Really Scary Halloween song!

Hey, it's almost Halloween!  Are you ready???

 

When you get to be my age, your voice can be scary without even trying!  So, when I sang this Halloween song recently, my retreat friends asked me if I would put it online so they could learn it.  I know their voices won't be as scary as mine, but I can live with that. Tee hee.

With the help of my husband/technical director, we worked on and off throughout the day yesterday and finally managed to make this video. It scares me, I admit. So you must be very brave... and hold on to your pointy hats! Here goes...

Here are the words and actions for your further learning pleasure.

It is Halloween and the lamps are lit   (make the "tch" sound as hand turns switch)

Around the campfire children sit        (one hand makes a circle)

Telling ghost stories bit by bit             (hands around your mouth, like whispering)

'Til sister Jane says, "Shhhh!"            (pointer in front of lips)

"Who's that knocking at the kitchen door?"     (knock on something)

"Who's that walking 'cross the bedroom floor?"   (slap thighs to sound footsteps)

"Who's that screeching til their throat is sore?"   (hands at neck, then SCREECH)

It's a.... GOBLIN!                                   (hands shoot out to scare them)


Good luck singing this song with your kiddos. As for me, I'm done making videos for a while... this one was terrifying! 

Signing off with a witchy cackle!

Happy apple pie...

It's that time of year when apples are fresh and crisp and I, for one, cannot get enough of them. Stayman Winesap have just the right amount of tartness and sweetness for me, but they are hard to find. Luckily, I have some in my refrigerator right now.

My birthday is this week, and my husband made me an apple pie ahead of time that was SO beautiful,  SO yummy, I just had to write about it and share the picture.  My hasty poem does not do it justice, but in this case, I will say it is the thought that counts.

Birthday Pie

Apple pie
The way he bakes it
Pastry made with lard

Mounds of slices
Mixed with spices
Butter bits here and there

Second pastry
Trimmed and crimped
Some curves carved in for steam

Cinnamon sugar sprinkled on
Bake to a golden brown
Mmm -mm- Mmm- Mmm- mm

Did you see that pork fat (lard) is now ranked among the top 10 most nutritious foods?!? The news just gets better and better. Happy apple pie to you!

Over the Moon!

What a great time I had last weekend at the Highlights Boyd's Mill Barn Poet's Retreat.
I am still over the moon!

Thanks to Georgia Heard and Rebecca Kai Dotlich for hosting a lovely retreat. Such a lovely spot, such good company, such fun talking about poetry. I saw peak autumn color on the way there, which made my drive delightful.  After a hard frost there, I tried to capture the beauty but only managed a few pictures before my camera/phone went on the fritz. Grrr.

This week is a slow transition back to reality, and time to celebrate one of my favorite holidays. Yes...it's almost Halloween, and I must post a poem and enjoy the season, so here goes...

All Hallows' Eve

Arthritic branches scritch the sky

Owls stare through moonlit eyes

Jack-o-lanterns scowl or beam

Ghosts yell "Boo!" and witches scream

Loose bones rattle at the door

Wizards chortle, mummies snore

Shocking varmints freely roam

Perhaps one even wrote this poem!

© Karen Eastlund

Only 8 more days until Halloween!  I am decorating with pumpkins and gourds this year, and who knows what will be hiding in my Halloween Trunk this weekend! Keep watching for more Halloween fun as we get closer and closer to the big evening.  

The woods...

It's Poetry Friday, and I have a poem to share with you.

I love to walk in the woods in autumn, collecting the best leaves, soaking in the beauty.

One of my walks inspired this poem, written a few years ago when my grands were so small.

I hope you will enjoy it...

Autumn Hues

The woods are spattered with color today

Rich butter yellow

Drips from the limbs overhead

And the red!

And the purple

The bronzes

The pinks...

All exquisite!

I wish I could visit

Each hue on my way

I wish this beauty could stay

But these woods have a way

Of blushing one day

Then folding their awning

'Til May.

© Karen Eastlund

The Poetry Friday RoundUp is at Catherine's today, find it at

readingtothecore.wordpress.com.

Happy autumn to you. May your days be cool and your leaves be bright. 

October's Beauty

Welcome to another post in the Spiritual Journey series. We've changed our picture and name a little, but the main idea is the same: a few of us get together once a month to share our insights.

My friend, Cory Corrado, posted a poem on David L. Harrison's blog recently, that really spoke to me. I found myself mulling on the two opening lines of the verses below. Thank you, Cory, for giving permission to use your work:

From Vine to Branch

I greet each morning with a goal
To feast on things that feed my soul
Perch in my garden, rain or shine
Breathe in the space where all is fine

So many gifts, from Him, a sign

I greet each morning with a goal
To feast on things that fill me whole
A sparrow swaying on the line
Singing songs . . . simply divine

So many gifts, from Him, a sign...

© Cory Corrado (19/09/29)

Lovely, isn't it?  And so I began to think about what fills my soul, and that led me to "beauty." As I thought more, I realized that the sources of beauty are endless. We are so richly blessed. In order to keep the post manageable, I am calling it "October's Beauty."

Autumn brings it's own beauty, and if you are anything like me, you wait with eager anticipation. I love autumn. The cool air refreshes me, the brilliant colors fill my soul, the idea of a grand finale before the silence of winter helps me appreciate God's sense of drama.

I see God's humor in autumn as well. "You saw everything in shades of green? Hah! I can make you see red!"

Humor has its own beauty, and definitely lightens my soul. Recently, for instance, after a night of scant sleep, I made a lot of mistakes. I apologized to my husband, who thought a minute and then said, "I find it hilarious! They're your mistakes and not mine!" The laughter we shared? Beautiful.

Speaking of my husband, this month is our anniversary. I was shocked this morning when I realized the number of years.  Honestly!  In my mind it had to be less than... 48!?! Astonishing. And to think of all we've been through together! Enduring love IS a beautiful thing.

I love classical music, and recently found two beautiful PBS Great Performances programs. Violinist Scott Yoo has produced a 4-part series on classical music that is phenomenal!  So far I've listened to highlights from Bach and Vivaldi, seen the places they lived and worked, the instruments of the time, etc. I appreciated the insights of today's musicians regarding our rich musical heritage. Music and learning make a beautiful duet, and this series really warms my soul.  I recommend it.   http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/episodes/now-hear-this/

I am so grateful to my grandchildren, whose childhood simplicity and innocence bring me constant joy. How can I not smile when a beautiful face like this appears on my driveway?  It is the essence of sweetness.

One of my jobs this month will be supporting a pumpkin patch at my church. We hope to dazzle every passer-by with the bounty and beauty of God's world. If you happen to be near Pluckemin, NJ, look for a church with a tall white steeple and a lot of pumpkins. Stop and say "hi" and buy a few!

I'll leave you with one of my favorite verses, Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers and sisters, fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."  I think we could further paraphrase that to: Feast on things that feed your soul. Thanks again, Cory. You nailed it!

Thank you for reading today. I invite you to share your thoughts with me in the comment section below. As the month progresses, I wish you daily beauty, the enduring warmth of love and the carefree spirit of laughter.