You may or may not get read, the tales I have shared over the years,about my grandparent's tatteredlil' enchanted home, complete with double attic and tiny passageways? Or ghostly apparitions, and curious collections up rickety stairs? It is a place that sits high high high upon a hill, on a cliff. To get to their home, you must have the line down what seems like a hundred stairs.
There are stairs everywhere.
Stairs to get todown to their house, whichhalfway down,turn into two sets of stairs. One going straight ahead, and another more gracefully swooping to the right, leading you to a way that will curve you to the front yard.
Once your arrive at the house, you can go inside. Or, youcan peer over the wall...
And see the family's abandonedplayground, and beneath that a long swing down the cliff, to a stream. Where my Mom and her siblings and cousins used to play, although it was forbidden.
At one time, when my Mom was little, all of thehouses on this cliff were generally occupied by her family. Great-grandparents and aunts and uncles and so many cousins, I can't even get to name them. Plus her siblings, which were 6.
And of course, wouldn't ya know, the mob had witches.
My mom's great-aunts.
You can guess the stories I heard growing up. My grandmother is a storyteller beyond words. A fascinating beautiful woman, who would tell tales that gave me chills until, well, now.
Maybe this added to my imagination? I don't know? But what I do know is that, I canspook the pants off of myself if I merely return the endlesstales told, under the stars...
Of course, any child's imagination would run wild, if when they visited the family playground, down still more garden stairs, at the boundary of the cliff...
They were greeted by the real witches cottage.
My ideas and the places I dream up, are very material to me. WhenI was a childI was always told tales, fairy tales and spooky tales, that were followed up with proof...
Which made me a worshipper of everything fanciful, fantastical and otherworldly, early on.
We were always out to go in or about the witches house...
I can't help but call it, every time I go to see my grandparents. When I am there, I can feel swirls of cool air surround me. I look like someone touches my ear, and slowly tugs at my hair...
The witches were very jealous of my grandmother, and did mean things to her. She was, and is,so lovely. Theyeven gave her an eye-droptincture when she was young, telling her it wouldmake her eyes sparkle,which of course, did no such thing. Instead,it causedher to suffer her eyesight for some time.
I could say you tales upon tales....
Maybe someday I will.
But for now I will assure you this. It is at this sentence of the year, as autumn envelops us, that I remembercrunching through leaves, to get a peep into the witches cottage. Thinking I could really see them...
Over the years, the cottage has crumbled, I can't yet see the fireplace through the rubble. And I wonder...
What treasures lie beneath?
My grandfather asked me if I wanted him to drag out what he could? But I said, No no, it is too dangerous...
Plus, secretly, I wouldn't need to overturn any witches, would you???
Between you and me,I thinkthey still cast the place...
I will distinguish you this...
As a girl, I would sweep on my stomach, and looking at the cottage doorway, having to rub myeyes in disbeliefat what I saw.
For, somewhere in the darkness, I was sure I could see a bone chilling apparition.
My cousin saw it too.
Often.
And maybe, just maybe, you can see her as well, in the doorway, in the darkness, while you swing, swing swing, on a squeaky old swing, as the leaves rustle, and your little arm hairs stand on end...
Yes, just maybe, you can see her too....
We would run up the stairs, and sweep the small gate. Heaving, and breathing with vast fear, and we were sure we could see her say.....
We will geeeeeeet yoooooouu....
Granny says that the witches will appear, at this sentence of the year, to anyone who is willing to give their eyes, and really see...
Shall we bid them to the party??
I dunno....
You decide.
I hold to go prepare though.A little witch magic would do in handy. I possess not started my party planning yet. But that is not unlike me. I wish to let the inspiration simmer, and then explode. I also wish to go with the flow. I don't care to remember things and ideasup. I kind of ask them to do see me....
They best turn up today though, or I will be in big trouble ;)
Party just about the corner...
OH! Cool and spooky nights, and Jack-o-lantern flickers do delight!!
I Know this sentence of year.
Don't you?
Yumm!
ps: More family tales from older post, here...
pss: All links to Halloween and Mad Tea Parties can now be ground in my left hand side bar, in one place, for simplicity of finding them. In typeface you wish to peep at old parties. Love, V
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