You Make My Heart Sing!

Hello!

You know I am going to be first – or close to it – in line for Where The Wild Things Are. I read this now-classic in college with a passel of others who were totally hipped to Sesame Street as well. Another fun show that was as much for big kids as littles.


We took that song by The Troggs, “Wild Thing”, and made it our honorary anthem, all the while collecting and reading more stories by Maurice Sendak. What a guy!

Say, what’s going on over here? Dresses being laid out oh so carefully for an upcoming Halloween Ball, courtesy of A Fanciful Twist! You may very well see similar frocks again for this here blog’s 2nd Annual Mad Hatters Tea Party one measly week later.

Wow, and the background is the same colour as -- the background!

I am also hard at work (well, for ME, anyway!) on My House’s Transformation for this time of year… photos to be debuted the day of You Know What. Snake Cake, anyone?

Take Scare!
Candace in Athens.

OCTOBER'S BRIGHT BLUE WEATHER

Hello Everyone!

When I was a kid, everyone had to learn this poem by Helen Hunt Jackson. We started the first day of October and by Halloween, everyone (except Melvin), had it down pat. It was much longer than what I show here, btw. But everyone (even Melvin) could conquer this little snippet.

O suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather –




Ain't that the truth? Don’t get me wrong. I love winter, spring, summer (sort of), and fall, but I love October best of all. It should be its own season, if you ask me!

And today, the very first day of the month, wowee. If only that photo could transcend this lowly medium and you too could be in the moment when this shot was taken. Spectacular.

The weather is what this poem is all about. Cool and crisp, the sun lowered in the sky as Apollo's mighty steeds pull his chariot from East to West,





and with the breeze blowing just so and leaves turning colours and falling in their annual harvest dance, I do think those torrential rains we suffered through tired us all out and we are ready for a real change this year. And Good Old Mom, as in Nature, is supplying it for us.

Spread the word about The 2nd Annual Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

No rules! How could there be? Just post a hat, artwise, photography-wise, whathaveyou-wise (okay, now I am just making words UP here!) on your blog, Saturday, October 24th.

Let Me know asap that you are doing it so I can put a link to your blog up and we can all have “tea” together. And I do hope next year to actually have a Live Action Tea. Wouldn’t that be the cat’s whiskers?

Say, speaking of the cat's whiskers, my dearest and oldest friend in the whole wide world is coming to visit for the next couple of days. Leon and I grew up together, literally… he’s been in my life longer than many relatives and in-laws. We stood together, a unified front of two, when others wouldn’t, couldn’t, didn’t – and T and I are taking him ‘round and about, playing “catchup”, treating him like the prince among men he truly is.

Back soon!
Get More of What You Love.

Your Correspondent in Athens

And Who Might This Be?

Well, this might be my first real attempt at a complete head-to-toe Creature of the Night -- the night in question being October 17th to put a point on it – when I hop over to A Fanciful Twist’s Halloween Celebration here. When I say hop over, I don't mean I am going to ... erm, unless of course, some one puts a spell on me.

I already have the little Creature's duds picked out and yes, those will be made by hand. Nothing too good for My Baby here -- and I have for My Own Self a lovely pair of black lace gloves to join right in with everyone else.

And topping it off, maybe a new hairdo ... ! Oh brother, you don't need a hat with something like this, do you?

Between that and my own Mad Hatter Tea Party, which you can read about here, October is already shaping up to be "a fun time was had by all." And it’s still September, for cryin’ out loud.

Am I rushing things? Seeing as how before LABOR DAY there were already Christmas decorations in Hobby Lobby and certain small sections of Michael’s, au contraire, mon frère…or should that be soeur?

I leave you now with some photo experiments taken in the first sunny days after the rains hit.

Allow me to share my new journal's first page. I sometimes make collages for the inside covers of my journals. (Say, isn't that the Baby??)

And a quick reminder that Nature is the best set dresser of all.

Take care.
Candace in Athens.

(Medusa, AP Photo.)

The 2nd Annual Mad Hatter's Tea Party

TA-DA!

Hello everyone!

Yes, the 2nd Annual Mad Hatter's Tea Party is on for Saturday, October 24th, right here in the Classic City, and on this here blog. Only a month away so I need to get hopping --

Last year, I had a Mad Hatter's Tea with live-action friends and shared it through a photo or two on this here blog. Several folks liked the idea and occasionally I'd get notes asking if I was going to do it again and share it again and -- well, YES!

If you do want to join in on the 24th, go ahead and leave a comment here stating you do want to join in the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. I will add you to the roll call, which means folks can enjoy each other’s hats and more that day and throughout the year.

