The fun was loud and hearty

Since Monday is Halloween, we should have something kinda spooky for our Friday earworm, no?

Yeah—let’s hear from Louis Armstrong. That’ll get us in the mood.

 

 

Shadows of summer

Okay, here’s another form of sidewalk art.

I’ve already written about how beautiful fallen leaves can be on the sidewalk, but it turns out that they leave their penumbra on the pavement long after they’ve disappeared. I don’t know what causes this, but I feel like the imprint lasts a long time. They mostly appear to be maple leaves, but there are some other types, too.

And I realized that even pine needles leave their mark.

Amazing.

 

 

 

More street art

I’ve written before about sidewalk artists around the ‘hood—here, and here, and here and here. But there’s a new chalker in town.

A pretty impressive one.

 

Scary times

I may have remarked upon it before, but folks here in the People’s Republic would lose in a neighborhood Halloween decoration contest to residents of the Valley They Call Silicon. I mean—my recollections of the Bay Area are that those people go all out on their yard prep. Viz: here and here and here and here.

This is not to say that they don’t try here. There’s just not the skeleton or zombie count I grew accustomed to.

Still, the ‘hood does represent.

My neighbors put out this trio every year.

But I notice Frankie sometimes gets a little tired by morning.

Also, something new this year:

Lights and action:

I like how even the squirrels get into the act. Because you knew they would. 

 

Gratitude Monday: lights in the darkness

This time of year, people around the world think about things like the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, life over death. We’ll celebrate Halloween on Monday, which is rooted in the Celtic holiday of Samhain—marking the bringing in of the harvest to sustain people through the shorter days and colder temperatures of winter. Samhain also honors those who have preceded us into death, keeping their memory alive through the generations.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Christians mark All Saints Day and All Souls Day, essentially carrying on the Celtic tradition. The wall between this world and the next is more frangible around now, and it’s a time for lighting protective and cleansing bonfires.

One of my favorite holidays starts tonight. That would be Diwali, when Hindus celebrate a number of events where princes of light and good slapped down princes who would envelope the world in darkness and evil. I find it interesting that this whole good/evil thing was not one-and-done; evildoers are always trying it on, so we have to be alert, strong and brave.

One part of the Diwali tradition involves lights—candles, fairy lights, fireworks, the whole spectrum—and I definitely can get behind that.

(Another one is the sharing of sweets, which I also endorse.)

So, tonight—more than other nights—I’ll amass candles on my dinner table and consider how we in these times can turn back the darkness. I'm grateful for the reminder that, while the struggle goes on, we always have another opportunity to vanquish evil.