Halloween Midnight

1929 Magazine Cover
by Sarah Wendell Campbell (1906 - 1960)

A Clear Midnight
This is thy hour O Soul,
thy free flight into the wordless,

Away from books, away from art,
the day erased, the lesson done,

Thee fully forth emerging, silent, gazing,
pondering the themes thou lovest best,

Night, sleep, death and the stars.

Walt Whitman (1819 – 1892)
Additional Whitman posts:
QK ~ FN ~ KL

Greeting Card Design

The Eve of the Eve

The time draws near,
the eve of the eve
expect visitors . . .

The Last Chance

The myna bird speaks
of love. His whistle
cuts into the bone
ears of a whitetail's
head stuffed above
the bar.

Fifty miles the county's
dry. You stop here
to tell yourself
go home but hear
the black experience
of a goddamned bird

whose hello sucks
at the marrow
of your bones.
You wonder how a soul
can pass from
his beak and break

upon your face, split
the whiskers you grew
to be wise in. You wonder
at his avalanche of words,
the last drink you took,
the dance on your skin

you can't beat time to.
You wonder, but you
do not ask. You
listen hard with
your cracking eyes.
He asks about your life.

You tell him lies
while he preens
a feather, lets it drop.
Your life is sour
on the glass. Crow
made the earth and all

things therein, brought fire.
This bird's a ghost
you tell your sins.
Nobody is listening.
Outside the sun falls
into the brittle grass.

by Jim Barnes (b 1933)
in Sundown Explains Nothing, 2019 (p 139 - 40)
Additional posts: FN & QK & KL

Halloween on the Porch

They Sit Together on the Porch

They sit together on the porch, the dark
Almost fallen, the house behind them dark.
Their supper done with, they have washed and dried
The dishes–only two plates now, two glasses,
Two knives, two forks, two spoons–small work for two.
She sits with her hands folded in her lap,
At rest. He smokes his pipe. They do not speak,
And when they speak at last it is to say
What each one knows the other knows. They have
One mind between them, now, that finally
For all its knowing will not exactly know
Which one goes first through the dark doorway, bidding
Goodnight, and which sits on a while alone.

By Wendell Berry

There's just something about a porch at Halloween!

The vintage newspaper illustration at top
hearkens back to my grandparents' front porch
in Southeast Kansas when I was a little kid.

The brightly lit porch above
makes me think of the house where I lived
when I did the most trick - or - treating,
during my K - 4th grade years,
in Neosho, Missouri.

The Naoko Stoop Illustration below
brings back my Philadelphia days, 1993 - 2001.

I love this color scheme with just
black & white, orange & teal!

Hearth and Home magazine cover
by Florence E. Nosworthy (1872-1936)

Halloween Happy Cats

"Of all God's creatures, there is only one that cannot be made slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat."

Mark Twain

The Wink ~ Louis Wain ~ Poster

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Halloween Cats by Margaryta Yermolayeva
More at Celebrate the Seasons

Witch's Helpers

To The Witch's House We Go

Cats of the Corn

Jack, Jill, and JOL

On Facebook
Master & Margarita
All Hallows ~ 2021
If You Build It ~ 2021

Big October Morning

The Two Friends
Daniel Ridgeway Knight
(American, 1839 - 1924)

Walking

A big October morning,
the village church-bells,
the road along the ridge,
the chestnut burr and sumach,
the hills above the bridge
with autumn colors glow.
Now we strike a steady gait,
walking towards the future,
letting past and present wait,
we push on in the sun,
Now hark! Something bids us pause . . .
But we keep on a walking,
’tis yet not noon-day,
the road still calls us onward,
today we do not choose to die
or to dance, but to live and walk.
[ellipses in original]

Charles Ives (1874 – 1954)

~ Poetry Lovers ~

Factbase Roll Call

Chicago: City of Peace
NO KINGS ~ October 18, 20025

For those who asked, "What else can I do besides
-- or in addition to -- marching in protest?"
Here is my suggestion:
Does everyone know about the Factbase / Roll Call website? There has been some concern that Congress is not keeping a comprehensive written record of Trump's running commentary, that they are editing, omitting, and summarizing. Well, never fear, Roll Call IS keeping track! You can click on "transcripts" and read every speech and interview word - for - word, every inanity and every lie. Roll Call has become my totally trustworthy factchecker of Trump's nonsense. If it sounds too stupid to be true, go to Roll Call and you can verify that unfortunately, YES, that is exactly what he said.

