BFF# 137 Spooky

I was outside this evening shooting more photos of my 2011 Halloween Display, complete with a fog machine, broom and torch:


©Susan Dusterhoft 2011

The theme this year was orange and black...

©Susan Dusterhoft 2011

 Things were photographing nicely...

©Susan Dusterhoft 2011

 I was really liking the shots...

©Susan Dusterhoft 2011

My broom looks totally cool...

©Susan Dusterhoft 2011

Then this happened, and I was totally not prepared...look closely...this is no joke.

©Susan Dusterhoft 2011

Then I took this one, look closely again...he seemed to be a bit more friendlier...

I know I said I was becoming more "in tune" with everything around me, but this is S-P-O-O-K-Y!

On This Night All Hallows' Eve

Off to storage to retrieve unholy treasures,

climbing up to the rafters to seek out dark pleasures.

Box after box thrown down to the ground,

open them all to unearth lost and found.

Years it has been since they’ve last seen the light,

shiny bits and dark baubles destined to take flight.

One by one and two by two,

ideas formulate…let the designs ensue.

Orange and black is the theme tonight,

with burning candles to shine ghostly light.

The path is narrow and shadowed with fog,

no gates to open here but watch out for the dog.

Vampires and werewolves, zombies and witches,

hold onto your hats and take hold of your britches.

Knock on the door and hold our your bag,

cover your eyes and pray for some swag.

She’s wicked they say and don’t touch her broom,

her many spells have enchanted her groom.

She dresses all in black and has several wands,

loves her candles and pampas grass fronds

Look! Her torch is lit to scare the sainted,

be careful of smells that could leave you fainted.

The cauldron is lit and the liquid is bubbling,

the scene is all set…this could be troubling.

Do not be fearful, it’s not what you think,

she’s just boiling water for a hot fruity drink.

She appears quite normal but looks can deceive,

on this night All Hallows’ Eve.

Eerie noises escape as the door opens wide,

out of the darkness we see a hand to provide.

The sweets we have waited all year for free,

but what she picks up is just her cup of tea.

“So sorry children, I am all out of candy.”

“I have PMS and it was all that was handy.”

“Do you like my decorations? I had lots of fun.”

“Too bad it’s just one night and not a dry run.”

“Don’t look so disappointed. I’m just the first stop.”

“Head for town quickly to the ice cream shop.”

“All the kids will be there lost in sugar reverie.”

“Here’s ten bucks for cones compliments of me.”

She says good night and closes the door.

Why did we worry? We couldn’t ask for more.

Heading off on our bikes with the loot in hand,

never hearing her cackle as she chants her command.

This post is written for The Writer's Post Blog Hop# 20: Thrills and Chills - Halloween Style! Interested in learning more, please check out the link below!

Wordless Wednesday

©Edward Dusterhoft 2011

©Susan Dusterhoft 2011

©Susan Dusterhoft 2011



©Susan Dusterhoft 2011



BFF# 135 Witchy Woman

Ok, so I don’t have raven hair or ruby lips, and I haven’t driven myself to madness…yet. However, Halloween is almost here and I must admit I have secretly loved this time of year forever.

 Not only is it the chance to let loose and decorate like a mad woman (time to bring out the cape, broom and all the cool Tchotchkes), but it allows me to stop wearing the mask that I have on most of the time. I am like an onion, and I have many, many layers.

I have been hiding for years...it is only recently that I have decided to start peeling away a few layers to reveal who I really am.

For some, this day brings thoughts of terror, haunting and distress, but frankly, I’m not into horror or the macabre, so those aspects of this holiday hold no interest for me whatsoever. However, since the Harry Potter phenomenon, I have decided to explore some of my inner “witch”.  And, since I really like to read, there is a lot of interesting stuff out there to explore, not to mention the fact that I really need some answers to a few things.

I have always had a strange connection to things around me. I wouldn’t call it an impending sense of doom, but rather a strong feeling that something is about to happen…whether bad or good. For years, I squelched these feelings probably because I didn’t understand them, but more than likely due to a staunch religious upbringing. I am not afraid anymore to have an opinion that goes against my ingrained traditions. More importantly, I have decided to not stomp out these feelings and run with them instead. So, I have thrown open the door, the windows, my mind, my heart and anything else I can open to become more in tune with the elements around me and try to make sense out of it all.

Now that I have opened this portal to strangeness, I just want to say that I am not trying to search for the meaning of life. Rather, I am just trying to figure out why I can feel things about to happen, interpret the reoccurring dreams I have, understand the connections I have to people and things, discover why I have this incredible and intense need to unearth these deep, dark secrets about myself that I never knew existed, and find out the answer to why I sometimes get pulled in another direction when I am in the middle of writing.

There are so many roads to take and I am almost giddy with excitement. I hope I can stand the ride as I don’t do well on the twists and turns. Maybe I should stock up on the Dramamine now, or at the very least, some ginger pills. (Oh man…I’ve done it again…holistic versus traditional medicine??? This is not the time to go there!) But, for now, I am going to explore my love of Halloween art – the fun side of it – not the creepy. It’s time to start peeling away another layer…

Yes...I do feel Bewitching...

...and Beautiful!

Time to go out and show the world!

So this Halloween, why not peel away some of your layers, and explore your inner "whatever"? You might be surprised by what you'll find and realize that it is the hidden gems that make us really cool and unique individuals!