31 Comments
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David Perlmutter's avatar

"Flittermouse" is likely derived from the German for bat, "Fleidermaus".

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Grant Snider's avatar

Ooh, good to know. The bat/mouse connection is part of one of my favorite spooky poems, The Bat by Theodore Roethke.

“By day the bat is cousin to the mouse.

He likes the attic of an aging house.”

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Lynette Iles's avatar

Die Fleidermaus By Johann Strauss II is quite a delightful opera from the 1870's. A good introductory opera, comedy, show tunes, cavorting, beguiling women, costumes, mistaken identities, no one dies, happy ending!

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Susan Allan's avatar

Happy Halloween and I love learning so to enjoy your incredible images and also increase my vocabulary is a double Joy! thank you so so much

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Kathlyn's avatar

That was fun! Thanks 🤩

I loved trick or treating as a kid, but we did it in the traditional way, with carved turnip (complete with stubby bit of lit candle - yes it stank) and my witch’s costume that lasted me every year from 3-10, handmade by my aunt from a couple of old nylon slips (underskirts). I just went to the immediate neighbours (mum could see me from the end of our driveway), and always made the elderly ladies chuckle. When I was older, I would go with friends further round our village (in eastern England), and there was one house that always gave out twists of homemade Bonfire Toffee (so called cos you could still be chewing it on Bonfire Night - November 5th).

So much better than standard sweets out the bag, and comes with the memories too!

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Beth T (BethOfAus)'s avatar

Such lovely memories. Thanks so much for sharing. 💕

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Johanna Nader's avatar

Gloaming is one of my favorite words! Dayligone is too obvious IMHO. The gloaming is also my favorite time of day 🎃

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Myq Kaplan's avatar

Dear Grant,

This is great!

I love the word "Dayligone."

Thank you for sharing!

Love

Myq

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Laura King's avatar

Great choice of words and drawings for Halloween! Please keep doing them, for all the seasons and reasons :)

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BRJ's avatar

I love the words of wonder! Keep it up 😊

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Lisa mersky's avatar

Yes, i would love to continue to learn more of your illustrated words of wonder! I LOVE your work!!!

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The Bob's avatar

Thanks for expanding my vocabulary, Grant.

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Larky McRory's avatar

I love your Words Of Wonder posts. I'm glad you've added in the Scottish meaning of manse.

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Og Maciel's avatar

I need to tell my kid to add "Words of Wonder" to her daily "Word of the Day" as she'll most definitely enjoy it as well as get a kick out of the illustrations. Keep 'em coming, please.

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Brennan Bell's avatar

My wife and I absolutely love learning new words and sharing them with our daughters and students. Thank you for keeping these words relevant.

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Grant Snider's avatar

That's great, thank you!

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Mariah's avatar

These are wonderful. More please!

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Heather B in MT's avatar

Yes more words of wonder please!

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JL Orr of The Travel Paradox's avatar

I do want more Words of Wonder posts like this one!

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Christine Havens's avatar

“Sough” (suhf) is my favorite of this batch, though “dayligone” is lovely—I’m going to try to work it into my vocabulary.

Thank you, as always, for these. Looking forward to a month of haiku. I may even be inspired to write a few of my own. That wheel needed to be oiled again.

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