Saturday, October 23, 2010

* A Gothic Church and A Mysterious Black Cat *

With the coming of Fall and the cold weather it is always nice to sit indoors and enjoy a cup of tea

Now I can sit comfortably with Little Hoot and visit the participating blogs for Anna's Tea Party Under a Halloween Moon



But before I do I better announce the 3 lucky winners of last week's Halloween Blog Party at Vanessa's.




Little Hoot ,Tiger and Charlotte are anxiously awaiting to see whoooo the lucky winners will be.







We decided it was best to place the names for the draw inside our very special secret book.






Within it's chamber I keep many of my precious things such as the stone heart made of crystallized fossils

Here is Karson just about ready to pick the lucky winners



And the winners are?????

********************************************************




1st Prize of the 5x7 Original Print of
 "A Hunting We Will Go  " is:

  *** Molly Bit O' Shine   

2nd and 3rd Prizes for the two Aceo's of
 "Goin Up To The Spirit In The Sky " are:

*** Maria's Twinkles Miniatures and

*** Linda

Congratulations to all of you. Mailing them out later this week.


To everyone that participated in the giveaway , I'm having another giveaway this coming Sunday October 31st~ Halloween for a seashell bottle so do drop in and try again.

And now back to Anna's Tea Parties and Vanessa's Halloween Ball....Still haven't quite finished...


After experiencing a bit of Broom Lag I decided to ride by way of coach,seems to agree with me.




midnight carriage horses castle pictures, backgrounds and images


From Ghouls and Ghosts and Long - Leggety Beasties


And Things that go Bump in the Night,


Good Lord, Deliver Us! 


( Scottish Prayer )
















~^..^~ And now a Little Halloween Story for you  ~^..^~




A Gothic Church and A Mysterious Black Cat 
or 
A Gothic Church and The Ghost Cat
Picture ~ Winter Gothic by Margaret Clough







It all began when my mom stopped over for a visit and being such a gorgeous Fall day we decided it would be a opportune time to take a drive out to the countryside to visit a favourite shop, all the while I being quite aware of the fact that we would be driving by the old church I liked. Upon entering the outskirts of the quaint village I could see the red and white sign from the distance and thinking without a doubt, that it would no longer be available. 
But I was wrong, for there stood the sign,solidly anchored into the ground beneath the towering silver steeple of the 128 year old limestone church…." For Sale " it read! I was   afraid to get out of the truck having the fear that I would become overly enamoured by it and unable to obtain it in the end.

The afternoon sun glowed a warmth around my face as I peered into the water glass panes of the old gothic church windows, admiring the flood of light that was basking it's walls and exquisite interior. 
I had seen the old sanctuary for sale on the net about a month before but didn't give it too much thought since the timing wasn't right for us in making a immediate move. Little did I know of it's allure I would eventually come to experience the moment I stepped through it's massive castle like doors.

There was no need getting flustered over a life long dream only to be disappointed in the end considering the requirements in making the purchase were all round obstructing in establishing me as it's next owner.
  
There I was , standing, looking from the outside in with my mom next to me, who, unlike me was right on time at the cross roads befitting the opportunity that presented itself to us on this warm October afternoon.

Of course she was in agreement with me that this was a perfect valuable real-estate acquirement only to fall short of making a firm decision on her part when she returned home to process the film she had earlier reeled in and realized that she had all along inhabited some concerning reservations in matters dealing with the  beyond.

You see, while we were quite taken by the overall beauty of the place, surrounded by tall oaks,which happen to be my favourite tree and the closely snuggled setting of the church to the winding river behind the property, there happened to be an obscure cemetery to it's side facing northwest. The graveyard didn't faze me one bit for I find them particularly intriguing as opposed to my mom who finds them intensely creepy. The way I see it, eventually we  all do end up there one day, and in my opinion the dead happen to be more harmless than the living, and of course they are mighty quite neighbours so what is there not to like? For me it was an added bonus. 

