Happy Halloween 2018 And A Face In The Crowd

"Haunt an old house.

Ask for a treat.

Laugh like a witch.

Lick something sweet.

Offer a trick.

Wander a maze.

Echo a boo.

Exclaim the phrase... normal's unnatural on Halloween!"

~Richelle E. Goodrich

Making Wishes

A Face In The Crowd

October 25th 2018

Half Moon Bay, California

 

It's Halloween! My favorite holiday, which occurs on the last day, of my favorite autumn month, October! It's sometimes difficult to know how to feel! On the one hand, the day I wait all year for is here, but on the other hand, it only lasts 24 short hours. In recent years, I haven't enjoyed my Halloween as much as I used to. My peace of mind has been shattered. I feel like this year won't bring as many ghouls and goblins as in other years, because of the political climate, and that makes me very sad. I am going to try to put on a happy face, and put on my AHS: Coven witch costume, and face the day optimistic. I am going to try. The pumpkin will be carved. The candy bowl will be filled, and ready to hand out miniature goodies to the little ones, and I will try to only be afraid of old Dracula movies on TV! But I will also pray for a ghost or two from sanity past, to stop by for a little while, and bring me some joy! I just need a little bit... just for Halloween. I will worry about November 1st, once it gets here!

BWA...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! 

#40 Leaf Of The Day

October 31st 2018

Photographed October 21st 2018

Ione, California 

~Mood: Quiet
~Me 

A Face In The Crowd: Preston Castle

"Normal is an illusion. What's normal for the spider

 is chaos for the fly." 

~Morticia Adams

That beautiful Romanesque building is Preston Castle, in the small city of Ione, California. It is rumored to be haunted, and I believe the stories of cries, strange sounds and moans are real, and from the ghosts who live there now. It was once a boys reformatory, where young boys were sent, from all around the state, to serve sentences for various crimes, or sometimes when they had simply been made wards of the court. 

Terrible abuses took place at this prison, the unthinkable really, and it is said now that the spirits of these children haunt the halls and rooms of Preston Castle, as does a nurse who was murdered there. Alan and I paid a visit to the place about a week ago, and let me tell you, while we didn't go in, just standing on the grounds and looking up at the main building gave me the shivers! It is quite eerie and imposing.

Sometime, maybe next year, Alan and I should sign up for one of their October ghost tours. I didn't prepare for it in time this year to get a reservation in, but I have always wanted to go on a ghost hunt, so you can bet I will be trying for next year! I believe in ghosts, and I have had more than one experience with the paranormal. Actually, I hate that word "paranormal" it has such a negative association. 

Paranormal simply means we haven't discovered why certain things, that don't seem to belong in the natural world, somehow do. Science just needs a little while longer to figure it out, but with so many other things to work on, like cancer, and climate change, other diseases, and all the other things that benefit the living, the research continues, but the supernatural and paranormal, understandably, need to take a back seat. I suppose the dead can wait!

 But boy would I like to be there when a definite connection is made between the living and spirits or ghosts. Irrefutable proof of the existence of ghosts, would make me feel a lot better about some of the experiences I have had, since childhood, that you wouldn't believe me about, if I described them to you in exact detail! But its okay... I know they happened. And one day... I can say, yep, I knew it was true! I did see a ghost that day!

 The castle is kinda spooky, and I always feel a little sad when I look at it, thinking about how those children were abused and hurt, but the grounds around the building are beautiful, and quite pleasant. This tree lines the road leading away from the castle, towards the exit of the property. Beautiful trees, and lots of birds. If one didn't realize the past this places has, it might just seem like a beautiful place to hold a party, maybe even a wedding! But was we came to the end of the driveway, Alan glanced out the window and noticed this...

The long rock wall that lines the property, is a gorgeous mix of different rocks, but on the last group, was one particular rock that seems, well, to show a ghostly face! I know... it's just a rock, and I know that seeing faces, where there are none, is a phenomenon called Paredolia. I even have a whole album of "faces" that I have photographed over the years, called "A Face In The Crowd!" Everyone sees them from time to time, but the other day, when we saw this one, I got a chill down my spine! It was downright spooky to have chills, in 85 degree heat!

Tell me, have you ever seen a ghost? Or thought you had?

