Witches of Halloween

 

Words and Pictures The Witches of Halloween

Words and Pictures The Witches of Halloween

Words and Pictures The Witches of Halloween 1

Happy Samhain

 

Samhain is observed from sunset on October 31st to sunset on November 1st. 

It is the celebration that is the origin of Halloween. 

Samhain was first observed by Celtic Pagans. 

Samhain marked the Celtic New Year, the end of summer, and the end of the harvest season

October 31 became known as All Hallows Eve, or Halloween, and contained much of the traditional pagan practices before being adopted in 19th-century America through Irish immigrants bringing their traditions across the ocean

For the Celts, who lived during the Iron Age in what is now Ireland, Scotland, the U.K. and other parts of Northern Europe, Samhain (meaning literally, in modern Irish, “summer's end”) marked the end of summer and kicked off the Celtic new year

According to the later Dindsenchas and the Annals of the Four Masters—which were written by Christian monks—Samhain in ancient Ireland was associated with a god or idol called Crom Cruach.

Samhain, also known as the origin of Halloween, was a powerful and special demon of Hell and was one of the 66 Seals. He could only rise when summoned by two powerful witches through three blood sacrifices over three days, with the last sacrifice day on the final harvest, Halloween.

If we define it as a celebration of the pre-Christianization or kind of the Mexican Day of the Dead or the Irish Samhain, the Viking did have that kind of celebration. The Vikings themselves had the celebrations called the Blóts

In addition to being a time to honor family members, friends and pets who have passed away, Samhain is the final harvest holiday and marks the end—and therefore beginning—of a new cycle on the Wheel. Most Wiccans believe in reincarnation and view death as simply another stage of life.

The name Halloween comes from a Scottish shortening of All Hallows' Eve 

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor saints. Soon after, All Saints Day came to incorporate some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before All Saints Day was known as All Hallows Eve, and later, Halloween.

Many Christians believe that participating in Halloween is a form of involvement in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness, which is forbidden in Scripture: Ephesians 5:7-15. Don't participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord

On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future.

Samhain was known in Ireland as the “Lord of Darkness”. The Druid religion was practiced by ancient Celtic tribes that populated Ireland and parts of Europe. This religion worshipped Samhain, the Lord of Darkness. Some writings also speak of Samhain as the “Lord of the Dead”

All Hallows Eve eventually became Halloween. “Although All Saints Day is actually on November 1, the Celts began their festivals at sunset, so the holiday began on the evening before (Oct. 31)

 

Until pretty recently, doctors would slap a newborn on the back immediately after birth. It's not that they wanted to make the baby cry. They needed the baby to cry. It meant the baby could breathe on her own. Thankfully, we don't do that anymore. But we still hold our own breath until we hear that cry.  And it doesn't matter if you're the baby's doctor or mother. It's the most beautiful sound in the world. The first time, anyway. The first minute in a baby's life is the most terrifying. In that minute, a million tiny air sacks have to perfectly open and fill with air.  It's a pretty traumatizing way of entering the real world. In that minute, your whole world stops. It's as if time stands still. And if I'm being honest, that minute is pure hell. But fortunately, most of the time, crying starts, the baby's okay, and the rest of us in the room can finally breathe again.

 

You know how the tightrope guy at the circus wants everyone to believe his act is an art,

 but deep down you can see that he's really just hoping he makes it all the way across?

 Good and bad 

are but names 

very readily transferable 

to that or this

Poe

 

October 

Vassago: Ulalume

Vassago: Ulalume

November 

Vassago: Lenore

Vassago: Lenore - Edgar Allan Poe

December 

Vassago: The Raven 

Vassago: "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

Vassago: Annabel Lee

Vassago: Annabel Lee - Edgar Allan Poe

Vassago: The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe

Vassago: "Ligeia" short story by Edgar Allan Poe

Vassago: The Haunted Palace

Vassago: The City In The Sea

Vassago: To One in Paradise - Poe

Vassago: The Lake

Vassago: "Morella" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe.

Vassago: "Eleonora" - short story by Edgar Allan Poe

Vassago: "Berenice" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe,

October Hunter’s Moon

 

Hunter's Moon - Monday, October 26, 2026

 The full Hunter's Moon in October 2026 peaks on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 4:12 a.m. BST

The Hunter's Moon is also a reminder of the changing seasons and the inexorable march of time. As the autumn leaves fall and winter approaches, the full moon serves as a symbol of nature's rhythm and the importance of preparation for the colder months ahead.

October's Hunter's Moon was given its name because it was at this time when tribes gathered meat for the long winter ahead. June's Strawberry moon received its name because many strawberries were commonly harvested at that month.

