The Cauldron has been lit!

Hello once again my scary little fiends!

So things have really started jumping around the old place. Last weekend was the annual cauldron lighting. Spooks from all over gathered here at the abbey to kick off the haunting season. I got to see so many old friends and made many new ones too. Of course there were the usual complaints as well; poor old West did nothing but bicker about that little girl that’s always trying to steal her shoes and throw water on her. And of course no one can forget Samantha’s Uncle Arthur with all his wise cracks and silly jokes. Grimm took pictures, of course, so I’ll get him to post a couple. Well that cauldron won’t attend to itself, so I better go. I’ll drop by later in the week with a little more detail.

Have a Great weekend!

Elizabeth

First post of the 2013 Season!!!

Pumpkin Abbey Cemetery Halloween 2012

Hello one and all!

So good to finally talk to everyone again, it seems like forever since we last chatted. My sisters and I arrived here at the abbey last week and boy did we have our hands full. Last year when we left Agnes fired the caretakers without telling us. Well, someone come in while we were gone and cleaned the place up! Can you imagine? The grass was cut, the windows washed, and all the cobwebs cleaned out! It was horrible!!! So, we've been busy making the place nice and gloomy again, just the way we like it. We have put Frankie in charge of grave digging and making sure things fall apart around the cemetery. Alice and Bernard are pulling double duty around the Abbey helping stock the cupboards with potions and stuff for the cauldron. Crow has been standing watch over the pumpkins all season and this year’s crop is sure to be simply magnificent! Who does that leave? Oh, yes; Cousin Grimm! He has been taking pictures of everything in sight. I am going to be turning part of the blog over to him, so he can post his pictures and update the biographies section, so keep your eyes open for updates there! SO EXCITING!!! This year promises to be a fantastic year and another great Halloween, thank you all so much for letting us be a part of your year!!!!!!!

I will drop by again soon, until then stay scary!

Elizabeth

Thank you one and all!

What a fantastic time we had last night! Thank you to all the little trick-or-treaters and family and friends that dropped by! Sorry to those who were frightened too badly by Agnes' demon friend, I knew she was up to something. We are going to take a well needed vacation for now, but we will be back very soon to start plotting next years night of fright!!! Have a great year end and we will talk with you after the new year...

Until then,
Elizabeth

PS For those who weren't able to visit last night, pictures and video will be online soon!

The hour is near...

Well tomorrow is the big night for 2012, and everything is ready here at the Abbey! I think Agnes is cooking up something dreadful for the evening but other than that everything points to a really good evening. We are of course concerned for our ghoul friends out on the east coast, we hope everyone is OK and can put things back together soon! We expect to see anyone who can get here in person, any time after the sun goes down and until the candy is gone!!! Rest up my little minions the witching hour is close at hand!!!!

See you soon (if you are brave enough)!
Elizabeth

We're almost ready, are you???

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

I just thought I’d drop in and let you all know I have a few surprises up my sleeve for our big night this year. And I've invited a special guest to help me with them since those goody goody sisters of mine won’t ever let me do anything evil. The last time I got to do anything about the little tick-or-treaters was when I turned those four little tikes into frogs a couple years back. Of course now the problem is they won’t leave. They hang around year after year expecting me to change them back! HA, FAT CHANCE!!! Anyway, just go ahead and try to get candy from me, YOU’LL BE SORRY!!!

All my love (NOT),
Agnes

Hello you little devils out there!!!

It’s been such a long long time since I rapped with you, I thought I’d cruise by and see what’s goin’ down! BOY! Have we had a time around here lately, aside from dumb dumb Frankie bumping in to everything, those stupid little pixies have been at it again! We knew they were up to something since we hadn’t seen them in a while. Well they took over our best and biggest pumpkin and made it into some kind of home for their queen. BOY! Do I have news for them; Elizabeth is the only queen around this pad!!! Agnes is working on something to get back at them for all their mischief, in fact I hear her calling, I better split for now and see if I can help.

