CARPENTER & THE ARTIST: Not so scary...

today is Halloween. I don't like Halloween. I didn't much favor it as a child either. It creeped me out. The macabre of it.

I am starting to like "tasteful" Halloween. A few years back we lived in a quaint small town. All the houses were connected by cozy sidewalks. One Halloween night I walked my dog around the town alone. That's how safe this town is. I spotted a home that took my creative breath away....

It was an old craftsman bungalow with a wide front porch. The house was painted a cheery mossy green with black accents. A front walk meandered up to the front door bordered by huge perrenial gardens. It was a happy casual garden of textures and colors. Not stuffy or too formal. The front porch was hung with tiny purple and orange lights. Big fuzzy spiders and webbing were strategically twined around a front post. Pumpkins, mums and lanterns glittered and peeked out among the perennials. I just stood there and took it all in.

That night so long ago made an impression on me. Halloween doesn't need to be gruesome or scary or macabre. Life can be scary enough every day. The perennial gardens inspired me to create my own by my front porch that I continually tweak and add to. And I often think of buying one of those big fuzzy spiders to spend some time on my front porch. That thought is not like me at all. So in honor of that special Halloween night so long ago.. here are some "tasteful" Halloween pics to inspire you on this spooky but not scary day!

~ the Artist