After the September harvest moon comes the October Hunter's moon, in the preferred month to hunt summer-fattened deer and fox unable to hide in bare fields. 

Like the harvest moon, the hunter's moon is also particularly bright and long in the sky, giving hunters the opportunity to stalk prey at night.

It gets its name from Farmer's Almanac, which states that it's hunting season when the leaves fall and the deer are fat. Hunters can clearly see the animals that have come out to glean because the harvesters have already reaped the fields. Other names for it include Blood Moon, Dying Grass Moon, and Travel Moon.

The Hunter's Moon is a potent period for magical and spiritual activities. Its significance lies in the amplified energies from the thinning veil between the physical and spiritual worlds, making it a powerful time for crafting or charging magical tools like wands, athames, or pentacles.

In European traditions, the Hunter's Moon has also been associated with hunting, feasting, and festivities. The full moon often played a role in the timing of various activities, from sowing seeds to butchering livestock. Many cultures took advantage of the bright moonlight for communal gatherings and fun

Any Moon near the horizon will appear bigger because the horizon provides more size perspective. It's called the Moon Illusion. When you look at a full moon near the horizon, it often looks more red or orange because the light rays have to travel further into the atmosphere before they get to you

Because the approach of winter signaled the possibility of going hungry in pre-Industrial times, the Hunter's Moon was generally accorded with special honor, historically serving as an important feast day in both northern Europe and among many Native American tribes.

The Hunter's Moon is also a reminder of the changing seasons and the inexorable march of time. As the autumn leaves fall and winter approaches, the full moon serves as a symbol of nature's rhythm and the importance of preparation for the colder months ahead.

The "harvest moon" (also known as the "barley moon" or "full corn moon") is the full moon nearest to the autumnal equinox (22 or 23 September), occurring anytime within two weeks before or after that date. The "hunter's moon" is the full moon following it. The names are recorded from the early 18th century.

The Hunter's Moon can sometimes appear red or orange in color, due to the way that sunlight is scattered by the Earth's atmosphere. This is especially common when the moon is low in the sky, such as during sunrise and sunset.

Some Native American tribes call the moon the "Travel Moon," or the "Dying Grass Moon." The Hunter's Moon is associated with the final harvest and was a signal to begin preparing for winter. It is an excellent time to focus your magic on psychic abilities, transformation, cleansing, protection, and banishment

This moon marked a crucial time for hunters to store up meat before winter. The Hunter's Moon also was considered a feast day for Native Americans and many Western Europeans.

in life, time limits aren't clear.

 

 It can be hard to gauge whether it's better to hurry up or take things slow. 

We don't always know how much time we have before the clock runs out on opportunity.

 Often, we can't even be sure if our time's passed.

 All we can do is cease the present.

 

The idea that the brain can convince the body that a fake treatment is the real thing is called the placebo effect. 

The brain anticipates an outcome and then communicates it to the body. 

And the body responds as if a medication were given when all that was given was a sugar pill. 

Studies have found that under the right circumstances, a placebo can have up to a 72% cure rate, making it just as effective as certain medications. 

So, the lie becomes the truth.

 It has been proven that what you believe can sometimes determine the state of your health. 

So it goes to follow that it can also sometimes determine the state of your life. 

And what you believe can change on a dime. 

What you believe is right, 

what you believe is wrong, 

what you believe you want, 

what you believe you need,

 what you believe you are capable of doing,

 what you believe is a sign, 

what you believe the sign means, 

what you believe you deserve. 

So, if you want to change your life, change your mind. 

And try not to wait too long.

 Sometimes, we have to work extremely hard to achieve focus and perspective, 

everything suddenly becomes all clear.

 You can see your path. 

You see your life. 

You see your purpose and why you are here. 

But just because you see it, 

it doesn't mean you'll live up to it.

 Throughout history, traumatic experiences have caused physiological responses long after the events themselves have passed. 

Racing heart, pupil dilation, nightmares, panic attacks. 

Mesopotamian soldiers depicted these symptoms on cuneiform tablets over 3,000 years ago.

 Yet, post-traumatic stress disorder wasn't introduced as a diagnosable mental health condition until 1980. 

It's a lesson we learn - just because we don't have the words, doesn't mean the symptoms aren't real. 

Traumatic events are turning points. There's a before and an after. 

Sometimes, it's hard to remember who you were before. And it's even harder to figure out who you are after. 

But if you look for your people and hold them close, you will find your way again.

 For decades, if we wanted to see inside the brain, we had to inject air into the patient's spinal column. 

It was painful. It was described as torture. 

