Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Happy Happy

Happy Halloween!!!
Happy Samhaim!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Fridays Scary Story

The Fireplace Girl

Long ago in the new Americas, when women and children were just starting to come to the colonies, a little girls about 8 years old named Norma moved to Vermont with her parents. They were better off then most people at the time.They moved to a large house with a fireplace in every room.

One night Nora woke up around midnight by sounds coming from downstairs. She thought it was one of her parents because they often stayed up late. She called out to them but she got no answer. As she was dozing back to slepp she heard a mans voice say "The girl. We forgot about her. We got the parents but not the girl." Nora was really scared because she understood enough about what the
voice had said to know that her parents were hurt.

She ran to her fireplace and crawled up the chimney to hide. She stayed there for at least 3 hours, all the while whimpering "oh my mama, oh my papa" Finally, after she felt it was safe to to come out, she slid out of the fireplace and ran to her parents' room. But when she got to their door, she found she was to frightened
to go in. So she searched the rest of the house for clues as to who the voice belonged to. But she found nothing. In fact, the only thing wrong with the house
was that several things were missing, but Nora didn't care. She knew that she had to go up to her parents' room now, and she did.

She ran into the room and over to the bed. Nora pulled the sheets back, screamed in terror and fell to the floor. When a family friend found the two adults and the child, all three were dead. The parents' bodies were horribly mangled but little Nora appeared to have nothing wrong with her, she was just dead.

The family was buried in the cemetery up the road. No one was ever convicted for murdering the family, and the case is still open, although they know that the murderers are long dead. But Nora doesn't seem to know that. Because every
night, from midnight till three, the time she spent in the fireplace, she walks from the cemetery to the place where her house used to be, looking for the
people who murdered her parents.

They should be arriving!

I packaged and mailed all the gourd ornies...they should be arriving at their new homes soon!!!!!
I can't wait!!!!! Some of the boxes I had to get 'creative'!
Note to new owners/winners:
If you here strange noises coming from them, I'm sorry I tried to remove the spirits from them before shipping....it's just sometimes they do remain haunted!

It's almost time!

Hello all ya Halloweenies!
It's almost time...that magickal time of the year! Halloween or Samhain!
Decorating is coming along more and more each day! Soon all the ghost, ghouls, monsters will come and enjoy the evening....then it will all be over...heavy sigh. I need to put out more cobwebs...more and more and more!

Halloween was orginally a pagan holiday, taken over by the church to celebrate All Saints Day (or All Hallows Day). Halloween a day when kids mooch candy from neighbors, the stores are full of goofy masks and fake cobwebs and the Great Pumpkin rises from the pumpkin patch. It's all very simple and innocent.

SOme schools and churches are replacing the word "Halloween" with "Fall Festival" because of negative connotations some see in the long-standing holiday name.

No! No. do not change the name I say!

Samhain Today
Today Pagans see Samhain as a time to honor the dead, not as the dead, but as the living spirits of loved ones and as guardians who hold the wisdom of mankind. It is a celebration of the afterlife where we do not die but rest and continue to learn and prepare for our next incarnation

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Three Days!

Halloween excitement is building here, I just can't wait for the big day, another part of me doesn't want it to end.... it's the whole season I enjoy, and the waiting for the party ....well hubby says I strees out! I'm off to the store this afternoon to pick pop and other odds and ends!Seems to be always something!
We don't get any trick or treaters in our neighborhood, houses are to far apart and it's a dead end loop.
I remember going Trick or Treatinig... we would get a pillow case for our candy and off we'ld go. Today just a little bucket will do. Anyone else remember the good 'ol days of Trick or Treat?!!

I don't have anything listed on eBay at the moment,there's just too much to do here!

But this morning I was thinking I should vamp up my jewlery on Etsy for the Christmas Holidays..... but until my party I won't be doing anything but 'party' stuff! But there's just sooo much outdoor fall stuff to do in my yard! Last night I looked at all those leaves...oh yes, they are pretty....I got the mower out and mowed them!LOL!

Three days!!!!
Oh My!!!!!!!!! We wait all year just for this day!!!!!!
I have been taking some pictures...yes, yes, I will share them soon!
I want to try to get pictures for everyone of a walk into the swamp, should be fun!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Searched and Found!

