HALLOWEEN BLOG

[Gina Marie]

I FUCKING WANT THIS!!!!

[GEMINIGUY]

You want it? What do you want to do with it, Lady Gia?
Since you brought this to everyone's attention, my Halloween Blog will be back October 1st, and it's dedicated to TinyDancer who asked me to bring it back. WOO, TD!

[GEMINIGUY]

OCTOBER 1ST

                        Adder Stone
"A perforated or glass-like stone, naturally occurring, that is traditionally believed to have magical powers. Adder stones were venerated by the Druids and are still thought to be particularly efficacious against diseases of the eye and as charms guaranteeing protection against evil.
Such small stones, of various colours, have been credited with curing children of whooping cough, with preventing nightmares, with ensuring success in legal cases and with assisting in recovery from adder bites.
Superstition has it that such stones, otherwise known as 'serpent's eggs' or 'snake eggs', are created from the hardening saliva of adders massing together at certain times of the year.
According to popular belief, adder stones can be tested by throwing them into a flowing stream - only those that float are the genuine article. The perforations are said to be caused by the tongues of snakes before the stones solidify."

[Someone find Toe an Adder Stone. ]

[TinyDancer]

The white stones were said to give one the "second sight."

[GermanChick]

I hope this is OK to post here - I laughed so hard, I almost peed my pants, so I thought I'd share


With the emergence of Haunted Houses everywhere - I present to you the faces of Nigtmare Fear Factory:




There are more where this came from:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/27/tech/social-media/apparently-this-matters-haunted-house/index.html


Enjoy!

[GEMINIGUY]

OCTOBER 5TH

                              Charm
"An Incantion, prayer or other form of words that is supposed to have in itself magic power. Carrying pieces of paper bearing verses from the Bible or certain other words or phrases about the person was formerly reputed to ward off illness and other forms of evil, while reciting given lines has always been an essential feature of spell-making. Thus, various rhymes may be uttered when attempting to conjure up visions of future lovers, driving away demons or overcoming physical ailments by magical means.
The power of the spoken word is such that merely repeating a person's name over and over may be sufficient to cause them to appear in the flesh, while simply uttering a phrase like 'white rabbits' on the first day of the month will guarantee one's luck in the days ahead.
>>>more

[GEMINIGUY]

Conversely, certain words are regarded with intense misgiving, and seafarers around the globe will resent anyone using words like 'pig' or 'priest' while a vessel is at sea for fear of the consequences.
Among the more common instances of charms in everyday usage are those designed to protect one's luck when evil threatens. These include the various challenges and greetings that should be spoken aloud on sighting a magpie and the simple business of saying 'Bless you' to a person who is sneezing."

[TinyDancer]

I don't know if that repeating a name works GG....I can't tell you how many times I have said, "Oh God, Oh God, Oh God!"  He has yet to appear. 

[GEMINIGUY]

OCTOBER 10TH

                           Dwarf
"People in Britain, Canada

 and India are agreed that meeting a dwarf of the opposite sex is very lucky. This tradition probably derives from the ancient idea that dwarves are guardians of precious metals, which themselves have magical powers. Among their other attributes, dwarfs are reputed to be able to see into the future and to make themselves invisible at will."
                               Miner
"In common with other people engaged in dangerous occupations miners are renowned for their stock of time-honoured superstitions, many of which are still observed. Like fishermen, who are traditionally highly sensitive to ominous signs as they make their way to the harbour, many miners will show extreme reluctance to go underground at certain times.
Miners working undergound throughout Europe have always been wary of meeting dwarves...Rock falls and other setbacks are often attributed to the dwarves, who are presumed to have been angered in some way.

[GEMINIGUY]

However, it is said that kindly disposed dwarves, in return for offerings of food, warn human miners of danger by making tapping sounds and may also help in their digging.
Numerous reports have been made of the sound of the dwarfs' picks at work, and some miners have even recorded eye-witness accounts of these diminutive fellow workers."

[Gina Marie]

http://womenspost.ca/20-skin-crawling-images-of-old-timey-halloween-costumes-to-terrify-you/

[GEMINIGUY]

OCTOBER 15TH

                           Scissors
"Being made of metal and having the power to cut, scissors are regarded as potent objects in superstition. They must be handled with care  as their misuse risks one's luck, which can be 'cut' all too easily. It is therefore very unfortunate to drop a pair of scissors, and even worse if they stick into the floor because this constitutes a death omen (although regional variations suggest an imminent wedding if both points stick in the floor and a funeral  if one point pierces the floor). Neither should the person who drops a pair of scissors attempt to retrieve them. He or she should ask a friend to pick them up, or, failing this, the scissors should be trodden on before being touched. To be on the safe side the scissors should then be warmed between the hands before being used again. Scissors that come apart while held in the hands are also a portent of bad luck in store."

