It's almost time for Halloween....

I'm departing a bit from my usual 'cowboy theme' today.  Halloween has been a fond holiday for all my family. My children grew up planning their costumes beginning in March. It was almost as bad as the Allied forces taking the beaches at Normandy.

They always did book themes. The two oldest would set about picking books, reading, arguing, discussing what "characters" would be best. We didn't do store bought costumes. They pulled parts of clothing, asked for trimmings, went through my fabric to make their creations.

Halloween preparations would begin with costumes and then go further into the pumpkin carving. Of course, the seeds in the pumpkins are great for chickens -as a way to get rid of unwanted worms. Pumpkins or 'gros melons' as described by Jacquie Cartier, the French Explorer, or as the English established colonies and called them "Pompions" were used to carve scary faces to keep the evil spirits from the homes or to light ways to bonfires. (By the way, did you know Pumpkins are fruit?? Yep, they are members of the cucumber, melon, and cantaloupe family. Who knew!)

Trick or treating, became part of the American tradition in the late 1800's. Children soaped windows on merchant stores, or change street signs. In the west, reports of young hooligans opened gates to let cattle roam or tipping over out houses. Writers - here are some ideas for you!.

One of our best family traditions was to read or watch Disney's cartoon, The Headless Horseman or Story of Sleepy Hallow. Ole Icabode Crane the awkward school teacher falls in love with the beautiful maiden in the town of Sleepy Hollow much to Brom  Bones dismay. Bones is the heroic guy that everyone should want - aka like Beauty and the Beast story. Of course, the maiden chooses Crane of Bones to his dismay. When Crane travels home after proposing to the maiden, the Galloping Horseman of the Hollow chases him and he is never seen again.

Halloween should bring families together. It should be full of laughter and memory making. It should be a time of magic where mom's turn into fairy godmothers and children's fantasy are indulged. Whatever you do on All Hallows Eve, make it magical!

Happy Halloween!!!

I promise to return to a cowboy theme next month!