5 Days till Halloween....time flies when good times are soon to come!
Halloween Parties and ohhhh the CANDY! Oh My!
I had these ornies hanging here beside me, and I knew I had taken a picture of them.....

But , I am not computer savoy....my dear hubby is....and I hate to ask him....but I broke down...... I called for help!

He puts some of my pictures everywhere...He works with graphic design. I need things SIMPLE.. like all in one place! After 2 hours of searching I did find their pictures (I did have help)! I don't know how or where but they were found!
OH JOY!
I placed these on Etsy last night...or was it this morning? Oh My I am so lost!
You get that way after 50!
Sometimes you just have to sit back and laugh at yourself!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Time to draw the WINNERS! HALLOWEEN GIVE-AWAY


Here's 4 of the 9 I will be sending! What a amazing response I got for this give away! WOW!

I went through the many names in the Halloween Give-Away. Wrote down each and every name, double checked, triple checked....hmmm this person gets one chance, this person gets two! I cut out and folded each paper carefully, tossed them in a cauldron and stirred!

Called my kitties in to draw a name, they wanted nothing to do with that pot!Osiris did stick his nose in but, Salam ran off, Toby O twitched his ears and stood back, Raskis (white paws) stood far back and looked at me. Hmmm what shall I do?

I grabbed up my hat, sat down and stirred that pot some more! Guess I'll have to pull these names myself...... 9 winners I must have!

Please send me you mailing address ASAP!
Soulweaver@neo.rr.com
In Email subject please put 'BLOG GIVE-AWAY'

Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!



Merelyadream
Lavender Dreamer
Sydnii
Annette
Karen
Bridgett
Carlii
Brenda
Rabbit Hollow Prims

Friday, October 23, 2009

Friday Night's Scary Story

Something Black and Cold
From "The Little Giant Book of 'True' Ghost Stories"


It started with little things, strange incidents that were sometimes inconvenient, sometimes almost amusing. But then the heavy trouble began... and the terror.

In the early 1970s, two sisters, Lois Dean and Diantha Summer, moved their families into two old houses in the middle of Rawlins, Wyoming, a small city in the Rocky Mountains. Lois and her husband and their six children moved into the big house. Diantha and her two sons took the carriage house right behind the main house.

Very soon, strange things began to happen in the big house:

Lights kept turning on and off. At first the adults thought it was just the kids playing around. But they soon found that the lights seemed to be going on and off by themselves, even when no one else was around. Thinking it must be an electrical problem, Lois and her husband had the house rewired, but it kept happening.

When the children were playing games, they would leave the room for a minute and then come back to find game pieces missing.

An older daughter found the colors in her makeup kits often smeared together. At first she thought the younger children were doing it, so she banished them from her room. But it kept happening even after she padlocked the door.

The family dog wagged his tail as though at an invisible guest, and his eyes followed something across the room.

Sometimes, in the big house the bathroom cabinet would be found completely empty. Toothbrushes, combs and medicines would all be gone, to be found later in odd places. Again, Lois thought it was the children, but it even happened when they were all at school and she was alone in the house.

Then things began to get rough.

A boyfriend of one of the girls was playfully climbing through a window. Something unseen picked him up and threw him inside, against a wall. That was the end of that boyfriend. He never came back for another visit.

Not long afterward, one of the younger boys said he had seen something in the garage. Mike, Diantha's 14-year old, decided to take a look. He started out the back door of the big house and suddenly felt two hands grab him and throw him through the air, back into the kitchen, into the refrigerator. He had red marks on his chest as if something had scratched him.

Lois was infuriated. She began yelling, "I don't care who you are. I'm not putting up with you coming into my house and hurting kids!"

She was so angry that she was momentarily unafraid. She dashed out into the garage. There she saw a black shape.

"It was big and billowy," she says, "and it was dressed like a woman in something black and long."

It came toward her smoothly, as though it were on wheels...

"Something black and cold started coming out of it, like ribbons," she recalls. "It started wrapping me in those strands. I could feel their coldness. I couldn't move."

The she felt her sister, who saw the shape too, grab her from behind and jerk her away from the thing and back into the big house.

