Just My Crazy Side (Halloween)

Since I took care of business the other day about "Requiem" being out, I need to do my Halloween posts, starting with my visit to "Spirit of Halloween" store that pops up this time of year in any available vacant store. So, here we go...

This is me hanging out with some of my friends. They're on the thin side, but boy can they dance!

This was part of the haunted bridge you crossed. 

Children who had come in with their parents were having a ball activating these things that stood or 

hovered over the display. They spoke too. If you had money to burn, and wanted to scare the crap out of trick-or-treaters, you could do a number with these things.

Especially the nine-foot clown or the werewolf that had a horrific snarly growl and shook the tree next to him.

This little girl rode her bike and her eyes glowed blue. I think yellow eyes would have been more effective myself. But she was on a track and moved back and forth. All of these had a pad which you stepped on to activate them.

And this vacuum cleaner was motion activated and was sort of cool. Too bad it didn't actually suck up dirt. I could use something like this around the house. The thing on left side is a giant spider that jumped out at you. You could use one of those for Jehovah Witnesses who come to the door too often.

 And, finally this skull, and other things like it, moved the jaw as it spoke something horrific. I think it was a doorknocker. Clever stuff. If only I had money and could have a party at the house...

Nah. Maybe not. I'd wind up calling 911 so many times, I'd ware out the operator.

Anyway, had fun for free at this place.

Next time I'll show off what I did around the house. Not much, but I'd like to share.

Pumpkin Fest 2016

Hi all! How is your Halloween traditions going?

Yesterday we went to Sycamore (Ill), to check out the pumpkins on the courthouse lawn. This has been a tradition for this town for 55 years!

The tradition here started by Wally Thurow, known by all as "Mr. Pumpkin", in his own front yard and it just grew so immense they had to find a larger place for it. The fest lasts from Wednesday into the weekend of Halloween, or before. The pumpkins and gourds are donated to anyone who wants to join in. And they are judged and given 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in different categories, and divided by ages. There are adult sections as well. I think the one below is "Scary & Ugly"

I love to see what kids can think up...

We roamed up and down town Sycamore, where we went in and out of stores (once they opened). We were really disappointed in the fact that almost none of the vendors were getting meats cooking over the grills yet, and we have eaten either a butterfly pork chop or bratt before ten in the past. We had to get something inferior (in other words something opened up and heated in a microwave. Well, at least the money goes to a good cause. All proceeds go to various charities). Maybe all of these people were watching the Cubs loose to the Indians and stayed up way past their bedtimes, like we did, the night before.

We stopped into a craft store and bought some Door County blueberry coffee for morning.

After walking back and forth, in and out of shops for a few hours, we went to Blumen Gardens, where it was peaceful and quiet. This place is a treasure. I know the owner really wanted a crowd in that day, but they were taking advantage of the quiet and switching over to Christmas.

They bought an old factory and used to the best of it all the building and materials to make a truly unique place. I'll have to get back here some time to do a more thorough picture story on it.

Here is a doorway out into the garden area.

This is yours truly squinting out at Dennis taking my picture.

Well, that does it for today. Hope you are having a good Halloween Eve. I'm going to work on my murder mystery today. Couldn't get Halloween off. Oh well!

Leaving you with one of my spooky ghosties flying under a tree in my backyard!