11.06.2006

Why I blog

My whole reason for blogging started with the pictures below. A year ago this was going to be my very first post but I had to pack and move instead... that's for another post.

There are two houses on the same street in Moline, Illinois that are beyond anything I've ever seen. It begins around the beginning of October and doesn't stop until New Year's: Holiday Lawn Decor. The pictures are poor and you can't get the full effect, but it was worth posting what I do have, regardless. I hope it can give you an idea...

In my friend Dan's words, "they are trying to contact aliens!"

This house is the lesser of the two.


But this... this is the tour de force...

These pictures take you on a virtual tour from the front to the back. Unfortunatly no digital image can give the the full impact of viewing these wonders in person. But please, please try.

It begins in the front with the hedgerow of orange lights, smoke and electronic skeleton butler greeting you streetside. The yard is replete with cobwebs, various styrofoam grave stones, your choice of the typical ghoul and goblin and then various other creepy accoutrement.


Here we are rounding the corner to the side display.


From the side, the fiasco continues with the smoke and lights. My favorite item among this all is the 2-D Americana styled Uncle Sam cut-out. It is posted by the trellis... Apparently their July 4th decor hasn't really found its niche.



We've now made our way to the back of the property and the the roof decoration where, every year, a new inflatable finds it's way to the reaching heavenly realms of this hades. Here we have the surprised pumpkin and the every playful toppling pumpkin inflatables. Sadly you cannot see the veteren purple sprawling spider or the witches brewing in the cauldron. (too dark for the shot). You might also note the trio of emerging casper-like ghosts in the left background of one of the shots.



Yes, what good holiday fun.

Keep an eye open for the updated late-December edition of this neighborhood's holiday hijinx. Their displays of everything Hanukhak, Kwanza, and pagan and religious understandings of Christmas are something to behold and really get you into the air-filled spirit of fun.

'til then...

7 comments:

mi*chelle said...

breathtaking....

Anonymous said...

Jenn, this is intense. Happy one year to your blog, by the way. I am coming up on the big O N E myself. Exciting times we live in. Exciting times.

TheGaffords said...

At first, before I started reading, I thought you had posted a picture of a house on fire! Thanks for posting; I don't think I've ever seen a house go so overboard for Halloween before!

kate debaene said...

can you post a copy of their electric bill over the next few months?

thanks for posting these. this is what i miss about the quad cities. i remember last halloween when nick, denny, and i were walking around outside, the guy came out dressed as jason chasing us, and then told us about all of the video cameras he has monitoring the onlookers. apparently, if you get out of your car, he comes out of the house. these two houses are like dueling banjos at a disco.

Jason Grate- Ordinary Extraordinary- Simple Stories of Lessons learned said...

HOLY CRAP. Nuff said.

Anonymous said...

I am very sad that I wasn't able to be there in person to see "the house that Halloween threw on up" this year (Direct quote: Kate Zuccarello, 2004). I can't wait to drive by at Christmas, although their Halloween decor is still my fav. I wonder if they will ever expand to decorating for other holidays...

Jenn Swift said...

Nat no C!!! Yeah!!!