Toot-a-loo for now kittens!

XOX Pandora

Meet Frankie Stein

Good day one and all!!!

I hope you are all enjoying yourselves now that autumn is in full force! We have been so very busy here at the Abbey getting ready for this year’s visit. The candy is almost out of the cauldron and most of the pumpkins are ready to go. The caretakers have been getting the cemetery ready for the big night. OH! That reminds me, I never told you what those two rascals did over the summer while we were gone, well they were digging fresh plots at the back of the cemetery and they ran across some…let’s just say…left overs. Bernard, our new butler, fancies himself as somewhat of a mad scientist/witch doctor, and he came up with the idea to put the parts together and make a whole person out of them. Well his spell worked… sort of. The creature he created is dumb as a box of rocks. That thing lumbers around all over the place getting into all kinds of trouble squishing pumpkins and knocking the cauldron over. And I won’t tell you what Agnes thinks about the poor thing. Bernard named it Frankie, Pandora just calls him dumb dumb. Well I should go for now, I’ll talk to you more real soon!!!

Elizabeth

Frankie

Bernard (The Butler) Stein

Family Portrait

Hi everyone, good to see you all again!

Just wanted to let everyone know that Elizabeth has asked me to help out with the blog from time to time, I AM a journalist and photographer at heart (reaping is just my day job). For my first project I have started adding biographies to the webpage to let you know a little bit about each of us. I will keep working on it and add to it as I get more done, and of course I will be adding pictures too. Just click on the "PUMPKIN ABBEY BIOGRAPHIES" link at the top and it will take you to the new page. Hope you enjoy it and please make sure to drop us comments and let us know what you think. Talk to you real soon!

Grimm

Q: Why weren't there any treats left after last years trick or treating?
A: Because everyone was a "goblin"

Martha Stewart would be proud!

Hello everyone!!!

How are you all on this fine Labor Day?

We are doing really well here at the Abbey. Last week was the annual cauldron lighting, witches from all over road their broomsticks in to celebrate. After the cauldron was burning we put up the Halloween tree and started destroying the halls, we had a blast. I’m posting the pictures cousin Grimm took so you can see how the decorations are coming. Those little rodents keep sneaking around and ruining all the shots though, oh rats (pardon the pun).

Speaking of annoying, we haven’t seen much of those little pixies this year, which worries me. I know they are up to something. What could it be…?

Well, I should run for now, my sisters and I are off to a spell convention for a few days. I’ll let you know how that goes when we get back. Have a GREAT week everyone, and stay safe!

~Elizabeth

Are they making fun of us???

Bonjour to all you mortals out there (Faire la bise)!

I thought I would pop in and see what everyone is up to. We had a great time at home in the “other” world after last year’s night-o-fright! But it’s always good to get back to the Abbey and get our hands into the cauldron again! LOL!  Speaking of which, when Alice and I were scraping the debris out of the fireplace to make room for the cauldron three little rats came scurrying out. They were in black dresses and wearing pointy hats, I think they were imitating Elizabeth, Agnes and I, how rude!!! I grabbed Grimm’s camera and snapped a picture, what do you think, should we be insulted? 

Well, I’m gonna skedaddle for now, tonight is the annual cauldron lighting and a girls gotta look her worst ya know!

À bientôt, Pandora! <3

Hello out there all you bats and ghouls!!!

It’s been such a long time since we spoke, but we haven’t forgotten about you. My sisters and I have been cooking up all kinds of evil things for you this year! I don’t even know where to begin with all the things that have been happening around the Abbey while we were gone. The grave diggers were, of course, minding the Abbey while we were in “the Spirit realm”. When they were digging some new crypts in the back they found a lot of…shall we say…”spare parts” buried back there. You won’t believe what those rascals did with them. But you will have to wait for now, I’ll tell you more about that later LOL.

