Last look at October

Halloween began with a great brewing of Halloween Tales over at the Renton History Museum. Dorota Rahn (pictured above)  helped conjure up a crowd to come see the free speaker program that I am so fond of over at the museum. Why weren't you there?

Bea and her well known talent of a mother, Naomi Baltuk, regaled a rapt crowd with tales of Halloween at the museum. Storytelling is a craft and form of entertainment that is good for the soul. Get away from that TV and video game when the opportunity presents itself. What a great duo! 

While out on the streets of Renton, some dressed for the holiday - and others, just dressed in the tie dyes that comprise the greater part of their wardrobe. Phyl Carroll is a grandma who dressed as a granny and Richard Stout is a man who loves color, especially the swirly kind.

Halloween can be a great time to experiment with possible new looks and hair colors - like Bill Provin here, who I must say, has a flare for purple. So does Brandy.

 How could I get away without one last fond look at jack o 'lanterns? They should somehow be an acceptable use of a pumpkin all the way up to Thanksgiving.

North Renton as a neighborhood completely rocked - with the Schelgel's Home on Williams Street hosting a Haunted House in their backyard - which was awesome.

Across the street, Halloween craftsmen, Evan and Dave created their own ghoulish destination for the more intrepid trick or treaters.

 

It was a great Halloween season - sigh.

Wanna know why I started to blog again today? I read my horoscope over at Rob Brezsny's Free Will Astrology and it said - blog. I kid you not. I was gonna try to be lazy a little longer, but I was shamed back into it. Really.

Halloween Party Props

Olde Fashioned Halloween Party - it had to be the best one that Renton has had thus far. Congrats to the Downtown Events Committee for having given us yet another great shindig. The additional funds that were secured through the Neighborhood Grant Program allowed for more games to be added and the purchase of a popcorn machine this year, making it horrifying good!

Rod Stewart?! Is that you in???? Rod of Antique Country Station is full of the groovin' party spirit and a major contributor to the event.

Mary Clymer is hip to the party thing and put a lot of her Happy Delusional mojo into this Halloween gig. Thanks Mary!

Rachel, daughter of Rene Flansaas of the Renton Reporter

Natalie Bonham of the Renton Reporter was also greatly involved in this spooky party enterprise, as well as Jennifer Davis Hayes of the City of Renton Economic Development Dept. and Deb Hanson. You all did soooo hauntingly well!



Trick or Treatin' at the many DTR merchants made the day even more fun. Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes had their share of Halloween spirit.


I have always said that cupcakes were brain food....

Anyone entering into The Comic Den was greeted by the owner, Howard Wheatley's dog, Hercules in all his pumpkin splendor.

Thanks Renton for a wonderful Halloween day

When did you last hear a good Ghost Story?

Today is the day that the thin boundary between the living and those that have passed over can be crossed. The day we call Halloween in Celtic tradition was a far more frightening day to the average Joe and Harriet of old. Come join storyteller Naomi Baltuk and her apprentice daughter, Bea, to hearing haunting scary tales.

Witches and ghosts and general horrific mayhem - not for the weak or faint of heart! (but FREE!) Come in costume - if you dare!

Renton History Museum

TODAY at 11 am
235 Mill Ave. South
Renton, WA

Olde Fashioned Halloween Party Saturday!

Tomorrow is the day when we dress up and scare the neighbors if possible, eat way too much candy and light up the carved pumpkins one last time. My favorite way to enjoy the holiday is partaking in the community fun at the Olde Fashioned Halloween Party that is held downtown just off of Main Street and South Third.

The kids, the costumes, the games and the fun - it is all free, except for the hot dogs that you must really partake in to thoroughly enjoy the outing (you need a layer of real food to buffer all of the candycorn and snicker bars).

Bring the kids or just the kid within - you will not regret it. (Just look at FUN last year was!)

"OLDE" Fashioned Halloween Party
Saturday, October 31st
1:00 - 4:00 pm
Main Street Square in Downtown Renton
(enter on South Main St between 2nd & 3rd across from Uptown Glassworks)
Wear your costume, have fun at the games, have your face painted and your photo taken while snacking on some treats and food
Trick or Treat in Downtown Businesses from 1 to 4pm

Pumpkin Art - how are your carving skilss?

Renton Hill is showing some pumpkin flavor - someone has been up late carving these days. Couldn't resist sharing this ever cute doorstep.

wormy and squirmy came to rest upon a cake

wanna make some of these graveyard delights?

First -
use a cake mix, follow the directions for cupcakes, but put some LUV into it girls, add chocolate milk instead of water, or buttermilk and when it comes to the oil - maybe use that stuff we call butter

Then -
take an 8oz of cream cheese (okay, this could be lowfat), room temperature, and half a bag of semisweet chocolate chips that you have melted carefully on a double boiler on the stove. whip together, add a teaspoon of vanilla for good measure, and approx. 3 cups of powdered sugar. frost right away.

Decorate -
with crumbled oreo cookies (about 7, without the creamy middles), and some gummi sour worms. makes it look like death warmed over at the cemetery.

Flat Moogie will be visiting madlycreative for a few days - so stay tuned to her crazy antics. she is from the south - who knows what that might end up being...

Pumpkins and squash for sale

Goosebump Pumpkins? We-Be-Little Pumpkins? How cute can you get. All found at Carpinito Brothers, less than a mile down the road from Downtown Renton.

Carpinito Brothers Farm
1148 Central Ave N
Kent, WA 98032
(253) 854-5692

Chilling new home additions

Halloween haunting going a little by the way side this year? Let someone else's art be your new addition to the home Halloween decor. Deb at Girlfriend's Antiques,Gifts and Florals on South Third painted these babies herself. The base is old doors and the themes are a hoot.

Call or drop by today to get the best bit of artistic yard art around.

Girlfriend's Antiques, Gifts and Floral
920 South Third Street
(425)687-2778/(206)261-2802

Add some spice to your life - Pumpkin Spice, that is

Painted Windows for the holidays - nobody has a better handle on it than Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes. Little Witch and her cupcake, what could be cuter. Why, having your own cupcake, of course.

The Picaroon got lucky once again and had the best bit of Halloween flavor in a cup with a toasty and spiced up Pumpkin Latte while watching a bit of Renton mosey on by the other day. Heaven in a cup.

Enjoy the season in more way than one - eat yourself into some Happy Halloween spirits - and start right here at Common Ground.

Common Ground Cupcakes and Coffee
900 South Third St.(425) 235 - 1717
www.commongroundcupcakes.com

Make no "bones" about it, Halloween is on

One more house to go and get your "spook" on this coming Halloween. Yet another house on Williams between 3rd and 4th in North Renton that deserves your attention.

Many of the decorations are handmade by those that reside within this house turned cemetery. Ever year adds a a new layer of fun.

Bring the kids by for some coffin chilling action as the graveyard becomes "alive" just in time for the holiday.

Congrats to Dave and Evan for bringing their best game to the yard art for Halloween.

Get your costume mojo going

Sometimes dressing for Halloween is a family concern - the Schlegel family has this down pat.

Grandma, what big eyes you have!

Be careful Little Red

Someone doesn't like wolves - and isn't afraid to show it

Next great Halloween adventure -
"OLDE" Fashioned Halloween Party
Saturday, October 31st
1:00 - 4:00 pm
Main Street Square in Downtown Renton
(enter on South Main St between 2nd & 3rd across from Uptown Glassworks)
Wear your costume, have fun at the games, have your face painted and your photo taken while snacking on some treats and food
Trick or Treat in Downtown Businesses from 1 to 4pm

What I saw today in Renton