more research, but I’m pretty sure the spread was pointing out that “you’re the common factor in all your failed relationships,” and that focusing on one thing might help. And possibly (looks at Seven of Pentacles sitting in the middle of the spread) I’ve confused “community” with “legacy.”

At some point I managed to coerce Cicero — who had managed to sneak out of the house, even though he’s a black cat on Halloween — into my lap and partially under my cloak. We both appreciated each other’s body heat. I gathered up the spread cards, noticed that they had a faint trace of condensation on them, and started shuffling the cards once more for a series of practice readings — two crossed cards over a line of three cards — to flex my cartomancy muscles.

Around 7:45 PM the second group of trick-or-treaters, three little girls, slowly approached the table. “Aw,” one said when Cicero leapt out of my lap and into the shadows of the neighbor’s shrubbery. They were very polite and effusively thankful for the candy loot, and somehow managed to scamper off before anyone could ask for or be offered a one-card tarot draw.

By 8:00 PM, it was clear that no other trick-or-treaters were going to walk by our house. I dismissed the circle and the quarters, pulled up shop, and asked Mark if he wanted to go looking at neighborhood jack-o-lanterns. At first he was happy letting me go by myself, but then changed his mind and we were walking up the hill.

Our street was dark. On the next block we passed by one house with a jack-o-lantern and orange lights, and another house with the resident dog’s dog toys dramatically lit up and hanging from a tree.

We continued to climb the hill and turned the corner onto a dark street. I was stunned. We passed the silhouettes of houses. In the distance, a railing glowed with white and orange lights. We passed an empty porch with a single smiling jack-o-lantern: the piece of its pumpkin grin had been split and stuck on the sides as ears (or horns).

“What the hell?” I asked. In my memory, this street had been Halloween Central, packed with teeming hordes of trick-or-treaters — light-up jellyfish, vampires, witches, Sith, ghosts, fairies, Mario Brothers, pirates, Minions, princesses, X-men, and the occasional sexy werewolf — and homeowners in lawn chairs holding block parties in their driveways. “It’s like someone sucked the Spirit of Halloween out of this town!”

“Well, the Y had a trunk-or-treat party from about five to eight.”

“Trunk-or-treat,” I scoffed. We turned the corner to the apex of the hill. The former Halloween Party Houses appeared to be mostly empty, although there was an axolotl distributing candy to two small trick-or-treaters at one front door. We turned the corner to another empty street.

“Well,” said Mark, “pumpkins aren’t very ecological and their transportation has a big carbon footprint. I could see folks deciding not to do jack-o-lanterns this year.”

“What the hell?” I asked the darkness. Aside from a giant inflatable pumpkin-headed scarecrow, we were the only ones on the street.

“You’ll have to sign up for trunk-or-treat at the Y next year,” said Mark. “You could decorate the car, and it’s a social event and you like people.”

“Ugh,” I said. “Trunk-or-treat is lame — Oh, look, they’ve got a good ghost projection.”

“Traditions change,” Mark said. “And so do neighborhoods; the closest neighbor kids are graduating from high school.” Mark pointed out a car that had been working its way down the street, pausing at any house with a hint of Halloween to disgorge three kids, collect them, and repeat the process five houses later.

“I guess the night peaked at seven?” I hazarded. We passed a house projecting a swarm of multicolored objects that turned out to be witches on broomsticks.

“Let’s go down this way,” I said, hoping to find more Halloween activity on a busier street.

“What the hell?” I said a moment later as the only thing lighting up were the street lamps. A car drove by.

“My poor husband,” Mark said. “People are probably at events downtown. The Eugene Ballet’s fundraiser party is at the Hult Center. And Halloween has become yet another holiday event for adults to drink, like Cinco de Mayo.”

“Win Money! Money! Money!?” I said in my best A Charlie Brown Christmas voice.

“Your decorations are the Most Sincere,” Mark said as we returned home.

I mused on trunk-or-treat to try to pin down exactly what my problem is with it. I vaguely remember it appearing in Octobers about ten to twenty (?) years ago, and thinking it was odd and anemic even back then. It seemed like it was a work-around for extra-rural families who literally lived five miles away from each other — which is fine and I get it — but in urban settings, the replacement of the trek from house to house to five steps to the next car’s trunk felt like an incredibly tame and domesticated consolation prize. A little more research reminded me that it started as a conservative American church movement to replace the folk tradition with something more Godly, transforming it from a mysterious interstitial period to a safe, sanitized, candy distribution event. And it’s occurring to me that trunk-or-treat would be a recommendation side-bar in any October edition of The Fearful Parent Magazine (Informing Parents On Ways Your Child Could Die In Seconds This Month, sponsored by the Baby-Industrial-Military Complex).

