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Saturday, October 31, 2015

Spirits of Halloween


The Sun God has died and is returning to the womb of the "Great Mother".  The transition is powerful, as he begins to grow and prepares for rebirth at Yule.  The "veil" is now the "thinnest".  Enter Ye, Olde Spirits!  



To best describe "The Veil" as it pertains to All Hallow's Eve, would be an invisible world, shrouded in mist and mystery, from which the Dead exist or remain.  The Dead are more restless than ever, on this day as they have lingered between Heaven and Earth in a Spirit realm, awaiting this night; and, tonight, the veil is the weakest.  This will allow the spirits to pierce the mists and mingle with us, on our mortal plains.  At this time, there is no separation between these two worlds, and it is believed that the Dead wander freely among us.


Source: trinelibre.tumblr
According to our ancient and pagan ancestors, the veil is the thinnest today, between the living and the dead.  Fairies and spirits arose from earthen mounds and it was believed that tricks were played on the living.  To allow entry and departure of those spirits, windows and doors were left open all night so that the dead could return to their respective realm(s). 



Tonight, don't forget to open all of your doors and windows, a little before and after midnight, lest a spirit may remain.



After tonight is over, many of us may feel a sense of nostalgia, as we enter the winter months. Perhaps it is the build-up and the festive nature Halloween, itself, for which many have planned costumes and events.  Once this night is over, we begin to reflect back to the previous summer months and the carefree feeling that is connected to that season.  


Source: thelivelyplanet
Here in Vermont, our farms are harvested and rows of severed cornstalks are all that remain in our fields.  Hay has been bailed and stocked in the barns.  Pumpkins, mums and bright leaves are abundant; and,  their bright colors are a gentle reminder of the proverbial calm before the storm, as winter is imminent.  


We begin to plan for Thanksgiving and our respective families somehow seem dearer.  We remember those who have gone before us, and a certain sadness creeps into our hearts.  But alas! we trudge forth, as humility and faith replaces those feelings.  



We begin to dig out our mittens, scarves and hats....our winter coats and boots.  We locate the ice scrapers, brooms and shovels.  Last year's left-over bucket of salt is dug out of our garage and put near our front doors. Usually after the first snow fall, it dawns on us that we need to have our winter tires put on our cars and service stations suffer and influx of those, like me, who put this off until the inevitable occurs.  



A bit of Folklore....

"The Celts believed that many trees were inhabited by spirits or had spirits of their own. From this ancient respect for the power of trees came the expressions 'touch wood' and 'knock on wood' " 
Source: mysendoff.com




THE VEIL  

The veil shifts, and from the gossamer mists,

Spirits wake, to wander from the Underworld.

Pumpkins rise from their summer graves,

Among the bittersweet, bedeviled tendrils.

And vines of sour grapes are crushed to wine,

Strained sweet to sip from silver vessels.



The trees dismiss sanguine fruit and leaves.

The scent of Autumn fills our senses;

Seasons shift to bleed their yearly menses.

Blood red bleeds from the leaves of trees.

In admiration, we watch as they fall and swirl,



Summer's warm breeze and daylight fades,

Crows gather in murder, like shadowy thieves;

Silently perched, as if a Great Observer.

Since the dawn of all creation,

The spirits return from the fires that burn,

or slip through clouds and precipitation.


Original Poetry by © Denise Goodwin; 
HaAll rights reserved.


Have a safe and blessed holiday, my friends!

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Vermont Halloween Attractions

Halloween is just 4 days away and my sister tells me that she is going to Salem on that day... on a bus.  I did my part, and warned her of the throngs of tourists that she can expect; but what a cool way to spend Halloween, in Witch City, eh?


Around Vermont, you can find plenty of safe and fun events for all ages and genres.  And, be smart, enjoy our beautiful state by taking one of our BIWAYS



If you are interested in finding out what is happening in your area, contact your friendly and local Chamber of Commerce.


HERE'S THE LIST OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND VERMONT:  (Click on any purple link, and it will open in a new window, should you want to learn more about any particular event)!  

QUEEN CITY GHOST WALK
Burlington, VT
802-351-1313 or info@queencityghostwalk.com


PITTSFORD HAUNTED HOUSE
426 Plains Road, Pittsford, VT 05763
(802) 236-0048 or (802) 483-2281


MONSTER BASH in Newport
Main Street, Newport, VT 
Contact Info - click this link


Saturday, October 31st - to begin at 6:30 p.m.
Parade Route:  Madison St. & Strongs Ave. to Wales St., left to West St., left onto Merchants Row ending at the plaza.


Woodstock, VT 05091-0489
802-457-2355 

2708 West Street, Proctor, VT  05736
802-773-3284


1404 Wheelock Road, Danville, VT
802-748-1399

DEADNBERRY HAUNTED HOUSE AND CORNFIELD
1094 U.S. Rt. 7 N., Rutland, VT 05701
802-747-0700



NIGHTMARE VERMONT
Champlain Valley Exposition, 100 Pearl St., Essex Junction, VT. 

