It's that time of year.....

This is my scarecrow sitting in my front yard. Like my double rocker? Got it for a steal....$10 at a flea market. They go for $99 at Cracker Barrel.

Boy it's been so long since I've blogged that I almost forgot how to do it. I have no excuses, so I won't give you any. The weather here has been alot cooler lately and has put me in the "holiday" spirit. This week I actually got into the mood to decorate for Halloween. Well the yard that is. I don't usually decorate inside the house, it's kinda small. It's been a few years since I have decorated anything. I have always made a scarecrow every year for Halloween but I really haven't done anything for about 5 years. I haven't been home for Halloween most of those years because of my job. And last year I was home, but we had no trick or treaters. I'm hoping with the yard decorations, maybe this year I'll get some. Hut works for the City of Winter Haven and they do different events during the year for people to enjoy. One of them is "Ghouls Night Out". It's always the Saturday before Halloween. Last year was the first year I was able to help out with it because I had a new job that enabled me to do it. Hut always drives the hayride. He dresses up as a "Hogman". This year since I have a camera I will take pics so you can see how ugly he is. He's been "Hogman" for probably close to 10 years. The city also does an event for Christmas, called Snow Central. They have big mounds of snow made for the kids to play in and a slide run, so you can slide in the snow. They also have Santa and on occasion Mrs. Claus. If you haven't figured out where this is going.....Hut plays the man in red and when I can I am the Mrs. Every year at Halloween, he jokes about wondering what the kids would do if they knew "Hogman" and Santa were the same. It's funny, but the kids came to the hayride last year and I heard quite a few of them wondering if the "hogman" was driving it. I had so much fun last year that I can't wait for this year. The events are free and they have food and merchandise vendors, games, crafts, contests. This years "Ghouls Night Out" is Saturday, October 25. It starts at 6pm and ends at 9pm for those of you who are local and would like to go. I'll have to keep you posted about Snow Central. It's usually on a Thursday and if I had to guess I'd say it's the 18th. But I'll get back to you on that. I got a little off my subject here....my yard decorations. I am really into the spirit of things now that it's cooler. Almost like I've got my second wind.

These are my pumpkin people. Arent' they just the cutest. They have long spidery arms and legs. The one on the left is holding a sign that says Trick or Treat and the one on the right has spiders dangling from one arm and a bat on the other. The stands are supposed to be used for real pumpkins but we figured out how to use the electric ones from Walmart. Tonight we went out and bought flickering lights for them instead of just plain lights. Can't wait for it to get dark so we can check them out.

A closer shot of the pumpkin with Trick or Treat.

Here's the one with the bat (on left side of pic) and spiders (on right side). You can see the spiders better than the bat. I just love these.

Missy should remember this guy. When Missy and I did crafts (about 100 years ago), I made ghosts. This guy we kept because he has BIG old rubber boots on. Everyone in the family got one. I believe this may be the only one left, but he's been in a closet for quite a few years.

Here he is standing near the front door with another ghost ornament. One side of the door is pumpkins, the other, ghosts.

I got this at JoAnn Fabrics. It's one big bag stuffed with newspapers. It has 2 different faces. I also have some small bats and ghosts, but I think I'm going to save them to decorat the hayride.

Sneak preview for Snow Central. Hut has been doing Santa for at least 15 years now. He started doing it for a craft store I had worked at. Then since all the kids were young, he visited alot of schools. When the city started this event, it was just natural for him to do it. Plus he does numerous events with the police department every year. I got to do some with him last year (thank God for my new job) and we had a blast. He enjoys doing this so much, he never charges a penny. We've had the pleasure of doing some really cool things during the Christmas season, but I will save that for a later post. I hope this looooooooonnnnngggg blog satisfies you guys who have been wondering where I've been.