Thursday, October 30, 2014

City Views, Country Dreams

Good morning from New York.

It's a bright day, but around the neighborhood some folks have been busy decorating for the cold, dark Halloween night that will arrive tomorrow.


Some of the brownstone houses have beautiful harvest seasonal displays arranged on their front steps.


Here is a close up view to show the variety of gourds, pumpkins, plants and twigs that have been used.


As I walked along and looked up to the windows, I began to notice a certain change in the direction of the decorations.


There's a rather quiet fellow sitting by this window....


Spiders and their webs began to appear.


I spied a mummy through the window of the Magnolia Bakery at the corner of West 69th Street and Columbus Avenue.


Emboldened by the warm afternoon sun, I continued my walk.


It was difficult to actually find all the scary features that were on display in front of this house.


Children that were walking along with their parents on their return home from school were giggling and shrieking.  Many cameras were in evidence.


Large, furry spiders dangled overhead.


Strange contents were contained in a clear plastic bag.  A large orange spider crawled up the stair railing.


Minty green spider webbing created a nest for this fellow.


Are you all still with me?  This doorway was wide open.  No secret password required for anyone brave enough to enter.


The house next door was more secure, perhaps waiting to open to the sound of Trick or Treat.


Costumes featured in some displays.  Do take a look at that clear globe.


More glad rags.


He's resting up in the boxwood, waiting for the Big Night.


The thoughtful residents of this house have placed an orange caution cone at the curb edge of the entrance way.


Anticipating a big party ahead, this chap has put on his special Halloween hat.


I thought I heard a sound behind me and turned around to see another very large spider.


That spider seemed to be biding its time, planning its next web design.  The fellow below was dressed for a cool October night.


The coleus plants at the base of this tree had to share space with some spare parts.


Yes, another spider, a little brother to the giants dangling in the air.


It was almost a relief to see this charming ghostly couple watching us passersby.


Another charming duo offered a street level welcome.


I am uncertain how Trick or Treaters are going to be able to climb up this stairway to ring the door bell.


Bit of pirate spirit here.  With teeth.


More red spiders, perhaps attracted by the pretty greenery in the window boxes.  It might be a good place to spin a web.



I do hope that you all have enjoyed this little tour of some of the extravagance that makes its appearance around this time every year.

Happy Halloween!


46 comments:

  1. Ah, now it really is Halloween! It wouldn't be the same without your photos of the celebrations there. Gosh, so much effort goes into those displays, so much creativity! My favourites, though, are the gourds and pumpkins - perhaps the ghosts and skeletons are too disturbing for me!

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    1. Chris, it's easier to see those skeletons in afternoon light than after dark. What happens tomorrow night on those blocks is a big block party, for children of all ages.

      (Of course, I will be downtown, at work. But...that's the area where the big Halloween kicks off. Rain is predicted, but perhaps the spirits will keep the air dry.)

      xo

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  2. Good grief Frances I don't know if I'd dare leave the house! What a fantastic community spirit there is there. Thanks for showing us around x Jane

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    1. We do love dressing up (ourselves and our homes) at holiday times here in NYC. Hoping you've seen some of my annual posts on the Fifth Avenue Easter Parade.

      xo

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  3. I was looking forward to a Halloween walk with you in Gotham City and you indulged me, again! Thank you!
    I love Halloween when It is celebrated with so much dedication and wit, sheer delight.

    Wishing you a very happy Halloween Eve. Be careful about all those pumpkin smashers out there,
    Merisi

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    1. Oh thank you so much Merisi. I will keep an eye out for potential pumpkin smashers, but we actually don't get much of that around here.

      I look forward to seeing lots of costumes on the subway tomorrow. Perfect setting for the outrageous, or sometimes for the beautiful.

      xo

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  4. The decorations look amazing Frances! You Americans know how to celebrate. Wishing you a Happy time tomorrow. Have fun!

    Madelief x

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    1. Madelief, I agree with you about the amazing effort that some folks in my neighborhood make around this time every year.

      It's a gift to the City. xo

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  5. What fabulous displays. It makes my carved pumpkins seem very tame.

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    1. Oh Gina, I think that every individual effort adds to the big picture. Hoping that you will post photos of your carved pumpkins.

      Happy Halloween. xo

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  6. A well-illustrated tale for the 31st of October. So glad you shared those delightful pictures, Frances. Up here, it is just about hibernation time. See you in the spring.

    Blessings and Bear hugs!

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    1. Thank you for visiting, Bear. I hope to see you over here again before Spring. It's not quite Winter yet, xi

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  7. Oh my goodness what an amazing collection of Halloween decorations! Some of them scared me,so I know they would scare my baby girl so much too! This makes me miss America!

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    1. Yes, Ayumi, some of these decoration are way over the top scary...I can only imagine what they will look like tonight!

      xo

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  8. This must be one of the best captures of Halloween, Frances! I enjoyed it to the utmost and am in awe of all these creative displays. And so well commented! Thank you for that great post.

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    1. Bayou, it was fun to take this walk in the afternoon...it would be totally different after sundown.

      xo

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  9. My goodness, Frances, people certainly enter wholly into the spirit of the occasion round about where you live, and all so professionally and stylishly. I wouldn't dare put my head out the door.

