I figured, for a first post it would be a start to ramble about something I am deeply in love with… Autumn! And the crunchy yellow leaves and the creepy Halloween vibes that accompany it. Plus… pumpkin spice lattes, woolly gloves, an excuse to get out the Autumn candles and eat a tonne of cinnamon buns.
I know it is only August. But I feel like I truly belong to October. And so I am already pumped up in preparation for woodlanddog walks with my cosy scarf and my nose flushed pink with the cold while I happily stomp through the fallen leaves.
I’m not sure if it is because I was enamored with Halloween as a kid or because it gives me an excuse to stay inside drinking hot chocolate with my books but Autumn is my happy place. There are no bad memories associated with Autumn.
Lingering in my mind are these moments from my childhood and teenage years…
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Drawing pictures in the air with sparklers on Fawkes Night in my little red coat. I must have been around four.
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Being absolutely PETRIFIED of pumpkins. I would start hysterically crying whenever my brother pushed me towards the one in our kitchen. And one time there was a little boy with a homemade papermache pumpkin costume at a Halloween party and my exasperated mum had to take me out the room.
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Going hunting for pine cones and conkers in a nearby graveyard, with my dad and my brother. I miss the days when we were acted like a full family, I don’t think my brother has joined a day out with both me and my parents except Christmas for probably nine years.
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Coming in after horse riding with my cousin soaked from the rain, and drying in front of the flickering flames of my aunties real wood fire. I don’t know why, but this afternoon has stuck in my memory.
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The time when I was sixteen and probably too old to go trick or treating, but I bought a very extravagant gothic lolita dress from eBay. I was going through an… embarrassing anime phase and I was the only one of my friends to buy a costume. For example, one of my friends put on a pair of cinema 3D glasses with her school uniform to be a nerd. Another put her hair in pigtails to be Britney Spears… The photo is hilarious but haunts me. No matter how many times I untag from it on Facebook is always seems to turn up.
I will get into more details about this perhaps in another post, but since 2013 I have had some struggles once I started university and there are no such treasured memories for the Octobers of recent years.
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The smell of pumpkin guts or rotting leaves?
Due to my childhood pumpkin fear, pumpkin carving wasn’t a thing that happened often. Although I did carve one last year so I wasn’t missing out. So it’s got to be rotting leaves! Even though the word rotting doesn’t quite fit.
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Sweet or salty pumpkin seeds?
I’ve never actually tried pumpkin seeds.
3. Store bought or pumpkin patch pumpkins?
I don’t think pumpkin patches are a thing in Scotland? But then again I love in Edinburgh so…it’s got to be store-bought. I’d love to go to a pumpkin patch though.
4. Wool or knit sweaters?
It has got to be knit! Bonus points for cable knit. But aren’t they the same thing? I know most shop bought jumpers are acrylic and other artificial materials, but you knit wool too.
5. Halloween party or explore haunted places?
Hands down exploring haunted places. I loooooove to give myself the heebie-jeebies. My city does some excellent ghost tours, and in such an old place just about everywhere has a tale about some strange spectral figure in the shadows. I do love dressing up for Halloween still though. And apple bobbing. Could I incorporate the dressing up part?
6. Apple pie or pumpkin pie?
Apple pie! Being from Scotland, I don’t think I’ve had the opportunity to try pumpkin pie. I think that’s a more American thing. Sounds yummy though.
7. Still, silent nights or rainy, windblown nights?
Windblown all the way. The sound of rain smattering against windows is so peaceful. Even better if you have a hot water bottle or a warm pet.
8. Witches or ghosts?
I can’t choose! I love witchy vibes and the aesthetic of black cats and smoky-smelling candles but I also love ghost stories, and paranormal themed movies and books. Basically witches and ghosts are both cool guys and this spooky fanatic can’t choose.
9. Raking leaves or climbing trees?
Climbing trees!
10. Ouija boards or ghost stories around a campfire?
Ghost stories around the campfire. I live for spooky tales. I wouldn’t ever be brave (or possibly idiotic enough, depending on your opinions) enough to try an Ouija board. I have some interesting family history surrounding Ouija and the occult which I’m definitely saving for around Halloween to write about.
11. October or November?
I have to say… October. It’s quintessential Autumn. Plus Halloween. But that’s tricky, as November is my birthday month, and this blogs namesake.
12. Black cats or owls?
Black cats!!! Even though I’m allergic to them. In an alternate universe I’d like to own like six black cats, all with names like Salem and Jinx. Instead I’ll have to settle with… black hamsters?
13. Fireplace or candle light?
Fireplace!!!!! Especially if it’s a real wood fireplace, nothing else compares. And that’s coming from a scented candle fanatic. (My fave candle is also appropriately a Halloween Yankee candle called Witches Brew).
14. Monster movies or their classic novels?
Aaaaaaaah. As a bookish nerd, and also a horror movie nerd this is difficult. Going to say monster movies win, by a teeny tiny margin. I love the kitschy goofyness that holds, even when they’re trying to make a scene terrifying.
15. Carve or paint pumpkins?
Carve! Even though I’ve only done this once, I plan to do them every year now.
I hope this was an okay first post. I planned to revise and edit this, but I’m feeling too lazy. I think my next post will be a proper introduction to myself what I plan to do with this little internet space in the future.
If you have got this far on reading this, you are an icing-sprinkled gingerbread star and I hope you are having a fantastic day!
// Also the header image is the beautiful oil painting Under the Arch of Autumn by Leonid Afremov
november ghost 