Monthly Archives: October 2016
Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds

My husband, Nathan, sorting through sprouted pumpkin seeds–looking for a few to keep for planting.
My husband, Nathan, loves to carve pumpkins. Last year, we had a huge Halloween party, which resulted in him carving twenty or so of the things.
One of my favorite pleasures of fall is pumpkin seeds; I’ve figured out a way to separate them from their stringy innards that’s pretty easy (just soak the whole mess in warm water and the seeds pretty much float to the top). Then I brush them with a thin (very thin) coating of olive oil, roast them in the oven with spices (at around 300 degrees and until they’re crispy) and serve them with cocktails. It’s the perfect seasonal treat.
Last year, though, there were just too many seeds to roast. I ended up leaving a huge pot of them out on the back porch, and they sprouted!
Getting in on Dark Discussions: September 2016

1978’s Piranha was the final film of Dark Discussions’ KILLER FISH FEST.
September’s such an interesting month, because, here in New England, it’s a fluid transition between summer and autumn.
Dark Discussions‘ topics for September were just as transitory, taking us from the final days Read the rest of this entry
10 movies that wouldn’t be scary if you watched them on mute
Horror films rely on all sorts of tricks to induce their frights: jump scares, atmosphere, and creepy or gory visuals. They also rely on something else that’s often overlooked: sound.
Sound, including music, can play a key role in how scary something is. Consider, for example, Robert Wise’s 1963 The Haunting; one of the most terrifying moments in that film is the scene in which the girls huddle in their room as an infernal banging roams the hall. We never see the ghost; we simply hear it—and if one turned down the volume and watched that scene without any noise, it would just look like two women making goofy faces in a room.
That said, here are ten films that rely so heavily on sound or dialogue Read the rest of this entry