A walk on Halloween ...

... led me to a graveyard. Graveyards have never been scary places for me; I spent a lot of time in them when I was younger, and I don't miss the chance to check out an interesting one now. This one is an old favorite. Several Revolutionary War soldiers are buried there; there is also a veteran of the War of 1812. The newest stones date from the early twentieth century. It's amazing to think how many people have wandered through this place. I wonder if there is anyone alive today who has memories of a person buried there.

Halloween favorite.

Deborah Sampson.

Well, it's a little late for this Halloween, so I guess I'll say that I know what I want to be next Halloween: Deborah Sampson, who disguised herself as a man in order to serve in the Revolutionary War and who happens to be a relative of mine (we're both descended from William Bradford, the first governor of Plymouth colony). I just finished Alfred F. Young's amazing biography of her, Masquerade. I find the idea of disguising myself as a woman disguising herself as a soldier in the Revolution to be kind of amazing.

In order to pull it off, I need to get myself a uniform of the kind worn by the light infantry in the Continental Army and a fake musket, and call myself Robert Shurtliff. I may just need a year to do this.

Update: I've created a Polyvore set of modern items I might use in my costume.

L.L. Bean Signature: Fall 2010

The L.L. Bean Signature collection is somewhat hit-and-miss for me, but I do like looking at the catalogues because they seem to capture that cozy, picturesque New Englandness that delights me this time of year. Have I mentioned that fall/winter are my favorite seasons? I demand nothing but superabundant snowfall to make up for the dreadful lack I suffered while in England last year.

Campus.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

[John Keats]

Maine pt. 2

Highlights: visiting the Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk, having touristy places almost entirely to ourselves, seeing colonial houses surrounded by autumn leaves, wearing my whales sweater, looking out at New Hampshire and Vermont from the top of Mount Agamenticus, lobster stew, getting an ocean-view hotel room for cheap, hanging out with a bookstore kitty, and the beach.

Maine pt. 1

Maine in October is fun and beautiful. There are a lot fewer people around than in the summer months, and the leaves are spectacular. My parents first went to Maine together 26 years ago in October, for their honeymoon - but I had never been there later than August. I really loved it and would definitely do it again.

Off to Maine.

I'm off to Maine for the weekend. See you when I get back.

Skurgery.

I had two skirts from American Apparel that I never wore because they sat too high on the waist. I've found that recently it's increasingly hard to find a skirt that actually sits on the hips. Not all of us can pull off the high-waisted look, you know. Anyway - I performed a little bit of skirt surgery (skurgery?) and now the skirts fit exactly where I want them. Which is nice, because I really like the color of the mustard one.

Other things of interest - October is still beautiful, a fragment of an illuminated book that I'm studying, and the best eraser ever.

Colors.

I really missed the changing of the leaves when I was in England last year. The trees in England don't turn colors like this. Halloween isn't as big of a holiday there, either. I do miss England, too, but right now I'm glad I'm here to experience the New York/New England fall. I find that I especially like the contrast of orange leaves against a really blue sky.