 #22 Leaf Of The Day

October 22nd 2017

Cull Canyon, California

 

"Maybe before you die, it's your ghost you see."

~Lauren Oliver 

Mood: Curious

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: Peace... And Smiles... On Earth

"Peace Begins With A Smile"

~Mother Teresa

If my memory serves me, this is the only post of "A Face In The Crowd" which contained an autumn face. The last post in this series was done over the summer, while we were in the hotel. Thankfully, this post has a happy, if maybe a little flirtatious, smile, rather than the one from last summer. The summer post was a bit sad, and so was I when I spotted it in a discarded pizza box. Sometimes I wonder if I see faces with the same emotion I am feeling at the time. When I was feeling artistic, I spotted one that reminded me of "The Scream" by Edvard Munch, so I suppose it could be my sub-conscience directing me to things in the universe that fit my mood. It's funny, when you think about it, a lot of things play off our general mood. Pets certainly do. Joey always seems to know when I need just a little extra cuddle time with him. He keeps my moods from being too dark. Spending just a little extra time with him, I always tend to see things in a more positive mood!

:)

A Face In The Crowd: Sad

A Face In The Crowd: Artistic

A Face In The Crowd: Silly

Seeing faces in inanimate objects is called pareidolia, and according to New York Magazine, people who tend to see faces are neurotic, and those who don't see faces... aren't! To me, that's a little too easy. I mean it's pretty common to see patterns, right? But then again, I can admit, I am somewhat neurotic. I always have been. You couldn't grow up in the family I did and not turn out at least a little neurotic. I would say that I am about 45% neurotic. 47% at the most. Give or take. How about you? Do you see faces in inanimate things? Of course answering that question would be like telling the whole world that you are neurotic. 

 Not there is anything wrong with that.

Leaf Of The Day

December 11th 2015

Mood: Curious

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: HWY 580

"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile,

 but rather sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy."

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Just when I really need to stop taking life so serious, along comes something that makes me smile. Like the smile on the back of this truck. I don't think it's a smile on purpose, but rather that just happens to be the way that particular container is close. But then again, maybe the manufacturer saw the chance to make the product serve two purposes. It's original purpose, and then why not make folks smile if they have to look at the back of a commercial truck in heavy traffic? Sure. Why not? It's a good idea. I know it put a smile on my face, and it made the traffic a lot less daunting. Cool. Right?

By any chance, do you know what the original purpose

 of the smile container/object/tool is?

 If you do, please feel free to chime in! 

"If I saw you hitchhiking, I'd smile and return your thumbs up, 

just for doing such a good job of being

 a positive roadside influence."

~Jarod Kintz

Leaf Of The Day

October 10th, 2015

 Mood: Happy

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: San Francisco Tree Remarking On The Chill In The Air

"In his face, there came to be a brooding peace that is seen most often

 in the faces of the very sorrowful or the very wise.

 But still he wandered through the streets of the town, always silent and alone."

~Carson McCullers

The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter

I kind of remember taking this photo. It was on one of the many days Alan and I spent in San Francisco last October. I think it was late in the day, on the same day, we went to Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum. We had so many wonderful days together, it seems like they have all ran together. It's a pretty cool face... isn't it? It was a windy autumn day, and to me, it looked like the tree was making a statement regarding the chill in the air. At least it seemed that way to me. Maybe it was just a tree.

Mood: Happiness

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: My Pizza Is Sticking It's Tongue Out At Me

"Pizza is circular. So is an hour. I'll take two slices... to go."

~Jarod Kintz

This Book Is NOT FOR SALE

My delicious slice of pizza not only has a face,

 it's sticking it's tongue out at me!

The nerve!

I bet if it could talk, it would spout some pretty spicy language!

Pizza these days!

Sheesh!

 

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: The Thanksgiving Edition

"Question for your life: If your face looked like your ass, and I'm not saying it doesn't, would you consider invading Russia in the middle of winter wearing only shorts?"

