La Notta Nera...Buono Halloween!

In America, we all grow up with Halloween...it's an American staple-a standing date, once a year!  We make costumes, carve pumpkins into lighted jack-o-lanterns, decorate our homes, and prepare for the long-awaited 'trick or treat' excursion through the streets of the city!

But wait!!! How about folks all over the world?  Is it just in America that this, oh, so exciting and spooky holiday is celebrated? Let us take a moment to ponder about the possibility of  other countries enjoying the brightly lit jack-o-lanterns, and children marching through the streets, chanting,

 "Trick or Treat, smell my feet...give me something good to eat!"

Most Americans believe that Halloween originated in America, as the first reports of  kids guising around North American neighborhoods go back to around 1911-1920.  Actually, we were introduced to this macabre holiday from the Scottish and Irish immigrants who brought it over in the 19th century.  We just nurtured it and kept it alive...very much so!

Okay, Okay...enough of American history for now!

Soooo, my dear readers, after mulling around, thinking first of  this, and, then that...my queries produced quite a lot of Halloweenic activity throughout the universe.  But, since I only have time for one area,  I decided to give it the boot and go with our brothers and sisters in Southern Europe.

Italy typically celebrates a similar holiday called 'Carnevale', which begins 40 days before Easter and ends with Lent.  This celebration began in honor of a victory against the Patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrico in 1162.  There was dancing in the street, and, the townspeople wore masks made of leather, and/or porcelain.  This practice makes me think of Mardi Gras, such lavish costumes and masks.

In Corinaldo, Italy's le Marche region, the town celebrates with spooky attractions, dancing in the streets, with fire and lights all over town. Corinaldo is a medieval walled town, and dubs itself
 'The Capital of Halloween.'

~Corinaldo, Italy * Fire Dance on Halloween

In 1797, the festival was outlawed and masks were totally forbidden by the King of Austria.  Finally, in 1979, the Italian government brought back the carnival to showcase Venice history and culture...AND, of course, the masks returned!  The masks were, after all, a major feature of the Venetian carnival.

~Autumn carnival mask

~Venetian carnival masks

~Medico della Peste masks (below)
One of the more popular and peculiar Venetian masks is the Medico della Peste mask.  This mask was designed by a 17th century French physician, originally used to ward off plague and disease.  The doctor believed that by wearing this mask and gloves, the patient could be moved without passing the disease on to the doctor.  Today, these masks are more decorative and have become very popular, to be worn with a black cloak and white gloves.

OOH HOO...I've seen versions of this mask in 'SCARY' movies, haven't you?

Today, the Carnevale is still a top reigning festival, as, Halloween is becoming more favorable in Italy.  The celebration at the 'Devil's Bridge' in Borgo a Mozzano in 1993 claims to have marked the beginning of Italy's first Halloween celebration.

~Devil's Bridge in Borgo a Mozzano

Games, such as The Passage of Terror, are played here and horror movies are shown all night.

* It was common in Europe to have a day in honor of the dead.  This celebration called 'Feralia' took place in February at the end of the Roman year.  It is said that Pope Boniface IV invented 'All Saints Day', to replace the pagan holiday with one from Catholic roots. In essence, this appears to be the Italian Halloween.

* Let's do some Halloween window-shopping in Italy!

~ Halloween Shop in Italy

~Orvieto florist in Italy

~ Shop in Southern Italy

Aren't these photos great?  You're right!  I did NOT take these photos...unfortunately, I have never been to Italy, wishful thinking!

* So you see, the once sparsely decorated city of Rome has gradually adopted the Festive nature of Halloween with its stores catering to the public in honor of the holiday.

There are displays of mummies and skeletons...and, American horror movies!  There is a castle that sits on top of the village of Calice and it features special Halloween dinners there.

~castle Doria Malaspina

~restaurant at the castle

The Ghosthunter store reports haunted places in Italy
* Once such place is the Forum in Rome.  They say that at night you can look down over the barriers into the arches and catch impressions of shadowy figures lurking about, milling around, and gesturing...OMG!  What would I do if I were gestured at by a shadowy figure?  Well, you know me!  I would act like I didn't see a thing, lol!  There are a lot of old Roman housing areas surrounding this Forum, and, the ghosts are difficult to spot, because most of the city is lit up at night.  Oh, there's no worries...the ghostly figures are mostly just memories of the past, with no intentions of taking care of unfinished business!

