Samhain Blessings

Wishing you all a wondrous night . . . . May the Crone guide you safely back and forth across the Veil Between The Worlds as we bid this year farewell and welcome another turning of The Wheel. Blessed be!

Halloween Hijinks

Hello, my pretties! *cackle*

[Cough, hack, snort] Sorry, out of practice. Welcome to Halloween Hijinks for 2008. Yes, I know I'm a year late with these photos. So sue me, I've been busy!

Come closer to me, darling blog readers! Oh, don't be afraid of these little claws of mine. I only use them to tickle!

Every year my Rare One and I carve two pumpkins. We put these fearsome jack-o-lanterns on our front step, accompanied by our two very realistic-looking rubber rats named Cardinal Ratzinger and Archbishop Fang. Here are the pumpkins which we carved last year:

Oho, scary stuff, I know! I carved Athena's owl silhouetted against the Crone's crescent moon:

And my Rare One carved the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz. Her Royal Highness liked this pumpkin best. She's always secretly thought of herself as a lion, too.

On Halloween night, after handing out candy to many little trick-or-treaters, we took a wee ride around our neighbourhood to see the spooky decorations.

Even Her Royal Highness got into the spirit of Halloween and had a good time!

Samhain Preparations

Last October, my Rare One and I were in Italy. Among other things, we enjoyed a wonderful visit to Cinque Terre, which is the collective name for five tiny towns close together on the Italian Riviera. In the town of Monterosso, I spotted these beautiful witchy brooms carefully stacked against a small retaining wall. They were obviously someone's working brooms waiting there for future use. But I knew they were not just anybody's brooms nor were they just for any kind of work . . . . They must belong to the local strega and her coven . . . . Samhain is coming! The veil is thin. We fly at midnight!

A New Model for Canada-U.S. Relations?

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw this cartoon over at Yellowdog Granny's blog a couple of days ago. Of course, we Canadians are much too friendly, nice and just plain polite to actually SAY this to our beloved American neighbour. But, you know, sometimes we like to THINK it when we're fantasizing about what it would be like if we were a rough, tough Superpower too. And then we give our toques a shake and go back to reality!

Pimp My Blog

Like my new blog header? It was designed and created for me by Caroline of Whimsical Whispers, using one of her fabulous photographs! Caroline has started a new business doing blog headers, blog buttons and complete blog make-overs. You can find all her business info (including her very reasonable rates) at the appropriately-named Beautiful Blog Headers. Thanks, Caroline!

The Deborah Award!

I am so honoured to receive this blessing from Sarah at Cottage Garden Studios! Thank you so much, dear Sarah, I am very touched by your generosity of spirit.

This award was created by Ces of Ces and Her Dishes to honour her friend Deborah of Midlife Poet -- "poet, friend, not just a mother but a soldier's mother too. Oh, the sleepless nights, the anxiety and worries, yet she is perpetually pleasant and cheerful, kind and gentle, diplomatic and tactful. She exudes courage, hope and faith."

This award honours "friendship . . . there is nothing more wondrous a blessing for anyone than for a friend who came and never left your side."

Now it is my pleasure to pass the Deborah Award on to others. I nominate everyone who is an "official follower" of my blog to receive this friendship award! It is a very special kind of friendship to voluntarily read someone else's thoughts, opinions, hopes, dreams, complaints and assorted mutterings over the course of time . . . and I thank all of you so much for doing so! If you want to accept this award, please post it on your blog and pass it on in turn to your special friends in the blogosphere.

Halloween Knitty Kitty Update

Woo hoo, I won! Thank you, Mrs. B and Thalia! The Halloween Knitty Kitty will have a good home with me, I promise!

Now I'm off to do my Happy Dance!