~Jarod Kintz

$3.33

I think I had been taking photos for well over a decade before I began to see faces. Oh don't get me wrong, I can recognize a face in the sense that I know what two eyes, a nose and a month creates one, no what I mean is, I began to see faces in objects and clouds or at least patterns that looked like faces. It's called Pareidolia. The most common example of which, might be when we see the Man In The Moon. To date, I haven't seen Jesus, or the Virgin Mary, which I hope isn't a bad sign, but I have seen some pretty interesting anonymous faces here and there! Take this one for example... do you see it? Look at the picture above. Do you see a cute little Golden Retriever looking back at you? Alan and I thought we did, so I thought it would make a fun addition to my collection!

 Tell me what you think... do you see it?

Thanksgiving Dinner

 (Before Picture)

The Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: San Ramon... A Whole Foods Smile

"Where health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied."

~Herophilus

A Whole Foods Smile :)

In an effort to eat better, and keep my body moving in a healthy direction, I decided to stop in at a Whole Foods market for lunch the other day, and while I was looking through the wonderful organic fruits and vegetables. As I searched, I happened to see these lovely pieces of Jackfruit staring back at me! I have never eaten Jackfruit before, so I didn't purchase any while I was there, but after a simple Google search of them I found out that they are really good for you, and probably taste pretty good as well. Somewhat like Tasty Fruit gum as described at NPR. So, maybe I will put them on my Christmas list for Alan. You see, each Christmas we make special gift bags for each other, filled with organic tastiness, and we try to include at least one thing that the other has never tried before. It's our little way of encouraging us to try new things. The problem is, we are now at an age where we are running out of new things to try! LOL. Middle age is fun! No really, it is!

Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: Mr. Scary

"Evil was coming. I wondered whose face it would be wearing."

~Dean Koontz, Odd Thomas

While walking around Fisherman's Wharf yesterday, I spotted this face in the sidewalk, in front of Madam Tussauds Wax Museum. Yes, we had an amazing time there, and yes I have tons of pictures to share, but that will come later. For now, contemplate Mr. Scary... does he look like anyone you know? He seems somewhat familiar to me, but I just can't quite figure out who he looks like! 

All I know is this face gives me the chills!

Thoughts?

The Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Spooky

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: Mr. Pumpkin's Outlook

"The face is a picture of the mind with the eyes as its interpreter."

~Marcus Tullius Cicero

I am super tired tonight, but so far the vacation is going awesome! I wish things had been going as well for this pumpkin I spotted on my way out of a pumpkin patch the other day. He has a happy little face, despite his circumstance, and I bet he would have made a fine Jack-O-Lanturn come October 31st! But he seems okay with his fate, and he made me smile, and that's a pretty good feeling.

The Leaf Of The Day...

So Far, So Good

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: Have A Coke And A Smile :)

"The truest smiles are those which spread across our faces when no one's watching us."

~Minhal Mehdi

Coca~Cola Classic... I am hopelessly addicted. Have been since I was a small child. I know. I know. It's not the healthiest thing in the world, and as I have grown-up I find I actually prefer Diet Coke most of the time, but once in a while, after one of those really bad days, when all you want to do is climb back in bed and pull the covers over you, and pretend the day had never began in the first place, I find a drinking a super cold can of Coca~Cola Classic, right out of the frig, a better cure than Valium! :) I don't indulge often, but I do admit that on any given day, there is a full, unopened can just waiting for me at the back of the refrigerator waiting to make it all better!

 

Have a Coke, and a Smile. See, even the face in the Coke machine is smiling!

Mood: Happy (Slurp)

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: The Lonely Little Pillar In San Ramon

"His face was neither handsome nor anything else... it just was."

~Tarjei Vesaas, The Birds

The Lonely Little Pillar... 
 

I spotted this little face the other day, when I stopped into WingStop, in San Ramon, for a quick lunch. I just glanced down at the second of two pillars in front of the shops, and it kind of struck me as a sad little face, maybe because the store it sits in front of is currently empty. Shrug. Just for curiosity sake, I might have to stop by when the shop is once again occupied, you know, just to see if it does, indeed, make a difference. Shrug. You never know, it might appear different on a happier day. One never knows about these things. 

Wink.

Mood: Silly

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: Berkeley... Mr. Meter Cover

"For a moment, be the smile on someone else's face."

