All Dressed Up and Someplace to Go!

(replication of the original)

"Tah-ruly one of Betsy's mother's finest!" declared Gemmama, shiny with a proudness that spoke as if indeed she closely knew the McCall family (perhaps was even invited to Thanksgiving dinner at their house on occasion, because, "Is that so very hard to believe?!?") to her then little girl, who would next grow up to someday be my Momsie♥, gently hand~cradling before her the sewing pattern envelope, whose delicate inner tissues would soon hurry to be received by a specially~selected and magically flowy black fabric, afterwitch afterwhich and in short order (My grandmother's stitches have always been quick and light of motion!) it would become the "Mommy and Me" matching outfit (a look that always found time to tug at Gemmama's heartstrings) that she and her daughter would together share-wear, come a Tricks or Treats evening, decades ago, AND whose scrumptuously artworked packaging had instantly turned Momsie's eyes into platters! (BY•the•BY: Happy Almost Halloween greetings to you, Gemmama, if indeed I have caught you sneak peeking "taking in the sights," even though over and again you insist that something you would never in a million black cats' years busy yourself with is the reading of a blog, the reason for choosing not to mostly being: "The word 'blog' is a silly sound!")

"Push the worry from your stomach," I confidented my littlest witchy~pal, Natalie, who much rathers "Natty," and is my cookie Thomas' sweet niece, days ago when she "I spied" the annual All~Hallows~Even

holiday party invite, joyfully issued to all by Vanessa, who hangs her pointy hat at A Fanciful Twist. Reminding her of my No Witch Left Behind Policy, because the more the merrier indeed, I then did boost the invitation: "In concert you and I shall enter 'through the secret keyhole' (Please to "click" and you shall come, too!) to celebrate this day of days!

From out of my grandmother's second attic, farback~and~to~the~right~and~left~of~Great~Uncle~Ned's~boxed~wishbone~collection trunk, amore~sprinkled, look~alikey witch garb in sizes BIG (Gemmama's!) and small (Momsie's!) have been borrowed and freshened! But lo and behold a bold fashion statement change, though, for beneath out pointies, Natty and I will lovingly plop old~fashioned, tribute bonnets up top our topnots, only to again plop, this time, ourselves in

(Most sincerely, its flavor is that of pumpkin orange
--and gold-threaded to boot!)

the parlor's favorite overstuffed. There we will herald in this festival day's frolic with a cozy reading of delicately penned in her own hand and likewise dotted with her soft~colored and charming teeny tiny drawings

National Treasure Tasha Tudor's
very first published story:

Pumpkin Moonshine!

Its breviary tells: Pumpkin Moonshine is a short little tale of Tudor's niece Sylvie Ann as she goes out to select a big pumpkin for Halloween. Sylvie Ann and her little dog, Wiggy, climb a hill to the cornfield where the pumpkins are growing.

They find a big one and start to roll it home as if it were a big snow-ball. As they head back down the hill the pumpkin gets away from them and speeds into the farmyard scaring some goats, chickens, and geese and finally, bumps into the hired hand causing him to spill a bucket of whitewash. Finally, Sylvie Ann's grandfather, who you can tell by his style of dress is a New England gentleman farmer, helps her carve the pumpkin into

a "Pumpkin Moonshine",
otherwise known as a Jack-o-Lantern.

They put a candle inside and enjoy the grinning face. Sylvie Ann saves the seeds and plants them in the cornfield in the spring. --LibraryThing.com

Orangely primed,
we will most certainly then

be ready for our own
Pumpkin Moonshining!

Shame on forgetful me, because I did not make a mention of the wand~making, did I? Three cheers! because the treating continues, when Natty and I create

fabulous Hallowe'en wands!

Then, no doubt and quite honestly, because I can never avoid not to, we will "bake"

a pie!

