Noemi Cardoso

New! Charitable IRA Rollover!

If you are 70½ or older temporary legislation allows you to make cash gifts totaling up to $100,000 per year from your traditional or Roth IRA to qualified charities without incurring income tax on the withdrawal. This is good news for people who want to make a charitable gift during their lifetime from their retirement assets, but have been discouraged from doing so because of the income tax penalty. The current provision is effective for tax years 2008 and 2009 only. For the 2008 tax year, you must act by December 31st to take full advantage of the current legislation. Contact us for more information.

Charitable IRA Rollover Provision

On October 3, 2008, Congress passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (H.R. 1424), which includes an extension of the IRA Charitable Rollover. The extension is retro-active, applying to distributions made throughout both the 2008 and 2009 tax years. The extension allows individuals 70½ and older to donate up to $100,000 from their IRAs tax-free to The Nature Conservancy. The gift can count toward your minimum distribution requirement.

The new provision permits distributions from traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs to qualified public charities and private operating foundations as described in IRC 170 (b)(1)(A). Whereas such distributions were previously income taxable, they are now excludable from gross income, eliminating the income tax penalty for such charitable gifts. The following limitations and restrictions apply:

• The individual for whose benefit the plan is maintained must have attained the age of 70 ½ or older at the time of gift.
• Qualified charitable distributions may not exceed $100,000 in the aggregate in any taxable year.
• The provision applies to tax years 2008 and 2009 only. Qualified distributions must be made by December 31 of each year.
• Qualified distributions must be made directly to the charity by the plan trustee. Contact your plan trustee for information on how to initiate a transfer.
• Qualified charitable distributions may be excluded from gross income for Federal Income tax purposes. However, no federal income tax deduction is available. Certain states may not exclude gift amounts withdrawn from an IRA for state income tax purposes.
• Only outright gifts are eligible. Distributions to charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, pooled income funds and other split-interest arrangements do not qualify for special tax treatment.
• Qualified contributions may be counted toward the Minimum Required Distribution (MRD) for a donor's IRA accounts.
• Qualified contributions are not subject to the deductibility ceiling (50% of AGI) or the reduction rules for itemized deductions.
• Gifts from retirement accounts other than IRAs-such as 401k, 403b, and SEP accounts-are not eligible. Donors may be able to make qualified transfers of money from other accounts to their IRA, and then make a charitable gift from their IRA. Check with your tax adviser.
• Distributions to Supporting Organizations as described in IRC 503(a)(3) and Donor Advised Funds as described in IRC 4966(d)(2) are specifically excluded.
• Donors who do not itemize their Federal income tax returns may make qualified IRA gifts and exclude such gifts from their reportable income.

Who is most likely to benefit?

• Individuals who take mandatory minimum withdrawals, but don't need additional income.
• Individuals who wish to give more than the deductibility ceiling (50% of AGI).
• Individuals who are subject to reduction rules for itemized deductions.
• Individuals whose major assets reside in their IRAs and who wish to make a charitable gift during their lifetime.
• Individuals who intend to leave the balance of their IRA to charity at death anyway.

Microsoft Word Document | Adobe PDF

PLEASE NOTE: This summary is not intended as legal or tax advice

from:EarthTalk category:Clubs and Organizations posted:October 16th, 2008

Dear EarthTalk: Are there natural headache remedies that can get me off of Tylenol, Advil and other medicines whose side effects can be as bad as or worse than the pain that led me to use them? -- J.L.

Many of us may be too dependent on over-the-counter painkillers to treat the occasional headache, especially given the side effects of such drugs. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can increase the risk of heart and circulation problems-including heart attack and stroke-and is also tough on the digestive tract. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) has been linked to nausea, diarrhea, and kidney and liver problems. Many natural health care practitioners disparage drugs for merely masking the symptoms of larger problems.

All headaches are not the same and gobbling down pain pills will not address the causes, whatever they may be. Some headaches are caused by tension; others stem from sinus congestion, caffeine withdrawal, constipation, food allergies, spinal misalignment or lack of sleep. And then there are migraines, which researchers think are neurological in nature: The brain fails to constrict the nerve pathways that open the arteries to the brain, resulting in a pounding headache as blood flows in unchecked. Assessing what kind of headache you may have can help lead the way to a solution beyond deadening the pain with a pill.

