Camera Critters Halloween Party!

There's so much excitement in Blogland. Halloween is coming and there are parties everywhere. The lovely Ms. Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist is the hostess with the mostess for her annual party. It just so happens that it falls on Camera Critters day, so I have combined these two fun events. I hope you'll visit Ms. Vanessa and all the other party goers and visit Camera Critters to see all the wonderful critters around the world!

The candles are lit.

(From BHG.com)

The witch is busy cooking up something defrightfully good.

And, Snoopy has decided he had so much fun last year
he's back for another year.
He's all ready to look into the future and
he invited a few of his friends to join him.
The only catch -- they had to bring Halloween jokes for you!

Here's Snoopy with his crystal ball and tarot cards.
It wouldn't be fair if he didn't bring a joke, too.

"What happens when a ghost gets lost in the fog?"
"He is mist."

This is Jack The Jester.
He'll do tricks and tell a few jokes.

"What kind of tie does a ghost wear to a formal party?"
"A boo-tie."

"Where do vampire children eat their lunch?"
"At the school casketeria."

Ms. Abracadabra is all dressed up and plans on doing
a few magic tricks. Until then -- a joke?!!

"Why did the skeleton cross the road?"
"To go to the body shop."

"How do ghosts take their coffee?"
"With scream and sugar."

Merlin the Magician is happy to join us.

"Where do goblins get their lottery tickets?"
"At the ghastly station."

And, last but not least (!!!)

"Why don't ghosts like to play sports?"
"Because they get booed."

Here's hoping you have a wonderfully delightful day
and

Happy Halloween!!!

Postcard Friendship Friday

Our delightful postmistress Marie arranges Postcard Friendship Friday.

This time last year we visited Natchez, Mississippi
and a grand time was had by all!
Here are a few of the postcards I brought home with me --
a wonderful way to remember our trip.

There is a Fall Pilgrimage in Natchez every year.
They open some of the beautiful old homes that are privately owned
to the public.
This card shows some of the homes that are open year round:
The Rosalie, Stanton Hall, Longwood, Donleigh, Melrose and Glen Auburn
all historical mansions in Natchez.

This post card reads: "Riding in a typical 'surrey with the fringe on top' is a grand way to see the elegant antebellum mansions in downtown Natchez. Many are situated on the crest of a hill, so that they are pleasingly displayed."

We flew into Jackson, Mississippi and rented a car
driving to Natchez along the Natchez Trace.

The back of this card reads: " During the late 1700's and early 1800's thousands of travelers walked the Natchez Trace, a primitive pathway through the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian Nations. The trip of nearly 500 miles between Natchez and Nashville required as much as four weeks. In places the trail was eroded deeply into the land giving rise to the term 'sunken trace.'"

The Trace is now a two lane parkway that winds its way to Natchez from Tennessee. The speed limit is set at 55. There are no conveniences along the road except for an occasional rest stop with "facilities". No gas stations. Very little traffic. You have Mother Nature all to yourself. Lots of wildlife. It is beautiful.

"Inns were erected along the Trace with encouragement from the Government, and were usually run by half-breed Indians or white men with Indian wives. The Parkway is administered by the National Park Service, U. S. Department of the Interior."

I hope you enjoyed this short visit along the Trace to Natchez.

Be sure to visit Marie for other Postcard Friendship Friday posts.

So, Where IS the Memory Card?

Mr. Dragon and I went to a book signing last night at Murder By The Book, one of the few remaining independent booksellers here in Houston. One of our favorite authors, Louise Penny was signing her latest Inspector Gamache book, The Brutal Telling. I grabbed the camera and out the door we went. Well, when I started to take a photo of Ms. Penny --- my beloved camera said *no memory card*. What? That can't be! I looked at Mr. Dragon. He looked at me. Shrugged. But it was true. So, here I am, borrowing a photo of Louise Penny from her website.



I've borrowed a bit more from her website:

"Here is a bit of what the book is about…

Chaos is coming, old son. 

With those words the peace of Three Pines is shattered. As families prepare to head back to the city and children say goodbye to summer, a stranger is found murdered in the village bistro. Once again, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team are called in to strip back layers of lies, exposing both treasures and rancid secrets buried in the wilderness. 

No one admits to knowing the murdered man, but as secrets are revealed, chaos begins to close in on the beloved bistro owner, Olivier. How did he make such a spectacular success of his business? What past did he leave behind and why has he buried himself in this tiny village? And why does every lead in the investigation find its way back to him? 

As Olivier grows more frantic, a trail of clues and treasures- from first editions of Charlotte's Web and Jane Eyre to a spider web with the word "WOE" woven in it-lead the Chief Inspector deep into the woods and across the continent in search of the truth, and finally back to Three Pines as the little village braces for the truth and the final, brutal telling.



 There is a scene in THE BRUTAL TELLING where a new agent, Paul Morin, plays a priceless violin. Here is part of that scene:

What came out surprised them all. A Celtic lament left the bow, left the violin, left the agent. It filled the cabin, filled the rafters. Almost into the corners. The simple tune swirled around them like colors and delicious meals and conversation. And it lodged in their chests. Not their ears, not their heads, but their hearts. Slow, dignified, but buoyant. Agent Morin had changed….His eyes were closed and he looked the way Gamache felt. Filled with joy. Rapture even. Such was the power of this music. Of this instrument."

Interesting, yes?!!! I loved meeting Ms. Penny. She is witty, fun, lovely, intelligent. She told us wonderful stories. Said the first Gamache novel took her 45 years to write. The second one, three months -- after spending a year on it and throwing the manuscript away and starting over. Her books are *classical* mysteries. Just one murder per book. Each book filled with characters -- some you want to meet in real life -- others, no thanks, but each interesting, with feelings, problems, histories -- just like all of us. And, compassion ... Gamache is amazing .. he has been through much in his life -- you can just tell, even though, so far, we don't know a lot about his past. These are not cozy mysteries. Psychological police procedurals would be a better category for them. I can't recommend this series enough. You Canadians are lucky to have her! Thanks for sharing her with the rest of us. Get ye to a library or bookstore and look for her books ... read them in order (Still Life is the first) and enjoy!

(Did I mention she also has a blog?!!! And, I found the memory card ... not in the camera.)

Wordless Wednesday

My World

Be sure to visit My World to see more of our world or to participate yourself.

I think I've mentioned before that we are baseball lovers.

I'm going to take you back to the end of September
and the last game of the season (for us) with the Astros.

It was a beautiful day and the roof was open!

We are huge college baseball fans
and get a real charge seeing *our* boys play in the major leagues.
Here's Lance Berkman (first baseman for the Astros)
with Paul Janish (short stop for the Cincinnati Reds).
Both of them played for Rice U Owls.
Lance was the college baseball player of the year.
Paul was on the 2003 team that won the college world series.
I wonder what they were talking about? !!!!!

It was Friday night and the last fireworks of the season.

Click here to view all participants of My World Tuesday!

Have a wonderful week!