[TinyDancer]

Hands should also be warmed before being used! 

[GEMINIGUY]

OCTOBER 20TH

                              Rainbow
"The mysterious nature of the rainbow, which seems to link the Heavens with the Earth, means that it is a phenomenon that inspires dread in superstitious people of many cultures - though many think a rainbow lucjy and will make a wish on seeing one.
Christian belief claims that the rainbow is God's promise that He  will never again flood the Earth, as happened in the account of Noah's ark.
Some people, however, show reluctance to accept this idea that the rainbow is a positive reassurance that no harm will befall those living beneath its span. Instead, they interpret its appearance as an omen of death, an idea that is perhaps a folk memory of the celestial bridge of Norse origins over which the dead (particularly children) get to Heaven. In the Shetland Islands, for instance, the sight of a rainbow arching over a house is taken as a portent of imminent death, and elsewhere various superstitions are concerned with negating the evil influence of the rainb

[GEMINIGUY]

OCTOBER 21ST

                     Rainbow (con't)
"In some areas the superstitious still chant rhymes to make a rainbow disappear, while in others they will lay down two sticks or straws in the form of a cross to 'cross out' the rainbow. It is also considered reckless to be caught pointing at a rainbow, which will cause the rain to start again or may even invite worse luck.
Rather more positive, though, is the popular tradition that a crock of gold may be found at the end of the rainbow - if only that spot can be located.
Other superstitions about rainbows include the contention that they suck water from rivers and lakes to feed the clouds, the sailors' theory that a rainbow can swallow up a whole vessel, and the warning that water that has been touched by a rainbow becomes poisoned. Miniature rainbows spotted in oily patches on the ground inspire similiarly mixed feelings: some people recommend avoiding them, saying that it is bad luck to step over them.
>>>more

[GEMINIGUY]

Others suggest holding a foot over the rainbow pattern and intoning:
        Rainbow, rainbow, bring me luck.
         If you don't, i'll break you up.
The appearance of a rainbow allows a certain amount of information to be gleaned about the weather to come. As with red skies, a rainbow in the morning signifies wet weather on the way, while one in the afternoon or evening suggests that the following day will be fine. In the British Isles at least, science supports the notion that a rainbow in the west (the direction in which British weather systems usually develop) means it will rain, while one in the east indicates the wet weather is over."

[GEMINIGUY]

OCTOBER 25TH

[GEMINIGUY]

OCTOBER 25TH

                                    Bell
"Bells are almost universally credited with the power of frightening off bad spirits, & in many parts of the world prized animals are fitted with bells to protect them against the evil eye. The sound of bells is said to cause witches riding on broomsticks to plummet to the ground, and also to scare away snakes & mice.
In churches, a 'passing bell' is rung on the death of a local person, not only to summon the congregation to prayer but also to drive away any evil spirits lured by the presense of death. Bells also play a crucial role in the ancient Catholic 'bell, book and candle' ritual of excommunication, the bell tolling for the 'dead' sinner.
On the darker side, a bell that tolls with
out someone pulling on the rope is a widely feared omen of death, which will strike down a member of the parish within a space of a week. Bells will also sound under their own volition to indicate the presence of a saint or to give warning of a crime committed nearby.

[GEMINIGUY]

Specially cast handbells containing mercury, lead, silver, gold, tin, copper and iron, and buried in a cemetary to 'mature' for seven days, figure prominently in the ritual of necromancy, the black art of calling up the dead to divine the future.
Sailors are particularly sensitive to bells and may interpret a bell tolling at the apparent touch of an unseen hand as an omen of shipwreck. Seafarers are similiarly nervous of the ringing sound produced by glass tumblers and will quickly silence the noise in hope of averting disaster.
Ringing a handbell while holding it upside down is, according to US superstition, extremely perilious and certain to provoke misfortune of the worst kind.
British folklore in particular gives pride of place to several legends of drowned villages, where the bells of submerged churches can be heard striking the hour far below the waves."

[GEMINIGUY]

OCTOBER 25TH

                          Tempting Fate
"The fear of celebrating one's good fortune in some way invites the special attention of malevolent spirits, which is the motivating force behind a great many well-known taboos and superstitions. To be on the safe side, one should never sing too loudly the praises of children, livestock, a person's health or anything else that is held precious, as the presumption implicit in such boasts is that one is disregarding possible interference by supernatural forces.
Many people will show distinct unease if someone directs lavish praise in their direction and may attempt to ward off evil by touching wood or iron, making the sign of the cross, spitting or saying 'God bless', or taking some other precautionary measure recommended by  long-standing tradition.
Specific examples of actions to be avoided include never bringing into the house a newly aquired cradle or pram into the house before an expected baby is safely delivered,