The sisters sat up all night, praying as hard as they could. The prayers may have had a good effect, for they never saw the thing again.

They took to calling that incident "the Main Event". Afterward, they felt the atmosphere to be a little less oppressive. However, everyone had a sense that the place was still not quite right, and before long, both families moved out.

In talking to the neighbors, only one event in the past seemed to hold a clue. Back in the early 1900s, a graveyard on the property was dug up and moved to another location. Rumor had it that two bodies were left behind. Were these two different restless spirits? We may never know.

EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Oh My! I am soooo EXCITED and HONORED!!! I can hardley type!!!!!
This has made my whole day....my whole week....my whole month!
To my great surprise my art is on the cover of Ye Olde Witches Brew magizine!!!!! And it is one of my favorite paintings!
I am giddy with excitement!!!!!! Please check it out!!!!
Even if you arn't the 'witchy' type you'll find some wonderful reading there!
http://yeoldewitchesbrewmagazine.presspublisher.us/

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Halloween Party Under Construction!

It has begun!
Ghosts and Goblins, Skeletons, Flying Bats, Cemetery Stones....all things Creepy and Crawly!
I started just the other day preparing for our annual Halloween Party! I just didn't know where to begin...inside or outside! I figures if I don't get started now it will be too late and I'll go CRAZY! So I decided OUTSIDE!
This is the second day of decorating....no, I don't decorate all day! But it is quite surprising just how long it takes to do so little! Today I got several items in place. I piriot creepy out from behind a tree. This is in place where the guests first enter. A sign will be seen from here pointing to 'Blood Cafe' Where all the goodies are up on the deck...yummy. Bats fly from the rooftop hanging from dead tree branches...watch out don't let them get in your hair! I can't wait to get the tables up and decorated! But that has to wait till the day of the party!
I need to get about 7 bales of straw for sitting on the deck.....no nice comfy lawn chairs this year! Gwaaaaarrrrakle!
I put clear fishing strings hanging across the Swamps Cemetery path. This (I hope) will give the effect of walking through spider webs! I hate spider webs on my face!

Next I have to figure out where the huge Ghoul goes....someplace different from last year! I like to put him in a spot where I can put a strobe light on him.....ohhhh scary! I'm going to try to get a skeleton floating in the pond this year! I think I'll just place him on the pond netting...... now I wonder just how I am going to get him in the middle of a 15x15 pond without getting wet?

Until next update....Happy Haunting
And yes I'll get pictures!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

I Got My Apple!!! Give Away!!!

WHaaaHaaaa I received my Apple Give Away from nBecca at Magikal Seasons!
Oh what a Happy Apple it is! Going to put him right on top of the fruit bowl! My Grandson already tried to take him home! LOL!
Thank you Becca for your wonderful Give Away!
If I could remember how to get a picture from her page here...it would be here to see!!!!
Lynda

Saturday, October 17, 2009

The Halloween Witch

I was going to save this for my last Friday Night Scarey Story.....but it kept nagging me in my mind....hey let me out....hurry.
So instead of waiting for the night before Halloween 'All Hollows Eve' I am posting this now. But don't worry next Friday I will have a spooky tale to tell!

Something I would like to share for October.
I did not write this, someone had sent it to me a few years ago....but every year I post it in some of my groups.
Lynda

The Halloween Witch

Each year they parade her about ... the traditional Halloween witch.

Misshapen green face, stringy scraps of hair, and a toothless mouth beneath her disfigured nose. Gnarled, knobby fingers twisted into a claw, protracting from a bent and twisted torso that lurches about on wobbly legs.

Most think this abject image to be the creation of a prejudiced mind, or merely a Halloween caricature.

I disagree. I believe this to be how witches were really seen.

Consider that most witches: were women, were abducted in the night, and smuggled into dungeons or prisons under the secrecy of darkness, to be presented by the light of day as a confessed witch.

Few, if any, saw a frightened, normal looking woman being dragged into a secret room filled with instruments of torture. To be questioned until she confessed to anything that was suggested to her, and to give names or whatever would stop the questions. Crowds saw the aberration denounced to the world as a self-proclaimed witch.