And, yes, yes, a thousand times yes, there will be presents!-- Oh! Oh! OH! I MUST SCAMPER! Suddenly and follwing a knock~knock~knockity~knocking at my door, little footsteps are coming up to me! Natalie has arrrived! And if she does over~my~shoulder read this, much too soon she will get wind of the surprises: a paint box whose chips are chock full of Tasha Tudor~y inspired

watercolors,

Natty has yet to have put to parchment, waits wrapped for her in pumpkin print paper, as does, too, a bewitching perfumer of Miss Taylor Swift's

Wonderstruck,
a charming gourmand named after the lyrics her song titled, "Enchanted"!

GOLY~GOSH!
I'd best be closing!

A Happy Halloween Party to all,
and to all,

A Pumpkin Moonshiny Night!

A Most Important Postscript: Dear Miss Vanessa, I send to you this from~the~bottom~of~my~heartly thank you!

Lady Luck's Color: Orange!

It is wise not to burn a sweet Gurley orange such as this, because watching that would make me very sad!

And so begins day twenty~five, leading up to the biggest 31st of the year: All~Hallows~Even! Yes, amazed I am, as, likely, you are too, at how extraordinarily Hallowe'en~magickal the clock's tick~tocks now do make their sounds!

Going mere days back, the door on The Whimsical Cottage opened and from its threshold Miss Danni made pre~holiday mentions: "Time we got out our broomsticks and candlesticks and tell each other spooky stories around the fire. And, because so many of you played along and I had so much fun last year, I'm throwing another Countdown to Hallowe'en blog party this year! If you missed it last year, here's what you need to know to play along:

Do something Autumny or Halloweeny every day throughout the month of October, ending with the big event on the 31st. It need not be anything difficult or eleborate, just a little something to get you in the spirit. Share what you've been up to on your blogs either daily, every few days, weekly... whenever you're able! All I ask is you have a maniacally good time!"

You'll join us then? Please say you will? (If your schedule nods in approval, give "click" to the Halloween countdown invitation, pictured, above.) Grand! I'm simply delighted, and I am certain that is what Miss Danni will be, too, soonly after you favorably RSVP!

My 8 October Countdown contribution
and "prepare~ahead":

To make luck come bountifully into your life (Or, mayhapsly, it be all about replenishing your suddenly dwindling stash? Because, "How did I let it get away on me?" you're asking yourself.), take a freshly owned orange~colored candle that has yet to have a glowing match put to it, and anoint it thricely with three driplets of cinnamon oil, three driplets of clove oil, and three driplets of lotus oil, because it is rumored that belonging to each of these integrals are vibrations of the luck~attracting kind.

Dancing Bear is one of Momsy's favorite people!

Whilst Grandfather busies himself with counting out loud to twelve, thus turning the world into midnight, three times impart the following incantation:

BRIMSTONE, MOON, AND WITCH'S FIRE
CANDLELIGHT'S BRIGHT SPELL
GOOD LUCK SHALL I NOW AQUIRE,
WORK THY MAGICK WELL.
MIDNIGHT TWELVE, THE WITCHING HOUR,
BRING THE LUCK I SEEK.
BY WAX AND WICK NOW WORK THY POWER
AS THESE WORDS I SPEAK.
HARMING NONE, THIS SPELL IS DONE.
BY LAW OF THREE, SO MOTE IT BE!

Gaze into the flame of the candle, same~timing with thinks and thoughts good lucky. Give pulse to a lucky feel that is real, as if indeed it was you who had just won a prize!

As mind~pictures paint a Wheel of Fortune especially spinning for you, remember, too, this reminder: To achieve an outcome that is at its best, cup~runneth~overly magnify this newly conjured euphoria. But, oh, I do ask begs of thee: BE WATCHFUL! NEVER, ever (and dotted with a plentiful sprinkling of whatsoever) doubt the power of the spell! Even the smallest crumb of skeptical will recklessly upside down its effectiveness.