I have noticed that most of the left - leaning reporters and comedians pick out the most outrageous headline grabbers, which is a helpful strategy for calling out the magnitude of the problem; however, there is so much more that needs to be exposed in an effort to emphasize just how far away Trump veers from truth and normalcy.

So my idea for No Kings participation -- and for every day -- is to read a few of the latest transcripts and post some direct quotations as a consciousness raising exercise for your readers. https://rollcall.com/factbase/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Many thanks to those who commented
earlier in the summer (June 14, 2025)
on my previous No Kings posts:
From Laura: Well, Kitti, a couple of friends enjoy sending "Living With Dementia"-style incoherency, but your blog is so much more pointed! Not charming, for sure, but thought-provoking and necessary. Many thanks for sharing!

Thanks Laura! Although we wish it were not so, the unnerving material appears to be never - ending, and it seems that pointing out the obvious is a necessary task. Sigh. Evenso, I will take a break from it, for a few weeks at least, and clear my head.

From Megan: Blog posts are highly effective Kitti!! You are doing a big thing taking it to a public platform like FB. I applaud you and admire you. . . . Last night as I was trying to fall asleep, I saw all your posts on Trump and it's just astounding to me all these first amendment rights that are being thrown out the door! So much sadness in the America right now and so much blindness

Megan, thanks so much for your vote of confidence. Your kind words re-energize me to keep on pointing out the obvious in the hopes that one day we will stem the tide of craziness!

From Linda: I have been wanting to let you know how much I have been enjoying your blogs and posts and have shared with Dan, as well. I admire your courage and plain speak during these turbulent times!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FIRST batch:
"I Didn't Even Know Anything"
QK & FN

SECOND batch:
"A Very Much Different Country" ~ "Gulf of Mexico"
QK & FN

THIRD batch:
"No Kings Day" ~ "Fighting Fantasy"
QK & FN

FOURTH batch
Living With Dementia
QK & FN

FIFTH batch
America
QK & FN

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Concluding with some back and forth
between my friend Katy and me:
Katy: Very interesting I’d say I "enjoyed" your "Living With Dementia" series, but it’s hard to use the word "enjoy" when Trump is involved. Have you considered adding another descriptor to go with Dementia? Like "living with dementia and without a soul." Or "living with dementia and evil." Or "living with dementia and narcissism." Or "dementia compounded by sheer cruelty." There must be millions living with dementia who aren’t destroying our country.

Me: I like all your ideas. Dementia and too much power and no handlers. Or dementia and a 4th grade vocabulary, so everything is “big and beautiful” or “mean and nasty." I was going to stop after one batch of dementia quotations, but I got so many responses, I just kept going. I’ll do some more this week.

Katy: It’s great! Keep going unless it’s too depressing. I wish I could think of the perfect awful word to describe his complete lack of regard for anyone other than himself and evil towards anyone who isn’t rich. But as I’m thinking about it, one aspect of his behavior is best described by “living with dementia” -- the on again off again policy making random pronouncements. Maybe it’s a narcissist living with dementia.

Katy: I’m just re-reading all the blog updates and now understand better your concept of “living with dementia.” Trying to be respectful. I really like your turn towards politics! How can you do anything else when it’s all we can think about. Very good insight! I’m finding it hard to read because it’s so depressing that this is our president

Me: How about this, from Heather Cox Richardson: “There is also no doubt Trump continues to demonstrate that he is more committed to fantasy than reality."

Katy: Does he know it’s fantasy or does he think he’s so powerful that he’s creating a new reality?

Me: He is SENILE (see Gerontocracy).

Katy: YES. It’s hard to believe that all his staff and advisers are stupid and immoral enough to go along with it. I know I’m restating the obvious.

Me: Totally agree. I think it suits them fine because they are equally greedy and power hungry and see this as their chance for unchecked advancement.

And have you seen Prince Charles? (he’ll never be “King” to me). OLD & doddering.  When I get like that do NOT bring me out in public, even if it’s next year.  Just say NO!

On the other hand, I saw Susan Sarandon in a recent movie — same age as the others, smart as a whip.   I’m sorry, but we just have to admit / accept that some folks hold up mentally into their 90s while others (Trump & Charles) fail before 80.

What pisses me off so bad is all the people willing to say that Biden is in mental decline but NOT say it about Trump when he is so obviously HOPELESS and cannot think straight to save his life.

Katy: I know! He’s SO the emperor without clothes! Everyone needs to pay attention to children’s books.

Me: Yup! The message has been out there for thousands of years, and yet . . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REMIND YOU OF ANYBODY WE KNOW?