~ Dejan Stojanovic, The Sun Watches The Sun

I was beginning to wonder if I was going to spot a "face in the crowd" in 2014! We are already 7 weeks in, and I haven't seen any... well... until last Wednesday! I was walking along Addison street, here in Berkeley, photographing the poetry panels, and other assorted works of art along the street, when I suddenly noticed this meter cover. I think it's an underground water meter, but I am not sure. It's a meter lid of some sort. In any case, it made me smile. Not all of the faces I have found have done that, some make me curious, some made me sad, but this one seemed pleasantly content.

What do you think? 

Is Mr. Meter Cover happy?

Mood: Curious

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: A Ghostly Face In The Autumn Leaves

"Don't matter if you believe in them or not. If they're there... they're there, Mrs. Phillips said."

~Joan Lowery Nixon, The Haunting

The Final Chapter Of Donny And Nina(not their real names).
Or
How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Ghost.

As you may, or may not remember, I have a neighbor that's a ghost. Well, perhaps not the same kind of ghost you might be thinking about, but rather he has some really strange habits that seem, somewhat, ghostly. Let me explain...

 You see, he moved in one day, a little over a year and a half ago. It was a warm, bright Saturday, a day when the property I live on is usually quite active. No one saw him move in. He was just there. Suddenly that Saturday evening, Alan and I were speaking with the neighbors who live toward the front of the property, when all of a sudden, the lights in his apartment went on. I know, I know... that's not particularly ghostly. But what is odd is the fact that no one saw him move in, let alone drive his car onto the property. No one.

He has some other assorted habits that I find odd. Like the fact that he apparently only sleeps a few hours a night, despite his age of about 80 or so. He doesn't seem to cook, no one has seen, or heard any noise coming from his kitchen. He doesn't have garbage. HE NEVER HAS GARBAGE! How, exactly is that possible? He doesn't get mail. He doesn't get deliveries. He doesn't get visitors. I don't understand it. He hasn't spoken to any of us, in the entire time he has been here, although he has had some assorted interactions with a few of us. Let me explain...

 Do you remember me telling you about the saga of Donny and Nina (not their real names)? Well, it wasn't just my life Donny made a living hell... he pretty much messed with everyone, including the ghost! The ghost puts all lights out by 10:00 PM every single night, and leaves for... somewhere... each morning at about 4:30 AM. EVERY SINGLE DAY! Winter, spring, summer, autumn, major holidays, every single day of the year! Well, late last winter, Nina decided to start letting her dog out to bark at or about 3:00 AM almost every Sunday morning. It was mostly to screw with me, for complaining about the dogs habit of barking for up to 8 hours at a time. Charming. Alan can sleep through anything, and I invested in a pair of ear plugs, so while it hurt my feelings that I couldn't fall asleep to the sound of Dylan's purring, I found a way to deal with it. No, the person it really messed with the most was the ghost. Poor man!

After a few sessions of the late night/early morning barking, the property management, and I use the term extremely loosely, finally tried to put a stop to it. I hadn't complained, but I am pretty sure Mr. Ghost did. A couple times I saw his light on, just after the barking began. The barking stopped for a few weeks, and then it began again, but only once a month. It was pretty miserable for everyone, but did Donny and Nina (not their real names) care? No. In fact, they only began making more noise! Slamming things around. Fighting. Crushing cans in the middle of the night. Inviting their friends over to party all night! You name it... they found a way to make noise out of it!

But something odder still happened one day late last summer. The ghost, who had never said a word to anyone, or made a bit of noise, suddenly... inexplicably... without reservation... smiled! He pulled into his parking place, which sits about 50 feet behind Alan's car, got out of his vehicle, looked toward us in my car, and smiled the BIGGEST, LOVELIEST, SMILE! He had the kind of smile that made you smile back, almost against your will! He looked like he hit the lottery, he was smiling like he hadn't seen us in YEARS, and he had truly missed us! He smiled like he knew something, we didn't! And he did it directly in front of Donny and Nina's (not their real names) window!

HUH? Had it turned out that we were Mr. Ghost's favorite neighbors?

Did the property managers finally give their word about dealing with Donny and Nina (not their real names)?