To make tension headaches go away, the Farmers' Almanac recommends applying an ice pack to the neck and upper back, or, even better, getting someone to massage those areas. Also, soaking the feet in hot water can divert blood from your head to your feet, easing any kind of headache pain in the process.

Another all-natural headache cure is acupressure (like acupuncture, but without the needles), which promotes healing throughout the body by stimulating channels of energy known as meridians. Victoria Abreo, alternative medicine editor for the website BellaOnline, says that anyone suffering from a tension headache can employ a simple acupressure technique to help relieve the pain: "With one hand, press the shallow indention in the back of the head at the base of the skull. Simultaneously, with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, press firmly into the upper hollows of the eye sockets, right where they straddle the bridge of the nose and meet the ‘t' of the eyebrow bridge." She says to press softy at first, and then more firmly, holding for three to five minutes.

As for migraines, avoiding certain trigger foods might be key to staving them off. Abreo says migraine sufferers should try steering clear of dairy products, processed meat, red wine, caffeine and chocolate. New research has shown that some people with specific dietary deficiencies are more prone to migraines.

According to Dr. Linda White, who writes about natural health for Mother Earth News, some recent clinical trials have shown three nutritional supplements-magnesium, riboflavin and coenzyme Q10-to be particularly effective at reducing the frequency and severity of migraines. Also, a number of herbs-including feverfew, butterbur, lavender, gingko biloba, rosemary and chamomile-have proven track records in preventing or stopping migraines. Since herbs can be potent and are not regulated or tested, headache sufferers should consult a trusted doctor or naturopath before using alternative remedies.

CONTACTS: Farmers' Almanac, www.farmersalmanac.com; BellaOnline, www.bellaonline.com; Mother Earth News, www.motherearthnews.com.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com.

Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.

from:EarthTalk category:Clubs and Organizations posted:October 23rd, 2008

Dear EarthTalk: What's the story with LED light bulbs that are reputed to be even more energy-efficient than compact fluorescents? -- T.E.

Perhaps the ultimate "alternative to the alternative," the LED (light-emitting diode) light bulb may well dethrone the compact fluorescent (CFL) as king of the green lighting choices. But it has a way to go yet in terms of both affordability and brightness.

LEDs have been used widely for decades in other applications-forming the numbers on digital clocks, lighting up watches and cell phones and, when used in clusters, illuminating traffic lights and forming the images on large outdoor television screens. Until recently LED lighting has been impractical to use for most other everyday applications because it is built around costly semiconductor technology. But the price of semiconductor materials has dropped in recent years, opening the door for some exciting changes in energy-efficient, green friendly lighting options.

According to HowStuffWorks.com, LED bulbs are lit solely by the movement of electrons. Unlike incandescents, they have no filament that will burn out; and unlike CFLs, they contain no mercury or other toxic substances. Proponents say LEDs can last some 60 times longer than incandescents and 10 times longer than CFLs. And unlike incandescents, which generate a lot of waste heat, LEDs don't get especially hot and use a much higher percentage of electricity for directly generating light.

But as with early CFLs, LED bulbs are not known for their brightness. According to a January 2008 article in Science Daily, "Because of their structure and material, much of the light in standard LEDs becomes trapped, reducing the brightness of the light and making them unsuitable as the main lighting source in the home." LED makers get around this problem in some applications by clustering many small LED bulbs together in a single casing to concentrate the light emitted. But such LED "bulbs" still don't generate light much brighter than a 35-watt incandescent, much too little light for reading or other focused tasks.

If LEDs are going to replace incandescents and CFLs, manufacturers will have to make them brighter. EarthLED is lighting the way with its EvoLux and ZetaLux bulbs, which use multiple LEDs in a single casing to generate light. The EvoLux delivers light equal to that of a 100-watt incandescent, the company says. But the $80/bulb price tag may be tough to swallow. The ZetaLux, which retails for $49.99, delivers light equivalent to a 50- or 60-watt incandescent, will last 50,000 hours and costs only $2/yearly to run.

Other bulb makers are working on similar designs for high-powered LED bulbs, hoping that an increase in availability will help spur demand, which will in turn lower prices across the board. Until then, consumers can find LED bulbs suitable for secondary and mood lighting purposes in many hardware and big box stores. C. Crane's 1.3-watt LED bulb, for example, generates as much light as a 15-watt incandescent bulb. Check your local hardware store for other options, as well as online vendors such as Best Home LED Lighting, Bulbster, SuperBrightLEDs.com and We Love LEDs.

