Pre and post Halloween or Samhain always seems to be a settling in time with longer nights that are highlighted by the music of leaves dancing across the roads and laughter indoors where it’s warm and things that go bump in the night are selectively welcomed in. Usually it’s via annual viewings of Charlie Brown and Garfield specials (candy, candy, candy, candy…), a fun movie romp or maybe something more psychologically scary, and of course books of a certain genre that can run the spectrum from charming to nightmare rewarding. I lean towards historical, cozy, and British mysteries. Also childhood sleuth series. You’re never too old to enjoy red leather bound books inherited from your grandfather’s library when you were ten. Or randomly coming across more in a beloved series and then some at completely random used book stores. The bulk of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s novels were bought in this way. A couple of weeks ago while traveling it took Resolve to not to leave here in Mariposa, California with an armload of used treasures. Damn baggage limits!
Recently I came upon this Mystery intro and it was like entering a time warp to the mid eighties on Thursday nights. I associate that night with PBS Mystery, As Time Goes By, Keeping Up Appearances, and my mom. I grew up in a home without cable so PBS was never buried among 125 flashy channels of… crap. Edward Gorey is why I’m very fond of pen and ink drawings no matter how macabre. There are a few Gorey inspired intros but that’s the favourite. It’s disturbingly amusing, especially with the two legs slipping into the pond at the end. Love it. And St. Louis native, Vincent Price, always had that intrigue of wicked eyebrows and a magnetic voice that draws the viewer in whether he was himself or a sinister character.
As a bonus to this post I’m including Mystery Wallpaper gleaned from an old computer before an upgrade. The past month my computer has been creaking and eerie footstep falling with every move in this almost forgotten, favourite theme. This is 400 x 300 but I’ve a 800 x 600 plus the full deal for sharing if anyone comes across this in search. The wallpaper is almost impossible to find, let alone the full theme. It’s a definite keeper.
Source: Microsoft Windows ‘98
