Haiku of the Week

The theme this month is Halloween Memories.

orange maple leaves
lights dancing on a string
jack-o’-lantern pie

Happy Caturday – September

The theme this month is Halloween Memories. This September, I’m celebrating the return to Middle-Earth with the debut of Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power this past week on Amazon. One of my favorite memories is seeing The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring in the theaters.

Artist Kajenna creates fabulous animal art and her Halloween cats are my fave. Lucius reminded me so much of Lord of the Rings, I just had to share.

For more amazing Kajenna art, visit here: https://www.deviantart.com/kajenna/art/Lucius-633886619

To purchase art prints: https://kajenna.weebly.com/#

Happy September!

Welcome back ‘Ber months!
It’s the official start to the Halloween season. This month’s theme is Halloween Memories.

The holiday season is all about perserving traditions and making memories. Halloween and falltime is the most joyous time of year. There’s less stress and a focus on personal fulfillment, as opposed to Thanksgiving and Christmas where catering to the needs of family and friends takes priority. During Halloweentime, you are doing fun things to elevate your own mood, decorating and putting your own creative spin on things, and finding a spooky costume to entertain your inner child, and ward off evil spirits, of course! That doesn’t mean we are selfish beings or ignore family and friends. Far from it! We include them in our celebrations! We inspire them to tap into their own creavity and find happiness within by making great memories of their own. When it’s all said and done, no one remembers the cool stuff they bought or didn’t buy because they couldn’t afford it. It’s memories of going places, seeing things, meeting good people, and feeling the joy, inspiration, and love that Halloween lovers bring into our lives. Don’t underestimate how much the tiniest act can last a lifetime in our brains and drive us to experience that kind of joy again and again. Be kind and patient with one another. Do your part to protect the earth from climate change. Recycle, reuse, and conserve water and energy.

To all the creatives, the artists, bloggers, decorators, filmmakers, retailers, writers, my fellow members in the Samhain Society, and everyone in-between, I bid you a spooktacular season. You keep those fires burning all year long and finally get to see payoff during this season.

So, make good memories, everyone. Have a great fall and Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween 2021!

Halloween is a celebration of life! By….warding…off…the dead….anyhoo, whether you like the old vintage style, cute and spooky, spine-tingling chills and thrills, or super gory to the max, Halloweentime is a magical season filled with creativity, community spirit, fun, and wonder. Every year, Halloween Haiku celebrates all month long, and while it’s gonna be challenging, this year we’re doing it again!

Our theme in October is Halloween Icons…ya know, bats, black cats, ghosts, pumpkins, etc., all those things that are known to represent Halloween. Now, I’ve come up with a bunch, but I can’t wait to hear what icons you think Halloween just wouldn’t be the same without.

This Halloween season, I’m changing up the traditional 31 days format and I plan to use social media a bit more, so please, join in the fun, and follow me @Halloweenhaiku9 on Instagram and Twitter

Here’s what’s in store for October:

3^rd Annual Halloween Haiku Contest Sharpen those pencils! I want to see your most original Halloween Icons themed haiku. I’m giving away a Grand Prize Pack worth over $50!
I might even have some small prizes for runner-ups.

More details about the haiku contest will be announced on October 1^st.

Halloween Icons Photo Countdown (Instagram only)
October photo countdown to Halloween. No contest, just something to do for fun Oct. 1-31st. Let’s see those pictures! Use #halloweeniconsphotochallenge

31 Days of Halloween Schedule:

Monday Macabre (website and social media)

Mondays are always dedicated to Haiku, but every Monday in October we’ll celebrate Halloween icons.

Tiny Terror Tuesdays (social media)

Sometimes little things pack a big punch. Every Tuesday, I’ll be sharing scenes from my haunted dioramas and miniatures.

Wicked Art Wednesdays (social media)

Every Wednesday, I’ll share some spooktacular Halloween art. I might even post some my own original Halloween pencil stencil art.

Throwback Thursdays (website)

Every Thursday, let’s travel back to the golden age of Vintage Halloween advertising. Some ads were amusing, and some, were downright cringeworthy. Let’s debate!

Friday Fright Nightcaps (website and social media)

Witches aren’t the only ones who drink brews! Check-in every Friday evening to see what wild Halloween season-inspired cocktail I pull outta the cauldron.

Sinister Saturdays (website and social media)

Every Saturday, I’ll rotate between sharing one savory and one sweet recipe, all guaranteed to have you screaming for more! I may even try to make some of these myself. Now, that’s scary!

Poe Sundays (website and social media)

Just like we do every year, we’ll celebrate the gothic genius of Edgar Allan Poe, master of macabre.

Have a safe and happy Halloween season, everyone!

Recipe of the Month – September 2020: Deviled Raven Eggs

As summer winds down, September ushers in the return of Autumn, bringing with it. fall foliage, crisp apples, plump pumpkins, and gothic spookiness. No author better represents gothic spookiness better than Edgar Allan Poe. Perhaps, that’s why Alison over at Alison’s Wonderland Recipes created this delicious recipe Deviled Raven Eggs in honor of the master of macabre. Healthier than regular deviled egg options, this unique, gothic-style appetizer is perfect for the Halloween season.

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1 heaping cup of beets, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil, separated
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 garlic powder, optional
black food coloring

For the full recipe and cooking instructions, please go here:
http://wonderlandrecipes.com/2016/10/06/deviled-raven-eggs/

Be sure to check out Alison’s other amazing recipes inspired by classic literature.

Haiku of the Week

fire glow
baked apple cinnamon
september winds

Monthly Haiku Corner – September

red leaves
dance among the maples
september squirrels

Happy September!

I think we can all agree that Covid-19 pandemic has really upended our lives and changed how we socially interact with one another. I think that’s what makes the BER months so special is that it gives people the opportunity to celebrate the meaningful things in life. September has always been about the return to traditions and renewed hope in putting aside differences, coming together, and celebrating the community.

That feeling of camaraderie and goodwill only increases as the BER months continue. So, while it may be easy to get lost in despair over the current state of affairs of the nation, the easiest way to make the world a better place is to concentrate on bringing peace and love into our own lives and neighborhoods.

The Halloween 2020 season was always meant to be an auspicious event. Coronavirus threatens our community, dampens our spirits, and aims to spoil our fun, so it’s more important than ever to honor our dead and celebrate our holiday traditions. While it’s true that there will be scaled back public activities, Halloween is still very much on! That’s why this year, Halloween Haiku will be promoting Halloween at Home, a spooky night of fun and revelry from your very own couch.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, I encourage everyone to wear masks while out in public and practice a safe and social-distanced Halloween. All throughout the month of September, I’ll be sharing tips and suggestions on how to have a fun and safe Halloween, in lieu of trick-or-treating and big parties.

Later this month, I’m going to reveal details on the 2^nd Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge, and the schedule for 31 Days of Halloween, the yearly celebration of the haunting season, which happens every October.

Have a safe and happy Halloween season!

Haiku of the Week – Happy First Day of Fall

changing leaves
autumn comes but once a year
living death

Happy first day of Autumn!

Although the summer heat may hang around for a few more weeks, there’s a cheerful enthusiasm lingering in the air. Fall smells of apples, cinnamon, and pumpkins. Soon, the leaves on the trees will turn colors, bright hues of gold, orange, and red, then brown, a death so beautiful, we almost forget to mourn.