Today was so muggy and hot my eyeballs nearly melted--yes, I know it is July but I am dreaming of fall already.  Last night we had a writer's workshop at my house for the older kids.  We are planning a book of scary, spooky stories to be published in the fall by the grand offspring of the compound.  I thought it would be great to have some parameters set for the offerings--no blood, guts and gore--just suspense and scary situations.  We made a list of  prospective titles and of adjectives that were "scary" and practiced a few trial paragraphs.  They were inspired, if I may say so.

We also scared ourselves to death in the process.  I turned off all the lights and lit the oil lamps throughout the kitchen--we ate ice cream and brainstormed--we created an "aura" according to Spencer (which was exciting)--and told tales of old  (mostly about their parents--who love Halloween and scary stories as much as I do.)  I couldn't leave this house with Erin and Laura in it when they were preteens without getting called home by the police or a distracted grandparent because they had invented something horrible in their imagination.  Laura would conjure it up and Erin would swear to it!  They swear to it still---Robert came in to add his memories and in the middle of  a perfectly normal conversation suddenly screamed in the middle of his speech--(he is a very loud person when he wants to be)--we all went ballistic--- especially Spencer who has his mother's imagination.

The grands have inherited this love of the spooky--our next workshop will be held outside in the dark with candles and lightening bugs--yes, lightening bugs--that's what they are called in the South--- flitting around the edges of the trees while we create specters in the night.  These pictures are of last All Hallow's Eve and are awesomely inventive--from the demented Grinch to the dreaded ladybug--oooooooooooo!  So as we enjoy the heat and the flowers and the pool and all the joys of summer we are awaiting the future short story collection and the All Hallow's Eve to come!

P.S. The children who attended the workshop all slept with their parents last night--paybacks are terrible--:)