Then in 1971, a British engineer changed everything when he performed the first CT scan.

 And for the first time, we could see what was happening inside the brain. 

It was painless, convenient, and an absolute game-changer. 

But just because we could now see inside a person's brain, doesn't mean we know what it's thinking. 

 

When you encounter a new beginning, there's no announcement on a loudspeaker. 

Blink and you could miss it. 

Or worse, ignore it. 

New beginnings can be scary.

 But they can also be deeply fulfilling. 

So let go, and dive in.

 

 On average, 

 per minute, a 60-second period, 

our hearts beat 70 times 

we blink between 10 and 15 times, 

swallow once, 

and take up to 20 breaths. 

 Battle. Fight. Win. Lose. 

These are the words we use 

We use militarized language that implies it's a fair fight. 

But when it comes to life and death, what does winning really look like? 

Is a person a loser for dying when the outcome isn't really in their control? 

There’s just as much value in trying again as there is in letting go.

 Letting go of suffering, regret, pain, fear. 

Instead of saying someone we love is battling, beating, fighting, winning or losing, why don't we just tell the truth? 

We get sick. We take our medicine. 

Some of us live, some die.

 On average, our hearts beat 70 times per minute. 

In the same 60-second period, we blink between 10 and 15 times, swallow once, and take up to 20 breaths. 

Our hearts beat. Our lungs breathe. Our bodies keep us alive. 

And most of us barely notice. We just take it all for granted. 

So much of the world operates without us ever thinking about it. We expect it to work out in our favor. And most of the time it does. We worry about the future and think about the past. 

And we so often miss what's right in front of us. 

We take what's good and easy and working for granted. Until it's no longer good and easy and working for us. 

It's normal, but we can do better because there are tiny, beautiful gifts we're given every day.

 And it's up to us to appreciate them to the fullest while we can.

 'It is my bad luck that this has happened to me.' 

No, you should rather say:

 'It is my good luck that, although this has happened to me, 

I can bear it without pain, 

neither crushed by the present

 nor fearful of the future.' 

Because such a thing could have happened to any man, 

but not every man could have borne it without pain.

 So why see more misfortune in the event

 than good fortune in your ability to bear it?”

 Transplant surgeons typically transport donor organs by carefully packing them on ice and racing as fast as they can to the recipient. 

The organ can only survive a certain amount of time until it's placed into its new body. At best, the heart and lungs only have six hours.

 But recently, scientists have developed machines that can improve these odds. Essentially, certain organs can now travel in a box that continuously perfuses them with nutrients, preserving their viability. 

This innovation has allowed us to increase the number of organs available for transplantation.

 And for over 100.000 people  who are currently waiting for an organ, it's a chance at a new life. 

When you get a new organ, you spend your life on medications designed to suppress your immune system so that your body won't reject it. But at least you have a life to spend and a body to medicate. 

Second chances can feel like an insult if you can't get over what you lost the first time around.

 Or they can feel like a miracle, like a hard-fought victory. 

A chance to live the life you've always wanted.

Mr Inbetween - Ray Ranks James Bond

 

Connory.

Yeah, totally.

Second Lazenby.

Who the fuck's that?

George Lazenby.

Never heard of him.

After Connory, he did A Majesty's Secret Service. Only did one film.

Never seen it. I have to see it.

Yeah, it's good.

He's an Aussie.

An Aussie Bond.

Aussie Bond, mate.

Fuck off.

Yeah, serious.

You can't have an Aussie Bond.

No, he's Aussie.

Really?

All right.

So, that's two.

What about number three?

I don't mind the guy playing him now

What's his name?

What's his fucking name?

He's number three though.

Yeah, he's three, right?

Number four.

I didn't like Moore.

Don't like the old Roger.

No. No. Too snobby.

Really?

Polished.

Yeah. I didn't like him.

I like the old Roger.

Yeah. No, I didn't like him.

Okay. What about Brosnan?

No, I'd put Brosnan last.

Don't like Brosnan

last.

I'd go Connory

Lazenby.

guy playing him now. Dalton

Moore

Brosnan.

. I'd go Connory

Moore

Brosnan.

Guy playing him now.

Dalton.

.

James Bond

 

Bond really needs to be rugged, have a strong body to do the things he does A Naval Officer, he is a proper sailor and as a 00, basically also a commando Connery and Craig made that work Dalton did to a certain point Moore and Brosnan seemed too slight, almost wimpy Lazenby did OK

"Autumn's Really Here" by Telltale

 Autumn's really here now. You can feel it in the air.

