Halloween Countdown Film #9... The Omen Trilogy

 

The Omen

Closing credits epilogue: "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is 666."

Book of Revelation Chapter 13 Verse 18

 

 

The Omen II

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Damien Thorn: Yes. Born in the image of the greatest power in the world! The Desolate One. Desolate because his greatness was taken from him and he was cast down. But he has risen, Mark, in me!

 

The Final Conflict: The Last Chapter In The Omen Trilogy

 "The power of evil is no longer in the hands of a child."

 

It's Saturday, so I plan to spend the day watching movies all day! The Omen Trilogy is one of my favorite sets, so I saved it for the week just before Halloween! I expect I will be doing multi-movie nights leading up until Halloween on Friday, and probably into the, Day Of The Dead, as well. I have to confess, my draw to these movies the last few years isn't just the terrific acting, or how wonderfully beautifully filmed they are, but the fact that the evil in the White House making the drama seem all the more real. And all the more Scary. I believe in evil. I believe that the anti-Christ will eventually make himself known one day. I am a Christian, and my faith says it's true. Whether it will be in my lifetime, who knows, but watching the evil doings of our current government certainly demonstrates how easy it will probably come to pass. Weak willed humans will lead the way. It's biblical. Okay, I'm done.

 

These are really great movies.

 Watch them for the talent.

 Remember them for the messages they convey. 

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #34

 

“Nature is an alchemist,
gathering the last of summer’s green
and turning it to gold.”

 
~Laura Jaworski 

 

 

On A Warm Autumn Day

 

“I kick off sandals and feel the wet mud under my feet... I want to taste everything about Autumn when I am footloose.”

 
~Reena Doss,

  The Last Leaf Of Autumn: Barefoot and falling, infinity is a number that has none to end

 

Isn't that a gorgeous bird? I never get tired of photographing Sandhill Crane, especially while they are doing simple things, like just standing in the middle of a field, on a warm October day. I don't need big flyovers, although I love them, I just need a happy bird enjoying the day, to bring out the happy photographer in me. 

 

That's all.

 

 

Halloween Countdown Film #10... The Witches Of Eastwick

 

"I think... no, I am positive... that you are the most unattractive man I have ever met in my entire life. You know, in the short time we've been together, you have demonstrated EVERY loathsome characteristic of the male personality and even discovered a few new ones. You are physically repulsive, intellectually retarded, you're morally reprehensible, vulgar, insensitive, selfish, stupid, you have no taste, a lousy sense of humor and you smell. You're not even interesting enough to make me sick."

 

~Alexandra Medford To Daryl Van Horn

The Witches Of Eastwick

 By John Updike

 

Is he a jerk? Is he charismatic? Is he the Devil?

 

Yes, yes, and yes. 

 

I consider this movie one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I love the works of John Updike, but this is, of course, and adaptation of the book. Read the book. Watch the movie. Enjoy.

 

Repeat! 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #33

 

“If only it could stay like this forever,” she mumbled “A world where autumn never ended.” 

~Diana Jaques,

  The Falling Leaves

 

 

Autumn Heart Flutters

 

 

“Under the brush of the autumn wind, the leaves dance, painted in hues of orange and gold, a visual symphony that sings in every corner of the forest.” 

 

~ David Passarell

    Mountain poems: Musings on stone, forest, and snow  

 

I just need to breathe.

 

 

 

Halloween Countdown Film #11... The Rocky Horror Picture Show

 

Janet Weiss - A Heroine:

 If only we were amongst friends... or sane persons!

 

~Rocky Horror Picture Show

 

That's a good question, Janet Weiss, I feel that way all the time! Shrug. I guess all we can do is, do the time warp again! This movie came out in 1975, so I know you've seen it, but if you haven't please watch it. It's fun. Tim Curry is magnificent as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. It would be a shame not to see it at least once in life. It's a comedy, a horror show, and a love story. It's a movie, a Broadway show and it's a cult classic! What's not to love?

 

Did you every attend a midnight showing of Rocky Horror when you were a kid?

 

Did you bring toast? 

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #32

 

“Its cozy shops all had their windows decorated with the palette of autumn. The air was cooler today, and she smiled at the just-emerging colors on the leaves of the trees nestled along the street.”