CONTACTS: How Stuff Works, www.howstuffworks.com/led.htm; EarthLED, www.earthled.com; Best Home LED Lighting, www.besthomeledlighting.com; Bulbster, www.bulbster.com; SuperBrightLEDs.com, www.superbrightleds.com; We Love LEDs, www.weloveleds.com.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com.

Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.

category:Arts and Entertainment posted:October 26th, 2008

Local Pumpkin Patch Farms - go pick pumpkin's at a local farm in the Westport and Bristol County area.

When there's a crisp snap in the air, nothing beats a day at the local pumpkin patch farm. It's guaranteed to put a Jack-o-Lantern-sized smile on everyone's face! This is where you can find the best list of local Westport pumpkin patch farms in and around Bristol County and Massachusetts.

Essex County

Boston Hill
In North Andover, MA on Route 114.
Phone: 978-681-8556.
Essex County, Massachusetts.

Cider Hill Farm
45 Fern Ave., Amesbury, MA.
Phone: 978-388-5525
Essex County, Massachusetts.

Clark Farm
163 Hobart Street, Danvers, MA 01923.
Phone: 978-774-0550
Essex County, Massachusetts.

Connors Farm
30 Valley Road, (Route 35), Danvers, MA.
Phone: 978-777-1245
Essex County, Massachusetts.

Green Meadow Farms
650 Asbury Street, South Hamilton, MA.
Phone: 978-468-2277
Essex County, Massachusetts

Homestead Farm & Orchard
13 Birchmeadow Road, Merrimac, MA.
Phone: 978-346-8346
Essex County, Massachusetts

Ingaldsby Farm
14 Washington Street, Boxford, MA.
Phone: 978-352-2813
Essex County, Massachusetts

Long Hill Orchards
520 Main Street, Route 113, West Newbury, MA.
Phone: 978-363-2170
Essex County, Massachusetts

Marini Farm
259 Linebrook Road, Ipswich, MA.
Phone: 978-356-0430
Essex County, Massachusetts.

Rogers Spring Hill Farm
133 Neck Road, Ward Hill, Haverhill, MA 01835.
Phone: 978-372-4305
Essex County, Massachusetts.

Smolak Farms
315 South Bradford Street, N. Andover, MA
Phone: 978-682-6332
Essex County, Massachusetts.

Middlesex County

Applefield Farm
Route 117, Stow, MA.
Phone: 978-897-2699
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Autumn Hills Orchard
495 Chicopee Row, Groton, MA 01450.
Phone: 978-448-8388
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Brox Farm
1276 Broadway Road, Dracut, MA.
Phone: 978-454-3434
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Butter Brook Farm
982 Main Street, Acton, MA.
Phone: 978-263-1936
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Carver Hill Orchards
Brookside Avenue - Box 101, Stow, MA.
Phone: 978-897-6117
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Codman Community Farms
58 Codman Road, Lincoln, MA.
Phone: 781-259-0456
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

D.J. Hussey Farm
20 Burgess Road, Townsend, MA.
Phone: 978-597-6891
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Dowse Orchard
98 North Main Street, Sherborn, MA.
Phone: 508-653-2639
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Drew Farms
35 Tadmuck Road, Westford, MA 01886.
Phone: 978-392-3449
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Hanson's Farm
20 Nixon Road, Framingham, MA.
Phone: 508-877-3058
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Hillbrook Orchards
141 Old Ayer Road, Groton, MA.
Phone: 978-448-3248
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Kimball Fruit Farm
184 Hollis Street, Pepperell, MA.
Phone: 978-433-9751
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Lawndale Farm
91 Frost Road, Tyngsboro, MA.
Phone: 978-649-7629
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Marino Lookout Farm
89 Pleasant Street, South Natick, MA.
Phone: 508-651-1539
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