 ~The Forum in Rome, stayed almost intact up to 1503

'Souling' is a custom that is very similar...well, it is actually today's 'trick or treating'.  It is an ancient practice that could have been one of the first signs of 'trick or treating', with folks going door to door begging for additional prayers for their deceased loved ones.  They would also accept soul cakes, which are part scone, and part teacake.  One soul cake received...one soul saved.

Anyway, my most gracious friends, if you're still with me-I commend you for your patience up to this point.  What a great lot of history!  I have only touched on this celebration in Italy, there is so much more!  And, I promise, I will NOT do a Part II (deux)!

But KNOW YE THIS!

These people sure know how to parté!!!

I have so engrossed myself in the material I found on Halloween in Italy.  What exciting history from a country that offers so much beauty and culture! And, aren't the photos just grand?  I was so fortunate to find such great collections of the various types of celebrations, and decorations for sale about the cities.

  But, even though Halloween is presenting a more positive fashion of late in Italy, there is still a bit of uncertainty, and fear of the wandering spirits.  Using their masks and costumes, along with Jack-o-Lanterns, the Villagers' hope to scare off the spirits.

~La Festa Delle
Streghe Creature

Eeeek!!!  Now THAT'S Spooky! Don't want to meet HIM in a dark alley!  I mean, do you see where the rest of his body went?  Anyone?

And MY WORD...I have so many to thank this time:

Yahoo images for all of these pictures!
Google
http://www.lifeinitaly.com/culture
 http://www.theshadowlands.net
 http://goitaly.about.com
http://www.italiansrus.com
http://en.wikipedia.org

*  Thank you "YOUR HIGHNESS" over at MyTexasGardens for helping me find all of these cool pictures!  Illustrations surely give a story meaning...painting a picture that takes us from fantasy into the, perhaps, 'reality', and, then, back again to 'fantasy'.
Then, we must WAKE-UP!

You were wonderful for sticking around for my Halloween contribution...I do have a spooky story, but, then again, 'who doesn't'?  No really...I know of a story, and, I just need to get permission to ghost write it.  Even if it shows up here after Halloween, I know you won't mind!

Please stop by any time.  I love your company!  Don't know if our Scootie will be coming by for Halloween this year. His 5th birthday is this coming up on Saturday, so we will get to see him then. Take care...watch out for your precious little ones this Halloween.  I believe everyone is being more cautious these days-it's sad, but, we can't always be sure!

So, I'll leave you with this, my dear readers:


***
"And now, my beauties, something with poison in it, I think.  With poison in it but attractive to the eye, and, soothing to the smell."

Who said this?  You guessed it!  The most famous WITCH EVER!

The Wicked Witch of the West!

See you soon, my pretties!

~ guess who?  lol....

The Most Useful Two-Letter Word Ever!

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is UP!

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but, when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

* At a meeting, why does a topic come UP?  Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

* We call UP our friends.

And, we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen.  We lock UP the house, and some guys fix UP the old car.

At other times the little word has real special meaning.

* People stir UP trouble, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

* To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.

* A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

* We open UP a store in the morning, but we close it UP at night.

* We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary.

In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add

UP to about thirty definitions!

* If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways

UP is used.

* It will take UP a lot of your time, but, if you don't give UP,

you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

* When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP.

* When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP.

** When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP!

**  When it doesn't rain for a while, things dry UP!

Okay...OK!  One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP!

...for now my time is UP, so it's time to shut UP!

And, now it's UP to you what you do with this little ditty!

Now wasn't that fun!  This fine piece of literary work was sent to us girls in my office via email from our boss Paige.  Sometimes on Fridays she sends us a fun email and wishes us a great weekend-Paige is the greatest by far!  Thanks Paige!

* I want to send a fond hello to my good friend and co-worker Cindy, who suffered a heart attack a few weeks ago.  Cindy actually drove herself to the hospital...what stamina!  We are all so happy she is doing well, and is back to work!     

* And, a big Thank You to our fun friend and co-worker Paulette, who, jumped in there and worked hard to help get us through the following two weeks that Cindy was out of the office.   

*** I know I haven't been here in a while...you're right, Shady-I'm having computer problems again.  And, I am typing this post from Karo's old e-machine PC! I guess I'd better get off my, well, you know, and take my laptop and desk PC to the doc.  They're slow, and with junk flying around all over the screens!

*** And, this summer has been hectic for us!  But, I've tried to keep up with my blog reading...I know you're still out there, I'm just running a bit behind.  And, looking forward to some cool temps in Fort Worth!