And for certain and most importantly, do NOT stop the candle's "burn~brightly," until 1 November becomes the day, because as Grandfather's speaks of Wee Morning, so shall the spell be fixed. (Take heed, please, witches in need of beauty sleep: a bathtub safely holds a lit taper all night long unattended.) And, if Sunrise finds the candle NOT "out," put to use a moistened two~finger wick~pinch, as it is the only acceptible snuff. Because NEVER LET HUMAN BREATH CEASE THE FLAME OR ALL OF YOUR GOOD LUCK WILL BLOW AWAY.

And if a past~annointed orange candle be at your fingertips, enjoy prediction:

To peer into the future (or visit Realms Unknown), before a mirror at the stroke of Halloween midnight, middle yourself betwix a midnight~complected candle placed leftmost and the spelled orange candle on your right. "Match" each hand to light the candles at a moment that is the same to both of them, whilst you give a gaze to your own eyes in the mirror. Concentrate upon that which you desire to know, until an often times misty vision looks back at you from the glass. Within this vision your answer will be found!

Whichy Witchy Woman are You?

From Across the Pond a postcard that is Halloween~fancy, Postal Carrier Thomas (and my cookie still!) this morning did deliver! Gemmama, whose house I keep a home while she is making Far Aways to visit her dearest friend

Luella living a Welsh life,
sent this timely to me:

Tenth Month Greetings, Sweet E.!

When this message finds you, we will be gathering barely here-and-there Scabious (a teasel known to remedy Itchies, and that also answers to Devil's-bit because, as one "relic," an ancient crone whose name escapes me, once clued me,'The greater part of the root seemeth to be bitten away; old fantastick charmers report that the divel did bite it for envie, because it is an herbe that hath so many good vertues and it is so beneficial to mankinde.') and Red Dead Nettle (good to remove a jinx --or add to floor wash, afterwhich expect a mighty fine shine to look back at you. Go figure?! Tee-hee!) And when it's not about that, blackberries fill out buckets! Then we will bring home nice long necklaces of bright scarlet (Another tee-hee! truly is in order as this particular month inspires me to spell it "scare"let!) berries of the Black Bryony to herald in Autumn's crisp and the spookiful days and nights of October!

Eary BOO! to you!
Love, G. and L.

P.S. Yellow-Hammers are feeding in the stubble!

Quickly, I be putting postal note aside
and then immediately, and

naturally, I did bake a pie!

"Hello, October, full of merry glee!" I out loudly spoke to the sky outside my window, where it watched me watch it unfold into a brand new Season of the Witch! With the pie~point I'd forked from my blackberried slice held highly, I continued to give hail: "O Yellow Month, from the fading of the leaf,The wall calendar today announces that you finally belong to the world. Aah! This day, your first, is generous with warm and bright! Truly, you be the frosting on the cake we call "Today"!

And so begins the thirty days that lead up to the biggest thirty~oneth of the year: All~Hallows~Even! Yes, Hallowe'en approaches! How extraordinarily magickical the clock's tick~tocks are now sounding!

*offers warm~still piece of blackberry pie (and don't forget to first make a wish on its point before you make eats of it!)*
Have some bites and chews whilst Miss Danni
from The Whimsical Cottage extends this invitation:

"Time we got out our broomsticks and candlesticks and tell each other spooky stories around the fire. And, because so many of you played along and I had so much fun last year, I'm throwing another Countdown to Hallowe'en blog party this year! If you missed it last year, here's what you need to know to play along:

Do something Autumny or Halloweeny every day throughout the month of October, ending with the big event on the 31st. It need not be anything difficult or eleborate, just a little something to get you in the spirit. Share what you've been up to on your blogs either daily, every few days, weekly... whenever you're able! All I ask is you have a maniacally good time!"

You'll join us then, please say you will? Grand! I'm simply delighted, and I am certain that is what Miss Danni will be, soonly after you favorably RSVP!

My 1 October Countdown contribution is sort of kooky~spooky,

Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde~y
looksee, which is to say it is merely a fun~meme and lightly are the bumps in the night that are sprinkled upon it:

Scientists, be they mad or no, assert that within each and and every one of us our opposite side lurks! (Our personal antonyms may cheat while we remain faithful, spends the night dancing while we are home choring, curses at annoyers while we smile and hold our tongue, etcetera.)

