Halloween!

Autumn is a really good look for the Northwest. You get thick fogs that obscure all landmarks and turn ferry crossings (if you happen to live on an island, which I do) into pirate voyages on the high seas, or journeys to the edge of the world in the land of Narnia. You get piles of low, puffy clouds that sit beneath crisp, blue, snow covered mountains like pedestals made of fresh whipped meringue. And you get the Autumn foliage which combines just the right amounts of orange, yellow and red to make it look like the trees are actually glowing, like huge luminous lanterns on a background of thick evergreens. Yes Northwest, if you've got it, flaunt it.

Also, on the agenda for Autumn here is of course the best holiday ever (well my favourite anyway), Halloween. I mean really, what's not to love? You've got masses of candy, you've got an excuse to dress up in costume, you've got a bit of spookiness and intrigue and you've got great parties. Or, if you're in a different age bracket, you've got trick or treating, it's win win all around!

Living in Australia for the past six years has meant it's pretty much been Halloween-party of one for me every October. Well, me and which ever friends I can infuse with some of my rampant Halloween enthusiasm, but for the most part, it isn't really a thing over there. So it's just been me stubbornly carving turnips because the customary big orange pumpkins of the U.S. weren't available (or were, but had been imported from the U.S. and thus cost you your first born and guilt about food miles) and frightening the two groups of trick or treaters we got by forcing lots of candy on them since there might not be any others. But not this year, this year there will be festivities! My costume will be a slightly Gothic Alice, of Wonderland; there are petticoats involved, I'm excited. I'm going to a haunted house which may or may not be in an old morgue, then out on the town with my friends Scarlett O'Hara, a lady pirate, a cat, and some surprises. I've already spent a pleasant day carving jack o' lanterns (from locally grown big orange pumpkins), drinking hot apple cider and volunteering as a guide on a friend's haunted woods walk. Now I just need my boss to give me November 1st off.... Happy Halloween!