The Dark Hedges - A Haunting

Well, it's the most spooky month of the year again....the perfect time for some of my favorite things like Jack O'Lanterns, Legends and Haints.  And truth be known some of the present day Hallowe'en customs that we celebrate here in America have their origins in the magical land of Ireland.  So I thought it was the perfect time to share a little story about an eerily beautiful location that comes with it's own 'Ghost'! It even has a sinister sounding name....The Dark Hedges!

The Dark Hedges are located in Northern Ireland in Ballymoney, near the village of Armoy, along a stretch of Bregagh Road.  What makes this stretch of road so unique is the picturesque Beech Tree Canopy that covers the stretch of road leading to what is was formerly known as Gracehill House. Gracehill House was a Georgian mansion belonging to the Stuart family in the 18th century.  The family planted the Beech trees that line both sides of the road, to serve as an impressive landscape feature for visitors coming up the long driveway to the mansion.  And there they've grown for over 300 years.

What makes The Dark Hedges so stunning,  is how they've grown across the drive towards each other,  and have entangled themselves in such a way to form a lovely Tim Burton-esque canopy over the road.  They form a long, naturally arched tunnel in which the light and shadows play in a most beautifully haunting way.  The gnarled branches seem to be a bit foreboding in appearance, while at the same time quite breath-taking to behold.  The old trees appear as though  they may come to life at any moment and pluck you right up with their gnarly branches.  So it's no wonder that a 'Ghost Story' is inevitably attached to this magical site.

Local legend speaks of a supernatural specter that haunts the hedges along the road.  She is known as "The Grey Lady".  She is rumored to be the restless spirit of a former maid that worked at the mansion who had died of mysterious circumstances centuries ago.  The apparition has been spotted gliding along the side of the road and vanishing as she turns the corner past the last beech tree.  Still others believe her to be a lost spirit from an abandoned graveyard rumored to lay hidden in the dank, dark earth of the nearby fields.  But the best tale is the one that takes place on All Hallow's Eve.

For on Hallowe'en night, when the veils between the spirit world and ours grows thin....it is said that the Grey Lady herself is joined on her nightly walk by the tormented souls of those other restless spirits buried beside her in the forgotten graveyard.  Nothing like a lil' Hallowe'en Awakening and Midnight Processional to get the blood racing and the heart pumping, eh?!  I don't know about you...but I don't think I'd be brave enough to venture down that spooky stretch of road alone at night, especially on All Hallow's Eve! 

Orange Tree Photo Wallpaper from Next Trip Tourism
Dark Tree Photo © Bob McCallion (all rights reserved)  Image can be purchased here!

All Tricks and No Treats for Me This Year!

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,
May luck be yours on Halloween.

Hello Everyone....And Happy Halloween!  I hope everyone had an exciting September! I personally find September to be almost as much fun as our much beloved October.  September brings all the excitement of the first Halloween items haunting the store shelves, and the first delicious taste of the Pumpkin Spice goodies of the season.  I truly live for, and long for, the 1st day in September all year long, which is then followed by the Autumnal magic of my favorite month of October!  Ahh yes...October! A month of leaves aflame in color, gourds ripe for the picking, breezy days and crisp cool October eves, twinkling with stars and awash in the glow of magical moonbeams.  And of course the mischievous grins of Jack O'Lanterns glowing bright on Hallowe'en Night!

In fact, this year I had actually begun my Halloween Countdown planning early and I was so proud of myself. Since this is my first post this season, you probably won't believe me.  But it's true....I decided that I would not be caught coming up short of posts in this year's Halloween Countdown, so I began completing posts early in the summer and saving them for October.  And I'm proud to say that I actually had 10 of them finished and under my witch's belt before tragedy struck.  Yes, anyone who has followed my blog for the last 5-6 years knows that I never miss the Autumn Season and Hallowe'en here in the blogosphere.  I might be MIA the rest of the year due to real life taking precedence, but I always find my way home to my Halloween Town on the web, and my little Witch's Lair in the Halloween Tree by August or September.  I blow back into town on a magical autumn breeze and revel in the Halloween Frolic with all my fellow Halloween Loving Denizens!  And I always come laden down with gifts to share of photographs, crafty things, haunted tales, artwork and poems to celebrate the season.

