A few years ago, I saw Mr. Bradbury on C-Span, and someone called in and said he read "The Halloween Tree" every October. That struck me as a great idea, and ever since I have started reading this gem the first day of October. I have in my Hallowe'en collection a small article I tore out of an old Reader's Digest, called, "Tricks! Treats! Gangway." In it, Ray Bradbury tells with loving memory about the Hallowe'ens of his youth, especially the one of 1927. It is pure magic, and for years I have read it in the dusk of October 31, before the "Hallowe'eners," as we used to call them, start coming around. Hallowe'en (see, I still spell it in the old-fashioned way) has always been by far my favorite holiday, as it is to Mr. Bradbury, and Hallowe'en would not be Hallowe'en without him--

Hi Viktoria, that is an awesome way to celebrate All Hallow's Eve. I hope people post their pics of Halloween Trees this year. I have a little Japanese weeping cherry that would look fine with brightly lit orange pumpkins hanging from it.

As of this writing it is nearing the end of October. The leaves are falling still and skittering away in their merry dance with the autumn wind. The fragrance of wood fires and Hallowe'en is in the air. It is time to find a comfy chair with your favorite tea, angle the light just right, kick off your slippers and put your feet up and snuggle in with your favorite Bradbury story. Mine is anything he's ever written, and anything he ever will write. The man has a way with words that puts you in the story. October with Bradbury stories...how can life get better????

Our Halloween Tree was completed tonight. Twenty or so orange, October orbs in our not so old oak. Interestingly, we received two inches of snow yesterday. So, there is a six foot snowman guarding the pumpkins from mischievous neighborhood squirrels -and kids- who may consider some seasonal shinnanigans!

Snow and Jack-o-lanterns. That is a conflict of interest!

Snow, what Snow? We do have a cold front coming and it will get down in the 60's!

Ok, that's enough! The snowman melted, tipped over, and what happens? Those darned squirrels made their move.

Now there are as many pumpkins scattered on the ground as there are swinging in the tree. We'll let them feed and reload (the tree) prior to the weekend.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fjp451,

fjp451, I spewed on that one, sorry. Good luck getting them reloaded. Boy, the squirrels are vicious right now. One threw a walnut at my head the other day. Talk about nut envy.

RL: I always liked this play on words,
"Thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes. What eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel?"

Very nice fjp451! Gotta bat the bat back to your court...

...And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted--nevermore!

Mr. Poe's "Raven," a perfect poem

and this-
"I'm being ironic. Don't interrupt a man in the midst of being ironic, it's not polite. There!"
"You've locked me in chains!'
"So I have."
"What are you going to do?"
"Leave you here."
" You're joking."
"A very good joke."

Indeed!

For the love of God, Montressor!

...the rain falls gently on the pane.

...pins and needles, needles and pins, it's a healthy(?, now I have to go back and watch this episode of the Honeymooners)man who grins.

...SERENITY NOW!

“…it’s a happy man that grins.”

Quoth Ed Norton “Evermore.”

Thanks Chap, I'm all better now...