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    1. Around sunset today, these two blocks will be closed to vehicular traffic, so that a big Halloween street party takes place. The party is for children and adults, so it might be scary, but also fun.

      Of course, i will be at work.... Maybe next year I can get to that party in some sort of costume.

      xo

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  10. Thanks, Frances. This post made my morning. What a lot of effort people in NYC go through to celebrate this day. And as usual, your affectionate comments make the decorations seem a little less scary. Makes me wish I were in New York instead of up here in the frozen north where our pumpkins are moose fodder, and kids have to trick or treat with snow suits under their costumes.

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    1. Thank you Carol...maybe you might want to come on down to NYC next year.... Plenty of time now to be thinking about a costume!

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  11. Wow, you really got some great shots of a very festive neighborhood. Wonderful tour.

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    1. I had such fun taking this walk. It really is grand that so many neighborhood folks get into the spirit.

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  12. Dear Frances, thank you for sharing. I love the Brownstone decorations most of all. But they are all wonderful and so very artistic and original.

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    1. Gina, every year the decorating is just a little bit different. There are lots of ways to "re-arrange the furniture." Lots more spiders this year....
      xo

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  13. I don't use the word "wow", but it's the first that came up to my... mouth, after seeing all those scary creatures and decorations! Really impressive. I do hope the bad spirits and evil will run away for a long, long time!:D
    Thank you, dear Frances, for going for such a long "Halloween" walk to show us how New York city looks on that special day!:)

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    1. Rosichka, a Wow from you is very impressive to me! Knowing all your creativity for a while, I am thrilled that you liked seeing what's going on over here. xo

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  14. Oh, my! What wonderful decorations! Thank you for sharing them with us!

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    1. You are very welcome, Vicki. I thought you might enjoy seeing some spookiness in the city.

      (I am going to visit Miss Birdie very shortly.)

      xo

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  16. Having just walked around this fair city of New York I
    became amazed at the most creative costumes made
    by many folks by their own hand.
    I did overhear on the subway train tonight while riding
    downtown " I will be in the Halloween parade as a
    Cactus plant ,it's by 10th year doing this".
    Enjoyed your photographs of your part of this Island
    of 9 million folks , Happy Halloween !

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    1. Thank you Anonymous. I agree with you about the homemade costumes/disguises being best of all.

      Please do visit here again.

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  17. Oh dear...this is what a call HALLOWEEN! Wow! We celebrate it here in Sweden too but it´s more about trick or treat, some pumpkins...
    The spider on the picture makes me speachless ha ha...
    Warm hug,
    Titti

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    1. Thanks for visiting Titti. Not every street in NYC decorates like this one...I am very lucky to have this creativity so nearby. Well, maybe except for those spiders! xo

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  18. Excellent photos! Halloween is growing in popularity here in England, but I haven't seen such displays.

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  19. Rachell, thank you so much for visiting here and for your kind words.

    May I tell you, as a left-handed crocheter, who manages somehow to knit right-handed, that I loved visiting your site and will be returning for a longer look.

    Cheers!

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  20. They really go all out for decorations in your neighborhood – so much to look at, I’d love to see it all, and most of it so beautiful and colorful. Here, I don’t think I have seen a single Halloween decoration on my road, but then again, to go to our next door neighbor who lives behind the lake, we would have to drive …. No kids came to the door either, but I had the candy just in case.

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    1. Vagabonde, this over the top decorating is really concentrated in a two-block range of my neighborhood. I imagine that there are other parts of the city that also rise to the occasion, but...doubt that the multi-storied high rise apartment building blocks are part of this mix.

      Please forgive me...I do owe you a visit and comments. xo

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  21. What extraordinary lengths New Yorkers go to for Halloween. I love having a glimpse of the brownstone houses through your eyes. I'm glad you took us round in daylight!

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    1. Lucile, not all New Yorkers embrace the decorative possibilities of the seasons in this way. There are lots of us who are content to have the joy of admiring others' creativity, energy and generosity.

      xo

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  22. What an array of spectacular displays, I don't think I have ever seen anything like it here. I think I much prefer the autumnal gourds and pumpkins to the really scary ghosties.

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    1. Valerie, walking along these blocks today, I am happy to tell you that the harvest gourds, pumpkins, corn stalks, and other natural decorations are still in place.

      Most of those other scary bits have gone into storage until next new.

      There's a certain chill in the air so I expect many more leaves will be turning their colors very soon.

      xo

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  23. All so different to here. But I am sitting listening to Bonfire 'night' firworks going off - officially it was Wednesday but folks spread their celebrations out over the week - which is something I guess doesn't happen much in New York.

    Lovely photographs Frances, I really enjoyed this post.

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    1. Annie, thank you so much. Having you praise my photos is a Halloween treat for me!

      xo

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  24. That should of course say fireworks.

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  25. Wow! Just amazing Halloween photos, Frances!
    Scary decorations but very creative!
    Thanks for the tour.

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    1. Oh thank you, Sonia. I really enjoy being able to show some of the neighborhood flavor of NYC to folks who visit hereabouts.

      xo

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