Misty Monsters

Several whimsically spooky pieces by Vorja Sánchez (@vorjailustracion)

Click here for their store links and website

Big Ass Brick of Soap: Candy Corn

Just got an ad for the newest shower soap from Duke Cannon: Candy Corn! 

(Yes, it's real. Yes, I might just be crazy enough to try this.)

Click below to purchase

Moonache

This chamber feels most familiar
When it's shadow-clad and hollow.
I have such space to feel and fear,
And fearlessly may wallow.

Assuredly, the Moon is out.
Her heavy song my ears do bear
From pallid lips. I have no doubt:
Celestial is the song I hear.

While luminous her words may be,
(Though spoken by some delphic tongue)
Her visage is obscured from me
And no light hath she brung

Might brumous vapors cloud my view?
Or is my blindness nothing less
Than benighted beating sinew
About to fray from passion's stress?

Yet though I miss the lunar beams
That once so nobly split the dark,
Succor flows anew from dreams
Where moonlight is afraid to lurk

A Yorkshire Lane in November, by John Atkinson Grimshaw, 1873

I wrote this poem last night during a thunderstorm.  Inspiration struck unexpectedly (insert lightning-metaphor here) and I'm quite proud of the result.  

Thank you for reading 🖤

Early 2000's Halloween goodness

From Haunted Eve's Halloween Blog

More images here

First Pumpkin-sighting

Spotted at my local Walmart Neighborhood Marketplace.

I have neither the space nor funds to be buying pumpkins yet.  I am trying to take my own advice and not FOMO-buy.  I have this creeping anxiety that I have to buy pumpkins right now to take part in The Great Pumpkin Project, or because if I don't buy some now, all the good ones will be gone by Halloween (a ridiculous notion).

I put a lot of pressure on myself to maximize my Halloween experiences every year. I get disappointed when I have a "light" season.  I've built up this reputation in my head and amongst my friends, family, and peers that I am the "Halloween guy". If I see anyone else doing "more" Halloween-y stuff than me, I get a bad case of Imposter Syndrome.

It's unfortunate that such a beautiful sight as the one above is filling me with anxiety about running out of time for my yard haunt, or not doing "enough" for the Halloween season.  It should be filling me with excitement! I really am trying to find a balance between filling my days with Halloween plans and riding the natural ebb and flow of the season.  

I know the season feels like it goes by faster every year, but it doesn't.  That's just what big box stores want you to think (but that's a topic for another post).  Trust me, don't worry like I do. 

Next time I go to the store, I'm gonna give one of these pumpkins a hearty *pat pat*. That usually puts a smile on my face.

Morbid Arrangements

Beautifully composed photos by Anastasia Jamal (@familiar_flower)

My personal favorite:

Click here for so many more great photos

Chickens carve a pumpkin

Actually a pretty cool result.

Click below to watch

(from @itsbreellis on Instagram)

Listening to: Nautical Nights

by Stevan Pasero/Michael Becker

More relaxing music to help me stay sane throughout the week. This song is flowing and drone-y but has a definite melodic structure that implies an amount of mystery that is oddly comforting. It makes me want to go night crawling and discover parts of the city I've never seen before (as was the case when I took this photo)

Click below to listen

Wrong Turn

By OleSamhain