I want my Halloween to be a journey about choosing what masks we wear and what masks we take off, and a way to collectively examine our chaotic fears and wishes and desires — the tricks — and the ways we appease and order them — the treats.

And yes, when I was a child, a costume was a cool by-product of collecting tons of candy from the neighborhood (that I’m one hundred percent sure my parents did not pillage).

I suppose I’d do trunk-or-treat if I could do Sexy Trunk-or-Treat (cue Jeffrey’s dad from the movie Jeffrey woodenly saying, “That’s so hot.”).

---

“So,” said Mark. “Today is All Saints Day, right?” Then he brought out the gilt angels and put them on the mantel.

Carving Out Traditions

It’s the week before Halloween! This is going to be an interesting week, I think, as the normal weekly schedule of events is swizzled around from the regular sequence and events are more firmly scheduled and mandatory.

So, no rest for the wicked if the house is to be properly decorated for the proper Ides of Autumn mindset! I’ve laid out the seasonal T-shirts — I’m currently wearing a black T-shirt with the Le Chat Noir printed on it — and the obsidian, onyx, hamsa, and glow-in-the-dark bracelets. I will have to alternate between singing “This is Halloween” and “Making Christmas” to get through the week.

Since I’m the one in our house that likes Halloween, I have to be the one doing all of the decorating. I do agree with Mark that the week before is the time to do the decorating, and that putting out the oversized skeletons and the huge, inflatable pumpkins on October first is a bit much. The strategy for not being overwhelmed is to schlep all of the decorations out of the attic and have them accessible so that individual items may be deployed over a week-long period. A paper bat a day keeps the weariness away!

I purchased a ten pound pumpkin — on impulse — Saturday when I was doing an out-of-band, early-morning banana run for my Elderly Parents. My latest pumpkin carving technique (used several years running) has been to carve a small, serrated disk around the pumpkin’s stem for a lid, and then carve a larger jagged ring around the lid, flip the ring around so that it makes a crown, and then carve a kind of armored mask face underneath. It’s effective and artistic, and I am trying to figure out a way to do something different this year.

Maybe I’ll carve bananas on this year’s pumpkin. Or a Medicare form.

Last year I carved a bat shape out of the back of a jack-o-lantern and managed to project a bat shape onto the wall behind the jack-o-lantern. This was also a craft that caused me to be pleased with my own cleverness, and… maybe I’ll try cats this year in an attempt to sidestep the “been there, done that, got the T-shirt” aspect (looks pointedly at the Le Chat Noir T-shirt he’s currently wearing).

We’ve received our mail-in ballots for the mid-term elections. I suppose for a public service, I should carve “vote” into a pumpkin.

This year Halloween is on a Saturday. I feel like I should have gotten an invitation to a Halloween Party or a ritual or something, but nothing has materialized. I’m thinking that I may have to figure out a gluten free shortbread and make bat cookies for a Halloween cookies and tea time for myself and Mark. Maybe I’ll carve an empty party table onto the pumpkin.

October is also insurance enrollment time; this year our options have been reduced and folks are having to choose between more expensive coverage with local healthcare providers, or cheaper coverage that requires an hour-commute to a doctor’s office. Perhaps I can create a design for a caduceus that is also a dollar sign and carve that on the pumpkin.

For me the season is about mystery and masks, of transitions and transformations, of the intersection of enclaves and frames. As a cross-quarter time, it’s the most interstitial of interstitial periods. I’ve always focused more on the intuitive, divining, secret, regenerative information aspect of Halloween and less on The Ancestors and The Dead (and I suppose by extension The Unborn) aspect. I’m not sure if this makes me practical — because I’m pretty sure most of my dead friends and relatives wouldn’t like to be hauled back from Whatever Otherlife to participate in a (gay, cis-male) Northwestern European, Wiccan-flavored ritual, and I have enough problems trying to gather live folks — or if not focusing on The Ancestors during Halloween makes me an ungrateful and unfeeling lout. (In my defense, I test out as an ENTJ.) I think we’ll put up photos of deceased relatives on the mantel and skip a ritual summoning or dumb supper.

Perhaps I should carve a family tree onto the pumpkin.

Oh! Right! Daylight Saving Time ends on Halloween. Maybe I’ll carve the pumpkin into the shape of a clock and lost hours.


