Halloween

Julie Lancaster-Whann

Halloween is probably my most favorite holiday. It conjures up some wonderful memories of trick-or-treating with my friends. Getting so much candy, which I loved! Dressing up in some lovely costume that I felt wonderful in, and just being transformed into someone, (or something) else for a day.

All Hallows Eve!

To me, Halloween starts October 1, and ends November 1st. I do something Halloweeny every single day of the month whether it be decorating, planning, shopping, cooking, watching scary movies…….whatever it may be, I am LOVIN’ IT!!

You know, it was the baby boomers, like me, that kept Halloween going. I am at the tail end of the baby boomers, but I am still a boomer. Halloween used to be for small children, but it was my generation that loved the holiday so much that we kept it going even as we aged. Because of us Halloween is a big deal. Costumes and parties and movies and decorations. Halloween is a huge money making holiday. We are to thank for that.

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The magic potion……..

Gordon and Julie in our backyard.

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Halloween 2014

Our Floating Ghost

I wanted this to take place in our backyard around our fountain. I love our fountain and the landscaping retaining wall that Gordon has built here. I really wanted something that was fun, elegant, classy, and beautiful.

Gordon digging a grave and Gordon uncovering bones.

Actually, we had dug up an azalea bush and replanted it elsewhere and that left this big hole in our landscaping. I got the idea to leave it alone until after Halloween because I knew that there would be something that we could do with that hole. The idea then came to me to add some skeleton bones and have Gordon to do some digging in his tuxedo.

I like the results!

Our Ghostly Fountain

Although a bit hard to see I have added dry ice.

Gordon with the Fountain

Here Gordon is making me laugh.

Gordon The Vampire

This is my favorite time of day, dusk. I love it when it is just light enough to see and just dark enough to “hide”.

Ahh, the vampire potion.

Dry ice added to the “blood” are perfect!

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The Lighting

The lighting was easy. I found these beautiful Moroccan lanterns at a thrift store for just a few dollars and I placed a candle in each one. The pumpkins and crows were not expensive either. Most of them I picked up at the Dollar Store for guess what? A Dollar!

I love the black and white theme that I have going on.

A bit of dreary here.

Pumpkin in an old wonky urn.

Gordon and Julie Ghostly Photo

This is my favorite photo of Gordon and myself. I love it! It looks very ghostly. Our spirit photo.

Our Glowing Ghost Looks Eeerily Perfect

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Meanwhile…………

Gordon Preparing Our Halloween Dinner

What’s on the Menu?Bleeding Hearts, of course.All Vegetarian

Stuffed Bell PeppersRed, Yellow, Orange, and Green(You can use any that you like. We used a variety of colors.)This recipe is for 4 whole bell peppers.Recipe:-4 Bell Peppers-1 small – medium onion, chopped-2 -3 garlic cloves, chopped-2 carrots, chopped-1 celery stalk, chopped-1 red chili pepper, halved, deseeded and chopped-1 large can of red kidney beans, drained (about 14 – 16 ounces)
-1 large can of chopped tomatoes (or a can of stewed tomatoes) (about 14 – 16 ounces)
-1 -2 teaspoons of a tomato paste-1 Tablespoon chili powder-1 – 2 teaspoons ground cumin-fresh parsley, chopped-salt and pepper to taste (We use Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper)-Parmesan cheese or any cheese that you prefer-some olive oil——————————————–The first thing that you want to do is to wash and slice in half all of your bell peppers. Remove all the seeds and place them on a cookie sheet. Next drizzle some olive oil over them and then bake in a 400F oven for about 10 – 12 minutes.Add some olive oil to a large pan on the stove on a medium heat. You want to sautee your onions and garlic until they are soft for about 4 – 5 minutes. Then add your carrots, celery, the tomato paste and the cumin powder and cook an additional few minutes. Then you want to add the remaining ingredients, except for the cheese. You want to simmer for about 20 minutes to reduce the liquid and to thicken the mixture. Meanwhile you want to cut enough squares of aluminum foil in order to wrap each bell pepper that goes back into the oven. Spoon some of the mixture into each bell pepper and wrap securely with the foil. You will continue to cook them for an additional 10 – 15 minutes. Once they are finished then remove from the oven and unwrap each pepper from the foil and place on a cookie sheet. Top with your cheese and put back into the oven for an additional 5 – 8 minutes so that the cheese can melt.

Here Gordon is spooning the mixture into a bell pepper.

Individually wrapping each “heart”.

Next they go in the oven.

———————————Halloween Appetizers

Mummies on the Stake

Our mummies are nothing more that little chicken cocktail sausages wrapped in croissant dough and baked in the oven then placed on bamboo skewers.

These are at least, healthy Halloween appetizers.

Cherry tomatoes and large pitted black olives on bamboo skewers. BUGS! Also I pitted some dates and added peanut butter and a raisin for an eye and placed everything into floral ‘frogs’.