McLoon Farms
Corner of Route 113 & Thorndike, Dunstable, MA.
Phone: 978-649-3656
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Parlee Farms
Farwell Road, Tyngsboro, MA.
Phone: 978-649-3854
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Patenaude Farm
158 River Street, Dunstable, MA.
Phone: 978-649-7116
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Pickard Farm
160 Great Road, Littleton, MA.
Phone: 978-486-4141
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Shelburne Farm
106 West Acton Road, Stow, MA.
Phone: 978-897-9287
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Spence Farm
30 Wyman Street, Woburn, MA.
Phone: 781-933-4847
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Spence Hill Farm
39 Coolidge Street, Sherborn, MA.
Phone: 508-653-8939
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Sunshine Farm
135 Kendall Ave, Framingham, MA.
Phone: 508-655-5022
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Verrill Farm
11 Wheeler Road, Concord, MA.
Phone: 978-369-4494
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Wilson Farms
10 Pleasant Street, Lexington, MA 02421.
Phone: 781-862-3900
Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Norfolk County

Fairmount Fruit Farm
887 Lincoln Street, Franklin, MA.
Phone: 508-533-8737
Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

Jane & Paul's Farm
33 Fruit Street, Norfolk, MA.
Phone: 508-528-0812
Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

Lakeview Farms
Route 126, 1048 S. Main Street, Bellingham, MA.
Phone: 508-883-3800
Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

Nihtila Farm
12 Nihtila Lane, Holbrook,, MA 02343
Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

Tangerini's Spring Street Farm
139 Spring Street, Millis, MA
Phone: 508-376-5024
Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

Ward's Berry Farm
614 South Main Street, Sharon, MA.
Phone: 781-784-3600
Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

Barnstable County

Andrews Farm
394 Old Meetinghouse Road, E. Falmouth, MA.
Phone: 508-548-4717
Barnstable County, Massachusetts.

Bourne Farm Pumpkin Fest
881 Palmer Ave, 6 N Falmouth Hwy Route 28A, West Falmouth, MA.
Phone: 508-548-8484
Barnstable County, Massachusetts.

Coonamessett Farm
277 Hatchville Road, E. Falmouth, MA.
Phone: 508-563-2560
Barnstable County, Massachusetts.

Bristol County

Araujo Farms & Greenhouses
1460 Williams Street, Dighton, MA.
Phone: 508-669-6988
Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Cedar Hills Farm
Route 118, Rehoboth, MA.
Phone: 508-252-6577
Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Four Town Farm
90 George Street, Seekonk, MA.
Phone: 508-336-5587
Bristol County, Massachusetts.

(JJMP) Silverbrook Farm
934 Main Street, Acushnet, MA 02743.
Phone: 508-998-8658
Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Oakdale Farm
59 Wheaton Ave, Rehoboth, MA.
Phone: 508-336-7681
Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Pleasant St Christmas Tree Farm
187 Pleasant St, Rehoboth, MA 02769.
Phone: 508-252-6206
Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Plymouth County

Back Acres Farms
Route 105, Middleboro, MA.
Phone: 508-947-0707
Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

Beaver Brook Farm
645 Summer Street, E. Bridgewater, MA.
Phone: 508-583-0502
Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

Singleton Orchards
160 Pine Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333.
Phone: 508-690-2312
Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

C.N Smith Farm
325 South Street, East Bridgewater, MA.
Phone: 508-378-2270
Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

Worcester County

Arrowhead Acres
92 Aldrich Street (Route 98), Uxbridge, MA.
Phone: 508-278-5017
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

B & B Farms
Box 105 or Route 67, New Braintree, MA.
Phone: 978-365-4027
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Bolton Spring Farm
149 Main Street - Route 117, Bolton, MA.
Phone: 978-779-2898
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Breezy Gardens
1872 West Main Street, Leicester, MA.
Phone: 508-892-9201
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Carlson Orchards
115 Oak Hill Road, Box 359, Harvard, MA.
Phone: 978-456-3916
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Carter and Stevens Farm Store
500 West Street, Barre, MA 01005.
Phone: 978-355-4940
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Carver Hill Orchard
Brookside Ave, Stow, MA 01775.
Phone: 978-897-6117
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Charlton Orchards
44 Old Worcester Road, Box 339, Charlton, MA.
Phone: 508-248-7820
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Clearview Farm
4 Kendall Hill Road, Sterling, MA.
Phone: 978-422-6442
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Douglas Orchard
36 Locust Street, E. Douglas, MA.
Phone: 508-476-2198
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Fay Mountain Farm
12 Cemetery Road, Charlton, MA.
Phone: 508-248-6916
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