While occupied in our surveying the grounds, a soft crying meow was over heard behind the neighbouring cedars of the cemetery but when glancing over we couldn't see the cat that the cry came out from, assuming that it was a cat's cry we had heard. 
And then, as if by magic his body appeared, a little tiny black cat with a small patch of white at it's neck. Mom, quickly uttered, "don't let him cross", "don't let it him cross", numerous times but I didn't react to her requests and called out to him. 
In a soundless gentle walk he made his way to me and started brushing his dark silhouette against my legs and vocally sounding a "brrrrt" while fixating his gaze to my eyes. He was a stately fellow but somehow a solitary soul; for a moment the thought of taking him home crossed my mind.

 We continued to look over the estate while the mysterious black cat followed without interruption. I was getting accustomed to having the little fellow around and joked with my mom that he probably was a lost soul from the graveyard. 

I suppose upon reflecting back at that moment, I think I sealed her fate in the decision of her purchasing the place…besides the added  fact the realtor had mentioned "Witching" had be done on the place by an old English fellow, a word used to describe a person looking for bodies buried beneath the ground by help of a tree branch, much like looking for water, but not this time around ………hehehe! 

Anyway, after much reverence reflected onto the spectacular property I called my stepdad on my cell and revered to him what a lovely place it was and that it would be something for the two of them to seriously think upon . All the while chatting, I lost track of the kitty, I couldn't see him and I was worried where he had gone and then there he was, secretly staring at me from behind the cedar bushes against the corner to the back of the church, starring, his eyes hanging on to the sun's rays! The only thing that gave him away was his brilliant glowing eyes.

So taken by the event of the day that we left the village making a u-turn on the street in front of the property, completely forgetting about our original trek. 


There, in front to the entrance of the church, stood the cat, his back facing us,and as we slowly drove off, almost human like, the black feline turned his head to the side and looked towards us like an arrow shot straight to our hearts!




A few days later I returned to view the grounds with my husband, this time the place was for us to look at with the intention of purchasing. On the two additional occasions we were there, the cat was never again seen. 





My fear did become true for in the short time I got to know the church, I had unconditionally fallen in love with it and in the end realizing the impossibility of achieving my dream. 
I had every right to feel an aversion to the old church that first time I drove up to it's door. I was afraid of never grasping my dream.
Now I wonder, what the cat had to do with it.

In England it is considered a sign of good luck if a black cat comes toward you. It never crossed my path, but instead followed me that one and only day….why?

GIVEAWAY Oct31st  ~ HALLOWEEN


SHELL BOTTLE APP 6 INCHES IN HEIGHT  


* ~^..^~ Not sure what I've done wrong but having trouble placing this picture at the bottom of the page and just  seems to want to be placed here....Spooky! Anyway I made this bottle...hope you like it, just leave me a comment to be entered in the draw.

ENDING NOTE: A Strange Course of Events

I saw the church on the 13th of the month….my lucky number, a black cat made his way toward me and became my friend and then I fell in love with a portrait of a girl which claimed residence within the old stone church entitled " The Soul's Awakening ".


And so here is another design inspired by the excursion to the Old Gothic Church...Hope you like it.Free for personal use I retain copyright.



A Big Thank you to Anna of Frosted Petunias for hosting this Tea Under a Halloween Moon Blog Party. Please go to her site to see the list of participating blogs.

Scroll further down the page for larger format of "Halloween Night" and if you require larger than that size go to my flickr account.Personal use only...Enjoy! 








Friday, October 22, 2010

* On My Way * Anna's Tea Party Under a Halloween Moon Blog Party

Time, there just isn't enough time in a day to do what one needs to get done and what one wants to get done.
Priorities are foremost and the LADIDA as hubby calls it, is, well comes last. So I did get a few things checked off the list but not everything I had hoped for; I guess for a later date, always a good thing for future posts.

Vanessa's Halloween Party....Well you wouldn't believe it...still have fifty some blogs to visit....hehehe....VERY SLOW...AT A SNAIL'S PACE; but so far the blogs I visited were worth it, full of inspiration and could never pass them by. I really don't know how everyone gets through them all and so quickly; am I missing something? 

