• Tuesday-What'sUP November 1 - 07:10 am

There's only one day left to give your pumpkin a facelift. These shots from Nancy Tuomi, Doug & Becky Grusser and Debra McCumber, respectively will give you some pointers as to what you need to do so you're prepared for tomorrow. Nancy sent us a reminder that it's not to late to get out in the pumpkin patch and pick out a nice round pumpkin. Then, Doug & Becky give us a few tips on how to decorate them, either a fancy face or just a plain "jane". And finally, Debra has an idea or two for dressing up the kids for Trick or Treating or Halloween parties they'll attend. Here in the Keweenaw the tradition of going door to door for candy is still going strong. It's a day of fun and laughter as this smiling pair demonstrates. I always looked forward to this day as a youngster and although I'm all grown up and a Grandma now too, it's still something I anticipate each year!

Cool costumes, but I'm trying to figure out if the young man is an astronaut or a hazardous material cleanup man.

Oh, I love pumpkin and pumpkin patch pictures! And the Trick or Treaters are cute. The tradition of going door to door is still alive and well in mid-Michigan, as well, although there are community parties at the community center and local churches; some people participate in both. If you have not already bought candy for your Trick or Treating neighbors, there is still time to, if you want. Thanks to the photographers and Mary for today's fun pictures!

I want to put in a word about a tradition that takes place at least here in Troll Land, particularly in Detroit, Flint and Saginaw, among other cities and towns. This tradition is nothing to be proud of. I don't know if it takes place elsewhere, or not. I had never heard of it until we moved up here, anyway. That is the tradition of hoodlums setting structure fires on what they call, Devils' Night, the night before Halloween. There are groups of people now who are trying to counteract it, with watch groups, etc, and they are calling it Angels' Night. Anyway, I just wanted to remind people to keep all of your exterior lighting on all night tonight if you are in an area prone to Devils' Night vandalism, and to keep a watch on what is going on outside in your neighborhood. We have only had a problem one year, 1979, the year we moved to Michigan, when kids set piles of leaves in the street waiting for leaf pickup, on fire. There were very high winds that night, and the flying embers could easily have caught roofs on fire, and eventually houses. Fortunately, our dogs heard it and went crazy (inside, of course), so we caught it while they were just lighting the fires. So, garden hoses were able to put out the fires. We have made it a point to have at least one of us at home on Devils' Night, since then. Anyway, please be on the lookout for your place tonight if this applies to your area. :-)

Going to get my pumpkin now, I know I'm a slacker. My son will design it tonight.

We are lucky where I live, worst thing that happens is TP'd yards and the occasional egg.

I grew up in NW detroit in late 50's, early 60's,
Devil's Night was supposed to be a mischief nite,
i.e. ringing doorbells or "soaping windows". We actually started that stuff a week earlier. Once in a while some guy would fly out the door after us and we would take off faster than Carl Lewis.
Talk about an adrenaline rush! Pretty minor stuff
compared to arson & damage that started in the 70's & 80's...Too bad it became so bad.

In response to Marianne's good idea.

The Guardian Angels is a non-profit, international, volunteer organization of unarmed citizen crime patrollers. The Guardian Angels organization was founded in New York City in 1979 by Curtis Sliwa and has chapters in over 60 cities around the world.

In the 1970's Citizens Band Radio was very popular. So came along the C.B. Radio Clubs like the Motor City Breaker's, that I belonged to. Along with many other non profit ideas we patrolled areas in Detroit, that were prone to the burning of abandon homes and buildings on Devil's Night. We were also instrumental in getting Curtis Sliwa to come to Detroit.

Curtis Sliwa hosts a major New York radio talk show on WABC where he usually favors populist conservative views. However, the organization accepts members regardless of race, gender, age, religion, political view, or sexual orientation and attempts to avoid political issues. In the beginning, most members happened to be young, inner-city minorities who lived in the most crime-ridden areas.

I lived in Grosse Pointe, about 8 streets in from Detroit in 1984, which was the worst year of the so called Devil's Nights. That was a month I'll never forget for fires and chaos:

The Tigers won the world series and there were fires and police cars getting overturned, then, two weeks later, Devil's Night. The roar of diesel engines and sirens from the fire trucks both nights was non-stop. But this site is supposed to be about the Copper Country. Speaking of the Copper Country, I'll bet it was quiet up there on October 30, 1984.

peter peter pumpkin eater ect. --- safe eve of all saints and of the druid religous practices that the celts brought from ireland.----i remain walter p.

I like the little duck.

Hi,
Speaking of Halloween, Linda and I went to the Halloween Parade in Anoka, MN this last Sat.
I guess they've been having their parade since 1922!
When our kids were younger, we took them. Now it's the grandkids.
Anoka is touted to be the 'Halloween Capital of the World'.
They have a 5k run before the parade and of course everyone is in costume including the dogs too.
Looking forward to the UP next spring(Copper Harbor)
See ya,
PauLinda(weluvdaUP)

I am glad you Paul and Linda love the UP. Sounds like the Pumpkin Parade in Anoka, Mn is alot of fun!
I am glad you are taking the grandchildren for good times that you remember! Even the dogs have a part of it!!

Cute