It was just a comment

I posted on his blog.....but Mike over at The Skull & Pumpkin (Public House) blog did a great post about two of my favorite "ghostie" type traditional folk songs.  Head on over there and get a little history lesson on John Barleycorn (must die) and the Unquiet Grave - I do love both those songs.

I did mention that my favorite versions, or the ones most played on my iPod are by Robin Laing.  Here are links to both versions that are especially close to my heart.

John Barleycorn - Robin Laing

The Unquiet Grave - Robin Laing

For those of you that are whiskey fans - he has three CDs of songs dedicated exclusively to the "breath o' the land" - The Angel's Share, his first in the set, is my favorite.

Thanks to The Skull & Pumpkin  for the cool post.  I am really honored! 

You are all waiting

until the last minute right? That is why there are only a little over 30 Home Haunter DVD submissions in right now....right? :)

BTW - the last minute came and went, so we extended the deadline to February 15 - see you have more time now!!!

I know there is You Tube, and that is great and all but I know you want to see your (and all the other cool) haunts on your big shinny TVs at home. The resolution is way better than You Tube that is for sure :D

Husband and I have been handling the awards for the last few years (we did have a partial - sorta/kinda sponsor last year) and we are fine with that. We think they are fun and worth the little bit of cost and time on our end.....because all the really hard work was done by Propmaster, he had to make the DVDs - the least we could do was keep the awards going.

Then this year, Prop said he was done making the DVDs - so rather than just killing the project, we decided to pick it up ourselves this year and see if we can keep it going. We are going to try.

But we cannot do this on our own, we need haunters to send us video or pictures. If you just have pictures and cannot make a slide show, send them to us and we will make it for you. Your video longer than 4-5 minutes? Ah, we can work around that, send it anyway the time frame is more of a "guideline" :) We will accommodate your submission the best we can.

So if you have a haunt or know someone that does and has not sent us your/their stuff - please, please send it. We need at least 50 videos to make this project happen, less than that and I am not sure it is cost effective to do the DVDs or the awards. :(

Oh, and after you send us your video be sure to submit it to Hauntforum also, they have a video set as well and I am sure that like us, they would appreciate the support.

That said (hope this makes you procrastinators feel better!).....husband and I are total slackers.....here I am asking you for your videos and we have not even done ours yet.....do as I say boys and girls, not as I do. :D 

I know what we are going to be doing in our spare time the next week or so :D

That and yes I know I need to make an actual logo, web button and new website.....I know, I will get to that in my spare time :D

A friend sent this to me

at least I think she is my friend.....not so sure anymore :D

See, this is exactly why I am afraid of spiders!!!

at least I think she is a friend.....not so sure anymore.

Don't know how this missed me. The rest of you bloggers must be slacking, becasue I believe you have sent me every other Youtube spider post on the planet. :D

You can say one thing

about the Victorians.....they built absolutely beautiful cemeteries.  Here are the last of The Necropolis pictures from Glasgow.  BTW - this place alone is worth the trip to Scotland.  Just saying :)

Click the image below to view all my pictures from this cemetery

The Necropolis

It is not too late

To book your wedding at The Davis Graveyard for 2011!!

This last Halloween night marked the second wedding we have had in the yard.  Who would have thought we would be a wedding destination.  Maybe I should book a booth at the bridal show :D

Cleaning up after 2010

Random musings and memories on the year that was.

Finally getting to see what a "truck load of foam delivered to the house would look like" - A perfect example of be careful what you wish for. Be specific in your wishes. Especially delivery time, delivered at 10:30 at night kinda irritates the neighbors....oh, and I meant that I wanted it for me.

Sitting in a castle in Scotland with (the other, not husband) Jeff sitting on a fake throne with a sword in one hand and chain mail on his head looking like he was the happiest person on earth.

Watching marathons of QI on Dave TV while on vacation. I know TV on vacation?!?!? We are talking Steven Fry here people....I would watch anything he is involved with.

Finding that I have some really cool and super supportive blog friends out there.....thanks for letting me take up way to much of your time and always being so supportive.

Meeting the Bloodshed Brothers - realizing that I might have been mistaken to move from SoCal - who knew that Temecula would turn out to be such a cool place - well, at least cool people, cool people that bring me champagne. Those are the best cool people. :)

Standing in my driveway in front of 160 sheets of pink foam, talking to Tattoo on the phone about Extreme Home Makeover and wondering what the hell have we gotten ourselves into.....we cannot do this, we are in over our heads! Help! I am going to start freaking out!!!