Warren G. Harding's speeches “leave the impression of an army of pompous phrases moving over the landscape in search of an idea; sometimes those meandering words would actually capture a straggling thought and bear it triumphantly, a prisoner in their midst, until it died of servitude and overwork.” ~William Gibbs McAdoo

Like Fairy Gold in Sunlight

Afternoon Tea (1910)
Richard E. Miller (American, 1875 – 1943)

"The last days of the holiday, like fairy gold counted in the sunlight, disappeared as fast as they were numbered. The shining wealth of summer that had been theirs to squander dwindled to a few dull-gleaming days. Ruth, Naomi, Rachel, and Phoebe began to to spend them with the distraught recklessness of those who see the end of the world. A day was ransomed to climb the hill, and a morning to revisit the scene of Naomi's accident" (181 - 82).

from The Exiles
by Hilary McKay

Detail from Landscape with Two Women (1896)
Henri-Edmond Cross (French, 1856 – 1910)

Spice Mix Recipes

Magazine page from an unremembered source,
saved for decades in my recipe notebook.

For a variety of lovely poems
on the subject of kitchen spices
see my recent post

Life of Spice

@The Fortnightly Kitti Carriker
A literary blog of connection & coincidence;
custom & ceremony

~A few favorite recipes, in alphabetical order ~
BOURSIN SEASONING
equal amounts of:
basil
dill seed or weed
garlic powder
marjoram
thyme
salt
black pepper

Stir 2 teaspoons of spice mix into
8 oz cream cheese & 4 oz butter


CHAI
1 cup loose dry tea leaves
1 cup brown sugar crystals

2 teaspoons each:
cardamom
cinnamon
cloves
ginger
nutmeg

To serve: boil 2 cups water,
add 1 cup milk & 4 1/2 teaspoons of Chai Mix


CHILI POWDER
Ratio (in whatever measure you choose):
2 cumin
2 garlic powder
2 oregano
2 paprika

1 cayenne
1 onion powder


CURRY POWDER
2 TB ground coriander
2 TB ground cumin

1 TB ground / powdered mustard
1 TB salt
1 TB pepper

2 teasp tumeric
2 teasp garlic powder

1 teasp ginger
1 teasp cayenne pepper
1 teasp ground allspice

Optional in small amounts:

Bay leaves, crushed
Celery Seed
Cloves, ground
Fenugreek
Mace
Nutmeg ground
Onion powder
Saffron


PEG'S JERK SEASONING
2 TB dried minced onion
1 TB onion powder
1 TB sugar
1 TB ground thyme

2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspooons allspice

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg


PUMPKIN SPICE
Ratio (in whatever measure you choose):
2 cinnamon
2 cloves
2 ginger
2 nutmeg
1 allspice
1 mace

No, this does not taste like pumpkin,
but it is used to season pumpkin pie filling,
and sprinkle on top of your pumpkin pies

Also, sprinkle on tea, coffee, or cocoa

And, add to any other festive recipes -- such as
Ginger Snaps, Christmas Cake, Figgy Pudding --
that call for a combination of these spices.


ROASTED SWEET POTATO SEASONING
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt use less if using table salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

This amount will season will season
3 large raw sweet potatoes,
peeled & cut in chunks & tossed in 2 TB olive oil
bake on a cookie sheet, for 30 minutes at 425 F


TACO SEASONING
6 TB cumin
4 TB garlic powder

3 TB each of the following
paprika
onion powder
salt
pepper
sugar

2 TB each
red pepper flakes
oregano

A Seasonal Tin for the Pumpkin Pie Spice

A Vintage Candy Tin,
perfect for storing the Chai Spice
~ Thanks to Megan for both the tin and the recipe! ~

Summer's Tipping Point

First Red Leaf in the Backyard

End of Summer - Early Fall Fortnightlies:

August 14 ~ At the Clavier

August 28 ~ Late Summer Cranes

September 22 ~ Autumnal Auth

October 8 ~ Sewing Box Lost Forever

October 14 ~ Life of Spice

Neighborhood Trumpet Vine

Belonging to Rovilla

My grandmother's tooled leather wallet & handbag.

Mary Rovilla Heidemann Lindsey
(October 8, 1891 - June 14, 1966)

To read more about my grandmother
on her 134th birthday
see my recent post

Sewing Box Lost Forever

@The Fortnightly Kitti Carriker
A literary blog of connection & coincidence;
custom & ceremony

Also: FN & QK & KL