 
~Heather Flynn,

  Novelists in November: A Wild Blue Wonder Press Anthology

 

I just love it when the autumn sun, shines through a singular leaf, among of pile of different shapes and colors of  leaves. Like the witch of autumn is giving it a little extra bit of love, as it passes away. I don't know, I've felt that way since I was a little girl. It's as if autumn carries that little bit of empathy and compassion than other seasons do. 

 

It's all about the light.

 

 

 

 

Autumn Answers: Yes And No

 

Stockton, California

October 19th, 2025 

 

“This 'death' of flowers was only for a season.

 A person just needed a little patience to see things come to life once more.”

 
~Heather Flynn,

  Novelists in November: A Wild Blue Wonder Press Anthology

 

Corte Madera, California

October 21st, 2025
 

It's not autumn or winter that drains flowers of their life, it's politics. I was kinda looking forward to not having to think about politics this November, but then Prop 50 came around, and I was quite happy to think about it, in fact autumn flowers seem happier and brighter somehow after I delivered my ballot to the registrar of voters. You already know where I stand on these issues, but for the sake of history, here are two signs I spotted this week that made me smile. 

 

Maybe there is a little hope after all.

 

 

Halloween Countdown Film #12... What Lies Beneath

 

"You're not yourself today are you?"

 

~Dr. Norman Spencer

 What Lies Beneath 

 

Alan Silvestri  

 

Is there a ghostly face at the end of the movie? Do you see a ghostly face? Ooops, I guess I gave the movie away a bit, but whether or not there is a ghostly face at the end of the movie is a point of contention among a few of my friends, from back when this movie was made. Was it really released in 2000? Yep. Wow that was a long time ago! But even today, it captures my attention. Such great casting. Harrison Ford without his shirt on, playing a dangerous cad! Miranda Otto and James Remar as the creepy neighbors, Warren and Mary Feur, and Beautiful Amber Valletta as Madison Elizabeth Frank, the young woman who just might be haunting, Norman and Claire. Or is she?

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #31

 “There is something about autumn that makes things more beautiful. Out of all the seasons, it is the most honest about time. Summer and spring blind you to its passing with their colorful displays. Winter paints over everything in white. But autumn is not shy about things coming to an end. It welcomes it, waving leafy flags of red, yellow and gold. It celebrates its sadness.”

 
― Samantha Sotto Yambao,

  Water Moon

 

 

The Greens Of Autumn

 

“He'd grown unused to woods like this. He'd become accustomed to the Northwest, evergreen and shaded dark. Here he was surrounded by soft leaves, not needles; leaves that carried their deaths secretly inside them, that already heard the whispers of Autumn. Roots and branches that knew things.”

 
~Michael Montoure,

  Slices

 

 I know that these are green trees left over from summer, but it was three weeks into autumn, in Yosemite, and summer had been gone, officially, for three weeks, so I gave them to autumn. I love Yosemite. It's just there for the fantasy of it.

 

 

 

An Autumn Afternoon's Black Phoebe

 

“There is something beautiful about autumn that makes things more beautiful. Out of all the seasons, it is the most honest about time. Summer and spring blind you to its passing with their colorful displays. Winter paints over everything in white. But autumn is not shy about things coming to an end. It welcomes it, waving leafy flags of red, yellow, and gold. It celebrates its sadness.” Hana Ishikawa”

 
― Samantha Sotto Yambao,

  Water Moon

 

That cute little bird is a Black Phoebe. It's one of the first birds I learned about after taking up birding as a hobby/way of life. Years ago, when I had the small cottage in the East Bay, I had one that liked to visit my yard, but I didn't know at that time what it was, it wasn't until I moved the San Joaquin Valley, that I had them permanently in my yard. Watching them delighted me. They are terrific little flyers, who hover at times over their meals. They are brave too. I watch one chase off a large Scrub Jay, when it came too close to invading it's home.  Phoebes are in much greater numbers, then they were in the East Bay, so it's delightful to get to see them every day. I enjoy them very much!

 

   

Halloween Countdown Film #13... The Devil's Advocate

 

"Vanity, definitely my favorite sin."

 

~John Milton ( the Devil)

 

The Devil's Advocate

By Andrew Neiderman 

 

It's time to let the devil show off a bit, don't you think?' By coincidence, it was partially filmed in... ahem... Trump Tower. Yes, Donald Trump's Manhattan apartment makes a cameo! Cool, right? The story also partially revolves around a Manhattan real estate developer, who no one likes, including his lawyer, Kevin Lomax, on trial for murdering his second wife. Imagine that! It's all so, so, diabolical!

