AN APPLE FOR HALLOWE'EN

As it's All Hallows Eve today, here's my apple for Hallowe'en.   It is as taken without filters or special lenses, and I promise you, there is NO Photoshopping on this photo, except for putting a green border around it and re-sizing to save for the web.

Now  I know this is my age showing because every old codger you know makes the same kind of comment, but Hallowe'en is not what it used to be.   More about that in a moment or two.

I told you I had not Photoshopped the photo above, but once I'm on the program, which I love, I can't resist trying out various manipulations of the original.  So I experimented with a few colour changes.

But back to Hallowe'en.  When I've been out in the car recently I've been amazed at the grisly decorations on houses - skulls, skeletons, bats, spiders, etc - and the quantity of Hallowe'en 'stuff' on sale in the shops.  I'd be scared witless now to be out in the dark at Hallowe'en, let alone how scared I'd have been as a child.

It makes me think of 'the olden days' when I was a child.  No easily-carved pumpkins then.  We kids would get turnips from the farm down our lane to make our Hallowe'en lanterns.  

Then it took us all day to cut off a lid, carve out a hollow in the middle and shapes for eyes, nose and mouth - not easy and very tough - try it as an alternative to a pumpkin!  

Finally we would pierce a couple of holes so we could add string to make carrying the lantern easier.

And we were allowed to use a sharp knife ....... and nobody accidentally cut themselves or a friend!

We would put a stump of candle inside the hollow, and in the early evening go about trying to frighten each other, without any real success, but it was fun.  

Then we would be called home for the big event.  With our hands behind our backs we tried to bite apples dangling on strings tied to a broom handle.

We ducked for apples in a big metal bowl of water, again with hands behind our backs.  Then there were toffee apples (liked the toffee, not the combination with apple), and treacle toffee.

Then perhaps a simple game or two.  That was it, but we had fun and still have happy memories.

The Hallowe'en period has been pretty horrifying this year.  Watching the extensive news coverage of Hurricane Sandy on TV, it was so sad to see the powerful and frightening effects of the wind and water on peoples homes, businesses and environment.

I found it very touching to see the outdoor Hallowe'en decorations being torn from their places and blown about, when the children had been preparing and looking forward to the evening for so long.

If you live in the affected areas of the eastern USA, I hope you and your families are safe and well, and that you have not experienced too much damage to your properties.   My thoughts are with you all, and I hope the children manage to get some fun this evening.