October 25, 2013
HAPPY NOT -SO- VERY- SCARY HALLOWEEN
NOT ACTUALLY A HALLOWEEN COSTUME, BUT DRESSED UP FOR A SORORITY
LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST WITH MY DAUGHTER IN 2011.
Autumn is my favorite season, and all that goes along with it:
The foliage changing from green to brilliant reds and oranges, cooler fall days followed by crisp clear nights, apple picking, pumpkin picking, hot apple cider, hearty soup bubbling on the stove, football games, Thanksgiving, Halloween
I have never been a fan of Halloween's unseemly side, and prefer to focus on celebrating the very American tradition of trick or treating, along with the beauty of the fall season.
Even now that my kiddies are no longer of the trick or treating age, I enjoy the young costumed visitors who knock at my door with an enthusiastic "Trick or Treat".This was my Facebook entry from last November 1, 2012.
Halloween 2012 in Review:
Had 47 trick or treaters last night from ages 2-13 in an array of costumes, including Charlie Brown, a pink angel adorned in 3 foot feather wings, a fortune teller who predicted that I would give out a lot of candy corn in the near future (the candy corn was a big hit, by the way), a test pattern, a glowing disco ball, and a pillow-stuffed Baltimore Oriole who informed me that his costume represented that he was a big Oriole fan both "literally and "metaphorically "!!! )
JUST IN CASE YOU ARE WONDERING, THE CANDY CORN MENTIONED WAS THE SMALL, TRICK OR TREAT SIZED, PRE-PACKAGED VARIETY.
In addition to making sure that the treat bowl is filled with goodies to pass out every October 31, I also like to put my home in a festive mood.I have a small table in my entryway that changes monthly with the latest holiday/season. For Halloween I try to keep it simple and non-scary.MY HALL ENTRYWAY 2011, AS SCARY AS MY HALLOWEEN D COR GETS.
THE "BOO" PRINTABLE (CENTER LEFT) WAS THANKS TO
MY FAMILY PHOTO PUMPKIN (BOTTOM MIDDLE, AND IN PHOTO BELOW),
MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT DECOUPAGING AN ARTIFICIAL PUMPKIN,
WITH PHOTO PRINTED COPIES OF PAST FAMILY PICTURES.
I USED COUNTRY LIVING'S INSTRUCTIONS BELOW AS MY GUIDE.
In-between enjoying the trick or treaters on Halloween night, it has become my tradition to watch It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. In fact, there are several "must watch" shows on my schedule to go along with Halloween. I invite you to read through my list below.You may find one, or two, programs that are new to you, and that you may wish to include in your watch list this year.
JOHN ASTIN STARS IN THE 1960'S COMEDY TV SHOW THE ADDAMS FAMILY
ANNETTE'S LIST OF FUN HALLOWEEN MOVIES/TV
(This list starts with my "must see" selections at the top,
descending to the "if there is time to watch" toward the bottom.)
IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN (1966)
I have been watching this 1966 made for TV special, since its inception.(Yes, I am THAT old!) I never miss it.
(Showing on ABC this year this October 31 at 8:00 pm EST.)
THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN (1966)
No one looks, or acts, more scared than Don Knotts in a
haunted house.Very funny!
TICKLE ME (1965)
Elvis in a haunted house, need I say more?
(Julie Adams co-stars in this, and is also in
Creature from the Black Lagoon, below.)
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944)
Young Margaret O'Brien steals the spotlight from Judy Garland
with her Halloween night pranks.
MOM'S GOT A DATE WITH A VAMPIRE (2000)
A Disney made for TV movie that has been a favorite in our family for years. , of The Nanny fame,
stars as the not overly frightening vampire.
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974)
(Yes, I AM old enough to have watched this film in the movie theater, when it was first released!)
Gene Wilder stars as
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in this comedy classic.
THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW
EPISODES:
It May Look Like a Walnut- Season 2 (1962)
The Ghost of A.Chantz - Season 4 (1964)
Long Night's Journey into Day -Season 5 (1965)
Uhny Uftz-Season 5 (1965)
For episode details go to
(The Ghost of A. Chantz will air this October 31 at 10:00 am EST on TVland, and It May Look Like a Walnut follows at 10:30 am.)
The Haunted House -Season 4 (1963)
Don Knotts in the precursor of The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
(Airs on TVland on October 31 at 12:00 pm and 8:00 pm EST)
THE BRADY BUNCH
Fright Night-Season 4 (1972)
For episode details go to
(Airs at 1:00 pm EST on October 27 on the Me TV Network.)
MUNSTERS GO HOME! (1966)
This is the 1966 color movie based on the TV series.
THE MUNSTERS (1964-1966)
Any and all episodes
(FUN FACT FOR YA-Created by the original think tank for earlier TV show "Leave it to Beaver" (1957-1963).
Sort of a "Leave it to Beaver" but played by friendly monsters.
(Airs late at night/early in the morning on the Boomerang channel, and sometimes at 3:00 pm EST.)
THE MIDDLE (2009-the present)
Starting with the second season, this family series has had an annual Halloween episode filled with laughs.
(New! Halloween IV: The Ghost Story- October 30, 8 pm EST.
on ABC.)
* Halloween-October 26, 7 am, EST, and 5 pm EST on October 27, and
November 1, 12:30 am EST on ABC Family.
* Halloween II- October 27, 7 am, and October 29, 5 pm EST, on
ABC Family.
