I received my wonderful box from Jeanette! It was full to the brim with bright orange and black wrapped surprises! I got: a wonderful Halloween kitchen towel. I love to change my kitchen towels for the season and didn't have a Halloween-themed one - thanks! a cute pumpkin votive candle holder with a scented candle in it a black and orange paper lantern a wonderfully scented potpurri mix a halloween wind sock a spider web wine/champagne goblet (so cute!) a spider on a spring a silver starred Halloween hat (sorry Jeanette - no digital camera to take a picture - my daughter kept saying "you're not going to wear that in front of my friends are you? - LOL!" a spooky hanging ghosty that emits an eeery sound - scares the daylights out of my little dog......... mummy's passion fruit tea bags and a ghost tin of chocolate kisses (oops all gone - how did that happen he he) Thanks Jeanette! Sue G.

Halloween is a fun holiday for me. It's all about candy and having fun. Here in south Texas, it can be 90 degrees or 60 degrees, depending on the weather! I made tombstones last year out of styrofoam, but the dogs knocked over the stack they were in and broke them when we were moving things out of our old shed. I put out skeletons, pumpkins, black cats, bats and ghosts. None of the gory, scarey stuff, just the fun kind. I don't like the blood and gore decorations. Save that for the commercial haunted houses. Halloween was definitely much more fun when my kids were younger. They don't seem to get into it too much, except to see what the trick or treaters are dressed up as, or to see how much of the candy bag they can devour before the 31st. I usually end up having to buy more candy, not because of the trick or treaters, but because of my kids (well, okay, us adults are guilty of digging into the candy bags, too!) Pat, I love the idea of the murder mystery party. A friend of my daughter's had one a couple of years ago and it was a real blast. Our HOA hosts a Halloween party for the little kids each year. Activities are bobbing for apples, face painting, ring toss, cake walk, costume contest, etc. One of the parents got industrious and made a cardboard box haunted maze for them to crawl through. They served punch and cookies and cupcakes and gave out goodie bags. Another parent provided the flat bed trailer and hay bales so the kids could take a hay ride. (The same person does this at Christmas for the neighborhood carolling.) Fun time for all that ends about dark so the kids can head off to trick or treat or parties. As for the bad side of Halloween, our humane society and animal control services stop adopting out black cats well in advance of Oct. 31st. Sad that there are weirdos out there that still commit outrageous acts, but we have been lucky that nothing has happened locally in a few years. ~Kathy

I haven't grown many pumpkins for eating. I have grown a basic sugar pie pumpkin they are ok. As I understand it, New England Pie, Baby Pam, Fairytale and Cinderella Pumpkins are all very good. And all on my want list. :) So far this year, the Blue Hubbard is my ultimate favorite. YUM. It is like sweet potato, but better. I'd like to use those for breads and pies. Also, tonight we cut into a butternut we grew and it was the ORANGEST butternut I have ever seen and it was the best tasting too.

Kris, count me in on the swap again. Hope that you had a good vacation. Im readdy for another one. We went in July but that seems like it has been longer then that. Where did you go? We went to Seattle to see my brother and family. I have been there before but my husband never had been there before. We are going on a cruise next year in march and can't wait. I will send you a e-mail.