As the witch was paraded through the town, en route to be burned, hanged, drowned, stoned, or disposed of in various other forms of Christian love ... all created to free and save her soul from her depraved body. The jeering crowds viewed the results of hours of torture. The face, bruised and broken by countless blows, bore a hue of sickly green. The once warm and loving smile gone.

Replaced by a grimace of broken teeth and torn gums that leers beneath a battered, disfigured nose. The disheveled hair conceals bleeding gaps of torn scalp from whence cruel hands had torn away the lovely tresses. Broken, twisted
hands clutched the wagon for support. Fractured fingers locked like groping claws to steady her broken body. All semblance of humanity gone. This was truly a demon, a bride of Satan, a witch.

I revere this Halloween crone and hold her sacred above all. I honor her courage and listen to her warnings of the dark side of humanity.

Each year I shed tears of respect.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

(¯`'•.¸(¯`'•.¸Blog Sale¸.•'´¯ )¸.•'´¯)

I have some art that is seeking a new home...they told me!
I hear them whispering...
"We're tired of sitting on this shelf, find me a new home."
Really! LOL! And I am running out of space!
If you see something below they you just have to have, shoot me a Email at Soulweaver@neo.rr.com (subject) Blog Sale
With not going thru the Ebay auction time I can get these out fast!
They will be on a first come, first serve.
(My website is still in the works, so I am selling them here!)
I will mark them sold ASAP. And ship with USPS Priority mail.
Payment can be made via Paypal, check or Money Order.
Paypal is next day shipping!

My first item is a 'The Flying NutCracker' Halloween gourd ornament.
Painted with acrylics on a Haunted Swamp, Home grown gourd!
He is aprox. 11 inches tall. His feet, arms and fingers are bendable. His ghostly attire is made from lightly tea stained cheescloth.
His hat is a container and will hold several candy kisses or other wrapped sweet treat....yum!
A protective varnish finish has been applied.
$25.00 plus $5.00 shipping

Next I have a Crazy Gourd Guy! I think he has been drinking the Swamp Water!
He is 13 inches tall and stands on a 4 x 4 square base.
Yes, another real Haunted Swamp grown gourd!!
Painted with acrylic paints with a matte varnish applied for protection. His stem is unpainted.
Around his neck is a collar of layered orange and black netting. Cheesecloth covers his arms. Fingers and arms are bendable!
$25.00 plus $6.00 shipping

This is my 'Dream' box! It's a papier mache pressed box that I have painted with acrylic paints in a beautiful blue and highlighted with deep purple. A real eye catcher! The entire piece, inside and out is covered with very fine Hologram Extreme Glitter and sealed with varnish. I have painted what I call twinkle stars on the inside bottom. The inside top is also painted with swirling dots.
You won't be disappointed! This took alot of time to paint!
It is about 10 1/2 inches wide and 4 inches deep.
There is one very small area where some grey paint got on
the side, it's about 1/4 inch and smudged. I never noticed this until just now!
$30.00 and $5.00 shipping



Thanks for taking the time to look!
Please Email me if you have any questions!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Look at my candles!!!!




I have been having fun making some fake candles for my Halloween party! By fake I mean....no real candle, these are for the battery candles. Let me warn you making these is addictive! And you will need lots of the long hotglue sticks. One candle took 7-8 glue sticks and about 1 hour.
You will find how to make these PVC candles at howtohauntyourhouse.com
or just google
' haunt your house'
I think I am going to keep some of them out all year!!!!!

I can hardly wait until my Halloween party! This year it will be on Halloween Night!!!!!! Sure hope the weather is at least dry so a nice warming bon fire can be made!Got to keep all the ghosties and ghouls warm!

I have all my 'stuff' out and ready, 14 bins of decorations...I just don't know what the weather may be like! Hoping and praying that it can be help outside! If not, heavey sigh, it will be indoors. So I have to wait to see where to decorate!!!!! Oh my!
I have some of the graveyard in place. I will have a picture trail to show everyone when it done! All this stress for one day!!!!! LOL! But Halloween only come once a year!!!!!
Until next post have a wonderful and magical evening!
Lynda

Sunday, October 11, 2009

A Haunted Halloween Give Away!!!!!!

