Well, the creaking door of the crypt has closed on another Halloween.
But don’t get too comfortable. Other frights lie in wait around many a corner. Some are already here, trying to blend in with October’s ghouls.
I try to look away when I see them, but before long, they’ll be everywhere.

I’m talking about Christmas decorations.

I met a woman this week who said she was decking her halls tomorrow.
Yikes! The witches and vampires are barely cold in their storage boxes. (OK, maybe vampires are always cold.)

Come December, all the lights and wreaths and glowing trees will be lovely. I just flinch a bit when I see them before we even change the clocks.
I understand that decorating for the holidays can be quite a project, and malls, stores and busy people may need more time to tackle it. And for some people, Christmas is their favorite holiday.
But, October? Really?

I prefer to take my holidays one at a time, and give them a bit of breathing space on either side. My ghosts will wave in the breeze for another week or so. I’ll trot out the turkeys later in November. And down the line I'll think about Christmas.

Surely before Dec. 25.

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The festive bones below hung out at the Franklin Institute gift shop in December. I guess blending holidays isn't all bad.

Happy ... Chrisween? 

Today I thought I’d let my pictures do the talking.

Using the traditional calculations, they’re worth about 5,000 words.

That makes my job easy.

Thank you, Strathmere, N.J., for countless momentary joys.

The view from my chair, September.

Storm brewing
(Seen from the shelter of an Ocean City boardwalk coffee shop.)

Sharing the last day of summer with the seagulls.

Brilliantly lit beach walk
And no, this was not taken in black and white.

Our last Strathmere sunset, at least for this year.