Discussing Decorating with Fire with a Chatbot

I want to have decorations with fire!  Sometimes I think it would be fun to have a large pumpkin that has flames coming out of its top or spouting out of its mouth. Or torches!  Or the bottom half of a cast iron barrel with snake forms cut out of it and burning firewood, with colored flames of green or purple.  Or some kind of convection-powered mobile made out of flaming bats (not real bats, maybe metal bats?)  Or maybe a musical instrument, like an organ that shoots flames (pause to consider a laser beam harp)!    

However, my husband is Mr. Safety, and is 100% convinced if I do any of this I'm going to set the house, if not half the neighborhood, on fire.  Or at least my long hair.  What sorts of fire-based decorations could I come up with that will pass Safety protocols.  (I also don't want to burn down any buildings, I just want to have some cool flaming things for October 31.)

🤖

Fire-based decorations can be mesmerizing and perfect for creating a spooky ambiance on October 31. However, safety should always be the top priority. Here are some fire-based decoration ideas that are designed with safety in mind:

1. **Fire Pits**: 

   - Use a commercial fire pit or a DIY version made from bricks or metal.

   - Ensure it's placed on a non-flammable surface and away from any structures or trees.

   - Use a metal mesh cover to prevent sparks from flying out.

2. **Colored Flames**:

   - Purchase special flame crystals or logs that produce colored flames when burned. These can create green, blue, or purple flames.

   - Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

3. **Tiki Torches**:

   - Use commercial tiki torches filled with citronella oil. They're designed to be stable and safe.

   - Ensure they're placed in open areas away from flammable materials.

4. **Tabletop Fire Bowls**:

   - These are small, controlled fire features designed for outdoor tables.

   - They use gel fuel, which burns cleanly without producing sparks.

5. **Fire Lanterns**:

   - Made from paper and a small candle, these lanterns float into the sky. However, they can be a fire hazard if they land while still lit. It's essential to use them responsibly and ensure they're legal in your area.

6. **Flameless Candles**:

   - Battery-operated candles can create the ambiance of real candles without the fire risk. Some even flicker like real candles.

7. **Water + Fire Features**:

   - Consider a water fountain with a fire feature. The combination of water and fire can be both beautiful and safer, as the water can act as a barrier.

8. **Fireproof Decorations**:

   - If you're keen on the idea of flaming bats, consider making them from metal and placing small, controlled gel fuel containers beneath them. The flames can lick the bats without setting them alight.

9. **Fire Extinguishers & Safety Protocols**:

   - Always have a fire extinguisher on hand.

   - Ensure all decorations are stable and won't tip over.

   - Keep a bucket of water or a hose nearby.

   - Never leave any fire unattended.

10. **Flame Effects**:

   - If real fire is too risky, consider using lighting effects to simulate fire. There are LED lights and silk fan combinations that create a very realistic flame effect without any actual fire.

11. **Flame-Throwing Organ or Instruments**:

   - This is a more advanced project and should be approached with caution. If you're serious about it, consider consulting with a professional pyrotechnician. They can guide you on creating safe flame effects synced with music.

Remember, while fire can be a captivating decoration, it's essential to prioritize safety. Always consider the surroundings, keep flammable materials away, and ensure there's a quick way to extinguish any flames. With careful planning and safety precautions, you can enjoy the mesmerizing beauty of fire without risking harm.

What I really want is a Huge Bonfire in the Street that we can all dance around while singing, "This is Halloween!  This is Halloween!"

🤖

A huge bonfire in the street would indeed be a spectacular sight and a memorable way to celebrate Halloween! However, there are significant safety and legal concerns associated with such an idea. Here's how you might approach the idea while keeping safety and regulations in mind:

1. **Permits and Regulations**: 

   - Before even considering a bonfire, check with your local city or county regulations. Most municipalities have strict rules about open burning, especially in residential areas.

   - If allowed, you'll likely need a permit, and there may be size restrictions on the fire.

2. **Safety First**:

   - Ensure the bonfire is a safe distance from buildings, trees, cars, and other flammable materials.

   - Have fire safety equipment on hand, including fire extinguishers, buckets of water, and a hose.

   - Designate a few responsible adults to monitor the fire at all times.

3. **Alternative: Controlled Fire Pit**:

   - If a bonfire isn't feasible, consider a large, controlled fire pit or several fire pits. While it won't be as grand as a bonfire, it can still provide the ambiance and warmth you're looking for.

4. **Flameless Alternatives**:

   - Use LED lights, projectors, or silk fan flame effects to create the illusion of a large fire without the risks.

   - Arrange these in a circle or central area where people can gather and dance.

5. **Community Involvement**:

   - If you're envisioning a community-wide event, consider collaborating with neighbors or local organizations. They might have ideas or resources to contribute.