Birds are gathering all along the telephone wires. It's almost time for eiderdowns Velvet curtains and roaring fire. They're burning leaves in the park today. New smokes blowing everywhere. We saw a gray squirrel carrying nuts and our dogs growing extra hair The sun's still warm, but it's not so bright. The days are shorter than they were. We saw tortoise settling down to sleep. And our cat's growing extra fur . His homemade jam cooling in the jars. The apple loft is lined with hay. And so a mouse creep into our sal and we wore extra clothes today

"Autumn's Really Here" by Telltale, from the Rainbow TV show.wmv

Superman 2

 

In the Donner cut you see them arrested and taken away, now without powers, presumably to a human military prison Which could be a lot worse if they went there to get experimented on Look at Tal Roh Morgan in the show and Sasha Supergirl in Flash film Lester did not use that bit Most people interpret them not being killed, they go down a slide to a dungeon then get put back in the Zone Even if you see this as Superman kills Zod, he didn't kill the other two Lois hit Ursa and the Doofus fell in himself Although ... Superman could have flown at super speed and saved them It's down to your interpretation

Spin Doctors

 

Noel Neil Phylis Coates Margot Kidder Erica Durrance Teri Hatcher Amy Adams Rachel Bros Kate Bosworth Elizabeth Tulloch We all had our Lois We all had our fantasies

Pocket Full Of Kryptonite

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

 

Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate - one of the main stars Margaret Qualley as "Pussycat" other Manson girls: Sydney Sweeney as "Snake" Maya Hawke as "Flowerchild" Mikey Madison as "Sadie" Dakota Fanning as "Squeaky" Danielle Harris as "Angel" also: Lorenza Izzo as Francesca Capucci Rebecca Gayheart as Billie Booth Dreama Walker as Connie Stevens Rumer Willis as Joanna Pettet

Mr Olympia

 

Does make you wish Jay had taken Ronnie out a year earlier so he could never boast about equalling Haney and beating Arnold records 

 could only say he equalled him at 7 not beat him at 8 

As stated, Arnold could have gone on and won 9 or even ten if he wanted -

 then watch Haney lose to Dorian trying to get to 9 like Ronnie did when he lost to Jay 

Arnold at that stage was unbeatable - Haney and Ronnie were not 

Neither Haney or Ronnie could ever have got to 9 - Arnold could have, he just didn't 

Sabrina

 

We saw Sabrina and Nick have that brief but intense under the cover sex scene - cut with their performance of Total Eclipse wearing nothing but her headband - stark naked having sex, but keeps on the headband Anyway we next see Gavin in Sex Lives Of College Girls, having sex with Pauline Chalamet, Timothy's hot sister - it is uncensored so they are both totally nude for this, and we see his bare buttocks clenching as he thrusts into her - and we see lots of different positions (If Sabrina had just agreed to have the sheet off for hers - more Spartacus level sex as this is Netflix ) We never got a Sabrina Caliban sex scene, but you know it would be just as athletic Watch the Sex Lives scene - now picture Gavin as Nick, and this with Keiran rather than Pauline for scene one - then edit in Caliban Nick's place with Sabrina for scene two Where is that AI prog ....

Superman is what I can do - Clark is who I am

 For years, including the brilliant Chris Reeves films, we saw Kal El as Superman where Clark was the disguise

This is how it is described in Kill BIll, the way Tarantino sees it In those films we see Superman, who Kal El sees himself as, the omnipotent god flying round in his Kryptonian suit When he puts on the suit and glasses we know it is Superman in disguise - Perry, Lois, Jimmy all think Superman and Clark are two different people - we know this is Superman dressed up and messing around, acting clumsy, doing secret bullet catches Chris Reeves never played "Superman and Clark" because there was no Clark We see the younger Smallville Clark played by Geoff East, hiding his powers while racing trains The adult Clark is just Superman in disguise This show is the first time we see this flipped as a live action - there is a run of comics that uses this Clark is who he has been all his life, the person he is - in this version Clark Kent is the real personality and Superman is the disguise Superman is the suit that he puts on to allow him to use his powers in public "Superman" was never meant to become a character, an identity, that Clark had to play - and in the first series, the first episodes, we see him having difficulty with this, how to "play" the character now known as "Superman" when he has to speak in public Clark is who I am, Superman is what I can do - to flip the phrase the other way If he has never put on the suit and the "superman" character developed as we saw, he would still always be Clark, who he was raised to be

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The balcony scene in Batman v Superman after the bomb that vaporises everyone and leave him unmarked He says to Lois "Superman was never real"

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Writer John Byrne started a new run of the comics in 1986 that uses this premises - Clark is the real personality and Superman is the disguise