“It looked like the world was covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon.”

I got so carried away decorating the home for Fall that I forgot to post my Friday blog! So here I am with a cozy Autumnal home, apple scented candles, fairy lights and a fun Autumn Survey with all the things I love about the season.

What are you favourite Autumn TV Shows?  

Gilmore Girls. It’s always festive in Stars Hollow.  There’s also a new show coming in October with Hilary Swank that I’m looking forward to called Alaska Daily . I’m also looking forward to watching Wednesday on Netflix.  Big Sky if you’re looking for creepy serial killer vibes and if you haven’t watched Strange Things, it’s a great one to get into for Fall.

If you could pick one fictional character to go to a haunted house with, who would you pick?

Nancy, Bonnie, Sarah and Rochelle from The Craft.  

What are your top 3 spooky books you’ve read? 

Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris,  Dark Woods, Chill Waters (Ghost Stories from Downeast Maine) by Marcus Librizi and The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson.

Which Sanderson Sister is your favourite?

Winifred.  Bette Midler is hilarious in that role.

Can you tell us one of your favourite scary stories?

I love listening to scary stories on Youtube in the Fall while Im getting ready in the morning.  There’s one about this woman who picked up a hitchhiker on a stormy evening, ended up buying the guy dinner because she felt sorry for him then dropped him off in a small town.  She even gave him her number because she felt he might need help.   Few days later her phones rings and it’s the guy.  He calmly tells her that his plan was to murder her , throw her in a field and steal her car but that she had been so gracious toward him he couldn’t do it.  He then told her to NEVER pick up hitchhikers again.  It’s such a creepy story.

If you could experience Fall in any time or any place where would you pick?

I’d love to go back to see my Galician ancestors celebrating Samhain or La Queimada in Northern Spain.

Are there any parts of Autumn that you don’t enjoy, like an unpopular opinion?

The only thing I can think of is Candy Corn (gross!) 

What was your favourite Halloween Costume from your childhood?

I made my own clown costume one year and splattered paint all over one of my dads old shirts. I did my clown make up and wore an long knitted stocking cap my mom made.  No one knew what the hell I was and someone asked if I was a “painter going to sleep”.  I was pretty sad about it then, but now I think is super funny. 

What’s an old classic Hollywood Movie to watch during Autumn? 

Disney’s The Watcher in The Woods.  If was the first movie Disney filmed in 1980, trying to get away from cartoons. They thought they’d create a movie for older audiences and apparently for the time, people were quite shocked and spooked by the film.  I love it and watch it every year. Total Autumn vibes and a creepy story too.

Would you rather be a Witch, Vampire or Werewolf  and why?

I am a Witch and love it.  The Craft keeps me grounded and in touch with the current season and I arrange my life around the daily practice of magick and meditation.  It’s also pretty awesome when I cast a spell the works really quickly! 

Have you ever had a run-in with a ghost?

Many times.  I was sitting on my parents bed once watching TV in their room.  From my seat I could see the hallway leading to the stairs that went to the first floor.  I glanced into the dark hallway and saw a woman in a dark blue button down dress come up the stairs and down the hall toward me. She was so clear I thought it might be my neighbour who had stopped in so I called out only to see her vanish.

Who is your go-to author for Autumn reads?

Ann Rule.  Her true crime books are so well researched and written.  The Stranger Beside Me and Green River Running Red are my favourites.  She actually worked with Ted Bundy for years in the 70’s at a Crisis Intervention Hotline.  They worked the night shift and she and Ted would lock themselves in an old Victorian Home in Queen Anne neighbourhood (Seattle) to answer calls.  She never suspected he was a serial killer.

Is there an album(s) you listen to during Fall?  

The Elemental album by Loreena McKennitt comes out every fall.  I also love jazz and In Other Songs by Franz Gordon is one of my faves to listen to while Im cooking on a rainy autumn evening.

What’s one of your Autumn comfort movies?  

You’ve Got Mail.  It has the best Fall Festival scene where Tom Hanks takes the kids and there’s bobbing for apples, face painting and cozy sweaters.  Love that movie so much.

Are there any famous cemeteries that you want to visit?

I really want to visit Marie Laveau’s tomb in New Orleans.  She is considered the Voodoo Queen and it’s said if you leave an offering and draw 3 XXX on her tomb, she will grant you wishes. 

What has been on your Autumn bucket list for a long time but you haven’t managed to do?

A roadtrip through Downeast Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont to see the fall foliage, visits quaint towns and have a lobster roll in Bar Harbour. 

Do you have a favourite Autumn recipe?

I’ve got pumpkin risotto on the dinner menu this week for the first time this season.

How do you make a day feel Autumnal when its sunny and warm outside?

Autumn scented candles, an aromatherapy bath and a good Autumn vibe book like Something Wicked This Way Comes or The Girl in White.

How long would you last in a scary movie?

Depends on the day.  If my anxiety is acting up I’d be the first one slaughtered. If I’m feeling brave I’d be the last one standing.

Do you have a favourite Halloween costume you’ve worn as an adult?

I was a Glamorous Old Hollywood Ghost.  I had a white 20’s style sequin dress, white long satin gloves and eerie ghost makeup with black hollowed out eyes.

Wishing you a wonderful Autumn season. Do you decorate your home or have special recipes you pull out at this time of year?

Thank you for joining me today. If you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and join me over on Instagram @ BellWitchManor

If you feel so inclined to buy me a hot chocolate so that I can continue to create content like this, you can do so here.

Love,

Jennifer