Husking Bee

The term "bee" (commonly used in literature describing colonial North America) refers to a communal work event. The idea was to take dull, arduous labor and turn it into a friendly contest with food and drink.  

"In 19th-century Harford County, a common occurrence for this time of year was a husking bee. The corn cutting, shocking and husking was a backbreaking task for farmers, taking six or more weeks each fall. One way farmers lightened the workload was to invite their neighbors to a husking bee. The men gathered in the barn, while the women prepared a fall feast. The men would have contests to see who could husk a basket of corn first. The younger men, if they were lucky to find a red ear of corn, could kiss a girl before dinner. Among friends, gossip and cider, everyone had an enjoyable evening."[1]

"A Husking Bee"

"Sleigh rides, picnics, tea parties, quiltings, corn huskings, and spinning-bees made a round of fun the year through.  Thanksgiving Day, partly a social and partly a religious holiday, marked the great holiday season in New England..."[2]

Harvest

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving/Harvest/Husking Bee.  

Great primitive table spread by Dan Weaver-White

Now Watching: Over The Garden Wall

It's about time I talk about Over The Garden Wall.

Created by Patrick McHale, this ~2 hour Emmy award-winning animated miniseries is such an Autumnal treasure.  It feels like an ode to olde Americana, somehow familiar but still mysterious.  

The art and animation style feels old, in a good way (think classic Merry Melodies).  And I am constantly listening to the soundtrack by The Blasting Company.

Without spoiling any plot points, I can say that there is a great mix of light and dark moments throughout, weaving a timeless story, brought to life by an all-star voice cast.

For the best viewing experience, don't watch any trailers!

Here's some of the background art for the show, by Nick Cross.

And I can't help but post just one little screenshot from the series:

"Patient is the night"

If you'd like to watch the first chapter (episode) of the show, Cartoon Network has published it on YouTube.  The rest of the show is available with a Hulu or HBO Max subscription, or by purchasing on Prime Video. (Or just pick it up from the library! Do people go to libraries any more?)

Watch the first episode for free below:

Wschód Księżyca (Moonrise)

Stanisław Masłowski, oil on canvas, 1884

Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Listening to: Music for Satanic Children

Fantastic album by one of my favorite artists, Simon Stålenhag.  While many of his musical albums serve as official soundtracks for each book of his illustrations, this album stands on its own.

The songs are slow and creeping, evoking the feeling of walking suburban streets alone at night.  There is a sense of nostalgia, as though you are visiting familiar landmarks from your childhood town, recalling the eerie mystery of urban-legends you heard from your grade school friends.

Seriously check out this album.  I also recommend checking out Stålenhag's visual work, along with the accompanying soundtracks. Link to his site is in the sidebar.

Click below to listen

Sad Jacks

I've managed to avoid the post-Halloween slump this year.  My spooky season was very fulfilling and ended on a high note.  I'm ready to enjoy the quiet remainder of Autumn.

Art by Jessica Robles

Halloween 2021: Crop of the Faceless Spirit

Since the disappearances, peculiar things have begun to grow.

Usually, there's just one, sprouting from the earth like a cursed sapling.

But sometimes, they're found in hellish groves; 

Grotesque orchards of anthropomorphic vegetation.

And why do they always look so... familiar?

I am beyond excited to (finally) share my first official yard display!  I would have posted these photos sooner, but a corrupted SD card threw a wrench in those plans.  After two weeks of on-and-off recovery attempts, I finally have some stuff to share.

Click on each picture for full-size

And below, the scene of the ritual:  Innocents left to die, an offering to the Faceless Spirit, only to be re-grown as part of the Crop.

And here are a few daytime shots:

Huge shoutout to Pumpkinrot and his blog; a wealth of yard haunt knowledge and inspiration.  Shoutout to my sister for helping to carve so many pumpkins only a day before Halloween.

I learned a lot through reading blogs and forum posts, and through trial and error.  Not everything came out exactly as I had hoped/imagined, and there are plenty of things that I wont be doing the same way in the future.  But overall, I am quite pleased with my first display.  Everyone starts somewhere!