A Reminder As The Day Draweth Nigh...

...get out and vote!  

Like our friend in the pic, we stood in line...

...and voted early this year...took about 50 minutes.

Every time one of the DSA gang opens their mouth...

...something putrid spews out, like "It's not communism, it's common sense!"

This is because they're terminally stupid and have the same intellectual grasp of history as a stink bug.

Anyone who thinks <communism> is common sense...

...should not be allowed to handle anything sharper than a crayon and should never be anywhere near actual governance.

Don't underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Do your duty and Vote on Tuesday, November 3rd.

Our future depends on it.

While we've lived here I've bemoaned the lack of color in our trees during Autumn.

We have a plethora of massive oaks...

...whose leaves typically go from green to brown to down sometime in late November.

But this year we've been pleasantly surprised...

...at how much more fall color we're seeing around the ol' homestead.

Ok, it's not the brilliant reds and oranges of maples but compared to prior years we're really quite pleased.

Over the last few years we've trimmed / cut down a few trees in an effort to create some breathing room; and this fall we've enjoyed much more sunshine than usual.

Whatever the cause, it's been lovely having some autumnal splendor gracing the grounds.

Enough beating 'round yon bushes - time for the All Hallows E'en pictorial, 2026:

your hosts: the mistress of the manor...

...and Gramp n. stein

now ladies and gents, Brace your selves for the not so terrifying, anything but spine tingling, definitely not world famous walk of fear™ !

starring marilyn as you've never seen her, and big frank pretty much the same as always

enter if you dare!

ok, so you dared, big deal.  hey, isn't she supposed to be handing out treats?

you've made it through the tunnel of terror!  what horrors await?

I mEAN BESIDES THE SMILING JACK-O-LANTERNS.

OK, OK, SO WE MAY HAVE OVERSTATED THAT WHOLE FEAR/TERROR/HORROR THING.  REMEMBER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 10 YEAR OLD KIDS HERE.

IN ANY EVENT IT'S A PLEASANT STROLL PAST A FEW PROPS...

...ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE...

...including the creature from the black lagoon...

...UNTIL YOU ARRIVE AT THE BIG PAYOFF.  UM, SHE'LL BE BACK IN A SEC.

IN THE MEANTIME YOU CAN LISTEN TO THESE GUYS BLOWING THEIR HORNS

And that was pretty much it...had decent weather and a typical turnout with 84 trick or treaters and their parents.

All the kids got some candy, a few party favors and the good news of Jesus Christ in a gospel tract.

The unexpected hit of the night?

These guys...5" tall 3D printed skeletons with fully articulated joints.

We even had one father return and sheepishly ask if we had any more of the skeletons...one of his kids got one, and the other one didn't.

Hooda thunk it?

That’s All Hallows...

...done and dusted for another year.

In the "too bad, so sad" department, I may have played my last two rounds of hickory golf for the year...

at the nasty little par 3 course I frequent only after my regular course closes

...depends on if it rains tomorrow.

If it does, at least I went out with a couple of 6-3 wins.

I tried to play using my featheries, but gave up halfway through the 3rd hole on my first round.

It's just "poofball", like hitting a beanbag instead of a golf ball.

If anyone ever masters the art of making featheries like the originals - which were solid enough to go 140 to 160 yards - then I'll be all in.

As it stands right now, I've given up on them.

Switched to my regular golf balls and soldiered on.

Hoping I have one last round waiting for me tomorrow.

Why delay the inevitable?  Let's 23 Skidoo so we can get on with life:

Larry spotted the real tree creature on Halloween night near his cottage

my bull riding grandson traded in his spurs for an eye patch and the life of a pirate with his beautiful wife

obama's been making jokes on the campaign trail about the trump white house resembling the cheesecake factory.  apparently he forgot about his own prez library.

while sitting outside we heard our resident tree frog loudly chirping...

...and finally spotted him tucked away on a ledge above us

strange goings on up around larry's cottage

 

Don't forget it's time change weekend...

...so set those clocks back an hour.

O Joy - it will get dark before 6 o'clock now.

But take heart, sojourner:

¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strength of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

    - Psalm 27:1

later, mcm fans...