30 Days Until Halloween

October is here! With a mug of pumpkin spice coffee in hand, I salute you.

Today begins my sixth annual 31-day celebration of the season, a virtual Halloween party that lasts all month long. Thank you for joining me! Please pass the word if you know of others who would like to visit. Each day I will be posting a "spooky text" (some poetry and some prose, some classic and some contemporary) and a picture, and along the way I will also be sharing videos, links, virtual tours, and other treats. I hope you enjoy them.


I'm not the only one online counting down to Halloween. Be sure to check out mamomo 's daily posts, as well.

is also hosting a month-long Halloween extravaganza:


In addition, the Countdown to Halloween site has a list of many other blogs participating in the daily festivities:

In other news…

Special thanks to lizziebelle for today's remarkable picture. Look for more of her haunting photos in the days to come.
By Eric Diaz : "The Top 10 Greatest Classic Horror Comics in Comic History."
From Emma Taylor: "The 20 Greatest Works of Dystopian Literature."
Happy early birthday wishes to fenice_fu , saladinahmed , coalitiongirl , and fory_san . May you all enjoy many happy returns of the day!

Text of the Day: Let's start the month with something moody and dark by one of my very favorite poets, Emily Dickinson (1830-1886).

The Soul has Bandaged moments —
When too appalled to stir —
She feels some ghastly Fright come up
And stop to look at her —

Salute her — with long fingers —
Caress her freezing hair —
Sip, Goblin, from the very lips
The Lover — hovered — o'er —
Unworthy, that a thought so mean
Accost a Theme — so — fair —


The soul has moments of Escape —
When bursting all the doors —
She dances like a Bomb, abroad,
And swings upon the Hours,

As do the Bee — delirious borne —
Long Dungeoned from his Rose —
Touch Liberty — then know no more,
But Noon, and Paradise —

The Soul's retaken moments —
When, Felon led along,
With shackles on the plumed feet,
And staples, in the Song,

The Horror welcomes her, again,
These, are not brayed of Tongue —