 

Watch it. It's good!

 

Spoiler below this graphic. 

 

Spoiler Alert: The real estate developer, who no one likes, gets away with it!

How silly, no one would ever believe it, right?
 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #30

 

“THERE is something in the autumn that is native to my blood—
Touch of manner, hint of mood;
And my heart is like a rhyme,
With the yellow and the purple and the crimson keeping time.”

 
~Bliss Carman 

 

 

Autumn Reflections...

 

“Autumn is as joyful and sweet as an untimely end.”

 
~Remy de Gourmont 

 

When I saw this cart, I couldn't help but feel sorry for it. It has an injured wheel/paw, and clearly no one is helping it feel better. Yes, even grocery carts have the ability to make me over-think life. I just felt bad. I dunno, maybe it was because earlier in the day I did some reading about Trump destroying some Art Deco art, while demolishing the Bonwit Teller building to build Trump Tower. It was an offensive move then, and as far as I am concerned, it's outrageous even now! Art Deco just happens to be my favorite style of anything, from Art to table linens, to architecture. I have lots of it around my home, so I found it especially disgusting that he is also tearing out some Art Deco design in the White House. The Lincoln bathroom is decorated in Art Deco decor. It was designed by Harry Truman, during the time of his own renovations of the White House. Trump's taste is pretty much best described as Nouveau Tacky. So, how does all of this apply to a damaged shopping cart? Well, I see design. I see faces. My mind and my eyes tend to see in emotions. Personally, I thank God for it, because it keeps me in touch with my empathic side, otherwise, I think I might have given up altogether by now. Some days I just walk around numb! 

 

Poor little cart. Do they really not see the art of you? 

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #29

 “Change is coming, she whispered to the bugs bouncing off her window. 

You can’t escape it.” 

 
~A. Lynn,

 Itsy's Ugly

 

Yosemite was just beginning to turn, but there is a lot of beauty all the same. Just wait until early November, the leave should be breathtaking! I hope the Republican shutdown will be over by

  then!

 

 

 

 

Halloween Countdown Film #14... The Lost Boys

 

"One thing I never could stomach about living in Santa Carla... all the damn vampires!"

 

~Grandpa Emerson

The Lost Boys

 

There's a lot about this movie that's fun, but I guess the main thing is that the fictional town of Santa Carla, is actually Santa Cruz, California, a place near and dear to my heart! I loved going to the boardwalk as a kid, and young adult, and an older adult, but I have never been there since I have needed the wheelchair. The Boardwalk shows it every summer, when it's time for its summer movies on the beach event. Maybe next year I will give it a go. There's something to look forward to! I would hate to think I am too old for the fun. This movie would be amazing to see on the big screen, and on the very beach it will filmed on all those years ago! It's accurate to say I am sentimental about this one!

 

You'll love it! It's some late 80's coolness! 

 

 

 

 

It's All About The Autumn Peace

“If, of all the seasons, there is a season in which a person completely forgets himself and constantly watches the magical environment, it is undoubtedly autumn!”

 
~Mehmet Murat ildan 

 

You know it's autumn, a little before the calendar reflects it, when you hear the return of the various species of geese and Sandhill crane flying over. It's the beautiful return of the migrating birds to the San Joaquin Valley, Desmond road in particular. That small road has brought me so much happiness, over the last five years or so. It's about the autumn sun, it's about the turning of the oak trees, it's about the sounds, it's all about the peace.

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #28

 

“Autumn is an honest month; it does not delude man like spring does! It shows him the dark face of life, the tragedy, the rot, the separation, the sadness!”

 
~Mehmet Murat ildan 

 

Halloween Countdown Film #15... Halloween

 

 -Dr, Loomis (character)...

 

"I met him, 15 years ago; I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding in even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this... six-year-old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and... the blackest eyes - the Devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized that what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply... evil."

 

~John Carpenter

Halloween 

 

"Halloween, the night he comes home." Who? Well, Michael Myers, of course! I have loved this slasher movie since it was released in 1978! It's John Carpenter, and stars, Jamie Lee Curtis, so really it's not that complicated, that combination resulted in pure film making magic! Set in the fictional town of Haddonfield, which was actually, Pasadena, California, it's all about babysitting, making out, and a demented guy running around in a, William Shatner (Captain Kirk) mask. The sequels are great too, but there is nothing like the original, that started it all!