halloween decor in Portland

Drizzly, but Spooky

Dear Liza,

Last Thursday, also known as Halloween, was wet and chilly. I expected that we’d be inside for the evening.

Grandpa Nelson was happy to stay inside, but Auntie Bridgett wanted to get out and do some “Reverse Trick or Treating”, where we walk around the neighborhood and hand out candy. It’s always fun seeing kids in costumes and chatting with folks.

We got to see all the houses lit up in their spoooky glory, looking shinier with the rain.

We met Cindy, who had a heating pad under the blanket on her lap, so she could stay warm while handing out candy. She even had a tube on her banister, so folks could catch candy as it rolled down to them!

On the way home, we stopped for a ‘mocktail’ at Eris, our buddy Tony’s bar. We chatted a bit, then headed home to watch some classic horror. For me, Bêla Lugosi in Dracula is a Thumbs Up, but the older, silent “Nosferatu” is a Thumbs Down.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Spooking up the Neighborhood

Dear Liza,

We are in the ramp-up to what Grandpa Nelson calls “decoration season”. It starts with Halloween and flows past Thanksgiving, right into Christmas. Every time we go out for a walk to the market or post office, we take time to “check out the spooks”.

And we are never disappointed! This gigantic Japanese maple sprouts eyes and fangs, looking like Sweetums the muppet.

This skiing skeleton is perched on a vegetable arbor, and does not look very confident.

This “normal sized” demon-dude has a motion detector, and shoots up to ten feet tall when you walk by! It kind of takes your breath away.

At the same house, the smaller creatures are situated so they look even better in harmony. This long shot past the ghoul to the demon is really good decoration planning.

And of course, everyone likes a skeleton selfie!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Getting Spooky

Dear Liza,

It was a perfect Fall day Sunday, so Auntie Bridgett and I walked out to see the sights.

We found a whole bunch of Halloween-y yards! Just above Laurelhurst Park, this cheerful skeleton welcomes you to his graveyard. My favorite headstone reads, “I Told You I Was Sick.”

As we headed north across Burnside, we nearly a dozen or so inflated decorations all in one yard! This dragon had a tiny motor that made his wings flap. Very cool.

These three witches (Thanks, Mr. Macbeth!) looked more friendly than scary, as did their bulldog.

But the detached giant hand? Definitely creepy.
Ditto the eyeball-stealing ghost.

And there, keeping an eye on everything, was this OSU baseball rooting skeleton.

I love that everyone is getting an early start on Halloween decorations! It gives us more time to find them all.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Halloween Spooks in the Neighborhood

Dear Liza,

Our weather has gotten very wet and very cold this week, and the spooks just keep popping up! Every time we head out we see something new.

This house down the street that has always had cutesy-pie goblins must have a new tenant, because the vibe has changed quite a bit.

Or maybe it is the semi-nervous-breakdown our country seems to be having that is showing itself in the ghouls.

You know, like this guy trying to get out of his rut, or these poor souls who can’t find a place to get comfortable.

It is just a few days to Halloween, and I am sure enjoying the season…. Even if the decorations look….um… half dead…

Love,

Grandma Judy