On this day that starts October, then liberate, perhaps? About yourself give filler to the blanks in sentences below. (Feel free to add new descriptives as they occur to you.) Then complete the same statements in their opposite way, because you'd be surprised!

And please do, too, remember that "Evil Twin" need not be naughty words. Plenty are the times our opposite self (alter ego) isn't always worse in some way than we are. The "bad witch" is generally accomplished at the very things we think we are failures at. (If you are shy, she is a grandiose flirt. If you oversleep, she is Sunrise's alarm clock. If you are afraid--heaven forbid--of flying, she invented the broom, and so on.)

October's First Day asks:

Bangles by Jessica Kagan CushmanImage credit: Squidoo
Are you a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?

1. I am a (choose one:) night/morning owl. Hoo! Hoo!

2. I am as as happy as a little bird with a french fry when my life is (chose one:) settled/swirling.

3. My favorite kind of music is ____________.

4. I would describe my style of clothes as ____________ .

5. My idea of a perfect evening is ____________ .

6. My idea of a perfect job is ____________ .

7. If I found a wounded sparrow, I would ____________ .

8. The best place in the world to live is ____________ .

9. If I found a wallet with money in it, I would ____________ .

10. My relationship with my parents is/was ____________ .

(You're welcome to tell all how you turned out in my comment section. Thank you ahead! I soonly will do likewise.)

Ring, Ring, Ring Those Lime in the Coconut Bells!

O Merry, Merry
Practical Magic Blog Party Day!

*middling it in the bright of a taper's top~light, this Cellar Door begins the burning of a cat whisker found somewhere, and whispers a wish to the smoke rising like magicked petals ride night's breath*

Cat's Wand wish and truth be married,
To rooftop hence shall I be carried!

"HUZZAH!" to a wish~ful spell accomplished, as I noggin~nod, "Indeed, yes, that be a witchy me uphighly and belonging to the left, second!" Please to take comecloselies at the Owens' Victorian, above, because this seeing is believing: 'Tis me!,

(From~my~heart's-desired perch, I give gaze~back!)
sending my smiles
to oohing and aahing merry~makers below!
Practical Magic's ending does truly make for a wonderful today's beginning! I humbly lo to thee, O Practical Magic! With nary a hestitaion--not even one nearby lurking in rose bushes over Angelov--I proclaim your

ever so enchanting ingredients
spell the perfect receipt!

And when the now is entirely about your potions, notions, brews and lotions, spells and conjures, assorted commingles or commotions, what be your "signature"? Your essential enchanter? Your enhancing integral? Straight~uply: What is your favorite ingredient?

Mine be a thrice~tie:

A bird~size bundleworth
of white bread hiccups

(Quirky as it goes,
one bite from one slice is for me a never fail, speedy delivery!);

fresh~queased jingles
from two silver bells;

and, most certainly and time after timely (because Quite Possiblies do contantly urge me to admit it is my true druther!),

Found Pussycat's Vibrissae!
(The rose by any other name: cat whiskers),
which behave quite nicely until called upon in

(Plentiful thank~yous go out to Miss J.Lo!)
a phial spent of fragrance, yet linger parfume does on each itty wand. Scented rememberings--heart notes, if you will--in shades of spicey violet, redcurrant and peony, intoxicating each kitty stalk which easily takes its turn coming out of a bottle this way necked. (Once more, I thank you, Miss Lopez!)

What say you, then?
What component
be your caldron's best friend?
. . . . . . .

A LIKE NO OTHER, MOST IMPORTANT POSTSCRIPT: Our "pipes" and this melody next meld flawlessly in a pleasant way together, thanking and congratulating dearest champion Miss Anna, who hails from Frosted Petunias, for making certain this day she gifted us with would be red-lettered! Now on with a joyous warble:

For she's a jolly good fellow, for she's a jolly good fellow
For she's a jolly good fellow (pause), and so say all of us
And so say all of us, and so say all of us
For she's a jolly good fellow, for she's a jolly good fellow
For she's a jolly good fellow (pause), and so say all of us!