***

I guess you all know what an oldies music fan I am.  I listen to the oldies radio stations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.  Well, the other day, the DJs on my station mentioned the Beatles Sgt Pepper album.  It seems as though right around the time that album was released in June of 1967, the Beatles (all of them) were in attendance at a Jimi Hendrix concert at the Saville Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue in London...lo, and behold, Hendrix breaks out with his rendition of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on guitar, and actually sings the song! You can find it on YouTube if you wish to listen to it.  

Jimi's version was partially played on my radio station, and I liked it!

Paul McCartney was very impressed...he said that was the best Jimi Hendrix song he had heard, lol! 

 Of course!

Above, here are The Beatles at this very concert!  

...and here they are holding their Sgt Pepper album cover!

This is so cool!

Thank you so much for coming by...it's always great to see you, and, as Cindy says,

"It's Great To Be Seen!"

* Please stop and say hello, drop me a line anytime!  Have a wonderful week, my dearest readers...right now we're running at about 72° here in the Lone Star State, (well, Fort Worth anyway!) 

And, I love it!

Thanks Yahoo and Google, 

Thanks Karo for the use of your old E-Machine (it was great!)

Thanks Shady Del Knight for dedicating the 'Sorry Suzanne"

song to me by 'The Hollies' on your blog!

Thanks to your beautiful country, Thisisme (Diane)...

...for sharing the Beatles with us!

Thank you Jodi Dean and the morning team at KLUV/Dallas, Ft. Worth

***

And, now,  I bid you adieu my gracious readers!

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb:

sweet to the taste, and health to the body".

Proverbs16:24 HCSB

***

Be Safe, See You! ♥

September's Serenade!

Labor Day Pictures

Okay, okay...I know the message is loud, but, I just realized that it's really a holiday to be celebrated, no work...play hooky legally!!!  And, I wanted to make it look good!

Actually, I'm coming to you LIVE, (just had to say that!) from KardKorner headquarters-you know the place.  Forward and backward in no particular order...color me cluttered?  Yeah, that's the one!  I've been busy, yes, with my little Scootie, and also with a few September projects.  I do hold down a full-time job for the time being with the same firm at 22 years and counting now.  And, I print my own greeting cards, business cards, calendars, and the like, just for fun...actually, I haven't bought a greeting card since 2002.  For September I do have a couple of Birthdays, and...oh, my!  Looks like SOMEONE is having a wedding anniversary in September!  Now, who could that be?  You're right...it's yours truly, and, that guy Karo.  We'll be celebrating 13 years of a fun and joyful marriage!

And, here he is!

OOPS!!!  Wrong guy...cute though, eh?

Here's Karo...sneaking around behind the neighbor's oleander...hmmm!

Happy Anniversary to my dearest Karo-13 years ♥

 Maybe some of you, my dear readers, have visited 'my stuff' page.  I don't post over there as often as I'd like to, but the page does feature some of my printing projects.  I love to create printed items, like brochures, business cards, invitations and other greeting card items.  I do odd jobs for my mother-church bazaar flyers, the annual itinerary for her Herb Club, membership applications, and, thank you cards!  I even helped 'you-know-who', over at MyTexasGardens, put together a little slide show about Container Gardening for mom's Herb Club last year.  And, it was quite a job! This little hobby is what inspired me to start a blog.  I wanted to display some of 'my stuff'...but, as you see, I also love to write about 'off-the-wall' stuff, that just might interest some folks out there!

So, stop me NOW!!!

 Here is my Kalendar for September.  I make one of these every month just for the heck of it.  It gets posted on our frig with floral magnets, and I put one up at my office in the file room, where we do our document scanning, copying, and post our daily mail.  Sometimes, I will make a special Birthday kalendar for a friend or family member.

September is my favorite month of the year, because I always inhale a  refreshing new perspective on life, and, the upcoming events bringing us to our year's end.  And, you ask (rather loudly, too)...'Isn't it getting kind of late to be worrying about year's end, when it's practically on TOP OF US?"  Yeah, okay, but, as I am not a New Year's resolutionist, I use September to regroup, just as we had to when we were children, anticipating the new school year.  I've written about this before...somewhere during my early blog days! But, anyway, even though you know most of the kids who will be in your class, you haven't seen most of them for several months.  And, oh, how we could change in just 3 months!  The boy who kissed me goodbye at the end of my 7th grade year, didn't even know who I was in my 8th grade year!  Oh well, so on to a new year with new clothes, new teachers, and, some new friends! 

 And, now, in my adult life, I do look back...and, I do smile and laugh!  I'm glad the Septembers of my youth have served as stepping stones, still guiding me through life, refreshing my outlook, and sending me those bright colors of Autumn!  

