Vampires and Brides

 I have to admit I no longer understand Halloween or, at least the "Trick or Treat" part.  I live in the first house at the entrance to a large complex of condos and apartments.  Lots of kids can be seen here every day.  But, come Halloween night few show up at my door. Despite all the decorations I place in my yard, the bright lights illuminating my walkway and the basket full of treats at the ready my doorbell seldom rings.    

As I write this, it is going on eight o'clock and we have had exactly two little ones.  And they were the children of friends that stopped by at four o'clock on their way to visit one of the huge subdivisions, in one of the wealthy neighborhoods.  

I've been told by some of the parents in my complex that they do not like taking their children around our neighborhood because the layout of the buildings takes to much time and so many of the residents work in the city that   the doorbells aren't answered.  They like the more plush pickings that the big subdivisions across town offer.  

Over at the Thursday Photo Challenge this week's theme is "Dress Up" and I was hoping to capture some shots of adorable little ghost and gobbles as they came to my door.  Since that is not going to happen I am resorting to my plan "B" and several shots I took yesterday.    

While sitting at the stop light at Jefferson and Fifth Streets I notice something unusual in the window of the Bridal Shop on that corner.  I pulled over and got this shot of a bride holding a skull.  If you look closely you will also see some strange reflections in the window.  They are from the tire shop across the street.

During my visit to Wal-mart last night, I ran into Paula one of the greeters.   I retired from this store, when I married the Old Salt, and I have known Paula forever.  She is a sweet lady and if I remember correctly she has to be nearing eighty.  Paula, told me she was the only associate that dressed up for their shift this year so she won the "best costume" prize by default.  She also said she was dressed as a your friendly Wal-mart Vampire with bats bouncing on her head.   

Linking to the Thursday Challenge

This weeks theme is "Dress Up."

Jack-a-lantern Wall

This family has been lining the walls of their terraced flowerbeds with jack-o-lanterns for as long as I have lived in town.  This year the wall is all orange pumpkins.  They have used everything from pink, purple, black, orange or a mixture of colors (including a few real carved pumpkins) over the years.   As the above photos show the plastic pumpkins even light up at night.

Linking to ABC Wednesday

This weeks theme is the letter "P".

yard art Thursday -- Black Cat

Yesterday the Old Salt and I traveled to a neighboring town to run some errands. As we always do, we cut through some side streets to avoid the traffic on the main drag; when suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I noticed this large black object in a yard we passed that appeared to be moving. We passed so quickly I couldn't determine what it was. I asked the Old Salt to go back. Since this has become such a frequent occurrence he no longer questions why?

What I thought was going to be a quick look and possibly a photo or two turned into a very pleasant half hour visiting with the family that was in the process of decorating their yard for halloween. We got a first hand demo on the making and installing of ghost and witches, that led into instructions on how to care for mums, which became a class on drying and painting birdhouse gourds, that somehow segued into the art of getting the nutmeat out of black walnut hulls and shells, because some member of this family was adept at each of these activities.

I'm sure my photos and newfound knowledge of all these subjects will make its way into some future post. But, now I want to share with you that black moving object that originally caught my eye because it is perfect for yard art Thursday.

this big black cats eyes follow you everywhere as its head moves from side to side

goose is dressed as a devil for halloween

I was told that this is the good witch

but the ghost is really Spooky. Yep thats his name.

Mary T. at the Work of the Poet hosts Yard Art Thursday. To join the fun or just check out the yard art discovered by others visit Mary and her friends atWork of the Poet.

Theme Thursday -- halloween

Halloween is the subject of this weeks Theme Thursday. I had to really give some thought to what I would post this week. I debated on writing about what Halloween was like back in the dark ages when I was a child. I contemplated a piece on how the holiday has changed over the course of my lifetime. Then I considered taking my camera around town so I could show all of you how a small rural town decorates for the season. In the end I decided to showcase some photos that had nothing at all to do with Halloween at the time they were taken but certainly give that sense that the little ghost and goblins will be ringing the doorbell anytime now

This first shot is of the Old Salt and his brother checking out the jack-o-lantern sculpture at Laumeire sculpure Park in St. Louis.


Next we have some very Halloween-ish looking hot air balloons what we captured recently at the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque.














To join the fun or visit more participants from around the world visit Theme Thursday