* Halloween III -October 27, 7:30 am EST, and October 29, 5:30 pm, EST, ABC Family.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY (1964-1966)
Any episode
(Airs late at night /early in the morning, and some earlyafternoons on Boomerang.)
BEWITCHED (1964-1972)
Any episode
(Shown in the late night/early morning on The CW
Network.)
GHOST BREAKERS (1940)the second is a musical remake
of Ghost Breakers starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
Both are "scary" comedies.
ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948)
Funny horror spoof with Lon Chaney
(Star of The Wolf Man, below)
WIZARD OF OZ (1939)
Because I love to watch this one anytime, and the Wicked Witch, Glinda, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Dorothy have become Halloween costume staples.
BATMAN: THE MOVIE (1966)
Because this is MY blog, after all.
I love the campy Adam West as Batman!
Besides, he is dressed in a costume, as are his trusty sidekick and four criminal foils, right?
This is the 1966 movie based on the TV series.
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (2010)
I am a fan of the Wimpy Kid movies.They make me laugh. This
one finds Greg in trouble, as always, including on Halloween.
BEWARE!
IF YOU DO NOT LIKE ANYTHING REMOTELY SCARY,
SKIP PAST THE SUGGESTIONS BELOW.
STEVE MCQUEEN STARS IN THE BLOBIf you desire scarier stuff
MY MILDLY SCARY PICKS
ALFRED HITCHCOCK
The master of suspense is a great addition to movie watching this month.Here are a few:
TO CATCH A THIEF (1955)-They wear costumes in this, so, of couse, it is perfect for Halloween (May I remind you that this is MY list), and besides, Cary Grant is in this.
REBECCA (1940)-
mysterious .
REAR WINDOW (1954)-Jimmy Stewart is laid up with a broken leg, and, apparently, even the attentions of the beautiful
Grace Kelly are not enough to detour him from snooping on his neighbors.
THE BIRDS (1963)-A bunch of birds become hostile in a
Bodega Bay.
NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)-Great movie and Cary Grant stars in this. (Not scary enough for Halloween? Again, this is MY list.)
THEM! (1954)
James Arness (of Gunsmoke fame) and really giant ants!
(Airs on October 27 at 6:00 pm EST on Turner Classic Movies.)
THE BLOB (1958)
Steve McQueen stars, with a ball of silicone playing the alien amoeba that terrorizes his Pennsylvania town.
CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954)
A funny- looking beast becomes captivated by beauty,
Julie Adams.A few years later, Elvis seems captivated, too,
in Tickle Me.
THE WOLF MAN (1941)
A werewolf bites Lon Chaney, and his looks begin to change.
Claude Rains also stars.
I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943)
Val Lewton, known for his horror films, produced this RKO film, and is the scariest on my list.
A nurse moves to the West Indies to care for a sick woman.
Jane Eyre was the inspiration for this script.
This film can usually be seen on Turner Classic Movies in October.
CAT PEOPLE (1942)
Another Val Lewton produced RKO film.
A man unwittingly marries a woman who periodically turns into a very grouchy panther, literally.
This film can usually be seen on Turner Classic Movies in October, too.
(Airs on October 26 at 11:00 pm EST on Turner Classic Movies.)
THEM!
HUMOROUS CLIP OF A HALLOWEEN
YUCKY, GORY "HAUNTED HOUSE" VISIT
I absolutely, totally hate the yucky, gory, haunted house tour thingies that pop up in Everytown, USA in October. (I love the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World, however. It is neither yucky, nor gory. It is fun!) I saw this piece on Facebook (the link is just below), and had to share it with you.The reactions of this fellow/Andy navigating through Universal Studio's Halloween Horror Night's Maze are pretty funny, as a few yuckys and gorys jump out at him throughout. Apparently, Andy is more of a not-so-very-scary Halloween type, too. )
WALT DISNEY WORLD'S HAUNTED MANSION
Photo courtesy of
Check out their great article on WDW's Haunted Mansion.
Now that you are armed with a sufficient list of Halloween films, both non-scary and a little scary, why not make tonight one for cookies, and a movie?Whip up a batch of these Mummy cookies below, put one on your plate, pour yourself a cold glass of milk, put in a movie, get comfortable, and watch!
Wishing you a Happy Not-So-Very-Scary Halloween!
Thanks for reading!:o)
Annette
I attempt to post my blog weekly on, or around, each Monday.
To join my blog "following", and receive "I'm Annette" via email, free, immediately upon posting, please sign up on the right-hand side of this page.
MY MUMMY'S COOKIES
MY MUMMY'S CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Inspired by a recipe from Pillsbury.com
INGREDIENTS
One gingerbread boy cookie cutter, 5 inch
1 cup of softened butter
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 tea. vanilla
13/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
Prepared white frosting in spray can
Approximately 1/2 cup M&M's
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 F.
In large bowl, beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or until creamy.
On low speed, beat in flour, and cocoa and 1 to 2 minutes or until well mixed.
Divide dough into 2 balls; press each to form disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap; freeze 10 minutes.
On lightly floured surface, roll 1 dough disk at a time until 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 5-inch gingerbread boy cutter.
On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 1 inch apart. Reroll and cut any remaining dough.
Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until set. Do not over bake.
Cool 1 minute; carefully remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.
Cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes.
Use flat tip of frosting can for mummy wrapping.
Pipe on frosting, using photo as guide.
Add 2 m & m's to each cookie for eyes, using frosting
as "glue".
If you prefer a not-so-very-scary cookie, skip adding the frosting "mummy wrap". )
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