The next day, Mr. Ghost went back to his usual routine. No smiling. No waving. No cooking. No garbage. No noise, except the sound of his computer keyboard, and the occasional roar of his red hair dryer. How do I know it is red? Well, he lives on the second floor, and sometimes you can see him drying his white hair. His ghostly, white hair. Everything had gone back to... normal? Yes, normal for him. And normal for us now as well. I have gotten used to my quiet neighbor. As neighbors go, he is quickly becoming my favorite. And since Donny and Nina (not their real names) moved, it's been blissfully quiet. It's like a new place. I swear the sun shines a little brighter! Everyone on the property seems happier. And I am falling asleep to the sound of Alan's snoring, and Dylan's purring once again. All is right with the world. Sometime soon, Donny and Nina's cottage will be rented, And I only hope that when it finally is, it will be to another ghost. Maybe this time, a female ghost.

Can you imagine that love connection?

:)

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Mr. Ghost does take one day off a year... October 25th! He stayed home on that day 2 years in a row now! If I ever get the courage, maybe I will ask him if he enjoys autumn as much as I do. Who knows, maybe it's his birthday or something. For now however, he seems to want to be left alone, and I can respect that. After all, he is my favorite neighbor.

A Face In The Crowd: The Whistling Tree

"The truest smile are those which spread across our faces when no one's watching us."

~Minhal Mehdi

While out and about, shopping for Halloween costumes with Alan, I spotted this tree in Hayward. It's been fairly windy this weekend, leaves are blowing about everywhere, so I found this angle on the tree rather amusing. As the wind blew, and the leaves went tumbling past, it almost looked like the tree was blowing the leaves along. Or maybe the tree was whistling. There was a spooky whistling in the wind. You know the one... it kind of sounds like there is a ghost somewhere nearby... or maybe it's the sound of a witch, riding her broomstick, and making good time, thanks to a cooperative breeze. Shrug.

One never knows about these things.

But I know a pretty cool face when I see one! And the smile on the tree made me smile.

Mood: Silly

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: A Sad Face In Half Moon Bay

"The secret to modeling is not being perfect. What one needs is a face that people can identify in a second. You have to be given what's needed by nature, and what's needed is to bring something new."

~Karl Lagerfeld

How about that! I have spotted two new faces this month! Last week I showed you Mr. Walnut, who lived in Apple Hill, and now we have a very sad Mr. Rock who resides along the shore in Half Moon Bay, California! Do you see him? Mr. Rock looks a little more sad than most of the faces I come across, perhaps he is lonely, or maybe he doesn't enjoy the waves when they were crashing high against the shoreline, or maybe he is actually happy, but he just has a sad face! Who knows? All I know is now that I know where that particular face is, I will probably always wave hello as I pass by! I am kind of odd that way!

:)

And yes, the Valium is helping my mood greatly, thanks for asking!

:)

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: Mr. Walnut At Work And At Play!

"For a moment at least, be a smile on someone else's face."

~Dejan Stojanovic, The Sun Watches The Sun

The last time I wrote a "Face In The Crowd" post was way back on April 5th! I was beginning to think that I wouldn't see any more this year, but yesterday, in Apple Hill, I saw a delightful face! Meet Mr. Walnut! And look at that, not only do we get to see Mr. Walnut as an average Walnut about town, but we get to see Mr. Walnut while he is on the job!

See... He has his own helmet!

 

I am pretty sure Mr. Walnut works in construction! And commutes. Clearly he is standing in line, at the Market Street Railway, waiting for the F Line Streetcar.


Mood: Silly

-Me :)

A Face In The Crowd: In My Garden

"I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that."

~Lauren Bacall

I can't believe I hadn't noticed it before, but there it was! A face! I have to admit that I hadn't even noticed it the other day when I took this picture to show the property management company a small amount of damage done by time. It wasn't until I uploaded the photos for editing that I spotted this nice little face looking back at me. The face seems tired methinks. Worn. Maybe a bit sleepy. But such is the life of a fence I suppose. They get animals crawling on them. Rain sometimes. Hot sun. Even the occasional basketball thrown against them. A fence works hard keeping property lines, well, within the lines. And what does the fence get for all it's hard work... well... I have a feeling this poor fence will be replaced soon, but now that I have seen it's face, I almost wish it could just keep on keeping on. Hey, it has an actual personality now, doesn't it seem a shame to just cast it off as if it never did it's job at all? Poor fence! :(

I told you I was overly sentimental. LOL.

Mood: Silly

Barenaked Ladies "If I Had A Million Dollars"

 

~Me :)