George Hill Orchards
582 George Hill Road, S. Lancaster, MA.
Phone: 978-365-4331
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Great Oak Farm
227 Highland Street, Berlin, MA.
Phone: 978-838-2097
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Harvey's Farm & Country Store
120 South Street (Route 135), Westboro, MA.
Phone: 508-366-1545
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Hyland Orchard, & Brewery
199 Arnold Road, Sturbridge, MA.
Phone: 508-347-7500
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Keown Orchards
9 McClellan Road, Sutton, MA.
Phone: 508-865-6706
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Marshall Farm
340 Marshall Farm, Fitchburg, MA 01420.
Phone: 978-342-4100
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Meadowbrook Orchards
209 Chace Hill Rd, Sterling, MA 01564.
Phone: 978-365-7617
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Nampara Farm
3 Bemis Road, Hubbardston, MA.
Phone: 978-928-4489.
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Nourse Farm
70 Nourse Street, Westboro, MA.
Phone: 508-366-2644
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Pineo Forest Products
41 Tuttle Road, Sterling, MA 01564.
Phone: 978-422-7350
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Red Apple Farm
455 Highland Ave., Phillipston, MA.
Phone: 800-628-4851.
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Schartner Farms
211 West Berlin Road, Bolton, MA 01740.
Phone: 978-779-0212
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Sholan Farms
1125 Pleasant Street, Leominster, MA.
Phone: 978-840-3276
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Stillman Farm
1399 Lancaster Ave., Lunenburg, MA.
Phone: 978-537-3342
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Stowe Farm Orchards
15 Stowe Road, Millbury, MA.
Phone: 508-865-4818
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Tougas Family Farm
246 Ball St, Northboro, MA 01532.
Phone: 508-393 6406
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Wade Orchard
62 Westcott Road, Harvard, MA.
Phone: 978-456-3926
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Westward Orchards Farm
Mass Ave. Route 111, Harvard, MA.
Phone: 978-456-8363
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Woody's Fall Farmstand
76 Brown Ave., Leominster, MA.
Phone: 978-537-9424
Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Berkshire County

Hilltop Orchard / Furnace Brook Winery
Route 295 - Canaan Road, Richmond, MA.
Phone: 800-833-6274
Berkshire County, Massachusetts.

Howden Farm
303 Rannopo Road, Sheffield, MA.
Phone: 413-229-8481
Berkshire County, Massachusetts.

Ioka Valley Farm
3475 Route 43, Hancock, MA.
Phone: 413-738-5915
Berkshire County, Massachusetts.

Lowland Farm
129 New Marlboro Road, Monterey, MA.
Phone: 413-528-0728
Berkshire County, Massachusetts.

Mountain View Farm
Old Cheshire Road, Lanesboro, MA.
Phone: 413-445-7642
Berkshire County, Massachusetts.

Taft Farms
Route 183 & Division Street, Great Barrington, MA.
Phone: 413-528-1515
Berkshire County, Massachusetts.

Franklin County

Mike's Maze
25 South Maine Street, Sunderland, MA, 01375.
Phone: 413-665-8331
Franklin County, Massachusetts.

Hampden County

Appleberry Farm
Barry Street, Agawam, MA.
Phone: 860-668-7252
Hampden County, Massachusetts.

Fini's Plant Farm
217 James Street, Feeding Hills, MA.
Phone: 413-786-1012
Hampden County, Massachusetts.

Kosinski Farm
336 Russellville Road, Westfield, MA.
Phone: 413-572-4344
Hampden County, Massachusetts.

Provin Mt Farm
443 North West Street, Feeding Hills, MA.
Phone: 413-786-0495
Hampden County, Massachusetts.

Pumpkin Valley Farm
384 College Highway, Southwick, MA.
Phone: 413-569-6915
Hampden County, Massachusetts.

Robert's Hillside Orchard
275 South Lane, Granville, MA.
Phone: 413-357-6690
Hampden County, Massachusetts.

Hampshire County

Fletcher Farm
22 Gunn Road, Southampton, MA.
Phone: 413-527-6888
Hampshire County, Massachusetts.

McCray's Farm
55 Alvord Street, South Hadley, MA
Hampshire County, Massachusetts.

Red Fire Farm
7 Carver St., Granby, MA 01033.
Phone: 413-467-7645
Hampshire County, Massachusetts.

