Monday, December 21, 2020

Down the Rabbit Hole

I totally spaced out that I had signed up for Roxanne Rhoads of the Bewitching Halloween Blog's Christmas card exchange until his Lordship returned to Chicago today with a card from her.  Isn't it cool?  Unfortunately, I promised one in return.

So I had to scramble to come up with something to send her.  Enter an adult cuss word coloring book and gel pens I found while cleaning up the hoard.  My father's wife had anger issues among other things.

So I found an appropriate offering - nothing as cute as I could have done at home with proper craft supplies but I hope she understands.  That just about sums it up.



Thursday, December 17, 2020

Greetings from Chi-Town

Hello dear readers and greetings from the 36th floor of a condo along Chicago's lakeshore.  So much has happened since arriving here that I hardly know where to begin.
It all started with the unexpected death of my father's wife.  My siblings and I thought we would never see our father alive again so when she pre-deceased him (she was 15 years younger), we sprung into action, taking it as the opportunity it is.
I arrived weeks ago knowing that my father wanted me to succeed his wife as durable and medical power of attorney.  The condo was a hoarder situation and my father was in the Sheridan Village Rehab.  Because of covid, we could not see him there so we had no other choice than to spring him.  Lots of work went into organizing his home and convincing the "rehab" center to let me return him to it.  
Since then my siblings have been coming to spend some time with my ailing father.  He is in a pretty bad way as he is in late stage Lewy Body Dementia.  I plan to stay with him as his full time care giver and the family has been really supportive.  We are enjoying our time with our Dad at last.  So I am not sure when things we return to normal for me as I am just standing in the present moment.  Happy Holidays to you dear readers - I will see you sometime in 2021.

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Going Dark

 Sorry folks but I have a family crisis so my blog will go dark for awhile.  I am sad to not spend Creepmas with you but alas life comes before my computer fantasy life.  Cheers and Hope to be back sometime in 2021.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

The Emma Crawford Cup

 The results for the Emma Crawford Cup are in and our team has won for the most Photo flair.  We got a gift basket which looks like this:

Here is the link to the official announcement.  Had our team bothered to listen to me, we would have had two more entries in the prizes.  The answers I had to the two disputed question were correct!

Our prize include multiple gift cards - hope we can split it 6 ways with too many arguments.  Whose gonna get the pot store gift card????




Sunday, November 1, 2020

Slim pickings after Halloween

We attempted a  post-Halloween shop at the stores today but found stocks surprisingly low.  Spirit yielded some decent decor early but stores ran out of the good stuff by about 9 am. Michael's, Home Depot, Walmart, Target, Party City and Walgreens were all busts. JoAnn's and Home Goods had a few things but overall, a very small haul.

Saturday, October 31, 2020

My fave treaters

The kids next door 

Happy Halloween

 Happy Halloween Everyone.  Sorry to be so scarce lately but the holiday does keep me busy.  Today I dressed up Liathach the wonder horse as "Death Rides a Pale Horse".  For Liathach's part, since he is a white horse, not a pale horse ( that refers to a palomino), he made sure he was covered In urine and poop stains that turned his otherwise alabaster coat to something resembling old cigarettes. I appreciate his efforts to get into character as death's mount.

So without further adieu I give you - "Death Rides a Pale Horse".


Happy Halloween to all my dear readers and everyone who has visited during the countdown to Halloween.  Hope the spirit of the season possesses you!

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Skele's with dogs, birds, and in chairs

The skeletons of Manitou Springs just keeps coming.  Today our team of three goes out to judge so I wanted to make sure to share this last extensive group with you.
Here paying homage to Manitou's hippy past is Mountain High Gallery and Gifts' meditating hippy.  The New York Times once referred to the town as "Hippy Mayberry" and it kind of stuck.  No more hippies remain - just a lot of liberal old boomers who support the arts and education.  It starts the first of my series called skeletons with dogs.
Here is the Manitou Outpost's morning sunshine skeleton.  I like her fuzzy dog slippers.
Ruxton Trading Post has this dogs gnawing on the bone of a competitor's skeleton. They just put a cowboy hat on their window skeleton - a minimal effort in my opinion.

Mountain High Sportswear wrapped their skeleton as a mummy and gave him a cute dog ghost companion.

Next we have a group of skeleton I like to call those in chairs. Bela Terra has an angel of a skeleton with a rather menacing skull.
Adams Mountain Cafe, a great place for vegan eats and one of the only businesses on the east side of town participating, has this lovely day of the dead painted skeleton.
The Vault has this dapper gal dressed in their boutique finery sipping on a mule.
The Hemp Store which already had that cute little stoner, has added a seated witch to the display.
The Olive Tap has this cute little chef seated on the wall next to a pallet?? Strange.
Finally here is a little section call skeletons and birds.  We've seen this pirate before, only this year he is wearing his mask.
Eagle Dancer is also reusing a previous design with this dead frontiers man and his crow friend.
Well must go judge.  Who is your favorite this year??

Monday, October 26, 2020

Christmas Rearing Its Ugly Head

Snow softly falls all around the graveyard as Jack 
Frost once again screws with Halloween. Our high today will be 14 degrees.  Hopefully, all this snow will put out the fires still raging in Colorado.




Friday, October 23, 2020

Skeleton Saturday

 Here are some fun skeletons I met while braving the miserable weather yesterday to wander the streets of Manitou.

Swirl picked up on a theme of 2020  - the Karen.  She has written a very poor review of the business.



Twin bears also has a 2020 theme with this depressed incline hiker.  The incline is a 2,500 foot staircase that leaves from Manitou and has been closed a lot this year - first due to covid and then a little wildfire in early October.
Armadillo Ranch has brought back the Grateful Dead theme they did last year.
But they added this little gem with no hands.
Manitou Springs Realty which always has an excellent design has this bit of spider food.  Looks like he has been sucked dry!
Olde Thyme Photo Shop has paid tribute to our frontline workers and first responders.  That is a wildland firefighter and a nurse.
The Loop Mexican Restaurant has this amigo shit faced and socially distanced.
Our new business called Barn + Swallow has put together a skeleton affectionately known as Janis Joplin.  It is a business with a purpose, a nonprofit that helps woman with job training and support.

Cherokees has a pirate and a window filled with witches and magic.






Spooky Masks

Manitou is full of spooky masks this year perhaps in response to covid.  Most of these won't keep you safe But they are a lot of fun.

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Deja Vu

Here are some of the skeletons you have seen before as they are repeats of years past.  However, if you are one of my new followers, you might be charmed as many of these design either won or received honorable mentions last year.

Commonwheel Artist Co-op has used this skeleton for four years now.  Last year, I commented that with all that creative talent, you think they could come up with something new. Still waiting for that!


Southwest Silver has a Day of the Dead fortune teller.  Last year they received an honorable mention.

She is joined by this vampire fellow with crystle mohawk.  He was their skeleton two years ago.
Whickerbill has some nice spooky stuff going on in the window.

Their skeletons, Bogey and Bacall are back again - last year they received an honorable mention.

Mountain West has brought back Harry Potter, last years first place winner.
Theos Toys has resurrected their pirate for the third year.