   - Organize a parade or procession leading to the fire area, adding to the festive atmosphere.

6. **Music and Dancing**:

   - Set up speakers to play "This is Halloween!" and other festive tunes.

   - Encourage costumes, singing, and dancing to make the event truly memorable.

7. **Safety Barriers**:

   - Set up barriers or ropes around the fire area to ensure people don't get too close, especially children.

8. **Cleanup**:

   - Plan for the cleanup afterward. Ensure the fire is completely extinguished, and the area is cleaned up.

9. **Insurance and Liability**:

   - Consider the potential liabilities. If someone gets hurt, there could be legal repercussions. Check with your homeowner's insurance and consider getting additional event insurance if needed.

While the idea of a huge bonfire in the street is exciting, it's essential to prioritize safety and adhere to local regulations. With careful planning and consideration, you can create a memorable Halloween event that captures the spirit of the celebration without compromising safety.

Perhaps there is a way to rig my RollerBlades to leave a trailing curtain of flame behind them while I glide through the night ? 

🤖

Creating a trail of flames behind your RollerBlades would undoubtedly be a visually stunning effect, but it's essential to approach such an idea with extreme caution. Fire is unpredictable, and combining it with the motion of RollerBlading increases the risks significantly. 

If you're seriously considering this, here are some steps and precautions to keep in mind:

1. **Safety First**:

   - Wear flame-resistant clothing, especially on your legs and feet.

   - Ensure your hair is tied back and covered to prevent it from catching fire.

   - Use safety gear like a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads.

2. **Fuel Source**:

   - Consider using a controlled fuel source like a small canister of propane or butane. These can be regulated to produce a consistent flame.

   - Ensure the canister is securely attached to your RollerBlades and has a shut-off valve for quick deactivation.

3. **Ignition Source**:

   - Use a pilot light or electronic ignition system to ignite the fuel as it's released.

   - Ensure the ignition source is stable and won't go out while you're moving.

4. **Flame Control**:

   - Use a valve or regulator to control the size and intensity of the flame.

   - Test the system at various speeds to see how the flame behaves.

5. **Emergency Shut-Off**:

   - Have an easily accessible emergency shut-off mechanism to cut off the fuel supply instantly.

6. **Practice in a Controlled Environment**:

   - Before attempting to RollerBlade with flames in public, practice in a controlled, open environment away from flammable materials.

   - Have a friend or assistant nearby with a fire extinguisher.

7. **Legal Considerations**:

   - Check local laws and regulations regarding open flames and public displays. You might need a permit or face restrictions.

8. **Alternative: Flameless Effects**:

   - Consider using LED lights or glow-in-the-dark materials to create a "trail" effect without actual flames.

   - There are also pyrotechnic spark generators that can create a spark trail without an open flame.

9. **Risk Assessment**:

   - Understand that even with precautions, there's a risk of injury to yourself and others. Assess whether the visual effect is worth the potential dangers.

While the idea of leaving a trailing curtain of flame behind your RollerBlades is captivating, it's crucial to prioritize safety above all else. If you decide to proceed, consulting with a professional pyrotechnician or special effects expert is highly recommended. They can provide guidance on creating the effect safely and effectively.

Okay, okay; learn from Wiley Coyote....  How about this:  we get the lower half of  metal drum and attach ten or so metal fins to the rim so that they're forty-five degrees from the rim's tangent.  We put firewood in the drum and light it.  As the fire draws fresh air over the fins, it would make a Fire Tornado!  How high would the pillar of flame get, do you think ? 

🤖

Creating a fire tornado using the setup you described is a popular demonstration and can indeed produce a visually stunning effect. The principle behind it is that the angled fins introduce rotational air movement, which, combined with the rising hot air from the fire, creates a vortex or tornado effect.

Here's how the setup might influence the height and intensity of the fire tornado:

1. **Size of the Drum**: 

   - The size of the drum will determine the initial size and intensity of the fire. A larger drum can hold more fuel and produce a bigger fire, which can lead to a taller fire tornado.

2. **Number and Angle of Fins**:

   - The number and angle of the fins will determine how much rotational air movement is introduced. More fins or a steeper angle can produce a faster rotation, leading to a more pronounced tornado effect.

3. **Fuel Type**:

   - Dry, lightweight materials like paper or leaves can be lifted by the vortex and contribute to the height of the fire tornado.

   - Hardwoods or logs will burn hotter and longer but might not produce as dramatic a vortex unless the fire is very intense.

4. **Environmental Factors**:

   - Wind and ambient air movement can influence the fire tornado. A calm day is best for producing a clear vortex, while wind can disrupt the effect.