But sadly, that was not in the ole' tarot cards for me this year, even in spite of actually being semi-prepared in advance for once!  No, unfortunately the fickle finger of fate, lay it's boney curse upon me and turned my world upside down.  In mid-August, my dear Mother suffered a stroke.  So I spent the rest of a sleepless, stressful August, and first part of September, in and out of the hospital and rehab with her.  Then due to extenuating circumstances far beyond my control....we had no choice but to move her into our home with us for good.  This meant the rest of September and now October have been inundated with that massive transition, with no real end in sight any time soon.  Two lives have been forever changed and I'd be lying to say that it's been anything but overwhelming, exhausting and all-consuming!  It was not something that either of us would ever have wanted, yet it is what we now must both endure.  I have hopes that time will make things better, and that once all the dust of sorting out the mess and combining our lives has cleared....that maybe things will get easier for us all.  And maybe by this same time next year...we will have gotten into a groove that we all can live with..  And maybe, just maybe....I will be able to once again embrace the season with the same positivity, exuberance and anticipation that I've always had for it....but that has eluded me this year!

So needless to say, this is the very first chance I've had time to log on over here and provide an explanation as to why I haven't been online.  Since I literally exist the whole rest of the year...solely for the autumn months of September and October....I've found it rather depressing to be incapable of tapping into the excitement that this time of year usually brings. It hasn't been for lack of trying mind you...as I did reluctantly break out the Halloween decorations, and we've watched a lot of my favorite Halloween movies, and somehow even managed to still take our annual New England trip with a LOT of help from our relatives, who agreed to stay in our home with my Mom while we were gone.  But even in the midst of the most glorious Autumn Foliage we've seen in New England in a long time....I was just too depleted physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to tap into my usual seasonal excitement....and it's left me feeling rather down I must confess. But that doesn't mean that my favorite season of Fall, and my favorite holiday of Halloween is completely lost....it's just been majorly hijacked and hampered by life's ruthless twists and turns.:o(

So I have missed everyone here so very much, and I send out heartfelt wishes to you all for a most Magical All Hallow's Eve!  I didn't want to come completely empty handed, so  I'm posting a few Autumn Photos from my collection.  They are filled with the familiar black and orange colors that epitomize for me....the most spooktacular season of the year!  I sincerely hope everyone has been enjoying all the fun the Fall Season and Hallowe'en Holiday has to offer, and I hope to be able to share in the Autumn Revelry with you all in full next year, since life had other plans for me this time around! Hope to see you all around the Hallowe'en Tree this time next year, if not sooner!

PS...And just so I can officially keep calling it the "Annual Viewing"....I am posting the disturbingly fun yet so awkward and creepy  "Pumpkin Man Dance Video below! At least I was able to keep one tradition alive and kicking (literally) this year!  Enjoy.....or not! ;o)

Autumn Through my Lens

A tangerine and russet cascade

Of kaleidoscopic leaves

Creates a tapestry of autumn magic

Upon the emerald carpet of fading summer.

~ Judith A. Lindberg

Today's post is a collection of quintessential Autumn shots that I photographed from around New England.  They could be from Vermont, Massachusetts or New Hampshire, depending on what ever back roads we were lost on at the time.  The one thing that always holds true there, is the color.  Even a bad year for color in New England is far more glorious than most places.  These images are from different years, but most of them incorporate bodies of water of some type or other....lakes, falls, streams.  The foliage always seem to be brighter and more lovely near the water.  I guess the leaves respond well to all the moisture!  {Sigh} I never tire of photographing and reveling in the splendor that is Autumn!  (You can click the images to view larger, as I can't fit the larger size on my page without cutting some off.)  Ahhh...New England, oh how I love thee....

And as of TODAY....I am officially on AUTUMN TIME!!!

  

 

  

  

 

 

All Images © Wendy A. (All Rights Reserved)

Hello October My Old Friend!

Hooray...The 1st Day of October is finally here again! And you know what that means....it means it's time for the Annual Hallowe'en Countdown....woo hoo! As one of the official Autumn People and a Devoted Denizen of Hallowe'en, I am attempting once again to participate in this year's 2012 Hallowe'en Countdown. I promise to try my best to post as often as I can, though I won't make any hard and fast promises that I'll come close to a new post every single day. But I will try hard to fill  these 31 glorious Autumn Days with something Halloween-y or Autumn-ish, in an attempt to spread the 'Hallowe'en Spirit' far and wide!

Today's first post will be an Autumn Mosaic Slideshow featuring glorious images of Autumn that I've collected over the past year.. These are images that epitomize the glorious scenes and vistas of the Autumnal Landscape. As there is no other season so resplendent and awe inspiring as this, The Harvest Season!