Ohhh it's almost here...what you ask?
The time of year all of us Halloweenies wait for! That one night of the year that is ours! It's gets here, then poof it's gone! Then we sit and wait another year.....oh the days drag by........
OK! OK! Enough of that!

I am going to have a GIVE AWAY! What am I giving?



One of these will be sent to a winner.
Ornaments are made from a Haunted Swamp Gourd! Noses, ears or hats are made from a over baked clay and painted by...me!
If there are more then 4 winners another Gourd ornie will be sent that's not pictured here... I have more! HAhahahahhhaaaaaa


Four winners will be needed! Maybe more!
For every 5 people who post 1 winner will be drawn!
15 people = 3 winners
20 people = 4 winners
25 people = 5 winners....and so on!

How do you get a chance.... or two?
All you have to do is post here for one chance....
Blog about this Give Away on your Blog and you will be put in for a second chance!
Names will be drawn on Oct 24....thirteen days from now!

Byrum Art is having a Give Away!

Byrum Art is having a Give Away to celebrate Halloween!

First Prize will be a Original Painting with a black frame with the corners washed in orange!

Second Prize will be a print from our most popular print "Autumn Dance", size 5" by 7" with the mirrored glass frame.

So hurry over and check it out at
http://byrumart.blogspot.com/

Please let her know you found her Give Away here!

OK Get going, get over there, fly away!
Lynda

Friday, October 9, 2009

A Haunted place to share

My Friday night story wasn't scarey....it just touched me and I wanted to share.

Now I ask...did you grow up in a haunted house? I would love to hear your stories.
Here are some of mine.... just things that happened to me in my life....and what a life it is!

My great-grandmother,grandfather, uncle and , mother all died at home. My dad almost did too, but he's there still at 'home'....yes the house I grew up in. My son now lives in the very same house.
Not many people stayed the night, my house was too scary. Sometimes the water would come on all by itself, or the T.V. came on and blasted! We would hear footsteps upstairs when no one was there.

The upstairs living room was always the creepiest place to me. It just had a air about it. You know that odd feeling? There was this Cinderella clock in that room. It had stopped the minute my grandfather died and never ran again. I had to pass through that room to get to my bedroom upstairs. As soon as I stepped foot in that room that clock would chime! How I hated to go through that room. This didn't happen every night just 3-4 out of seven.

In that same room there was this shadowbox on the wall that held some nicknacks. I swear they would turn and look at you. Once I had some friends over....well let's say they saw it too. I never saw a pack of people run out the door so fast in my life!

I was only about 10-12 when my grandfather died. But almost every night I woulod hear footsteps coming up the steps....I new it was only grandpa coming to check on me, it was OK.
My grand daughter lives there now with my son. She stopped one day and pointed at a picture on my wall and said " That's Grand-Dad he talks to me sometimes at home." Now she had never met my dad, he had died before she was born....hmmmm makes you wonder.

After my dad died we rented the house out for a short time, this was before Tom, my son bought it, the tenet left about midnight one night. She did later return for her things, in the daylight. She said she kept seeing a woman in the house, just glimpses. On that last night that woman wouldn't let her alone. She was banging on the bedroom door. That's the night she left. She later discribed the 'women', she discribed my mom right down to her glasses! Guess mom didn't want her there!

This is just a tiny bit about my haunted house that I grew up in. I could tell you stories....so many stories!
Eveb to this day they are still there. Just ask my son and his family!

Come share your story!
Lynda

Last Ride .... Friday night story

(this is a story I retelling that I heard sometime ago as well as I can remember it)
This story I have added some artwork of mine from past years.


The old women peered out her grimmy window into the bright sky lite by the full moon.
What a perfect background for Halloween!

Her blcak cat leaped onto her lap and purred loudly. Oh so pleasent to her ears.

The cat stared into her green eyes set in a wrinkly face.
She rose from the chair and walked to the old trunk filled with the tools of her trade.
Rummaging through the odds and ends she finds what she was searching for. This will do fine she says in a whisper.. She pours the dried contents into liquid and it begins to bubble. hmmmm.... she drinks deeply... a bitter tast.