5. **Height of the Fire Tornado**:

   - With a standard-sized drum (like a 55-gallon drum) and optimal conditions, you might expect a fire tornado several feet tall, possibly reaching heights of 6-10 feet or more. However, the actual height can vary based on the factors mentioned above.

6. **Safety Precautions**:

   - Place the drum on a non-flammable surface and ensure it's stable.

   - Keep the setup away from buildings, trees, and other flammable materials.

   - Have a fire extinguisher or water source nearby.

   - Monitor the fire at all times and never leave it unattended.

   - Be cautious about adding fuel to the fire once the tornado effect has started, as this can lead to unpredictable flare-ups.

While a fire tornado can be a mesmerizing and relatively safe effect when done with precautions, it's essential to prioritize safety and be aware of the risks. Always ensure that the setup is stable, and be prepared to extinguish the fire if it becomes too intense or uncontrollable.

I'm wondering if replacing the fins with a continuous metal spiral around the firewood or fuel would be more effective.

🤖

Replacing the fins with a continuous metal spiral could indeed be more effective in creating a consistent rotational airflow, which is essential for the formation of a fire tornado. Here's why:

1. **Consistent Airflow**: A continuous spiral would provide a more uniform and consistent introduction of rotational air around the entire circumference of the drum. This could lead to a smoother and more defined vortex.

2. **Increased Surface Area**: The spiral would have a greater surface area than individual fins, which could enhance the effect by drawing in more air and increasing the rotation speed.

3. **Adjustable Rotation**: Depending on the pitch (spacing between the turns) of the spiral, you can influence the speed and intensity of the rotation. A tighter spiral might introduce faster rotation, while a looser one might be more gentle.

4. **Fuel Considerations**: With a spiral, you'd need to consider how you're placing your fuel. The spiral might interfere with stacking logs or larger pieces of wood. However, smaller fuel sources, like twigs, leaves, or wood chips, could work well.

5. **Heat Distribution**: The metal spiral will heat up as the fire burns. This could further influence the airflow as the hot metal might cause the surrounding air to rise faster, enhancing the tornado effect.

6. **Safety**: A continuous spiral might be more stable than individual fins, especially if it's securely attached to the drum. However, the same safety precautions apply: ensure the setup is stable, keep it away from flammable materials, and always have a means to extinguish the fire nearby.

In conclusion, a continuous metal spiral could potentially be more effective than individual fins in creating a fire tornado due to its ability to introduce a consistent and uniform rotational airflow. If you decide to experiment with this setup, it would be interesting to compare the results with the fin-based design to see which produces a more pronounced effect. Always prioritize safety and monitor the fire closely.

Science!  With Fire! 

Halloween 2021

This year's Halloween was not exactly a fulfillment of all my spooky cross-quarter hopes, dreams, wishes and desires.   There was no costumed ritual with mist and fire; there was no mystic visions or portents from Tarot cards.  There were no masks blurring boundaries between self and not-self.  

Mark and I did hike up to the top of Spencer's Butte with Aoife and had a token snack at the top -- it wasn't a dawn salutation to the sun, and I spilled hot tea on myself -- but the slanting sunlight through the clouds and river fog was picturesque.

Then it was off to Trader Joe's for party supplies.  

I had hauled the decorations from out of the attic about a week before -- this involved a lot of stooping, a head flashlight, and smacking into at least one roof beam.  

I'm thinking we need to re-arrange our front room a bit because right now it's in a COVID configuration that is too cluttered for anything but frat-house decor (this is mostly my fault, as Mark is our resident Marie Kondo) .   I am grateful that the lava lamps are out for a while, and at least this year we got the Trick-o-Treating cats out long enough to enjoy them.  

While shopping, I forgot to get Mark some Toblerone and earned the epitaph of Bad Husband.  To atone, I set out to the local Rite Aide for some Toblerone (and Almond Roca), which almost always involves standing in a line for way longer than one would imagine or wish for.  

We did have a tea party of sorts, but for various reasons -- I prepped the food too late, I was the only one into it, nobody on the very small guest list showed up -- it was particularly anemic.  Mark made some yummy cheese dollars.  I brewed a carafe of tea over a tea candle, and made cucumber savories.   I cut an apple laterally to make slices with stars at their centers.  Then I binged on Almond Roca and poured the extra tea into a thermos to save for later so I wouldn't over-caffeinate on a school-night.   

The little mini-pumpkins we bought this year had thick, hard rinds; this made it hard to carve them --  and while they came out adequately, I ended up with a broken mellon-ball spoon (a useful tool for carving eyes) and sore hands.  Eventually, they were hung on stakes in front of the house.   