 Anyway, Tomorrow is Anna's Under A Halloween Moon Blog Party, so I am going to be Ladida- ing for some time to come....hehehe! But seriously I also need the time to create or I'm not happy and I also want  to do some research on  possible homes for the family to move to next Spring/summer, so again, pressed by Time. Oh well, we all know how precious it is , so use it wisely gals!

The draw  for Vanessa's Halloween Blog Party will take place Saturday Night and the winner's names will be posted on Sunday. 
Be sure to check back tomorrow to read my party post for Anna's Under a Halloween Moon Blog Party and for another chance at a secret surprise give-away. Will reveal the contents tomorrow evening. 

Well , I better be off and get some work done. See you tomorrow at the Ball.

Have a little case of broom lag I'm 


afraid...hehehe....EEK....and IT IS SNOWING , so yes, definitely will be travelling by coach! 









midnight carriage horses castle pictures, backgrounds and images
*Anna's Frosted Petunias  ~ Tea Party Under a Halloween Moon Blog Party....See you there *

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

* LOOK WITHIN *

A little post I did last Halloween on Pastoral Dreams 


http://pastoraldreams.blogspot.com/ 


UPDATE:....STILL FLYING ON MY BROOM VISITING EVERYONE....IN THE N'S OF THE LIST AT THE MOMENT....PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE DONE TILL FRIDAY AND THEN THERE'S ANNA'S HALLOWEEN TEA PARTY UNDER A HALLOWEEN MOON ON SATURDAY..........


LOOK FURTHER DOWN THIS PAGE OCTOBER 16TH POST CELEBRATING VANESSA'S HALLOWEEN BLOG PARTY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN SOME HALLOWEEN ART.




Photobucket


" Look Within and See
What Loveliness or Horror
You be the owner of!

It’s not the dead you must be afraid of....

but the living!!!"

Annabelle ~^..^~

....Just a Little reflection of the day!

~^..^~ HAPPY HALLOWS’ EVE ~^..^~









Monday, October 18, 2010

* EVERY SILVER LINING'S GOT A TOUCH OF GREY *

STRANGE AND CURIOUS  IS THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
SPOOKY DARK ARE IT'S NIGHTS , 
LUMINOUS AND BRIGHT
WHEN THE FULL MOON DROPS DOWN 
TO OUR GARDEN BELOW




SPOOKY artists know the magical allure of October and it's extravagant Ball in it's final farewell.
Much is accomplished in the mystical 31 days of it's life; many times, our piece de resistance is created.
And then again, strange, very weird and unexpected occurrences happen, some faintly disappearing into thin air, making you wonder if they really did happen at all, while others etched in our minds for eternity wishing we could bury them ten feet under the ground.


I knew for some time now hubby was going in for a triennium eye surgery operation October 18th, today, so it wasn't a surprise or a strange event of the sort but definitely an unpleasant part of life he had to deal with to get better and something that the kids and I didn't look forward to as well. We must always remember ,with life , "every silver lining's , got a touch of grey"....nothin is purrrfect.
There is always apprehension and anxiety when one of your loved ones goes in for surgery....not a nice  feeling and we have become quite familiar with the usual routine associated in entering hospitals, one we never get used to,but all the same I was prepared for it , but not for what was to occur yesterday afternoon.


You never know the events to follow when one leaves home and says goodbye. I am not a Witch or a fortune teller but I think most of us do have what is called a sixth sense and yesterday was one day I felt a bit weird when my son left with his friends to go skating. I missed seeing him off and all I heard from the computer room was hubby teasing him if he needed some bread, at that point I felt unwell in my stomach that I had not seen him off as I usually do.That's it...just a bad feeling I didn't see him off. 


Long story short he returned to us but with a very unpleasant story to tell. He had suffered a concussion upon falling and hitting his head on the ice. Two gentlemen appeared to him when he woke up but he didn't recall anything after his fall. When he retold us the story, I felt terrible that I wasn't there when he needed me most, but we all know too well that we could never consistently be there by their side, especially parents, who eventually will need adjustments once their kids fly the roost.


 In summing up the events of the last few days, poor old dad ended up visiting two hospitals in less than 24 hours , first seeing our son through his testing and once again today for his operation; talk about creating anxiety before a surgery procedure....hehehe!