Horses For Hope Halloween Bash @ Enniskerry Farm
Funds go to the American Cancer Society
906 Middle Rd, Colchester,  VT 05446
(802) 872-9992


TRICK OR TREATING IN ST. J
at the Fairbanks Museum
1302 Main St., St. Johnsbury, VT 

THROCKMORTAN MANOR - KREEPY KARNIVAL AND HAYRIDE
Route 7, Ferrisburgh, VT. 
(802) 375-4680


Halloween Express (Train Rides for All)
More info here:  Halloween Express About

Wicked Waterbury Costume Ball
802-793-6029 or zoe@revitalizingwaterbury.org


tickets@nightmarevermont.org

CORN MAZE
1404 Wheelock Road, Danville, VT 05828
info@vermontcornmaze.com



MAGIC HAT NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
At the ECHO Lake Aquarium / Must be 18 yrs old +
http://www.magichat.net/nold/#nold-tickets

3-MILE CORN MAZE
277 Lavigne Road, Colchester, VT  05446
(802)655-3440


Visitor's Center, Main Street, Stowe, Vermont 
(802)244-1173

Lost Nation Theater Poe Spooktacular Halloween
39 Main Street-City Hall, Montpelier, VT 05602
(802) 229-0492 or info@lostnationtheater.org


Rocky Horror at Pentange Arts, Woodstock
31 The Green, Woodstock, VT  05091 (Town Hall Lobby)
 802-457-3981

VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - The Witch in the Winds
Middlebury College, Robison Hall, 72 Porter Field Road, Middlebury, VT
802-864-5741



Have fun, be safe and don't look behind you....


Thursday, October 22, 2015

'Some' of All Fears


You're alone in the house.

Outdoors, it has started to rain.
Thunder and lightening have created static in the air.

You feel your flesh crawl, as if someone or something is with you.

There is a soft knock at the door....


It's almost Halloween.  Vermont DeadLine would like to know.... what scares you?

Here is an exhausting list of things that scare the general population, or just plain give us the creeps.



Alone


Bats


Bridges


Buried Alive


Carnival


Cats


Clowns


Confined spaces


Creepy Children


Death


Demon / The Devil


Dentist


Dogs


Dolls


Elevators



Eyes, things in or near



Faceless



Flying



Fog



Forest / Woods



Freaks



Fortune Telling



Ghosts



Gnomes



Graveyards



Hallways



Heights



Horror Movies



Midgets



Moths or butterflies



Needles



Night / Dark



Paintings



People / Crowds



Piercings



Reaper



Roaches



Rotten Food



Rusted Things



Serial Killers



Snakes



Spiders



Stairs



Stalkers



Statues



Tatoos



Thirteen



Thunderstorms



Tornadoes / Hurricanes



Under the bed



Vampires



Wasps, Bees



Water



Werewolves



Zombies





Ablutophobia – the obsessional fear of bathing
Acrophobia – The fear of heights
Adipophobia – the fear of appearing too fat
Aerophobia – The fear of flying
Agoraphobia – The fear of inescapable situations
Agyrophobia – the fear of crossing roads
Ambulophobia – the fear of walking
Anablephobia – the fear of looking up
Androphobia – the fear of men
Anthophobia – the fear of flowers
Arachibutyrophobia – the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of one’s mouth
Arachnophobia – The fear of spiders
Aulophobia – the fear of flutes
Barophobia – the fear of gravity
Brontophobia – The fear of thunderstorms
Carcinophobia – The fear of cancer
Cataptrophobia – the fear of mirrors
Chionophobia – the fear of snow
Chorophobia – the fear of dancing
Chromatophobia – the fear of colors
Chronomentrophobia – the fear of time
Claustrophobia – The fear of confined spaces
Cnidophobia – the fear of string
Cyberphobia – the fear of working with computers
Decidophobia – the fear of making decisions
Emetophobia – The fear of vomit
Ephebiphobia – the fear of teenagers
Ergophobia – the fear of work, finding work or functioning at work
Erotophobia – the fear of sex or talking about sex
Gelotophobia – the obsessional fear of being laughed at
Genuphobia – the fear of knees
Geumapobia – the fear of taste
Gerontophobia – the fear of growing old or fear of the elderly
Gymnophobia – the fear of being seen naked or seeing others naked
Gynophobia – the fear of women
Haptephobia – the fear of being touched
Heliophobia – the fear of sunlight
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – the fear of long words
Hypnophobia – the fear of sleep
Kyphophobia – the fear of stooping
Levophobia – the fear of objects to the left
Megalophobia – the fear of large or oversized objects
Metrophobia – the fear of poetry
Mnemophobia – the fear of memories
Necrophobia – The fear of death
Nomophobia – the fear of being out of cellular/mobile phone contact
Octophobia – the fear of the figure eight
Ommetaphobia – the fear of eyes
Osmophobia – the fear of smells
Optophobia – the fear of opening one’s eyes
Papaphobia – the fear of the Pope
Peladophobia – the fear of bald people
Phagophobia – the fear of swallowing
Phobophobia – the fear of having a phobia
Scopophobia – the fear of being looked at
Scuirophobia – the fear of squirrels
Siderophobia – the fear of stars
Social phobia – The fear of social situations
Somniphobia – the fear of sleep
Spectrophobia – the fear of mirrors
Trichophobia – the fear of loose hairs
Triskaidekaphobia – the fear of the number 13
Xenophobia – the fear of strangers, foreigners or aliens