THE GHOST OF CLAFLIN SCHOOL

Marash Girl and (rahmetli olsun) Harriet Stetson (Marash Girl's best friend throughout elementary school) both loved to read the Nancy Drew Mysteries, a series written by Carolyn Keene. Marash Girl had been gifted a set of these books by a customer of her father Peter. Because Harriet and Marash Girl sat next to eachother in fifth grade and were always abuzz with excitement over the latest Nancy Drew adventure, the teacher decided that the two girls should leave the classroom and retire to the third floor of that 19th Century brick building, (the original Claflin School in Newtonville, Massachusetts,) with the specific purpose of writing a mystery à la Nancy Drew . . . specifically, The Ghost Of Claflin School! Once the girls left the classroom during "English", the teacher never checked on them, and needless to say, the girls never wrote even a first draft of The Ghost Of Claflin School!

A Witch's Moneybags In May?

Photo By MarashGirl©2022 Perhaps Marash Girl should have waited until Halloween to post the photo of this plant, a Witch's Moneybags Hylotelephium telephium (L.) H. (Hylotelephium telephium - Orpine), that appears in her garden in April (the plant, not the photo)! Marash Girl wonders which witch lost the moneybags this past October . . . and which witch gave the plant its name . . . Or perhaps Marash Girl should be using the plant's other name: Garden Stonecrop! More appropriate for a garden in May, don't you think?

And Throughout The Countryside, Scarecrows Preside!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

This Scarecrow Protects Its Pumpkins

This scarecrow protects its pumpkins, scaring more than the crows away!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Celebrating October and Sculptor Lloyd Lillie

Pumpkins by God...Horse Sculpture by Lloyd Lillie...Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Are YOU Ready For Halloween?

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Seeking The Perfect Halloween Pumpkin At A Farm In Sherborn!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Armenian Red Pepper On A Halloween Pumpkin ?

Do you know why Marash Girl sprinkled Armenian Red Pepper on her Halloween Pumpkin? Any guesses? Give up? The squirrels know why!!! From the lower limbs of the local Maple Trees, those squirrels eyed Marash Girl as she set out her newly acquired pumpkin, (see October 9, 2020, Marash Girl blogpost on the hunt for the perfect pumpkin...) liberally sprinkling Armenian Red Pepper on the pumpkin as well as on the stair at the top of the porch on which the pumpkin sat. To Marash Girl's knowledge (fingers crossed), no squirrel has attempted to take a bite out of her Halloween pumpkin yet. Perhaps they have already experienced the effect of Armenian Red Pepper on their squirrel tongues. Photo Credit: Marash Girl

Better Late Than Never! But Where Are The Bears?

Halloween Day, Bear's Neck, Rockport, Massachusetts 

             It seems that the bears had all turned into pumpkins in order to celebrate Halloween Day!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all my friends, past and present!  Don't forget to stock up on candy for all those trick or treaters!

Remembering that Marash Girl's dad never allowed his children to go trick or treating, because, as he saw it, it was begging!  And his mom, even when they were starving during the first world war in Marash, would not allow them to stand in the line for the food that the missionaries were providing to the hungry.  She did not want her children to accept charity.  Grandma Yepros Kurtgusian Bilezikian worked at the missionary hospital for one loaf of bread a day.  That is what she and her children would eat.  God blessed them.  They survived to tell the tale!

TRICK OR TREAT?

On an isolated and dark road nearing midnight on Halloween, after a day of celebration, their trusty Volvo flashed:  "Check Engine"!  Luckily they were nearing the parking lot, not more than a half mile from their hotel, but it did give them pause for concern. Was it all that flaunting of 
Halloween symbols that had flipped to haunt them?

Happy Halloween from Edgartown!

All Saints' Day

Are we all saints today, now that we've had the opportunity to be witchy?

Happy Halloween!

Sorry.  Marash Girl is out in her witch's attire, celebrating Halloween and advising folks to "Laugh their way through life!"

Halloween Soup

While in Edgartown on the Vineyard, Marash Girl met a gentleman who was preparing soup for his family's supper.  He shared his recipe with her and she's sharing it with you!

1 butternut squash, cooked, peeled and seeded
1 apple, cooked, peeled, and seeded
1 onion, cooked and peeled
Chicken or Vegetable broth (to thin to desired consistency)
Combine above ingredients while still hot in blender until smooth.  Add cream (or milk, if you're on a diet!) Serve hot.

Addition of salt and pepper to taste, and thyme, if desired. Serve hot (with a dollop of sour cream on top

Let's call it Halloween Soup!

A Page from the Past: All Is Vanity

Several years ago, while helping out at a local church fair, Marash Girl had the opportunity to view a framed image entitled, "All Is Vanity".  Framed over 100 years ago, the image is a reminder to all of us.   Do you see the two ladies or the skull?