bee's perspective of b y o p

That's how I described this snapshot to the hostess.

Robin got a kick out of my take, that's for sure!

"I saw you over there with your camera," she told me.

I know she did.

I was rather captivated by this pollinator, perhaps as much as he was by this loofah blossom.

I had wondered if he might be dead, but then I saw him walk onto another part of the flower, paying no heed to the human so close to him.

He had a job to do and he was doing it, no matter what.

What a bee!

And who was that in the jeans and the neon green shirt, right in line with the bee?

Robin Jenkins, of course!

Here she is again, with her grand-daughter, having fixed something for the girl.

Her grand-children are the reason for this year's Bring-Your-Own-Pumpkin party, that's certain.

The annual BYOP began when her and Harry's kids were little, to unite friends and family in the fall.

This year is a continuation, and I am sure her husband was right there with us.

I was there with my brothers, naturally!

There's the youngest one, in his brightly patterned shirt, having just turned 58 years old yesterday.

Smitty, my biggest little brother, now 65, is right across the table from me.

Many thanks, Robin, for making sure to get some photos of us!

Silly me, I didn't get a single shot of any of them this time around!

I did manage to take this photo of the pumpkin-shaped cheese ball that Robin made.

Pretty nifty, right?

And she used rubber bands to make those indentations - very clever!!!

She has it ringed by a plethora of different crackers, sure to satisfy anyone's taste buds!

(Yes, that 'plethora' is for my first niece!)

So much good food, with grilled hotdogs and chili, as usual - perfect!

And my favorite pumpkin?

This one right here, that the dad was helping his daughter pull forth.

Here's the thing: the dad didn't know who it was.

I told him that I really liked his 'Jack Skellington' and he said... "Oh, I thought I might have seen it before."

I guess 'Jack' was there to let me know that I was right place, right time. 

There are no accidents.

(smile!) 

I'm so glad I was there! 

Many thanks, Tony and Laura, for the ride!

Many thanks, Smitty and Mary for the ride offer!

Now, time to watch "Hocus Pocus" and prepare for the fun week ahead! 

byop of georgetown, for 15th time!

Or is it the 14th or 16th?

That pandemic of 2020 certainly threw off the count for annual events.

No matter, as the event went on this year as planned!

I had tried to get my youngest brother to come with me, especially as today was his birthday:58 and he loves Halloween.

However, 'twas to no avail!

That's why I took this photo and sent it to him after I sang "Happy Birthday" to him!

Maybe I should have sent him a video, so he'd have the sound effects, too!

I liked these swingers in particular.

I helped make sure this group of ghouls hanging from the porch rafters would shake, rattle, and roll around!

Glad to see those batteries are still full of juice.

(smile!)

Dawn had come running up to me, arms wide open, with a great big hug of greeting!

What a fabulous welcome!

I told her I was looking forward to seeing her inside troupes of ghouls - lol!!!

The Koz was roaming the grounds with welcoming arms, too, Stella by his side!

I think that tall fellow is a brother-in-law, but don't hold me to that.

As for the Boney on the trike, I have no idea who he is - he definitely isn't one of the ghouls I get to manhandle on AA and AAA days!

Maybe I'll ask Chris about him sometime and get his backstory, maybe not.

There are so many others to get to know!

So many others that I already know, too!

I got hugs from all the Soup Party ladies that were there: newlywed Michanne, Margaret of Belk's, Yvette of Earth Day, Gina of NYC, Elaine of Chicago, and, of course, Susan from next door!

I got hugs from my outlaw Bunny and her Steve, too, even sitting with them as we munched on Kenny's ribs and low country boil!

There he is, too, right beside Chris as the pumpkin judging was about to begin, getting many well-deserved kudos from the crowd! 

This has been an especially nice evening for me.

As I was saying good night to Dawn, this is what she said.

"I told Bunny tonight that the best gift she ever gave me was introducing me to you."

That's one of the best things anyone ever said to me!

Dawn is the best gift Bunny every gave me, too.

And to think, we both knew that first Oscar party, when Dawn saw me working on the Oscar trivia... and I was thrilled she had that game!

How blessed I am!

(smile!) 

more ghouls to haunt my dreams!

Hah! As if they could!

I was back in Georgetown for a double dose of "AA and AAA" time, this one in the company of the Koz.

All of Dawn's little inside ghouls were re-animated last time, but all of the outside creepy crawlies were still trapped in bins.

So, even though I knew we women had been called in as the Treat Crew today, my choice was to stay outside and help Chris get his contingent ready to scream and shout and wriggle.

Why did I do that?

As I told him, in years past, I would have already gotten fresh batteries into his collection as well as hers.

I didn't want to leave him with all of that to do when it was something I actually enjoyed. 

I even brought him a treat: one of the jade rocks that Paul had picked up on a hike in California.

My line was: "What does Charlie Brown always say about the contents of his Halloween bag?"

Chris knew it right off!!!

So, just who did Dawn have in action?

The Treat Crew, posted in the dining room as usual, consisted of my outlaw Bunny, Dawn herself, Gina, Susan, and Monica!

Monica had already left by the time I took that photo, which was around 2 PM.

But just look at all the bags of goodies crafted for those coming to the BYOP!!!

All the neighborhood kids just love trick-or-treating at this house!!!

Guaranteed to not get a single rock!

(smile!) 

And of course Dawn fed us!

This time, it was Pizza Puffs from Chicago!!!

Those were so tasty that I had two!

Stella got carrot sticks and chewed them all up!

All I had to do was take a bite first so she knew they were people food.

(smile!) 

screwdriver time!

Halloween is coming up, 

as is the 15th Annual BYOP 

of Georgetown! 

Know what that means???

 

It's AA and AAA time!!!

 

Yep, that's right!

It's high time 

for all the little ghouls 

to get fresh batteries - 

and maybe a good thump 

on their backsides - 

to bring them back to life again!

 

This mariachi skeleton 

is one of my favorites.

 

His batteries go 

into his shoes, 

lending him a bit of 

extra stability 

for his antics.

That's physics, baby!

Weird science in action!!

 

Now, he can sing

and dance

as he flashes his eyes

at all the ladies!

 

And all I needed

to help make him mobile again were new batteries and two tools:

my hands and my Philips-head screwdriver.

 

Yes, this year I brought my own screwdriver to this party!

As I told Dawn and the Koz, mine has a better handle that fits my hand perfectly, making the task proceed much faster and easier.

Dawn and I had at least half of her motley crew installed with fresh life within the first hour of operation... and that included pulling them out of the six storage bins!

Impressive, right?

Then we took a water break and the Koz took a break with us!

He even brought out a book he's made with all the fossils he's collected at Tybee.

Yes, indeed, fossils of sloths and megalodons as well as several types of common sharks and local fish and other marine life.

Then, he let me visit his "Death Room" which holds the actual physical specimens he's collected over the years - wow!!!

I've been invited to come out on the boat for one of these forays.

Very cool!!!

Afterward, Dawn and I finished up the ghouls in another hour.

Then it was fish - and turtle! - feeding time with Susan and Terry on their deck by the lake out back.

What a lovely way to spend the day!

Right place, right time!

 

How did I know for sure?

AARP's "Right Again!" trivia had an index fossil as the puzzle beneath the clues.

Wow!