Source PickYourOwn.org

Some pumpkin patch tips for getting the best pumpkin this year:

If you can, pick yours right off the vine and out of the pumpkin patch. The pumpkin flesh should be free of soft spots which can invite mold and rot. If you're planning to use your pumpkin for carving, choose one that's big enough. Make sure the base is solid and the stem is intact (also, don't carry it by the stem - it might break off). If your pumpkin is destined for a pie, choose a small one grown especially for eating. Once you get your fresh-picked pumpkin home, "cure" it by keeping it undisturbed in a cool, dark place. This toughens up the rind and helps prevent rot.

While you're pumpkin hunting, amaze your friends by sharing these Pumpkin Facts:

-The Irish brought the tradition of pumpkin carving to America. Originally, they carved turnips to celebrate All Hallows Eve - but pumpkins were plentiful in the states, and easier to handle.

-The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.

-Pumpkins were once used to cure freckles and snake bites.

category:Arts and Entertainment posted:October 24th, 2008

It's time for spooks and spirits and things that go bump in the night (probably looking for the last Snickers bar in the Treat bag)! Halloween began with the ancient Celts, who considered October 31 the last day of the year. On that night, they believed the spirits of the dead would roam the Earth. As a way to protect themselves during this spooky time, the living would hold a feast, visiting neighbors for contributions of food (hey, any excuse for a party).

We can thank the Irish for the jack-o-lantern, too. They used to carve turnips and place a small candle inside to keep evil spirits from their home on All Hallow's Eve. When Irish immigrants came to America, they discovered pumpkins were much easier to carve.

Halloween has become second only to Christmas in spending. We'll drop 2.5 billion this year - which is a lot of Milk Duds. But whether you go all out with a front-yard display that rivals Disney's Haunted Mansion, or keep it simple with a single pumpkin in the window, remember to watch out for ghoulies and ghosties in your neighborhood!

Last-Minute Costume Ideas

Static Cling
Wear a solid color, like all white or all black. With safety pins, pin anything from socks, to underwear, even dryer sheets, all over yourself. For extra-"static," use hairspray to put your hair on end.

Crash Test Dummy (Post-Crash)
Don a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Cover yourself with pieces of masking tape, bandages, fake blood - and a seatbelt made of webbing and an old buckle.

Skunk
Wear all black (a black leotard and tights is perfect) and put a white tape stripe down the back.

Halloween Safety Tips

· Welcome Trick-or-Treaters with porch lights and all exterior lights turned on.
· Set a time limit for your kids to "trick-or-treat" and designate a specific route for them to take. Also, feed the kids before they go so they'll be less likely to scarf their treats before they get home (well, one can hope).
· Chocolate is poisonous to many animals, so keep candy away from pets.
· Keep pets in a separate room during trick-or-treat hours; people in strange garb can be scary.
· When driving, be extra-alert for excited kids, whose vision may be obscured by masks.

Haunted Houses

Barrett's Haunted Mansion
1235 Bedford Street(Route 18)
Abington,MA 02351
781-871-4573
http://www.bhmansion.com/IndexMain.htm

Berwick's House of Horrors
335 West Street
(Intersection of West and Manley St.)
West Bridgewater, MA 02379
(about 20 miles south of Boston)
http://berwick.org/region335/

The Haunted Barn
474 Lost Lake Drive
Groton, MA, 01450
http://rewindshow.com/haunt/haunt.html

Nightmare On Brooks Street
85 Brooks Street,
Medford, MA, 02153
http://www.thehauntedgrounds.com

Lakeville Haunted House
28 Precinct Street,
Lakeville, MA, 02347
508-923-0053
http://www.lakevillehauntedhouse.com

First Parish Haunted House
75 The Great Road,
Bedford, MA, 01730
781-275-7994
http://deadford.blogspot.com/

Harvest of Horrors
394 Old Meeting House
East Falmouth, MA, 02536
http://www.harvestofhorrors.com/

LLC Presents Terror on the Wharf
59 Wharf Street
Salem,MA, 01970
http://www.terroronthewharf.com

Asylum of Horror
18 Pocasset Street
Fall River, MA, 02721
508-324-7709
http://www.asylumofhorror.com

Nashoba Valley Ski Area Presents Witch's Woods
79 Powers Road
Westford, MA, 01886
978- 692-3033
http://www.witchswoods.com

Haunted Ship
United States Naval Ship building Museum
739 Wasington Street,
Quincy, MA, 02169
617-479-7900
http://www.hauntedship.com/main.htm