Anyway, I'm relieved to say the tests on my son turned out okay and hubby's surgery went well only he is suffering some pain now.
Under a mysterious moon, October never seems to disappear without leaving me some inspiration, strange curiosities of Witch I will later tell and a Spooky foreboding of Witch I quickly dismissed. Next time I feel the turning tummy I will listen.


So, I'm afraid I will be detained from my visits to your blogs for the next few days while I attend to my two boys.



iT'S Been a little too sPOOKY..........remember ...








*EVERY SILVER LINING'S GOT A TOUCH OF GREY *







READ PREVIOUS POST FOR VANESSA'S HALLOWEEN BLOG PARTY AND A CHANCE TO WIN SOME ORIGINAL ART PRINTS.













Saturday, October 16, 2010

* A ~ HAUNTING WE WILL GO * VANESSA'S HALLOWEEN BLOG PARTY


^..^~ ~^..^~ ~^..^~ ~^..^~

A ~ Haunting we will go
Into the valley down below
Where ghouls and witches own the night 
Goblins, Spooks and Ghosts alike !

                                                                    Annabelle ~ Stan
                                                  

*A ~ HAUNTING WE WILL GO *
HALLOWEEN TREATS TODAY! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LEAVE A COMMENT ON TODAY'S POST. 


~^..^~ 1ST PRIZE WILL BE 
* A ~ HAUNTING WE WILL GO *


A HAUNTED TREE I MADE IN 1989, THEN  PHOTOGRAPHED ONE  HALLOWEEN AND  MANIPULATED IN A COMPUTER PROGRAM INCORPORATING INTO THE DESIGN TWO ELLY CATS DRAWN BY MY DAUGHTER EMMA ~M. 


 A  5 x 7 ORIGINAL ART PHOTOGRAPH /DIGITAL GRAPHIC/ PRINT SIGNED AND DATED BY ARTISTS OR ARTIST ; WINNER WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO HAVE THE TWO ELLY CATS REMOVED FROM PRINT IF THEY WISH.


~^..^~ 2ND AND 3RD PRIZES WILL BE TWO ORIGINAL ACEOS OF  
* GOIN' UP TO THE SPIRIT IN THE SKY * ALSO SIGNED AND DATED BY ARTIST...EMMA ~M.


GOOD LUCK!






 *This is Karson our Church Cat *





There was a annual Bless the Creatures Service at the local church and everyone's pet was invited , including the vet with a basket full of kittens who decided to sit right in front of us....What would you have done if you sat there with two little girls? Well as they say, the rest is history.
OUR SKINNY CHURCH CAT 'KARSON BOY' WILL DRAW THE THREE LUCKY WINNERS FROM MY WITCHES HAT NEXT SATURDAY OCTOBER 23RD /2010.





FROM PAST BLOG PARTIES, IF YOU DO VISIT ALL THE PARTICIPANTS TAKING PART IN THE EVENT IT TAKES SOME TIME FOR YOU TO DO THE ROUNDS,  A WEEK IS REALLY NOT ENOUGH TIME TO SEE AND COMMENT ON EVERYONE'S SITE, ESPECIALLY SO WHEN THE NUMBERS RUN IN THE HUNDREDS AS IN MOST CASES AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT EVERY BLOGGER DOES APPRECIATE A VISIT AND EVEN MORE A SWEET NOTE FROM GUESTS VISITING.



GOOD LUCK ****


********************************************
THANK YOU VANESSA FOR HOSTING THIS HALLOWEEN BLOG PARTY....I'M TOTALLY HOOKED....ADORE PLAYING....WHAT CAN I SAY, I WILL FOREVER BE A LITTLE KID INSIDE AND ON THE OUTSIDE....HEHEHE!


Visit Vanessa from *A Fanciful Twist * to see who is on the list of participants and their links.


I'm sure there are quite a lot of treats out there  for the Happy Halloween Visitor. ~^..^~


http://afancifultwist.typepad.com/


********************************************


~^..^~ HAPPY HALLOWEEN ~^..^~









Blog Archive

Blog Archive