UNNCOMMONLY~TREATS~BE~PROMISED SPECIAL, UTTERLY TASTEY, NEVER BETTER POST POSTCRIPT: Milk~top your goblets, sweet dearies!

At your service:

Gemmama's
"Have Broom, Will Travel" receipt!

It's Practically Practical Magic!

MY WISH:

To garnish with the quicklies the count of days in front of this bloggyland's social event of the season
(one better, THE YEAR!):

Excitement be my
constant companion!

And for those who yet haven't,
ticking tocks say it's not too late for you
to be part of the make merry.

Come, join

!

Merely do follows of these specifics:
Eat plentifuls of

chocolate cake for breakfast,
then broomstick~hurry up yourself over to the treater who couldn't be sweeter,

to RSVP to a cornucopia over~brimming with Midnight Margarita madcapping!
(Clicking on the aloft Practical Magic Blog Party
invite will take you from here to a there!)

POSTSCCRIPT: Quite actually, the pre~"Say 'yes' to attendance" cake~eating is my interject, but it couldn't hurt, now, could it?! Lol!)

Lumos!

If You Catch a Firefly
By Lilian Moore (1909–2004)

If you catch a firefly
and keep it in a jar
You may find that
you have lost
A tiny star.

If you let it go then,
back into the night,
You may see it
once again
Star bright.

Lilian Moore, “If You Catch a Firefly” from I Feel the Same Way (New York: Atheneum, 1967). Copyright © 1967 by Lilian Moore. All Rights Renewed and Reserved. Used by permission of Marian Reiner.

Mere moments ago, (If that be, because I couldn't wait to herald!), my pocketbook all by itself opened to my favorite online emporium, Victorian Trading Co., because who could conjure up resistance to

this delightful,
light~full find?!

I've made buys of several! So far, one to go to the Pink Room and one to side~by~side night~light me as I doss in my own nest! The rest (a dozen's half in tally), I still make thinks about what places will be their very own.) What stunners ideed, truly you agree? [About this MustMakeMine says VTC: "We've chanced upon a clever souvenir of those magical evenings spent under a canopy of stars, gleefully in seeking those evasive, blinking yellow 'Lightning Bugs'."]

Also have I claimed

a Wintergarden!
It is Victorian Trading Company's crystal ring, who tells this tale: "Ivy-covered Austrian crystal spans two fingers like a neglected Victorian garden."

Any better do descriptives ever be?!
Such snaggable poetry caught me
hook, line and shiny dropball!

Daisy, Daisy Give Me Your Answer Do

And now they bow, “With all our heart,
We’ll love each other till us part.”

My co~pilot is my most times alarm clock, too. In so many words meows, Puddle did shortly ago remind me “Morning has come early!” Again might I add, yet I do laugh because she is so sweet! It is the handful of kitty bites in Puddle’s bowl next to my bed I put that she has become accustomed to, a stifle~action I akin to “hitting the Snooze button.” Once more I do a giggle with the “thinks” of a sleepy me making my pre~dawn delivery!

On a day like today and those resembling it as well,

my eyes are unusual platters and I make waits to play “‘Daisy,’ Tell Me Do.” If a pussykitty be your waker, you can play, too:

In your cat’s dish place a small palm of cat treats. Soon after a full feline~belly has been achieved, tally the number of morsels left in your familiar’s bowl. To be read with each treat~measure, recite one line of the following poem that now belongs to the powers of the “petals”:

[first treat] He loves me.
[second treat] He loves me not.
[third treat] He’ll want me.
[fourth treat] He won’t.
[fifth treat] If he could he would.
[sixth treat] But he can’t.

The line harmonizing with the last nibblet awards you your answer. I believe if treats numbered two, four, or six end your story, have at it like you’re putting shampoo to its use: rinse (the bowl, not the kit-kat! lol) and repeat, because Happily Ever Afters be good human treats!