You know how much we LOVE our pumpkins here at PUMPKIN Abbey; well we are in the process of conjuring up a way for you to have one of your very own! Imagine that, a Pumpkin Abbey Jack-o-lantern of your own to scare all the spooks and goblins with on Halloween night! Wouldn’t that be AWESOME?!! I’ll give you all the info as soon as we work out the details

I don’t think we introduced Alice to you last year, she is our house keeper and we couldn’t manage without her. She keeps all the cobwebs and dust right where it should be. And we recently hired a butler to pitch in and give Alice a hand or two (or three) around the ol’ place. His name is Bernard. I’ll post a picture Grimm took of the two of them the other day while they were on their afternoon gruel break.

I can't believe it's been a whole year since I started this little blog; it's been SO much fun! I look forward to sharing all the gory details of this Halloween season as well!!! I'm going to run for now but I'll be back soon...

Until then,

Elizabeth

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Hello to all!!! Just dropped by to say a huge thank you to all the trick-or-treaters and friends that came by last night. It was another hugely successful Halloween visit, we had so much fun!!! I am including pictures and video with this post so be sure and take a peek at those. We are already plotting, I mean planning, our visit for next year and we will keep you updated here on the blog so stop by often. Until next post, this is Elizabeth saying THANKS once again!


To see the pictures click on our Flicker page here: PumpkinAbbey


To see the videos on our YouTube Channel click here: PumpkinAbbey

We're ready for you!!!

Hello all, I hope all you little ghosts and goblins are ready for this year’s night of fright! The night is approaching fast and my sisters and I are ready for you. We got the treats all bagged up and the caretakers are getting the Abbey cemetery all ready. Halloween night we will be waiting for you stirring up trouble in our cauldron for all the little trick-or-treaters. All the jack-o-lanterns will be there with Crow guarding over them and Cousin Grimm will be watching from afar lurking in the dark. It promises to a FRIGHTFULLY good time; see you there (if you are brave enough). ~ Elizabeth

Agnes here...

Hello, how are all you mortals out there in…oh, whatever! I just can’t be nice to you people, you make my skin crawl. Ordinarily, I like that, but you people are just too much for me to take. Elizabeth is working our fingers to the bone (literally) with this Halloween stuff since our trip to Kansas. There is a LOT to do and Cousin Grimm has been running around with that camera of his taking pictures of us working. I’m sure he will post some of them soon. As for me I’ve been working on a batch of spells to use on all you little rascals on Halloween night, come around and beg me for candy will you? I will show you (insert creepy cackle)!!! I included a picture with this post to show you what happened to some of last years trick-or-treaters. Hummm, maybe I will enjoy this whole thing after all. Come to think of it, I can’t wait to see you, if you are brave enough (another creepy cackle)! ~ Agnes

Halloween Menu Recipes!!!

Hello everyone!

So good to talk to all of you again, sorry it’s been so long since my last post. As you know we took a much needed vacation. The trip to Kansas was so much fun, except for one incident with a little girl in pigtails who threatened to drop a house on us when Pandora mentioned how much she liked her shoes. Oh well, some people are just impossible to get along with, huh?

So I worked out my menu for the holiday feast Halloween night and as promised I thought I’d share it with you so you can give them a try. Along with the following recipes I will serve a relish tray with a variety of pickles and olives, chips and dip and a nice spicy punch. Hope you enjoy the recipes; let me know what you think! Here it goes: ~ Elizabeth

Sweet Chili Con Carne Brew

1 can tomato paste

2lbs Hamburger

2 cans kidney beans (do not drain)

1 large can diced tomatoes

1/3 of onion diced

½ cup celery

1 large diced green pepper

1-2 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ tsp paprika

3 tsp chili powder

1 envelope home style stew seasoning

1 tablespoons flour

Brown hamburger meat and drain. Transfer to a large pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 30 min or more to blend flavors. Perfect served with corn chips or over cornbread (I’m having chips).

