BLAZE and KIKUIT ESTATE .... NOVEMBER 03 2011 .......

Also known as THE GREAT JACK O'LANTERN BLAZE.  This happens every year on the Cortlandt Manor at Croton-On-Hudson New York. 

First though we toured Kikuit Estate (pronounced KiKut) the hilltop paradise of Nelson Rockefeller and his family.  the home was completed in 1913 and now is owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  Again this was a wonderful tour, lots to see, and lots to learn, not that I will ever remember all of it, but was a great time.

 This was the view we had of the estate as we arrived.  The home was awesome, filled with art work, and history.  But, to me, the best part were the grounds with all the landscaping and sculptures. 

This was one of the views.  There were so many, I just sort of played "pin the tail on the donkey" to chose a couple to share with you. 

 I think you can see what I mean.  It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.  Upon leaving we had dinner at a really nice Italian restaurant and then proceeded to BLAZE! 

There are more than 4,000 individually hand-carved, illuminated jack o'lanterns for your walk through experience.

Cortlandt Manor consists of a stone manor house,  brick ferry house, and tenant houses.  During the normal part of the year you can tour this property with its collection of colonial and federal furnishings, and see costumed guides demonstrating open-hearth cooking, spinning, weaving, and other period tasks.

But come November, and Halloween, the grounds are transformed into ghosts and goblins.  There is a breathtaking display, all made of jack o'lanterns, such as slithering snakes, a giant spider web, super-sized dinosaurs, pirates, ghosts, and other creatures.  

This is just a few of the pumpkins that I passed along the way.  It took an hour to travel through the grounds, not counting stops.  Needless to say, an hour is not near long enough.

You couldn't begin to imagine the shapes, how did they manage to fasten all these pumpkins together, carve them, and have the stay put.  It is definitely something you have to see to believe.

And then there were the ghosts.  Just ready to jump out and grab you.  Gotta keep moving.  Don't need one of those guys coming home with me!

This was one of the numerous dinosaurs that were roaming the grounds that night.  Wonder if I will have nightmares when we finally return to our hotel.

Now am going to back-track just a little.  While at the vicinity of Philipsburg Manor, there were these poor unfortunate folks that had been "strung up" so to speak.  All part of the fun and games.

Sure did make a person stop and take a second look.  All in all it was another great day.  Again it was well after 10 p.m. when we returned to the hotel.

Our luggage had to be outside of our door by 8 a.m. for pickup.  We had to be on the bus by 9 a.m. to head to Bannerman Island, which would be our last stop before heading home.

I do have to admit, even though I thoroughly enjoyed everything we did and saw, my favorite had to be Bannerman Island.  So tune in tomorrow, and you will see, what was so special, especially to me.

And as of right now this trip is right at the top of the list of best bus trips ever.  I hope down the road you can enjoy some of the things I have enjoyed, and in the meantime, God Bless.