Monday, October 17, 2011

Scary Tricks & Treats In My World

BLUSHINGLY BRIGHT images in their last gasp, such as this Virgina creeper, fill the nooks and crannies of the places I explore in my world.

Birds chirp somewhat anxiously from within trees that soon will be bare. Although southwest BC has the mildest winters in Canada, some will be packing up and winging to warmer regions by the end of fall.

Chimes swing as breezes build, casting soulful melodies in the cooling air.

Puffs of pillowy clouds rarely hang in the sky now. Rain clouds and morning mist persist in saturating ...

the washed out flowers already dripping with too much moisture.

The watering hoses that failed to keep the grass green in summer will soon be rolled up and out of sight.

Backyard picnics will creep indoors.

The cat with a summer haircut will need its coat back for the coming chill.

There are walls of bright orange pumpkins at each new turn.

Spooky black cats, bats and witches appear around every corner amid pumpkin pie temptations and memories of hay rides on a farm.

Some reflect on Halloween's past as they unwrap their seasonal decorations and carve strange expressions into pudgy blank faces.

I remember trick or treating as a child when the pillow case full of goodies I collected was ripped from my hands by teenagers lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce. I cried mostly because I thought I should have hung on tighter or put up a fight. I went trick or treating twice that night.

As this mask of American television personality Charlie Sheen shows, Halloween traditions stemming from ancient times evolved into a harmless excuse for both children and adults to play dress up and become actors.

Real fears are associated with the season, however, especially after razor blades were found embedded in apples several years ago. As a result, children are warned not to accept fruit or sweets that are not fully packaged.

Statistics Canada says that in 2009 $331 million was spent on Halloween candy alone. On October 31st costumed children will knock on doors and treats will be handed out by the truck loads. Pretty princesses, wicked witches, little pirates and giddy goblins will appear on thousands of Canadian doorsteps.

There is usually one door in the neighborhood that will be a little scarier to knock on than most.

To view more sights from around the globe visit Our World.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

17 comments:

  1. Lovely pictures showing fall colours. I too like the sound of the wind chimes, sometimes dreamiy sometimes haunting.

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  2. Fantastic autumnal pictures. The raccoon made me smile, he looks so at home. In fact at first, I thought, "Strange markings on that cat"
    Just a minute I'll go back and check it WASN'T a cat. (later) no, it's a raccoon. Do you have a pet raccoon? :)

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  3. What a fun and wonderful selection of autumnal images. Already I am missing the sounds of the birds.

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  4. Wonderful sequence!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  5. What great views of your world in autumn and terrific captures. Love the raccoon and the cat with the haircut!! How fun! It's a great season! Enjoy your week!

    Sylvia

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  6. Laughed at the raccoon and at the cat with a summer haircut. Hope it gets its hair back or stays indoors.
    I hate masks, they give me the creeps. So do clowns, mimes and those "giants" which are actually people on stilts.
    Bravo for little you going trick-or-treating twice in one night. If I had been a child robbed by teenagers, I'd likely never have left home for a year.

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  7. My guess is you are already prepared for Halloween. I look forward to seeing the trick-or-treaters that come to my door too.

    There sure is a lot to do in autumn to get ready for winter, isn't there?

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  8. Wonderful shots of great variety.

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  9. Time, it is a changin'! Beautiful. The cat photo has me smiling.

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  10. You gave me a good laugh with the cat with a summer hair cut, what a befitting description.

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  11. A fun look at fall in your part of our world. I must say that kitty looks a bit put out, maybe she is camera shy.

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  12. Whoa! Lovely selections to depict fall.The raccoon has posed well. :)

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  13. What wonderful autumn shots. That raccoon looks very much at home!

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  14. Nice to know your winter is milder, penelope, but wait... maybe is it from Canadian standard? My winter is relatively mild. As far as I remember, this is my first time to see a haircut cat. Hope its hair will grow sooner to survive winter chill. Your autumn color looks pleasantly orange-brown, the pumpkin color, so far. Enjoy your autumn!

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  15. Thank you for your comment Penelope. My sister has a brain tumour only a part of which could be cut away. Prognosis is not the best. My husband has pretty advanced dementia and after leaving him for four days, although the grandchildren looked in on him, I found he is too far gone to be left again. Life has a few challenges to keep me on my toes.

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  16. "was ripped from my hands by teenagers lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce." Hmm, this happened to me when I was little. I was too frightened to tell anyone what had happened, thinking I'd be blamed. Instead, I said I lost my bag, and then couldn't backtrack because I had told a lie about losing it. No candy for me that year!

    I love the photos in this post! xx

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