Giving up Hauntcon and remodeling the basement to go to the UK. Really, that was a harder decision than you would think.

Walking into the Doctor Who exhibit in Land's End (Cornwall) the first prop we see is a Blink angel....we both squealed with giddiness. Moments like that you know you married the right person.

Cup of tea in hand, leaning on the window frame, enjoying the view of St. Micheal's Mount from our flat window in Penzance.

Feeling more than a little sad to discover the heads of the angels have worn off the abbey in Bath, that was always one of my favorite things to see.

Meeting yet another brilliant and uber talented Canadian. I think there is something in the water there. Ghoul Friday is even cooler in person than she is on her blog

Oh and ShellHawk - damn, I so want to be that awesome. She is on my list of people that I want to be in my next life...or this one. I think she might be using it right now...anyway, watching her work progress has been an huge inspiration. And she has the best convention outfits ever!

I smile every time I think of Alex from Extreme Home Makeover - one of the hardest working people I have ever met. Made the whole experience a blast. As she always said to us....20+ times a day (at least.) "You are a rock star!" - No, Alex YOU are the rock star!"

Davis Graveyard drive in! It is Hammer film time! Drinking is not just a good idea....it is manditory.

Rob Zombie is soft spoken, laid back and cool.

Hal - Hal the cat, got fan mail.

I will work a prop to death...sometimes past death.....It has taken us about three years to finally get my Luminary where I am happy with it.

LOLcat posts....some people like them....some people hate them.

Davis Graveyard won the 2009 Home Haunt of the Year form the Home Haunters Association!!! Nice - and glittery :)

Santa works part time at my work.

Our crew is the best.  How many friends can you get to spend four days almost 24 hours a day working on a haunt that is not even ours.
A whole lot of people working away in a sea of pink foam.

I made the lamest Christmas card of my Christmas card making career. I am sorry everyone. I will do better next time.

Learn from my lesson....if anyone from Extreme Home Makeover calls you say...."I am busy that weekend."  :D

Police stopping by, someone called because there was "a guy with a gun" in the neighborhood....it was just Dan webbing the yard! :D

Smiling faces on the students in our classes.

I discovered the story The Mousehole Cat and the show Doc Martin - thanks Cornwall - BTW you were lovely too.

Watching Freddy and Jason having a dance off to "Dancing Queen" at WCHC

Davis Graveyard theme song for the year was "Your Brains"

Interviewing Halloween bloggers is great fun...looking forward to talking to more of you.

I am never taking anyone on a ghost tour in Edinburgh. Next time I go by myself!

The bartender at our party tried to kill me.

Standing in a gallery full of Mike Richards (Dark Horse Comics) private collection of comic book art......was amazing.

When creating a laying down body form out of chicken wire.....fill in the body form - cause when Hal sleeps on it while "guarding" the yard....the chest and stomach will collapse.

Batting and monster mud seemed like a good idea.....but is not. It is a really bad idea actually.

I lost many hours of my life to Plants vs. Zombies But I had a great time.

Spiderfest 2010. Getting boxes with spiders in the mail........truly creepy....and fun...but mostly creepy. And yes, I am still afraid of spiders :)

The singing statue. It may seem like a simple prop, but the journey was a long one. Not only did we have to figure out how the hell to build (hence the monster mud batting lesson) A friend of ours came over with his recording equipment to set up a mock "studio" in the house. Not only did Margie find and sing the coolest song...she had a friend of hers edit, perform and mix the song. Then she came back for filming. Watching that all fall into place was delightful.

I got the pleasure of introducing my blog friends to The Poxy Boggards....you are welcome :D

Husband and I still test our marriage every year while creating our video......seriously, putting up and running the display for a month is not near as grueling :D

Created two new props, sleeping beauty and TOT,  that came out right the first time.....I don't think that has ever happened.  We might be getting good at this :)

West Coast Haunters Convention. Ed and his kids did a bang up job of putting on the a great event. Here is to the future!!!

OMG! I have a signed to me, bottle of Crystal Skull vodka! How awesome is that!?!?!?

Virtually visited 26 abandoned haunted attraction rides. That was fun....and sad.

