31 Days of Halloween: Day 19

Just a quiet day at work today, doing usual non-Halloween things (although there was a bit of planning for a big event next week).

Dried Mummy’s Brains

Tea break at work today. (It's Dried Mummy's Brains - actually Egyptian Camomile - from Monster Mash Teas!)

31 Days of Halloween: Day 28

Friday was quite a busy day for me. Mostly, it was work stuff, but there was still time for a good bit of seasonal celebration too!

Today's Tea

Friday's Halloween tea was Spooky Halloween Spice from Tea-Adora! It's black tea with ginger, coriander, cinnamon, orange peel and cloves!

Today's Story

Friday's classic tale of horror was 'An Inhabitant of Carcosa' by Ambrose Bierce.

‘Saints and Souls’

The next seasonal chapter of Ronald Hutton's The Stations of the Sun that I read on Friday was 'Saints and Souls.

Halloween Film Afternoon

We had the Halloween party at Castlerea Care Home this afternoon. I did my annual dramatic reading of The Raven (with audience participation), then we watched The Mummy and drank a brew of Dried Mummy's Brains!

Fancy Dress Cluedo

Friday night Cluedo with my mother-in-law at Halloween can only mean one thing... it was the return of Fancy Dress Cluedo!

31 Days of Halloween: Day 25

Another late post... it really has been a very busy month. At this rate, I'm still going to be posting these into November! I'll keep cracking on though!

Today's Tea

Tuesday's tea was Eye of Newt from Monster Mash Teas. It's a strawberry green tea!

Today's Story

Tuesday's classic tale of horror was 'Sir Edmund Orme' by Henry James.

Bailey’s Wood Story Walk

I had a great time on Tuesday leading the Friends of Bailey's Wood Halloween Story Walk. Such creative ideas from all the participants... who knew mushrooms would help us search for a centaur?

Live and Spooky Campfire Stories (Jonathan Janz)

Tuesday's Campfire Stories video from Flame Tree Press was Jonathan Janz reading his short story, 'Room for the Night', which features in their new anthology, Close to Midnight. I think this one might have been my favourite!

31 Days of Halloween: Day 17

Another slightly late post... and another day of lowkey seasonal celebrations. I've come out of my sickbed now, but I still haven't got the energy for full-on festive frolics.

Today's Tea

Yesterday's tea was Dried Mummy's Brains from Monster Mash Teas. It's part of a gift set, so I have a different cup for this one as well. It's my first foray into corpse medicine this month! Only joking... it's Egyptian Camomile flowers.

Today's Story

And yesterday's classic tale of horror was 'The Room in the Tower' by E.F. Benson (one of my favourites so far, got to admit).

Halloween Earrings

Yesterday's Halloween earrings were little skeletons.

A Walk in the Forest

I had an autumn walk in Blackley Forest yesterday to blow the last of the cobwebs away (or at least to try).

Live and Spooky Campfire Stories (Christi Nogle)

Yesterday's Flame Tree Press Campfire Stories video was from Christi Nogle, reading her short story 'You Will Make Me Strong Again'.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 11

I've caught up with my teas and my stories now, so I'm posting this one on time. Unfortunately, I'm still feeling under the weather, so I didn't have any energy for anything other than a Halloween tea and a (very) short story this evening. Really hope I can shift this cold and get back to Halloween festivities soon.

Today's Tea

Tonight's tea was Immortali-Tea from Monster Mash Teas. It's a cup of warm blood... orange, apple, hibiscus and rosehip infusion.

Today's Story

Tonight's classic tale of horror was 'Sredni Vashtar' by Saki.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 10

Another late post, as I was still down with a bad cold yesterday and not in the mood for doing much celebrating. I caught up with my Halloween tea and story today though.

Today's Tea

I'm catching up with what would've been yesterday's tea... Dorian Grey from Monster Mash Teas. It's absolutely delightful, the most delicious Earl Grey ever. Downside is, I now have to keep a cup of rancid stewed tea in my attic. Swings and roundabouts.

Today's Story

And catching up with what would've been yesterday's classic tale of horror... 'The Body-Snatcher' by Robert Louis Stevenson.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 3

Today was a work day, and a very busy one at that, so there wasn't really any time for festive shenanigans. But I still managed to sneak in a tea and a story, and I was wearing seasonal earrings while I did to keep a little Halloween magic going.

Today's Tea

Tonight's tea was the delightfully named Toe of Frog from the delightfully named Monster Mash Teas. I loved all of their concoctions last year, so I'm excited to try a new selection this year! (Toe of Frog is actually quite a light and gentle vanilla green tea.

Today's Story

Tonight's classic tale of horror was 'Kerfol' by Edith Wharton.

Halloween Earrings

Today's earrings were glittery wicked witch shoes. I also had teeny cauldron, witch's hat and black cat studs in but they're not as easy to photograph!