(
She hobbles over to the fire, a liquid green mixture boils in her cauldron.
Stiring the mixture she says....... Double, bubble, toil and trouble!
The shadow of her cat grows in size, a howl is heard outside in the woods, she shouts in response.

A gust of wind slames again the old house. Saddnes crosses the old womans face. Rejoice in the night for when the sun comes up we must return.
The old woman opens the closet and reaches inside. She pulls out and old cloak as dark as night. Tears trickled down her worn face. She pulled it tightly around herself. Next she she reached up and removed a old pointed hat from the dusty shelf, she brushed away her silver hair as she placed it on her head.

She looked around her dim room thinking of fond memories with no regretes. Her eyes landing on her cat. 'Now my dear friend for all these years, we will answer the call of this night'

She spread her arms wide as the wind began to blow harder. Her broom seemed to float towards her. " It is our time! My sisters await!"
It was Halloween night and spirits were waiting.
She sat upon her broom and took flight. This was her last night as Coven leader, a new one would be sworn in this Hallow's eve.

For the last time on this magical night she would ride into the night sky. This was her last ride.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Ohhh Soooo Spooky!!!!! The life of a Haunted Swamp Gourd

I listed this fellow last night!
I love using my gourds but, at the same time I hate seeing them leave my home!
This gourd has spent about 2 years in my loving care.
From seed to Halloween Ornament!
First year of life he went from seed to a little seedling.
The vine grew and grew , then one day a flower appeared!
A little baby gourdlet was being created!
As the spring and summer marched on, the little gourdlet got bigger and bigger!
August came and he was all grown up.... well almost!
September and October came, it got colder, then a frost!
Oh My!
All the vines looked dead! But there in the mess there he was.
The vine browned, it was time to be picked!
He layed out in the weather all that winter.
Spring came with rains and warmer weather,
awwww the feel of the sunshine drying him out more.
He was moved to a dryer spot to continue his journey.
As summer came he was almost dry....almost.
He got to see the new life of more gourds begin, just like he did.
Then he was checked again, shaken and looked at from top to bottom.
Yes!
He was dry! Off to a nice hot bath!
He got to linger for alittle while soaking the grime and dirt from his shell.
Awwww what a nice soak....then..... Lynda comes in with a copper scrubby!
Oh Nooooo!
She adds more soap and starts scrubbing, rinsing, scrubbing.
Look ! All nice and clean...... hmmmm what's that I smell?
Bleach!
Dunk, dunk, dunk. Swish, swish, swish.
A bleach bath!
Lynda takes me out and lays me on a nice dry towel..... I feel so clean!
Now a new life begins.... Lynda sets me on her art table and looks me over and applies some paint.
I whisper to her.... "I wanna' be a Halloween Ornament."
She looks me over again, awww she thinks "this would make a fine Halloween Ornament!"
She paints and designs and paints some more. Hours and days go by.
She adds beads and foo-foo to make me all pretty.....but I am still scary!
She holds me up and nods her head and gives me a twirl then I hear.
I think this one is done!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Getting ready....am I crazy!?

Well....I started pulling all the Halloween party decorations out! Am I crazy??? I don't even know where to begin this year! The weather seems so unpredictable... is it going to be rainy, cold, wet, dry, too cold..... or just right for a outside party? Where do I begin!??!!
I have ..... 14 bins and three plies of Halloween stuff! That's not counting the 30+ tombstones!
I am hoping for dry weather, it can be chilly but dry!
Where, oh where do I begin?

A New Award *** Over The Top!

