~~~Harvest Home~~~

Here at the old Tilting Homestead Fall is arriving... Now this is the time of the Year I truly relish...
Cooler, crisper, Damper (well it is the Soggy N.W.)... The Low slant of the Sun.. And the clear cool air that begs for sockies and shawls wrapped about...
The leaves are falling, the squirrels are zipping to and fro. The Canadian jays and Blue jays are even more raucous than ever... Scolding me when I'm late putting out their nibbles...
Even the mice in the walls are scurrying hither and yon...
Keeps Alice busy, watching the ceiling keeping track of them...

Or- Mayhap There are Wispy Spirits wafting across the crown mouldings...

Either way, I just get giddy... Wanting to make hot cocoa, popping popcorn then sprinkling it with Ranch dressing (the powdered stuff)... Grabbing a Cold Crisp Apple...
Then getting all geared down to watch movies...

My Favorites this Time of Year:
-Practical Magic (swoon)
-Bell, Book, and Candle (sigh)
-The Witches of Eastwick (shiver)
-The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (snort)
-Arsenic and Old Lace (eek)

I've been trying for years to find a copy of Bette Davis' "Dark Secret Of Harvest Home" ( drool), but so far no joy.. There are copies of the chopped version... But I want the full 300 plus minutes of the mini-series version... One of these days... When the Time is right...

Have been doing some decorating.. The book cases in the boudoir', and few nick-knacks here and there...
But the best is out on the Patio... My Friend, HH, across the street and I had a jolly afternoon decking the Harvest Halls...

This lil' Guy is holding onto His Black Kittheh !!

A Spooky Gathering of of Dark Beasties...

My Cauldron slash Pumpkin Tower...



Love Birdcages.. So Got the best of both Spring n Autumn Here...



And A Flag Of Harvest Welcome..
(blowing of course-making it hard to see...
with the Kittheh Windchimes shadow behind..)

These photos were taken by my friend HH... With her brand new Canon camera !!

With only one days practice.. purty good I'd say...

...Gooseflesh for this Darkening time of year ? When the Veil grows Thin ?

Nah !! Just Shivers of Anticipation !!!

:::Fiddler, Was on the Roof:::

This is Fiddler-Who used to live on the Roof- Of the Garage at the end of my driveway....He is a Semi-Feral Boy. Will come when you call him... (I call him Fiddy, Fidelia, Fidderboy)...
But has been known to turn at a moments notice... And Damn Near amputate a finger... or Two...

Last spring He chomped my fingers and hand so badly My Doctor was worried... Thru arduous soaking and expressing of pus.. and high powered antibiotics... all my appendages are intact. Although my ring finger has increased a full ring-size because of scar tissue.

Fiddy doesn't necessarily mean to be hateful... I think he just doesn't have an "If I Bite The Hand That Feeds Me" who will feed me next switch..

So he lives outside... Has my garage with beddy places to sleep in...doesn't venture far. And you can pet him, just not more than 2-3 times and there better be canned dinner coming... And when He is done... Not a look back...

I'm still working with him... not given' up yet...
We just both know where our boundaries are.... Him gets dinnies... And I keep My fingers !

---Osgood Snozgood ---

Osgood, Snozgood, Ozgoodnia... All names I call this pale creamsicle Boy...

I first noticed him about this time 3 years ago. I would have the patio door open and out of the corner of my eye there would be this Fleeting wraith, sliding away from the bowl filled with dog food for the Coons and Possums... You would hear crunching, but as you turned your head, It was Gone... Not Really sure what was Glimpsed at all...

After a few weeks of this I began putting a lil' bowl of kittheh food nearer the open door. I would perch in the small alcove and wait until He would materialise... Thin, Gaunt, Uncombed, Terrified. Tattered ears and barely audible raspy voice. Every bone showing thru grubby fur. Over the days he worked his way closer to the food. He would try and eat but the crunchies would fall out of his mouth or he would gag... So He would just scarf them whole. As my voice wheedled and soothed and made promises, he finally ate at the doorway. I used an old comb to ruffle his fur. Just a breath of touch.

This went on for a week or so. He would eat, and just barely contain himself and allow the touch. He grew Bolder... And so did I...

Finally one day My mind set, I picked him up... Much Growling and Snarling and Hissing ensued. Glaring straight into my eyes with Fear and Terror and Uncertainty. Holding him to me I petted and smoothed and kept promising.

I guess he believed me. He has been an Indoor Kittheh for almost two years now... Sleeps where he wants.. When He wants... Right now its not on His blankie folded on top of the bookcase... Or the pillow in the bedroom. Or in the Kittheh Cottage... Its in an enamel food crisper drawer, with a wadded up shopping bag, sitting on the dining room table... Sigh...

He has all the squishy canned food he wants. Loves temptashuns (even tho they are crunchy)... Actually he hasn't really met any food he doesn't like...He was hungry for So Long, He has to eat... At least Sample what is offered.

Somewhere-Sometime he was someones lap baby. He wears a flea collar like He is "A Big Boy Now". Loves to be brushed and combed and fiddled with. His claws trimmed with a minium of fuss...Doesn't care for his monthly baths tho- I've got the shred marks to prove it.

And the reason the crunchy food would fall out of his mouth ?

His poor mouth is almost toothless... He had lived a Hard Mean Cold Loveless Life in there somewhere...

But now His name is Osgood... And He is a Very Good Boy...

Not just sure what He Is Good For Yet...

Maybe just Being a Second Chance...

Him Is A Very Good Boy... At Sleeping !