The Child opted to spend all of ten seconds carving the pumpkin I'd saved for him by whacking it with a hammer to give it two dented eyes and a crack for a mouth.  

I did manage to carve a pumpkin and managed to get a Witch-King of Agmar vibe from it, so there was that.  And the jack-o-lanterns and candles were quickened with flames ignited by the focused rays of October 31st.

By five o'clock all the candles were lit, all the little treat bags Mark had decorated were ready, and the Trick-or-Treaters had yet to show up.  I figured it was time to thrown on the black and purple cloak, strap on the RollerBlades and wrist-guards, and glide up and down the street a few times.  I surprised one neighbor as I veered around a corner, and after her startled "oh!" we wished each other a Happy Halloween.

Camille Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre played in my head as I swooped around.

It was enough.

Halloween Tea Party

I was scrolling through old blog posts and came across a reference to a Halloween Tea Party.  And now, of course, I want to hold one at the end of this month.  Something with bat-shaped cookies, and black tea, and clever little snacks.  I'm not sure how to make it work, however.  

First, there's COVID-19 and social distancing considerations to take into account.  That means an outdoor event.  An outdoor event means making some sort of provision for rain.  And possibly getting an outdoor heat source, like a fire-pit (heavily regulated by the city) or a natural gas outdoor heater (utilitarian and ugly, or atmospheric and impractical?).  

And then there's the dog, who might have to be boarded elsewhere to keep her from channelling her inner Cerberus and eating someone. 

After a quick check of the 'net... it might be too late to book a city park structure....

Ugh.  I guess this will have to be a Zoom event with tele-snacking... Well, humph. 

I yearn to make up for not having a gathering on last year's Full Moon Saturday Night Halloween, but it looks like that's not going to happen this year.  I will have to think of something else:  perhaps a dawn processional hike of Spencer Butte with top-side ritual-lite tea (and umbrellas) is in order.

Halloween Idea from the Past

 This is a note to me from my past self (11/15/2020)

This year for Halloween, make a Witch-King of Angmar style jack-o-lantern, with a high crown by giving it a narrow-toothed, jagged rim and then turn it stem-side down.  You might even try cutting a second lid for a multi-tiered affect.  Think of that one Ace of Swords tarot trump with a crown surmounting a sword. 

Halloween Wings

For October 31, I wanted to RollerBlade under the full moon light.  Traditionally, I've done this in my billowing black cloak; this worries Mark, who is convinced that I'm going to slip, knock myself out, and get squished by a truck.

This time around, I decided that I would work on white wings, which would show up, and then, in the very unlikely event that I did slip and knock myself out, I would be a white heap in the middle of the road, illuminated by the silvery full moon.   

I started construction on the first of the month.

I thought about how I might make some wings that weren't too horrific looking.  There's a woman on the Internet who made black wings, bird feet, and a beaked full head mask.  I didn't want my head covered because I wanted to be able to see, but her tutorial about how to put together wings from feathers based on actual birds was instructive.  I also thought I might be able to pull off something like the winged costumes used in Akhenaten.   

The first step was to make a small model of the wings in chipboard before cutting out feathers and wings from some sheets of cardboard that we had.  I thought I might be able to make the wings bend at the elbow; this might have worked, except that I didn't have a model arm to fit into the model wing -- so I didn't realize until later that my elbow doesn't bend in the same plane as the wing model did.

Luckily, I had the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Feather Atlas as a resource. The most difficult part was figuring out how to scale up the wings so they wouldn't look like dinky little hand fans or so that they wouldn't be so large that I would be unable to get out of the garage.   And there was also the question of how to wear my wrist-guards with the wings.   I had a rough idea of how long I wanted the tip-to-tip wingspan to be, and I spent something like three hours with a compass trying to work out proportions.  

Since I didn't want to have to keep track of ten or so chipboard pattern guides, I cheated a bit and only made four and doubled-up on similar sized feathers.  Then it was cut-cut-cut-cuting on the cardboard.   This wasn't so bad, as the weather was still nice, and I could work on them in the mid-October sunlight. 

The next step was cutting out the wings; I figured that by doubling up the cardboard and folding it, I'd have structurally sound wings with less of a chance for accidental, mid-flight molting.  It was around here that I discovered that bending wings wasn't going to work (luckily, we had enough cardboard that I could experiment with forms).  I experimented around with feather placement in the wings and determined that it wouldn't look too horrific. 

The wings did look a little less owl-like than I hoped; I was slightly bummed out about this until I decided that I was going to look more like Daedalus than an actual raptor.  And I tried to keep my mind off of Icarus (perhaps if I were younger and more buff....) 

