Happy Halloween, Day 30

[eldritchhobbit]

I think of this as the "dog and cat" Halloween post...


Virginia, the world's most beautiful Boston terrier and our best friend, is ready for Halloween. Are you?



(You can see more of Virginia, in and out of costume, here.)


And now, on with the show…

Link of the Day: Literature of the Fantastic Archive (This is a terrific place to do some Halloween reading. Don't miss these stories!)


Literature of the Day: It's about time for me to bring out the one and only H.P. Lovecraft! I have both a poem and a very, very short story to share with you today. I think both are quite spine-tingling.

The Poem:

"The Cats"
by H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937)

Babels of blocks to the high heavens towering
Flames of futility swirling below;
Poisonous fungi in brick and stone flowering,
Lanterns that shudder and death-lights that glow.

Black monstrous bridges across oily rivers,
Cobwebs of cable to nameless things spun;
Catacomb deeps whose dank chaos delivers
Streams of live foetor that rots in the sun.

Colour and splendour, disease and decaying,
Shrieking and ringing and crawling insane,
Rabbles exotic to stranger-gods praying,
Jumbles of odour that stifle the brain.


Legions of cats from the alleys nocturnal.
Howling and lean in the glare of the moon,
Screaming the future with mouthings infernal,
Yelling the Garden of Pluto's red rune.

Tall towers and pyramids ivy'd and crumbling,
Bats that swoop low in the weed-cumber'd streets;
Bleak Arkham bridges o'er rivers whose rumbling
Joins with no voice as the thick horde retreats.

Belfries that buckle against the moon totter,
Caverns whose mouths are by mosses effac'd,
And living to answer the wind and the water,
Only the lean cats that howl in the wastes.



The Short Story:

"The Cats of Ulthar"
by H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937)

Excerpt:
It is said that in Ulthar, which lies beyond the river Skai, no man may kill a cat; and this I can verily believe as I gaze upon him who sitteth purring before the fire. For the cat is cryptic, and close to strange things which men cannot see. He is the soul of antique Aegyptus, and bearer of tales from forgotten cities in Meroe and Ophir. He is the kin of the jungle's lords, and heir to the secrets of hoary and sinister Africa. The Sphinx is his cousin, and he speaks her language; but he is more ancient than the Sphinx, and remembers that which she hath forgotten.

Read the complete short story here.

Comments

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

It suits her :-)

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

It is indeed. Her name is Lacey.

And thank you.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :) She's a real sport about getting her picture taken. How is sweet Lacey these days?

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

That's so lovely to hear.

Lacey is doing really well, thank you. She's now thoroughly settled in and has us totally under her little paw :-)

Seriously, we 'met in the middle' so to speak; both 'sides' adapted - she really is a dog of routine. But she seems very happy now.

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

She's so cute! And she seems to be willing to put up with just about anything, sitting quietly while her mother poses her. :-)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you! She is a very good sport. She also knows that her father is standing right beside me, holding a treat as her bribe to sit quietly. So if she looks uncommonly intent in any of her pictures, that probably means she's eyeing a Meaty Bone biscuit. LOL!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you so much! She's our little sweetheart. I don't know how we ever lived without her. She'll be six in January.

I'm so glad you liked the poem! :)

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

What a cutey!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you! :) I love your icon, BTW.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Thank you :) It was one of the batch of adoptable icons I made a few weeks back.

[vaklam.livejournal.com]

Oh. My. God.

Omigod!

Cutest. Thing. Ever.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

LOL! Thanks so much! :) She's such a good sport. The things we put her through...

[mamomo.livejournal.com]

Yay for spooky cats and witchy Boston terriers! I love how animal-oriented Halloween is. :D

I may have brought this up before, but are you familiar with Louisa May Alcott's Gothic fiction? She's just as good at writing it as she is at writing the sweeter stories she's more famous for.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

As a matter of fact, agentxpndble recently shared with me a volume of Alcott's Gothic stories. Wow! You're right: they are really great. (Note to self: I should share some next year, if I do October posts again.) I was completely surprised and fascinated, as I only knew her from books like Little Women previously. I'm glad you reminded me of this, because reading one of her stories would be perfect for tonight!

[louise-bohmer.livejournal.com]

Virginia is adorable, Amy! :D I had to look at all her pictures. She's quite the little charmer!

Ahhh, and thank you for the wonderful H.P. poem and tale. What a perfect way to spend a bit of time on Halloween eve.

Take care ~ Louise ~

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you so much! We're both wrapped around her little paw. She's incredibly patient with picture taking, too - perhaps because she knows she gets compensated in treats. :) Thanks for looking at her photos!

I'm so glad you liked the H.P. Lovecraft selections. I just love his work, and Halloween is the perfect time for it.

Happy Halloween!

[agentxpndble.livejournal.com]

Squee! Doggy!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Yay! :) She was a witch last year, too, but she liked this new hat much better than the old one. This one had elastic loops to fit around her ears. LOL!

[delenn1960.livejournal.com]

The little dog is absolute cute ;o)). I could put her out of the pic and cuddle the sweetie like mad *gg*. And she doesn't look scary with her pretty halloween costume...only sweet *gg*.

Happy Halloween dearie!!!!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you so much! She would happily come out of the picture and cuddle you back - she's a snuggler and a lover. We just adore her. I thought the hat had a bit of a Dumbledore look, too! :)

Happy Halloween! *hugs*

[dracschick.livejournal.com]

Very cute photo. Thanks for sharing:)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you so much! She's such a good sport about posing for us. :) Happy Halloween!

[fungus-files.livejournal.com]

*waves* Hello, lovely A.! Been enjoying your posts from afar and not commenting because I am evil. Bwahaha...

And no wonder V. looks all forlorn - those pumpkins are meant to be full of cheesey treats. :P

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Hi there, my friend! *hugs* It's wonderful to hear from you. Happy Halloween!!!

And no wonder V. looks all forlorn - those pumpkins are meant to be full of cheesey treats. :P

*slaps forehead* I knew we'd forgotten something! LOL. Of course, if they'd been full of treats, the only picture we'd get would be of her furry black rear end, as the rest of her would be inside those pumpkins, eating her way out! As it was, L. was standing next to me, holding her reward snack - hence the very intent look on her face.

Oh, by the way, would you be willing to email me your new address? I don't know how, but I somehow managed to lose it. Thanks a million.

I hope all's well with you. Happy Halloween!!!

[wildviolet4.livejournal.com]

She is just too precious! I hope her pumpkins were filled with doggy treats!

Barkley wore his DOGZILLA costume ... befitting his personality! LOL

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you! She definitely raked in the Halloween treats, that's for sure. :) I bet Barkley was a hoot in his Dogzilla costume! LOL!