None of the photos in this particular slideshow are mine. They all belong to other talented photographers. I have included copyright information for those that I could find. If any of these photos belong to you or if you know the photographer, I'd love to add their copyright information here to credit them for their inspiring work. I hope you enjoy the images and I look forward to sharing this exciting month with you all...'The Autumn People'! :o)


Images (Autumn Creek @ We Heart It, Orange Tree Reflection © Unknown, Bench in Leaf Covered Park @ Juxtapose, Pumpkin Path © Billy Parker, Fall Stags @ Pinterest, Close Up Pumpkins © Tidy Mom, Straight Row of Pumpkins © Authentica Classics, Yellow Tree Close © La Vita Bella, Red Barn © Millicent, Colored Autumn River @ Juxtapose, Autumn In Paris © Unknown, Foggy Path in Park @ We Heart It, Pumpkins By Cabin © Scott Mahon, Yellow Stone Path © Evgini Dinev, Sunspot In Forest @ We Heart It, Pumpkins Under Tree © Unknown, New England House in Fall @ Indulgy, Leaves On Wooden Bridge @ Beautiful Portals/Tumbler, Leaf Carpet to Crooked Tree © Zeb Andrews, Bending Autumn Staircase © Unknown, Fall House w/ Picket Fence @ Falling Into Autumn, Twisted Red Tree © Robert Friel, Yellow Cat on Leaves @ Steel Magnolias & Sweet Tea, Bicycle Autumn Kiss @ Juxtapose, Looking Up at Yellow Tree © Unknown, Curving Autumn Road © Amy V. Miller, Backlit Autumn Bridge © Mike Shaw, Autumn Roadway @ Juxtopose, Dark Orange Tree Close © Mark Leary, Autumn Road Fork @ Indulgy)

Blue Moon Party This Weekend!

Image © Paying it Forward - One Day at a Time

Hooray! It's Friday and a long holiday weekend here in the states!

So surely everyone knows by now what tonight is....but, just in case you live under a rock and haven't heard....tonight is the Full Moon! But it's not just any ole' Full Moon mind you....no, tonight's Moon is special because it's a Blue Moon! Blue Moons infrequently occur when there are 2 Full Moons within the same calendar month. So my birth month of August seems to for once in my life, have something special associated with it this year....something even auspicious perhaps! The first Full Moon actually occurred the day before my birthday on August 1st, and now the second Full Moon will present tonight, August 31st.
So what is the scoop on the 'Blue Moon' from the astrological world? Well the overall vibe of this Blue Moon is said to be a good one that lends itself to the Unusual and the Eccentric! Apparently it has an 'aspect pattern' known as a 'streamer'.....(and no, I have no idea what that means either)! But the gist is that this Blue Moon's coordinates put it in the sign of Pieces on the fixed star 'Skat', in the constellation of Aquarius. And that star 'Skat' is considered a 'fortunate' star which gives "good fortune and lasting happiness". It also imbues us with 'psychic ability' and 'occult interests', so we should use this Blue Moon to plug into the 'stream of consciousness'. Additionally, there is some other planetary posturing that may allow us to "receive messages from other realms".Now I don't know what you guys are thinking.....but I'm thinking
BLUE MOON PARTY!! This sounds like an 'Unusually Eccentric' good time, just waiting to be had!

Head outdoors and find a good seat under the 'Starry Night Sky', throw back a few glasses of wine or beer, soak up some much needed 'Lunar Rays', maybe try to read each others minds for awhile, break out the Tarot Cards, do a little 'Moon Dancing', and then kick back on the lounge chair and await our 'Celestial Download' of messages to arrive from planets beyond! I even found some Blue Moon Treats to satisfy those late night munchies! (Recipe for Blue Moon Cupcakes). So what do you think? Anyone up for a Blue Moon Party tonight?!If not....no worries! This Blue Moon is still an auspicious one, so at least go outside and make a wish or two while you ponder the Cosmos, 'cause the next Blue Moon won't come 'round again until July, 2015! And don't forget to cue up King Harvest's "Dancing in the Moonlight" on your iPod while you're at it! Have a great weekend, and may the 'Good Fortune' of this Blue Moon be Yours!

(Images found on We Heart It, no copyright info)

A Death in the Darkling Wood

So yesterday's post was about Tree Spirits....and how they manifest to our earthly vision only when they choose to do so, and only when we embrace their magic. Trees can grow very old indeed...imagine all that they have seen over the course of their very long life span. They are the keepers of our history and our lore. It's not so very hard to believe that there is more to them than meets the eye.

Which brings me to today's post of a wonderfully magical video that was recommended to me by my dear friend Melissa. Melissa is a gifted poet, but her talent never shines more than when she turns her prose to nature. She is very attuned to the rhythms of nature, and I often think she channels its energy so that she can so eloquently and poetically, speak for and about.....the things that may not be able to speak for themselves....like the trees for example.

So please check out this very short video about a Tree Doctor and his elderly patient! It's quite atmospheric and perfectly in tune with this Season of the Trees and all the magic it holds! Thank you so much for sharing this Melissa! I love it! And I hope some of you will enjoy it too!


All Images © 2006 Wendy A. (All Rights Reserved)