Friday 31 October 2014

The Darkening Sky.

It is 3.30pm and already the light is leaving us. Do you like Halloween? I love this atmospheric time of year, lighting candles, brief chilly afternoons, the low golden light. Plum cake, wood-smoke and ghost stories. I'm not really sure about some of the Halloween traditions though, it's has all gone a bit too bling I think. Every year I trawl pinterest for some good pumpkin ideas, but mine the kids ones ALWAYS look like this.

The kids really want to go trick or treating-do you do this? This year I am crying off with the excuse of the beginnings of a seasonal virus and Mr S is talking about having a wee drink with some work friends so for us I think some cake, sparklers and a good film.



After the kids go to bed I think I will curl up with some hot damson vodka and a good book. Do you like my 'scary' picture above? It is an Victorian or Edwardian oleograph that I had had since I was a teenager. My friend M and I were two incorrigible Goths and we used to spend all our wages on getting the train to Bangor to buy Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus bootlegs from this brilliant record shop that used to be there. One day I spotted this in an antique  junk shop and dragged it home. Mr S hates it and since it hangs over the bedroom fireplace I do have some sympathy with him but I still have affection for it. The colours are not as dull as this photos suggests but it is a tad gloomy. Do you and your partner ever pour scorn on the others taste?

While I am tucked up in my bed I am going to call over to Plain Jane's blog, she is having a spooky storytelling session today/tonight and I have retold one of our family ghost stories. Why don't you pop over and tell one of your own? Also one of my favourite Irish authors has also been story-telling for Halloween, you can find the link to Nuala Ni Chonchuir's evocatively creepy story on her blog, Women Rule Writer. Don't forget to put a candle in a dark corner and set an extra plate for All Hallows Eve, you don't know just who may visit.

Here is the beautiful Peter Murphy and the deliciously dramatic Bauhaus to keep you company while you wait...

6 comments:

  1. We do pumpkins still and I used to have Halloween parties here with games etc when the kids were smaller, other than that it more or less passes us by. Agree about the winter evenings though, once I'm over the shock of the length of them I get into knitting by the fire with a glass of wine and am quite content to hibernate xx

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    1. Yes, I do like the pumpkin craving, they are great fun to do with the kids.
      Thanks for popping in CT!
      xxx

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  2. Oh how i used to adore pete murphy....brings back all those memories a fab post...now popping over to plain janes for a yarn....bestest
    daisy j xxx

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    1. Yay, another PM fan, so glad you enjoyed it Daisy.
      All the best.xxx

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  3. Found you whilst blog hopping :)
    And had to reply because my Mum and Dad live in Bangor :)
    I quite like Halloween, I used to hate Truck ircTreating but actually really enjoy it now, I think if it as a community event :)
    Jillxo

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  4. Hi Jill. so glad you found me - I do like a bit of blog hopping myself so I am going to pop over to your emerald cottage. Hello to Jill's Mum and Dad in Bangor -I love that walk from Helen's Bay across the beach and cliff into Bangor-beautiful.
    All the best,
    Shauna.xx

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