***

Thank you so much for coming by.  Do stop and say hello, and, do have a safe and fun Labor Day holiday...yes, it is a holiday---a 'no guilt', 'no workday' holiday!  YAY!

  I appreciate you all...drive thru the school zones carefully!

And, take heed from Maxine!  She means business!

  Scootie is not old enough to attend school this year...
...however, he will be a student of KardKornerKrib!

~laundry duty! LOL!

p.s.  beware of Friday the 13th this September!  Who me?  Nah...I'm not superstitious!

au revoir!

Color Me Cluttered!

What's all this clutter, you ask?  Why, it kinda looks like KardKorner headquarters!!!  But, really, I need all this stuff!  Believe it or not, I know what's what here...truly I do!!!  

Do you ever find yourself in the same boat?  No, no...we're not off to Snake Island again-I mean in a state of clutter!  Well, confessions will set us free (for those of us who will actually admit it)!

I was nosing around on the internet the other day, looking for other signs of clutter, and visited a site called  www.mindoverclutter.com, where I gained a bit of insight on the subject.

Below are listed the 4 main categories of clutter as written by 

Karen Kingston, author of  'Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui'.

1.  things you do not use or love

2.  things that are untidy or disorganized

3.  too many things in too small a place

4.  anything unfinished

A show of hands...guilty as charged above?  Me too!

Further digging on the subject brought me to a definition of 'clutter' as wikipedia sees it.  One view is, 'A confusing or disorderly state or collection.'  Someone else said, 'Clutter can be a result of a mental road block, designed to keep you from having an organized life.'

But, Albert Einstein, the father of modern physics, thinks that clutter is okay.  He said,

"If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, then what are we to think of an empty desk?"

Albert Einstein's desk at Princeton

Cool, huh?

Is there an upside to untidiness?

Recently, at the University of Minnesota, a study was done, regarding clutter.  Much to the surprise of the researchers, it was found that a little clutter MIGHT bring out the freshest and most creative side of you.
Well, that's refreshing to know, isn't it?

Another finding was:  "A less than perfect work environment can make a person more likely to think 'out of the box', or at least above the horizon of those neat people in the office."

And another:  "Orderly environments would encourage adherence to social convention and overall conservatism, whereas disorderly environments would encourage people to seek novelty and unconventional routes."

So, after the research team, headed up by psychologist Kathleen Vohs, lead author, challenged themselves, it was deduced that, in actuality, 'the environment doesn't create something that isn't already there.  However, to the extent that you are creative, it pulls it out of you."

But, it is a fact that Einstein was right, too!  We know he was no neat freak!
But he did make PI...didn't he?

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking
that we used when we created them."
~Albert Einstein

~NO...Don't tell me!!!  This isn't KardKorner Headquarters is it?  If I de-clutter, will I lose something in the process?  Probably!  Actually, I'll probably throw away old notes, and things that I'll never use again.
  And, then, I'll be sorry!

OH, What the heck...tell me to GO FOR IT!!!

***
Thanks so much for coming by...I am delighted to see you!  Don't forget to sign in!  LOL!
I'm looking forward to the hot summer winding down...it has been a bit cooler in the Lone Star State...only in the upper 90's instead of low 100's.   School will be starting within a week or two-I'll have to slow down and watch for the school buses, maybe even leave home a few minutes earlier to BEAT the bus to its stop!  We had a fund raiser in my office and donated cash for back packs and bought school supplies for needy children.  What a good feeling that was.  Everyone was so generous, and, I'm sure those students will be excited to see their new school stuff!

And, really-I just threw all of that stuff on my desk just for this post....really???

***
I'm leaving you with this...be safe, love and laugh! ♥

Island Hopping? ...not ME!

Ilha da Queimada Grande

Lovely, beckoning picture, you say?  I'm wandering off the coast of Brazil, around Sao Paulo.  How I love to bask in the beauty of the sea, only to approach a magnificently inviting island and rain forest-BUT WAIT!  As I  get closer in to get a better look, I actually get an eerie vibe...the rank scent of danger seeps in and out of my nostrils.  Chills go straight to my shoulders and neck (forget running up my spine-no time for that)! 

The closer I get to what I hoped would be some sort of civilization, the more I begin to contemplate back paddling and getting the 'heck' out of Dodge!  But, the strange beauty still calls to me (kind of like the sirens of Greek Mythology who lured sailors to their deaths with their bewitching songs)!