The last week of October, and the final steps were painting the feathers.  I attempted to imitate the look of the barbs with the brushstrokes, but it was super subtle.  I think if I had mixed in small drops of black paint, I might have had more obvious looking barbs.   On October 30, I discovered that I'd dropped a feather on the ground and it was only half-painted.

Attaching the feathers to the actual wings was a labor of duct tape and glue.  And clamps.  And really heavy objects.  And I got the feather overlapping reversed on one of the wings.  

But the end result certainly passed the five-foot rule (if it looks good from five feet away, you're good) and was more or less what I wanted.  Judging from various neighbor's reaction, the wings were a startling success.  

A mid-afternoon test run assured me the wings weren't going to fall apart on me or adversely affect my balance.   Mark commented that I looked like an ancient Egyptian image, which was gratifying.  And kept my mind off of how sore my shoulder muscles were.

Halloween.  I lit jack-o-lanterns in the back.  The Full Moon rose.  The leaves had not yet fallen much, so the street was free of slick spots.  

As I glided through the shadows and the patches of sliver, I raised my winged arms and felt the air lifting me.  The wind exalted my hair.  The arching branches above merged with the canopy of stars.   

Second Annual Eugene Coffin Race

 Today is a grey day, overcast with sprinkles and threatening heavier rain.

Mark and I went on a hike around Spencer Butte.  The leaves are turning red, yellow, and orange--and a some are beginning to degrade to brown.  The mushrooms of a few weeks ago have become large, dark growths, which have toppled over into the mud.

We ended up at the Raptor Center.  I've never been to the Raptor Center, but, alas, it is closed until November 2, 2019.  I imagine they have owls and various hawks.

Yesterday (10/19) were the Eugene Coffin Races.  Think soap-box derby with a Halloween theme.  Mark and The Child declined to go; there's a lot of standing around waiting for things to happen, and the various vendors' and Typical Eugene Activity tents don't appeal to them.

I enjoy seeing some of the artistry in the various carts.  I think the most creative entrant was the Eugene Skinner Grave:  that team went to the Pioneer Cemetery and recreated the large slab covering Eugene's founding father.

The most technical entrant was a re-created ladder truck, from the Eugene-Springfield Fire Department (it had two steering wheels).

The funniest entrant (for me anyway) was "Coffin' and Sneezing", which was a giant tissue box driven by a nose and pollinating flower ... although the "Roller Toaster" (a bathtub body surrounded by electrical appliances) from "Dead Bath and Beyond," was pretty funny, too.

Other entrants were more Horror Film oriented.

I managed to get some photographs of the qualifying safety-check races before the actual race (a majority were foiled by the auto-focus deciding I really wanted a shot of a stray twig or guy-wire).  There was one crash that I saw, but it didn't seem too catastrophic (unlike last year, which featured at least two high-speed crashes--one involving an obelisk impaling a hay bale-- and one wipe-out).

If I were going to make an entry into the Coffin Races, I'd want to do a riff off of the Strettweg Cult-wagon.

On the Gym Front:  Went to the gym Friday (10/18) and did the regular routine.

On the Writing Front:  One of my flash stories has been short-listed; there's a something-to-fifty percent chance (according to the market) it will be actually published.  I've only been trying to break into this market for almost a decade, and this is the first piece I've submitted to actually make it past the first hurdle, so it would be nice if this flash was accepted.

Looking at this month's submission history, I should get more stories into the mail; August currently holds the record for most stories submitted in a calendar month.

November Jack-O-Lantern Prophecy

November 1, I hung the tiny jack-o-lanterns from the tree out back.  I think I'd like to fill the tree with about three times as many pumpkins next year (although they would be tempting for the stupid squirrels and I'd have to practice just accepting that a few of the jack-o-lanturns would be mauled for seeds.  

But having a tree filled with glowing faces and illuminated with flickering candlelight would be worth it, I think.  I keep thinking that I'd like to have an outside Tarot reading table for Halloween night, but the logistics of getting folks into our yard are tricky.

Cicero was uncharacteristically cooperative with the camera, and I got a few good black-cats-and-pumpkin shots.  Mark was unimpressed because A) what's the big deal about Halloween and B) yet another cat photo on the Internet.  Oh well.   

Now it's been a week and The Child was wistfully wondering if he could take a baseball bat to the hanging jack-o-lanterns, one of which has had its face gnawed off by squirrels.  I told him no because A) it's post-Halloween and B) beating effigy heads is for the uncouth and ignorant.

