Monday, October 5, 2015

HALLOWEEN AND MY FATHER



Left to Right -- my fraternal grandmother, my young father, and my fraternal grandfather
Rosemont Avenue, Berkley, Michigan

Celebrating Halloween when I was young in the forties and fifties was not only celebrated by kids but by my father. The reason being was that he was born on Halloween so our family celebrated the whole month of October with porch pumpkins, cardboard images tacked to our windows of spiders, black witches and cats. Topping it all off was a five foot cardboard skeleton hanging from our front door. We were the most "ready for" Halloween house on our block. 

Today of course houses can be decorated like stage plays with full size plastic devilish figures dancing across yards. 


I took this photo as it closely resembled my memories of Halloween. Not so plastic but imaginative creations.  


 A real spider that I noticed a week ago while checking out an old school. He was travelling across the old porch boards probably choosing a place to hide where he could jump out and scare children on Halloween night. Of course I enlarged him in Lightroom


This house would have made a great haunted house for us kids to scream and run through and maybe a few adults too (like my father).

19 comments:

  1. Your haunted house and spider are worthy of any Halloween display. My brother was a Halloween baby, too.

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    1. Joanne -- I bet your brother loved Halloween day -- it would be a double home run day for him! -- thanks -- barbara

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  2. I much prefer imaginative simple decorations over storebought. That is a cool old house.

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    1. Tammy -- Being you are a creative person I can understand your feelings that prefer simile decorations. That old house resides by the side of a rural road in Kentucky -- very forlorn. thanks -- barbara

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  3. My father-in-law was born on Halloween. My favorite time of the year, and what a fun time for a birthday. Your last shot, in this series, is my favorite.

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    1. Michelle -- That last shot of the "haunted house" was taken just outside of Berea, KY. I beginning to realize that many folks enjoy Halloween birthdays! thanks -- barbara

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  4. YOu must have had fun as a child with such spooky images around...I doubt that they scared you since they were associated with your father. And I also hope your father didn't scare you!

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    1. Barbara --- yes celebrating Halloween around my house was festive when I was young. I even have an old photograph of a bunch of us neighborhood kids with our homemade costumes on. No one hardly had a store bought one them. thanks -- barbara

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  5. That would be a scary front porch to walk across on Oct. 31. I hate those plastic, blowup 'monsters' people place on their lawns these days. NOT scary.

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    1. Birdman -- an honest comment about the plastic blowups. I believe many feel the same way! They really are a bit commercial for my taste. --- thanks -- barbara

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  6. I like this! Your grandparents and father look so nice, so natural.

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    1. Hattie -- I never had a chance to know my fraternal grandmother as she died before I was born -- of all things -- appendicitis! My grandfather I knew well and loved him dearly. As I also loved my father dearly. thanks -- barbara

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  7. People seem to spend a lot of money on elaborate Halloween decorations these days. I prefer old-school ones. Lovely family photo, I'm wondering the year, maybe 1910's? I love looking at clothes from past eras.

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    1. Rose -- You are not alone in your feelings about the elaborate Halloween decorations. You guessed right on the dates of the clothing. They were dressed up in this photo for my father's first communion. If you look close at his shoes he has on high button shoes. thanks -- barbara

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    1. troutbirder -- Memories are what our world is made up of I think. It is where our stories reside, thanks -- barbara

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  9. That is a treasure of a photo of your father, Barbara. Such nice memories you have of your homemade Halloweens and your father's birthdays. I remember how surprised I was to see the pre-fab costumes at school because my mother used to sew ours. That spider is, for me, truly scary...those are quite the happy dancing skeletons. You are in a seasonal mood!

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    1. Rita -- I not only appreciate Halloween but the whole month of October with its natural beauty. Nature really knows how to blast us with earthy tree colors. I imagine your area is full of autumn beauties right now -- enjoy it now as it slips away so fast. During October my father would pile us in his car and we would ride the woodland roads enjoying the turning leaves. thanks -- barbara

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  10. Halloween has only become a "tradition" in Norway during the later years - mostly due to commercial interest who want to sell and kindergarten teachers who want to entertain the kids. I have no enthusiasm for it. However, I much appreciate that "haunted house - a highly interesting place to explore!

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