And, as I approach shore, I detect a slight 'rustling'  sound coming from the island.  I can even see movement in the sporadically placed patches of vegetation, a sort of  weaving, creepy figure eight type of  fidgeting!

See?  There's something moving around in the water too!  Methinks I should step back and take a better look at this place...what do you think?

It seems as tho I have wandered a little too far off the beautifully, welcoming islands and have had the misfortune of dropping anchor just outside of 'Snake Island'!  Snake Island is beautiful and welcoming, however, it is totally uninhabited, except for a few snakes...A FEW?  Try approximately 5,000 of the most venomous snakes ever...and, I mean, snakes of only one type-the Golden Lancehead Pit-Viper!  That was a mouthful, literally!  This island is so dangerous, the Brazilian Navy doesn't allow any humans to go there,  other than scientists and researchers with special permits.

I know, I know-you're dying to see a picture of this creature!

So here it is!  Cute, huh?
(and I know somehow there are 2 pictures on here-don't ask how!)

These malicious inhabitants have taken over this once beautiful island.  For every square meter of land on this 110 acre of land, there lurks one of these snakes...so, at that rate, you are never more than 3 feet away from imminent death!  One bite is so debilitating that it actually melts the flesh around it, and, can cause brain hemorrhage and kidney failure. 

Want More?

The island is a subtropical, moist forest with a very mild climate, and the rocky terrain (there is no beach), with forest-like vegetation, makes for an ideal campground to this viper.  No...I don't know how they got there!  But, years ago, the property was tagged to become a banana plantation, and, the idea fizzled!  The island's name Queimada is Portugese meaning 'the island of the big land-clearing fire'.  I think the fishermen tried to burn out the snakes years ago, but somehow failed.  It is believed that since the viper has no other habitat, it could become extinct in the event of a wildfire on the island.

 At one time there was a lighthouse on the island, kept by a keeper and his family.  As the story goes, one night some snakes found their way into the lighthouse thru an open window, and, attacked the family.  They tried to run out and to their boat in hopes of escape.  With their 3 children they made it out into the jungle, but, were met by more snakes, hanging from the trees, and, just coming out of the 'woodwork'.   Consequently, the entire family was killed, and, there has not been a replacement keeper for the lighthouse, and, it sits in decaying disrepair.  And, now, these ruthless vipers are left to survive off of migrant birds, who are just trying to rest on the island.

* In 1969, an Italian movie was filmed on Snake Island.  The movie was called 'Burn', and starred Marlon Brando.  The island is depicted as a sugar plantation, and, Marlon Brando is an agent who is sent to the island to organize an uprising of the slaves.  The result would be to overthrow the Portugese regime in order to gain control of the island for its sugar cane production.

I have not seen this movie...don't even recall hearing about it-seems it just got a 2 star review rating.  And, I couldn't find any information on the condition of this island, or, its inhabitants during the filming of this movie.  It's possible that most of it was filmed in the neighboring city of  Sao Paulo, perhaps with some scenes around the shore of  Queimada island.  

***

So, what do you think...that 'SOME' people will write about anything?  I don't know...I don't really like snakes, let's just say, I have a certain respect for them (NO EYE CONTACT)!   

And, if you have a hankerin' to visit a gorgeous island covered in verdant rain forest, and, surrounded by azure seas, remember my tale of 'Snake Island', and TURN AROUND!!!

* Thank you so much for coming over and checking my blog out.  I hope you enjoyed my tale, 'as I see it', even if you don't like snakes...which I don't!   I'm always thrilled with your visits and comments.  And, for those of you who are too shy to leave a comment...well, okay-maybe next time!  

I'm glad you ventured by!

***

I want to wish my wonderful husband, Karo, a happy birthday tomorrow, July 21st.  He shares a birthday with Ernest Hemingway, and Cat Stevens.

Many happy days Karo!

***

Ernest Hemingway * July 21, 1899~July 2, 1961

Cat Stevens * July 21, 1948

***

And, a Special Thank You to my good friend Shady Del Knight for the Liebster blog award he bestowed upon me and some of his blog followers this morning.   
Gosh, you were up early, Shady!

*Congratulations on your 5 years of amazing blogging Shady! 
 You can catch Shady's blog at

http://shadydell.blogspot.com

I also give my thanks to:

Google

Yahoo

Marlon Brando

Wikipedia

http://www.mostlyodd.com

http://curioushistory.com

http://www.atlasobscura.com

Till we meet again!  Be safe...be happy!♥

...can I hit 'publish' now, Grandma?