The spooks and ghosts have begun to play.:*:.:*:.

That time of year is upon us. That edge has crept into the air at night, the mornings are filled with fog, the mountains seem to close in around us. The leaves have started to turn, a few are scattered on the paths. Fall is almost upon us, and so is thanksgiving, and of course, Halloween. I love this time of year. There is something I can't explain even, some growing feeling of excitement. I start baking. Anything with spice, apples, pumpkin, nuts. I want to roast turkeys. There is no finer meal than a nicely brined, savory roasted bird, with a sage, sausage, and cranberry stuffing. I love it. That aside, Halloween is the best. We spend months to prepare, and weeks getting it all put together. Choosing a theme to our design, pulling out decor of years past, buying and making new. We plan some sort of party, complete with spooky themed foods, and I even have special glassware, placemats and dishes for the occasion. Our house and yard range between cute spooks to down right ghoulish. The costumes are well planned in advance-and they get more ghoulish as the kids get older. I guess I am one of those kids that night, I get to be a ghoul, er, girl, again. Halloween brings nothing but pleasant memories for me over the years, and I love seeing the spirit alive in our house. We scour the shops for the right accessories for weeks up to the day-I don't know who is more excited-me or the kids! There is not one of us who does not enjoy our walk on the scary side this time each year in our house!

Fall 2004-that is the year of the mag I am looking at. It gave me ideas for my harvest table, the colours and textures. I have started planning my menu-and also I think we will have friends for wine and cheese soon too, so i am planning both. I picked up 3 kinds of cheese-for 6-8 types in total, and some siljan shells for the RIP bites for Halloween-I saw the shells so I grabbed them, will tuck them away till the eve is at hand! I will pick up some ghoulish wines and beers for the occasions, with devil and witch themes in their titles can't wait....