Well, autumn is here. Last Sunday, at the very moment fall began, I lighted my autumn candle and let it burn for one minute--I do this every year. On the first of Oktober (not a typo, that is the way I spell it) I began reading one chapter a day of "The Halloween Tree." I finished the third chapter this morning before I left for work. The boys have visited Pip's house and seen that he does not look well. And they are in the Ravine now, the Ravine that is filled with "lingerings of autumns that rolled over in fire and bronze and died a thousand years ago." Mr. Bradbury has given all of us this gift, and he and his literary offspring are forever a part of this most wonderful time of the year. Look out, pumpkins, here I come! (There is just "something" about the reek of scorched pumpkin flesh--)

Viktoria, the astronomer in me feels compelled to mention that autumn has been going on longer than you think: it started on 20th or 21st September! It's linked to the Earth's relationship to the sun, rather than being tied to the start of a month. (See this page on the equinox for the explanation!)

[Stands back while flames hurtle in from folks who use non-astronomical definitions of the seasons]

However, I agree that the start of October is the correct time to be reading The Halloween Tree. Or, indeed, Something Wicked This Way Comes.

"World turn! Leaves burn!
Grass die! Trees...fly!"

(In Christmas-sing-songy vox):

"It's the most!
Wonderful time of the year!"

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum
I smell the approach of Autumn
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum
Smells just like cinnamon
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum
It won't catch us if we run
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum
Something Wicked This Way Comes

phil, I well know when autumn came in, on the 23rd of September this year. I thought that kind of odd, because I usually think in terms of the 21st or the 22nd (my computer froze up yesterday, so I am now just getting back on this). Oktober 1 just marks the begining of the things I always do to honor this month--reading "The Halloween Tree," "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," running my own Boris Karloff's "Thriller" tapes, etc. Have a wonderful month, and, needless to say, "Happy Hallowe'en!"

(Pssst! At around 3:40 this morning, Grasstains was talking in her sleep again! Rhyming, yet!)

GRAAAAHHHHHH!!!!


(fyi: that's Zombese for "Happy Halloween")