I have learned that not all pink foam is created equal. Even if it comes from the same store at the same time....

Planning a three week trip to the UK - with one week of it being with a group of people, some who have never traveled before....in October, while the yard is up was not one of our better ideas :)

I discovered Tim Minchin....how in the world did he fall under my radar!?

It REALLY sucks when it rains on our party night!

Stonehenge looks magnificent in the snow.


Bye 2010.....nice to meet you 2011!

This picture

Goes with this post.

My problem with

Hello Kitty stuff is the pink (and the cute).  Not a big fan of pink.....more of a black and gray kinda girl myself.  And I am a red head and pink just looks stunning on me :D

My good friend over at The Babbling Banshee blog knows me and knows very much my dislike for the cute and pink Hello Kitty stuff.  She even made cute and now very famous Hello Kitty Voodoo Dolls for our Halloween party one year. :)

So, knowing me like she does she found me the perfect Christmas present. A black Hello Kitty USB mouse.  Now I can actually handle something that is Hello Kitty related.  I have to say, I never thought I would see the day that would happen :D

Since I have admitted openly

that Friday the 13th the Series is my favorite TV series ever.....it is only short hop until I admit that

Mr. Frost is one of my favorite movies

....I guess I have a thing for Jeff Goldblum, cause Powder and The Fly are on my list also.

I only have a handful of VHS tapes that I held back in the mass exodus that happened many years ago. (thanks to Johnny for giving me a copy of Fright Night on VHS...you have no idea what that meant to hold a copy in my hands again, no matter the condition, thank you!!)

Unfortunately I gave hundreds of them away, many of them are now in the hands of a family member that I...well, we don't talk, .....I am admittedly a difficult person and tend to overcompensate in the most unhelpful ways ... anyway in my moments of lack of self esteem when I thought being nice held some value (the frog queen is an idiot) I gave away a lot of horror VHS videos that I should not have.

See, we used to be horror buddies.

There are times that I really miss that we both had such similar interests, including the love of the movie....

.......Mr. Frost (and as silly as it may seem.....Vibes! :D )

Every year around this time when I am seeped (Halloween is over.....I can watch movies!!!) in the horror genre, I think back and miss the relationship. But life is what it is....people are who they are.

And I love Mr. Frost and sometimes miss my brother....... so what does that make me, except a silly frog queen :D

Anyway.

If you have not seen Mr. Frost....find a copy....really...it is pretty good.  Just my opinion....I am sure that my more informed horror blogger will disagree.....but then life is full of that is it not?

Okay. back to prop building and back to leaving the horror film blogging to the professionals!

This is why I let husband

take most of the pictures while we are on vacation....I really am a dreadful photographer. :)

This is my favorite.  Is of a broken monument in The Necropolis.

Not orly is it a great picture.  But I love what it shows.  The decay of the monument to show the structure behind it.  The different types of stones/materials used and how they age.

I don't know why, but this is just fascinating to me.

Here are a few more "broken" stones from the same cemetery.

I was talking to another blogger

About something and it reminded, that I had scanned a few things....but had not posted them yet.  I have a few lovely thank you notes we got this year.  This first one if from the Milwaukie High School Dance Team who do the Thriller number in the driveway for two fundraisers (for the dance team) each year.  We have been doing this for four years now....really?  Four years?!  My time flies when you are having fun.

You are welcome ladies.....and "thank you" also!

Sitting here with my pumpkin spice tea

thinking. Which for anyone who knows me...."thinking".....is truly a happening :D

Anyway, have a lot going on. I think, okay I am pretty sure, I have over committed myself. But I am dealing with it. As always, I will work it out. It is just the time between now and then that sucks :)

So for a moment I stepped away from my mirror (yes, you bloggers that have let me know that this blog is a bit narcissistic.....I know, I know...but that is another post) and looked around at what else is happening in my world I noticed many things, like I really need to do laundry, finish up more thank you notes, mail out the last of the Xmas gifts.....and wait, what is this? I still have not gotten my Hauntcast subscription set up! (User error on my part)....and it is mid January, I should really take the wreath off the door :D

Back to the Hauntcast business. I know I am very late to the party and many of you fantastic and good looking bloggers have done a great job preaching the virtues of Hauntcast from your Halloween decorated soap boxes. You are all better bloggers than me.....I bow to your awesomeness and thank you.

