hallowe’en!

It is a cold Hallowe’en in Salem today. We only ventured out for a few hours to brave the downtown craziness, but the crowds weren’t as heavy as usual. It’ll likely get busier later, though. I hope people plan on wearing costumes that involve sweaters.

We made friends with a black cat. As one does on Hallowe’en in Salem.

Home now, with caramel apples and caramel vodka. It’s like a theme.

The chill of impending winter has clearly arrived, rustling through the leaves on the ground outside.

But the trees are still on fire, so autumn hasn’t left just yet.

And a witch just walked past my window.

Happy Hallowe’en & a Blessed Samhain, too!

salem in october

We went to the Salem Haunted Happenings Grand Parade tonight.

Most of my photos are blurry, but some of them are fun anyway.

I think the best part was likely the East Beverly All-Star Lawn Chair Drill Team, as always, but the band playing industrial goth covers of 80s songs was also made of win. I never knew Genesis songs could sound so hardcore.

There were also a number of adorable doggies. Some of them in costume.

And pirates.

And after getting a Pumpkinfest beer, we passed this guy on the way home:

I love this crazy town. A few more occasionally blurry photos are over on my Flickr photostream.

i *heart* my city

I think one of my favorite things about living in Salem is that you can walk by things like this on your way home from dinner. On a Monday. In August.

There were two of them, and they also had potted plants and a fog machine, but this was the best photo I got. We also passed a candlelight ghost tour and got to overhear anecdotes about executions. No rogue black cats tonight, though, alas.

monday miscellany, with photos

Went for a twilight walk last night in this oddly gorgeous weather. Met a black cat who liked pets on the head. Hadn’t met a black cat in Salem before, though we’ve seen a couple. This one was sweet and liked having his picture taken.

Have all sorts of things to do this week. The tarot knights are in progress, sitting on the workbench in blurry shades of grey. I have a huge stack of books to read that will get taller when my box of birthday books from Amazon arrives. And lots of writing to do. But not this Friday’s flax-golden tale, that’s already finished.

I wrote out a to-do list, something I don’t do nearly as often as I should. It is manageable, I think, and doesn’t look as daunting all typed up as it seemed in my head.

I’m also listening to all of my Tori Amos, in order. According to iTunes we have 1.2 days worth of Tori. The boy started it yesterday as cleaning music, and I’m about halfway through The Beekeeper now. Getting very jazzed to see her in August.