Dear Reader,
Happy Halloween! I am so psyched to celebrate this holiday even during the pandemic. We are lucky that the weather is dry today, however, there is also snow on the ground this year! It snowed yesterday, which is kind of shocking in October even for Bostonians.
Last year, I dressed up as a vampire (more here). This year, I went as something a little closer to home. This year, I, Raven, am a… raven! How fun it is to be a bird and a sinister one at that. Quoth the raven “nevermore!” Interestingly enough, there happens to be an Edgar Allan Poe statue in Boston on the street that divides the Boston Common and the Public Garden. Not wanting to pass up the opportunity to visit the statue in costume, I headed downtown on this frigid Saturday morning for a photo shoot.
But first, dear Reader, a brief interlude in which I write the beginning of my tale in the style of Edgar Allan Poe:
Once upon a morning dreary, I woke up both bright and cheery
To see a quaint collection of black feathers and fabric galore.
So, I clothed myself quite quickly, giddy, happy, somewhat sickly
With prickly, tickly feathered beak, I flew through my chamber door.
“This must be witchcraft,” I surmised, “…girl turned raven through the door
…feathers, beak, and nothing more.”
And so, on this morning, with a large backpack filled with my camera supplies and birdy things, I stepped off the T (Boston’s subway system) into the fresh 28-degree air. There was already a good amount of people ambling down Charles St. and through the Public Garden. A group of friends sat in a snowy patch on lawn chairs that were far enough apart to keep social distance, but close enough to maintain a half-yelling conversation. I wasn’t the only one with a tripod this morning. I saw many a long lens aimed at the icy tendrils of the weeping willows. There were families and joggers too, but with the icy paths — no salt on the streets in October — I was surprised that not more people were slipping and sliding (as was I).
Arrived, I feather-ed up, beak-ed down, and set my camera on a tripod to bring you the following:
Although it was cold, it was a fun morning and not just for me. A handful of strangers stopped to chat with me excited to see— and at times take pictures of— the bird woman. Many even inquired about whether I was on my way to a party. In the age of COVID-19, parties are a thing of the past for me. Also, it was before 10 in the morning…I may be a bird uncaged but I’m not that wild. Yet, I am a big supporter of Halloween and am not easily deterred when it comes to its celebration. Even without outdoor Halloween gatherings in Salem (more here), costume contests, or bar specials, Halloween can still be a fun time if you B.E.L.I.E.V.E. in it 🙂
So, today, I wish you a very happy and appropriately spooky Halloween!
Love,
Raven
Curious Words Blog 