I do not want anyone to think that my lack of posting on this matter is a reflection of my support. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I completely support Hauntcast. I love Halloween and all things associated with the whole creepy lot. Anything that brings us closer together is worth supporting.

I know that there has been "debate" on all sides of the subscription business, I am not here to get into that....remember this blog is all about me :) I am writing this because I am one of those haunters that thinks that Hauntcast is worth $12 a year of my money. As simple as that.

I would give away another subscription with this post....but to me honest I have not even been able to work out my original gift subscription - Baker and I are playing phone tag :)  So instead of me giving one away.....if you have $12 to spare and you want to help someone in our beloved haunt community, go now and subscribe. 

Tell you what, this I can do.  Anyone that signs up for Hauntcast between today and February 1 I will give them some Davis Graveyard swag.  I have energy drinks, and t-shirts (limited supply so first come first served).  I will give you one......just post here that you subscribed and I will contact everyone after the February 1 and get your item out to you.

I know DG swag is not a big pull.....but for now it is all I got.

Alright I am getting off my soap box and back to prop making!!  Thanks for listening everyone.

One of the things I found to be true

in life is that people and experience don't  (usually) let you down, your expectations do.

So, with that in mind, the only thing that really disappointed me on my last trip was the fact that The Museum of Witchcraft was closed.  One of the main reasons I wanted to go to Cornwall was to visit there.  But it is closed for the winter. Very sad frog queen indeed :(

Me, trying not to look too disappointed :(

This is the Christian Tea room directly across from it (also closed) I hear in the town that the two have a bit of a rivalry going on....christian against pagan?  Or just good promotion?  Being the cynical marketing person that I am I bet on the latter.

So, it is closed because it is closed.....not it's fault.  I was only disappointed because I expected it to be open. Maybe next time.

Boscastle is a lovely little town, definitely worth the visit, so even if it is closed, stop by if you are in the area....and have a pint at this pub.

Yes, the frog queen ate at a pub called The Cobweb Inn - yes I did!  Now if it would have been called the spider pub.....well, nah, still would have eaten there.....not because I am courageous mind you....it was the only place open.

I picked up a few things when I was in town for myself....a lovely silver handmade crescent moon necklace with matching earrings.  I told myself on this trip I would not buy myself anything.....but I told husband it was to console me since the museum was closed.

I also picked up a cute touristy thing to give away on my blog.  It is a coaster that says "I would rather be in Boscastle" - I would show you a picture, but I was having camera issues last night.  I will post a picture here over the weekend.  If you want a chance to win, just post a message on this blog post and I will be happy to send it to you.  I will even mail it back to the UK if one of my long distance followers wants it.

So while we are talking about circles

we should mention Avebury.  Like I said in a previous post, I have been out there way more times than I would like to admit without stopping by.....my mistake.

Just like Stonehenge these stone were also buried at one time when the church told them to remove all pagan worship sites.  So instead of breaking them up (many of them were in fact) - which was the instruct, they knocked them over and buried them.  Smart.

Well one day a man by the name of Alexander Keiller  decide to resurrect them and went about the process of standing the stones back.  Interesting enough they found the remains of a man when they lifted one of the stones, he had been standing on the wrong side of the stone when they were burring them!

Avebury makes Stonehenge seem like a child's toy (it is the oldest stone circle in the world).  In fact it is really hard to take in the magnitude without looking at an aerial photo.

It was very cold but clear that day, and quite lovely.  My favorite part is that the gates to let you in and out say not to let the sheep out and watch of sheep droppings. :)  Talk about not being too precious about your historical sites.  I love it, it is usable land, why just fence it all off and not use it....besides I think for as large an area as it is....the sheep are cheaper than a lawnmower.

Now for something merry

Not usually a post title for someone who has a Halloweenish blog :D

Warning....more vacation photos!
Here are pictures of the Merry Maiden stone circle in Cornwall.  This was great to see....just sitting in the middle of a field with crops all around it....not a living soul in sight. 

I do just love stone circles.  The fact that we do not know why they exist - we have ideas, but no one "knows" for sure - is just fascinating to me.  Have to stop when ever I see one.

Frog Queen in Cornwall

Using cooper rods to show the ley line that is built on - BTW - these were fun to play with!

Lovely are they not.