What wonderful Award!
I recieved this award from Sherry at http://byrumart.blogspot.com
(wish I knew how to do those neat links...so suffer along with me)
I am to pass this Award along to six wonderful Artists!
Here are the rules for the Over the Top Award.
Copy and change the answers and paste the it on your blog. One word answers! Once you have filled it out pass this award to 6 others. Alert then that they have been awarded! And have fun!
1 Where is your cell phone? Car
2 Your hair? Short
3 Your mother? Ashes
4 Your father? Ashes
5 Your Favorite food? Pizza
6 Your dream last night? Nothing
7 Your favorite drink? water
8 Your dream/goal? Sell
9 What room are you in? Artroom
10 Your hobby? Life
11 Your fear? Alone
12 Where do you want to be in six years? Alive
13 Where were you last night? Garden
14 Something that you aren't? Hungry
15 Muffins? Blueberry
16 Wish list item? Website
17 Where did you grow up? Ohio
18 Last thing you did? Catlitter
19 What are you wearing? Jeans
20 Your Tv? On
21 Your pets? Cats
22 Friends? Hmmmm
23 Your life? Boring
24 Your mood? Glum
25 Missing someone? No
26 Vehical? Mazda 5
27 Something your not wearing? Shoes
28 Your favorite store? PatCatins
29 Your favorite color? Purple
30 When was the last time you laughed? Yesterday
31 Last time you cried? Awhile
32 Your best friend? Hubby
33 One place that I go over and over? Pond
34 One personwho Emails you regularly? Sister
35 Favorite place to eat? Anywhere
OK that's it!
I am passing this award to
(This is the hard part)

http://theplayoflightandshadow.blogspot.com

http://lisanelsonart.blogspot.com

http://curnowart.blogspot.com

http://magicbrushstudio.blogspot.com

http://paintmisbehavin.blogspot.com

http://wimsyfolkartist.blogspot.com

Friday, October 2, 2009

Friday Night Ghost Story

Black Aggie
retold by
S. E. Schlosser


When Felix Agnus put up the life-sized shrouded bronze statue of a grieving angel, seated on a pedestal, in the Agnus family plot in the Druid Ridge Cemetery, he had no idea what he had started. The statue was a rather eerie figure by day, frozen in a moment of grief and terrible pain. At night, the figure was almost unbelievably creepy; the shroud over its head obscuring the face until you were up close to it. There was a living air about the grieving angel, as if its arms could really reach out and grab you if you weren't careful.

It didn't take long for rumors to sweep through the town and surrounding countryside. They said that the statue - nicknamed Black Aggie - was haunted by the spirit of a mistreated wife who lay beneath her feet. The statue's eyes would glow red at the stroke of midnight, and any living person who returned the statues gaze would instantly be struck blind. Any pregnant woman who passed through her shadow would miscarry. If you sat on her lap at night, the statue would come to life and crush you to death in her dark embrace. If you spoke Black Aggie's name three times at midnight in front of a dark mirror, the evil angel would appear and pull you down to hell. They also said that spirits of the dead would rise from their graves on dark nights to gather around the statue at night.

People began visiting the cemetery just to see the statue, and it was then that the local fraternity decided to make the statue of Grief part of their initiation rites. "Black Aggie" sitting, where candidates for membership had to spend the night crouched beneath the statue with their backs to the grave of General Agnus, became popular.

One dark night, two fraternity members accompanied new hopeful to the cemetery and watched while he took his place underneath the creepy statue. The clouds had obscured the moon that night, and the whole area surrounding the dark statue was filled with a sense of anger and malice. It felt as if a storm were brewing in that part of the cemetery, and to their chagrin, the two fraternity members noticed that gray shadows seemed to be clustering around the body of the frightened fraternity candidate crouching in front of the statue.

What had been a funny initiation rite suddenly took on an air of danger. One of the fraternity brothers stepped forward in alarm to call out to the initiate. As he did, the statue above the boy stirred ominously. The two fraternity brothers froze in shock as the shrouded head turned toward the new candidate. They saw the gleam of glowing red eyes beneath the concealing hood as the statue's arms reached out toward the cowering boy.

With shouts of alarm, the fraternity brothers leapt forward to rescue the new initiate. But it was too late. The initiate gave one horrified yell, and then his body disappeared into the embrace of the dark angel. The fraternity brothers skidded to a halt as the statue thoughtfully rested its glowing eyes upon them. With gasps of terror, the boys fled from the cemetery before the statue could grab them too.

Hearing the screams, a night watchman hurried to the Agnus plot. To his chagrin, he discovered the body of a young man lying at the foot of the statue. The young man had apparently died of fright.

The disruption caused by the statue grew so acute that the Agnus family finally donated it to the Smithsonian museum in Washington D.C.. The grieving angel sat for many years in storage there, never again to plague the citizens visiting the Druid Hill Park Cemetery.