Here Are “The Rules”. Uh, there aren't any.

All you have to concern yourself with is – you know it! – a HAT. You can draw it, photograph it, colour it with pencils, crayons, sculpt it, paint it, woodburn it. YouTube it. And then post it to your blog on Saturday, October 24th. If you want to throw in some art or a white rabbit, great!

And before I sign off, I want to share something fun for those of you out there who love teas and in particular, Alice in Wonderland and her Mad Hatter’s Tea. Yes, it's the trailer for "Alice" by Tim Burton. Enjoy.

And THIS little treat is from the SyFy (Sci Fi) Channel. It looks fun and STRANGE (two of my prerequisites) and these folks did a fairly decent job with "The Tin Man". So I thought I would just Check. It. Out. It debuts in December, just in time for another holiday.

No problem, Pals, no muss, no fuss. Just a hat… and whatever else your heart desires, if the hat isn’t enough.

Take care!
Candace in Wonderland.

Forecast

Sunny!

Finally -- after two weeks of near 24/7 rains of Biblical proportions -- Hail His Majesty, the Sun!



Does this tee tiny in my hand not look like Jack Skellington from "The Nightmare Before Christmas"? Do you want to know what it -- gulp -- really is? **

The Faerie Condominiums have now given rise to the Next Generation of Faerie Starter Homes. Looks like a real neighborhood of the Fey is starting up in the backyard, doesn't it? I must remember to leave a little dish of beer out for them. Or does this generation have more refined tastes? No doubt they will let me know as my own Halloween Shindig gets closer and closer...

I find now that Autumn is here, I yearn for cool weather, I want to bring out all my dark clothes and tights and sturdy shoes, scarves and caps or hats. I want candles, old lanterns and sparkling bits... atmospheric music, fog and warm golden porch lights.

Yes, yes, it's hard to be patient when you're a big kid like me.

That's why I joined A Fanciful Twist's Halloween Blog Party -- October 17th will see this little blog transform for some trick AND treat funsterism well before the 31st.

Say Kids, enough messin' around now. Art Shenanigans this weekend!

Take care and I hope to see you.

Candace in Athens.

PEACE FOR FALL

I actually like Mondays even when busy working as it represents a fresh beginning to me. If you've had a good weekend in particular, which I did, it can help make the new day and week even better.

This Monday is/was International Peace Day. Wow, talk about fresh beginnings. And do click here to visit other participants in Rhonda Roo's Peace Party. And if you think you are too late… it’s never too late. You know that, right?




It's not just the Woodstock Generation that "rides on the Peace Train" now. I think we all understand what's goin' on at this point, don't you? A friend once said, "You can't change the world." We aren't being asked to change the world. We are being tasked with changing ourselves on an individual basis. And if that miracle happens for everyone, guess what? Okay, okay, I know I am preaching to the choir...

Plus Tuesday is/was the Autumnal Equinox on this side of the big blue marble. Some of you are having the Spring Equinox, of course. That’s how Mother Earth rolls, baby. (We’ll all catch up with each other one day -- don’t worry!)

And so, on that decidedly perky tone –-
Take Care and Go Make Some Art!
Candace in Athens.

Two Hundred and Fifty and Counting!

Hello Everyone!

My "staycation" was over last week and I returned to the ol' salt mines this past Monday. All animals are created equal but some animals are more equal than others.... remember that?

Sorry to be so quiet but much has been going on...

So on this, my 250th post (who'd'a thunk it?), I leave you with not so much as a flashback as a flash forward.

A little bird told me to get to work. My busiest time of year, personally and professionally, is on its way!

I took time out to read some magazines.

And enjoy Nature.... oh yes, about THAT...

Yep, that is a sweet potato sprouting of its own free will in there with the (nogoodnik) tomatoes. It's playing a game called "Let's Aggravate Candace." With another sweet potato. Sprouting. With no coaching whatsoever. I hear both of them snicker when I walk past...

I spent time with My Best Peeps (you KNOW those are Kitten's [real] feet, right?)

over good food (we went to RuSan's, our fave place!) in person, well as by post.

AND post cards! Thanks, Chris! Chris lives in Hong Kong with the Heroine of his story and Pommes the Wonder Cat and I highly recommend regular visits.

Say, speaking of Wonder Cats,

Kitty Boy continues to work on his table manners. A losing battle, trust me.

And finished up some blog friend goodies. Whew... !

I'll be back next weekend for more fun and hijinks -- but for now, hi ho hi ho, it's off to work we go, as well as waiting for My Moleskine Journal so that I can truly join in on The Sketchbook Project.

Take care.

Candace in Athens