Besides, I think there's a kind of prophesy at work -- the first jack-o-lantern to fall off the tree was the one with the jagged smile, and the one with the mauled hole for a face looked like a knight, and will frowny one be the last?  There must be a meaning in there.  

 

I'm guessing that if this were one hundred years ago, the last jack-o-lantern hanging would turn out to be my husband.  It sounds like researching crow counting rhymes and other folk oracles may be in order.

Halloween Decorations

The neighbors up the street have hung this over a corner.  I'm probably dating myself because the first thing I though when I saw it was the U2 lyrics:  "they look for you, but your spirit is in the air -- baby you're nowhere."

Other neighbors have put up spiderwebs.



I guess we need to get pumpkins....

Halloween Musings

The Child and I want to take Halloween in different directions.  For him, it's still about getting tons of candy from the neighborhood and filling the house with zombies, skeletons, and bloody blades.  For me it's more about how masquerades change our perceptions.  Mark's not really into Halloween; he's more into Thanksgiving and Christmas.  

Some folks say during Halloween, the veil between the worlds is thin and the inhabitants therein can visit between the worlds -- when the Grey Folk and the Dead and the Ancestors and the Numinous Ones visit.  For one of my friends, it's about looking into the shadow parts of oneself in order to deal with them more effectively.  For me Halloween is a time to be someone you're not.  To find surprises that jog you into a new awareness or understanding of yourself.  

Like Christmas, Halloween has gotten commercialized and the focus has shifted from the True Meaning of Halloween to Getting Loot.  The aspect of trick-or-treating that has been lost is that it is a gifting custom from the days of mumming.  Essentially the trick-or-treaters are gifting houses with the effort they put into their outfits.  They're essentially saying, "I am an embodiment of your fears, your anxieties, your wishes; I am the reaper, I am the forces of conflict unresolved, I am the dead you need closure with, I am the hero or heroine of your personal story."  Starhawk used to write, "Where there's fear, there's power," and the ritual of trick-or-treating is exchanging the gift of power of addressing inner fears with the gift of food... well, OK, candy.

This is going to be the first Halloween where I don't have RollerBlades, so I wont be able to glide along the streets underneath bare tree branchs and moonlight.  I still haven't replaced my old RollerBlades since they fatigued apart after the encouner with the giant leaf pile.  Mmmm. Gliding in the moonlight, trailing leaves behind, a silent shadow in the street.

This year I carved a Janus-faced pumpkin.  The pumpkin had a flat side, probably where it had grown against the ground.  That side had a divot, which made a great place for a nose.  I gave it a frowning grimcace and crescent eyes.   The other side of the face was more rounded; I give it a toothy smile and triangular eyes.   Mark is away at an East Coast Wedding, and The Child was disinclined to carve anything, so it was just me and the cats.  The afternoon was clear, and carving in the sunlight on the deck felt like a late Summer job rather than an Autumnal one.  Later I carved the mini-pumpkins with the intent of hanging them from some kind of tree.  But between one thing and another, I ended up suspending them from a stick between two rods.  They were still spooky.

2017 Wordos Halloween Shorts

Last night was an early Wordos Halloween holiday shorts  reading.  For once what I pounded out came in at a little under 800 words, so there was no last-minute hacking away at the manuscript to make it fit the word count.  I even managed to work in a bit from the other night's dream (I'm thinking my sub-conscious is a better writer than I am some times).   The stories ranged from the funny to the political to spooky, and we all ate too much. My story was a haunted spaceship story that I think I can send to various flash markets after I clean up the manuscript (Wednesday morning I imported it into Scrivener and cleaned up some of the syntax errors).

I was presented with a cool StoneKettle pen and thank you card for fifteen years (mostly) of leadig the Wordos Table.  

Afterward, we relocated and had a discussion of "The Fifth Season," and dystopias, and robot fashion, and facial recognition, and Internet privacy, and story lengths and plans for writing or avoiding  NaNoWriMo, and web comics and Anime, and then it was time for me to turn into a pumpkin.  

Halloween Decorations

 

I love Halloween. And I love carving little pumpkins.

This year we finally found the perfect spot for the string of skeleton lights: the mantle.  In previous years we've hung them over the front or back windows, where they haven't been as effective.  They need to be next to a background, not hanging next to glass.

The little pumpkins strung up out front.

A spooky picture of Smokey.  Usually he looks much more laid-back.  I think he was annoyed that the camera was interrupting his nap.

Mark found the firework "flashers" from the Fourth of July, so we'll probably put those inside these guys on Halloween night.  Maybe I'll soak some newspaper in isopropyl alcohol and....