Halloween

When we were in elementary school and, again, when I was a teacher of young children, we always at sang a special song at this time of year.  It goes:  “Halloween is coming.  Halloween is coming.  Halloween is coming.  Oh, what fun!”  And, here we are – Halloween is coming.  SOON!

We gather the candy.  Make the popcorn balls – even with COVID in the wings.  We buy tiny toys.  Anything that kids might want to receive from their pleas of “Trick or Treat.”  I always give fancy pencils, along with some chocolate.  The kids love pencils, and I love chocolate! It’s always a test for me not to eat all of the candy before trick or treaters arrive.

Time was when we lived on a very busy street, we had at least a hundred children come to the door for their treats¸ every year.  My house that I’ve lived in for about fifty years, now, is on a one-block street between two strong north-south streets.  Children don’t seem to see the two houses that face our street with “place” in the address.  Many a year, we only have a dozen trick-or-treaters and, sometimes, fewer than that – and, sometimes, none.  In the beginning, we were disappointed that we had so few, but we learned to live with it.

I remember what might have been my first time, ever, going out trick-or-treating.  I was in junior high (that’s what we called seventh and eighth grades, then).  Several of us went together and stayed out until around nine o’clock.  Nine o’clock!  That was a huge departure from our usual time for being at home.  I remember that we collected coins for UNICEF, as well as the candy.

For many years, the Christmas season tended to push other special fall days out of the picture.  Halloween.  Veteran’s Day.  Columbus Day.  Thanksgiving.  Store, TV. radio, and paper advertising appeared with Christmas ideas.  Today, it seems different.  We begin seeing Halloween decorations on lawns and house tops in early October.  Keith and Rita (neighbors) have a spectacular spider in their front yard.  Spooky red eyes.  Long legs.  Big body.

Other houses in the near neighborhoods have equally gigantic spiders.  Some in their yards.  Some on the roof.  My new neighbors to my east have a graveyard in their front yard with skeletons climbing out of the grass-topped graves.

My only Halloween decoration, this year, is a smallish, cloth, pumpkin jack-o-lantern that hangs from one of the metal supports that hold up the covering of my front porch.

When my children were still at home, we carved our jack-o-lanterns using huge hubbard squash.  While the outside of the squash was really difficult to cut and took a very sharp knife, the inside was much easier to remove than when working with a pumpkin; opening the top to reach inside and remove the seeds and strings of goo.  To  make a jack-o-lantern using the traditional pumpkin means sticking your hands into the pumpkin and pulling out slimy, stringy material along with the seeds – seeds, which, of course, can be toasted for a healthy snack  The slimy stuff, for me, is just another reason for using the dryer, harder to carve, hubbard squash.

Today, the Jack-o-lantern makers have a new-to-me pumpkin.  Until today, I had never seen a pumpkin like the one in the photograph.  I’m not sure how to describe this pumpkin.  Lots of bumps all over it.  Is this what a zombie is supposed to look like, as shown in television horror movies?  The pumpkin belongs to Daughter #3; I don’t know her plans for it.  It may become a Jack-o-lantern … or not.

My hope for each of you is a safe All Hallows’ Eve of love and candy and pencils and fun.

Be safe and well.

The Cranky Crone

Thoughtful comments are appreciated.

Just a note or two – closure for previous blog articles:  The many people who lived  in the house to my east have vacated the premises.  Our new neighbors are an adult son and his mom.  She creates gorgeous wreaths and other floral displays, using artificial flowers.  He is in construction.

And, I’m pleased to report that the cottonwood tree in my back yard has had her “every-six-year” trimming.  The lightning aerials are in tact and in good order.  These are important because she is the tallest tree on the block.  The apple tree will wait a while, as will the box elder tree. Today’s crew boss told me, again, how much the tree climbers like to climb that tree!  I think they are a bit crazy, but what would I do without them?  So, all is well in my back yard.  The bunnies, squirrels, birds, and other critters that I don’t even know about will be able to go about their business of living.