Candied Fingers

Four or five packages of all beef hotdogs

One large jar of grape jelly (32oz)

½ cup mustard

½ cup water

Cut all the hotdogs into bite sized pieces and place into a large pot with a lid. Add the water and heat on low stirring occasionally until the hotdogs are just warm and juice is starting to form in the pot. Add the jelly and mustard and cover pot. Keep the heat on low and simmer for two to three hours stirring often. If the hotdogs swell and the jelly begins to boil uncover until it cools down, then recover and continue process as needed. When it’s done the hotdogs will be sticky and dark with a great sweet bar-b-q flavor.

Caramel-nut “Winged” Monkey Bread

4 cans Pillsbury refrigerator biscuits

½ cup sugar

4 tbsp. cinnamon

1 jar caramel ice cream topping

1 package chopped walnuts (about 1 cup)

Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl. Cut biscuits in quarters and roll in sugar mixture. Grease or spray the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Place half of the coated biscuit pieces on the bottom of the pan. Top with half the caramel and sprinkle with half the nuts. Repeat for second layer. Bake at 350 for 10-14 minutes or until biscuit pieces turn golden brown. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack and turn upside down. You can substitute a bundt pan for the 13 x 9 pan for variety.

Just back from Greensburg Kansas...

Hey, Pandora witch here, just dropin' in to say “hola”!!!  We've had a groovy week of vacation and we are all rested and ready to dive into the home stretch of prep before our Halloween visit. While we were gone we went to visit friends in the Greensburg Kansas cemetery and had a smashing time. I noticed a human guy at a gravesite just crying his eyes out and saying over and over again “why did you die, oh, why did you have to die”. I felt so sorry for him, Agnes and I went over to try and help. I asked “was it your wife?” and he said no. “Was it a daughter or son” I continued. He only replied “no” each time I asked and continued sobbing and asking “why oh why?” I was so frustrated; finally I asked “well who was it for goodness sake”? Through his sobs he finally answered “It was none of those…it was my wife’s FIRST husband!” I just turned and walked away…Agnes turned him into a toad…A big shout out to everyone following our little blog from Greensburg, thanks so much and tell your friends about us!!! Talk to ya’ll later~Pandora

A note from the spirit realm:

Everyone at the Abbey has departed for vacation this week, when they get back they will be working overtime digging up new frights for next months visit. We look forward to scaring you, I mean, seeing you then.

Rest in peace…

Meet Crow...

Hi everyone, my name is Crow. Elizabeth is really busy this week so she asked me to drop by and introduce myself. The sisters conjured me up a long time ago to watch over their pumpkin patch. I love the little pixies that scurry around here. In fact my best friend is Stix, who just finished making himself a new home from one of Pandora’s pumpkins, doesn’t it look GREAT! Oh, and check out the new sign Elizabeth and Pandora made to tell everyone about our new blog, those two do such nice work don’t they? They are both a lot of fun, however I try to avoid Agnes, she can be cranky sometimes. I am pretty sure she had something to do with Stix losing his wings (which haven’t grown back yet) but I can’t prove it. Well I will go for now but I will try to drop back from time to time and say hi!!! Have a good day everyone!

Hi from the Fabulous Pandora!!!

Boy, am I really wigged out this morning! I woke up to find my best pumpkin had been vandalized by those awful pixies. I found this groovy love spell that you cast on a pumpkin pie and then offer it to the person you like. When they eat it, they fall madly in love with you. I worked all summer to grow a pumpkin to use in a pie, and wouldn’t you know it; those pixies made it into a new pad last night. Oh, how I hate those little hooligans!!! Now I will have to find another spell to give to Crow, this would be so much easier if he would just wake up to my awesomeness and fall in love with me on his own. I have to put a stop to those pixies some way, I know! I’m off to get a can of Raid!!! Where’s my broom!!! Catch you on the flip side!!!~ Pandora