There's a Witch Outside My Window

by Kenn Nesbitt

There's a witch outside my window and she will not go away.
There's a gremlin on my doorstep and I think he's there to stay.

There's a troll demanding candy and a mummy wanting sweets.
There's a ghost, a ghoul, a goblin and they're clamoring for treats.

And as if that weren't enough to be considered rather shocking.
A vampire rang my doorbell and the bogeyman is knocking.

My abode is now surrounded by the recently deceased,
They're in search of gum and chocolate on which they plan to feast.

It's the strangest situtation that I think I've ever seen.
How I wish they'd go away and just come back on Halloween.

The witch outside the sindow bracelet is up for auction on eBay this week. 

Don't Mess With Owls ~ a Lesson from Hawaii

BATTLE OF THE OWLS

a Hawaiian Folktale

In Kahehuna, in Honolulu, there lived a man named Kapoi.  One day, on his way back from Kewalo, he found some owl's eggs.  He collected them and brought them home.  That evening, he wrapped the eggs in ti leaves and prepared to roast them over hot ashes.

Before he could do so, an owl perched on the nearby fence, and called out to Kapoi, "O Kapoi, give me my eggs!"

Kapoi, who was quite hungry and quite certain these were not the owl's eggs, asked the owl how many eggs she had.

"Seven," replied the owl.

Kapoi sighed, and told the owl, "But I want to roast these eggs for my supper."

The owl again asked for her eggs, and again, Kapoi refused to relinquish them.

The owl cried out, "O heartless Kapoi! Please take pity on me, and give me my eggs!"

Kapoi, with a sigh, told the owl to come get the eggs.  Once the owl had her eggs, she instructed  Kapoi to build a heiau, or temple.  Then she told him how to build an altar.  This temple would be called Manua.

Following the owl's instructions, Kapoi built the temple.  He set kapu days for its dedication, and, as was the custom, placed a sacrifice on the altar.

News of this soon spread to Kakuihewa, who was the King of Oahu, and lived in Waikiki.   But Kakuihewa had made a law: whoever among his people build a heiau and kapu at the same time that the King's temple was kapued, would be punished by death.

Kapoi was seized by the King's men, and led to the heiau of Kupalaha, at Waikiki.

The same day that the owl told Kapoi to build the temple, she gathered together all  the owls from Lanai, Maui, Molokai, and Hawaii.  They gathered at Kalapueo, and at Kanoniakapueo, and at Pueohulunui, near Moanalua.

The King decreed that Kapoi would be put to death on the day of Kane.  But that day, at daybreak, all the owls left their places and covered the entire sky above Honolulu.

Just as the King's servants seized Kapoi to put him to death, the owls flew at them, pecking and scratching and tearing with their beaks and claws.

At last the owls conquered, and Kapoi was released,  The King was forced to admit that Kapoi's Akua (god) was a powerful one.

And from that day on, the owl has been recognized as one of the  deities venerated by the Hawaiian people.

Owl charms and earrings can be found here.

Owls on a (Nearly) Wordless Wednesday

Long Eared owls from Bruce di Labio's Blog

Long-eared Owl at Webster Park, NYBirds, Words, & Websites

Northern Saw-Whet Owl from A Year in Oatka

Boreal Owl, Amherst Island, Owl...
by Larry Scacchetti

Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus), Owl Woods, NY 2009

Owl earrings on etsy.

The Owl and the Pussycat...as Portrayed by Charms

by Edward Lear

I

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea     In a beautiful pea green boat, (accompanied by a manatee) They took some honey, and plenty of money,     Wrapped up in a five pound note. The Owl looked up to the stars above,     And sang to a small guitar, 'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,       What a beautiful Pussy you are,           You are,           You are! What a beautiful Pussy you are!'

II

Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl!     How charmingly sweet you sing! O let us be married! too long we have tarried:     But what shall we do for a ring?' They sailed away, for a year and a day,     To the land where the Bong-tree grows (elephants can always be found near Bong Trees) And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood     With a ring at the end of his nose,           His nose,           His nose, With a ring at the end of his nose.

III

'Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling     Your ring?' Said the Piggy, 'I will.' So they took it away, and were married next day     By the Turkey who lives on the hill. (This is his neighbor, the eagle). They dined on mince, and slices of quince,     Which they ate with a runcible spoon; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,     They danced by the light of the moon,           The moon,           The moon, They danced by the light of the moon. Be CHARMed here and here.

The Elfish Owl

by Cornerstoregoddess

The odd thing about the small owl known as elf--
He eats bugs and critters as big as himself.

He lives out his life in the Desert Sonoran
(Though water fowl rate it as terribly borin').

He hides from attackers in his cactus condo
Because, as an owl, he's not skilled in Tae Kwon Do.

(You can find him here, along with his friends, practicing for his yellow belt.)

Spotted Owls on a (Nearly) Wordless Wednesday

Owls here.