There’s no getting around it – October is a spooky month!
In the past, I tried to minimize Halloween's "Boo" Factor (especially when my kids were growing up) by emphasizing fall harvest activities instead.
But for whatever reasons (probably everyone's terrifying yard decorations), there was just no denying October's ghosties & beasties - real or imagined.
In the past, I tried to minimize Halloween's "Boo" Factor (especially when my kids were growing up) by emphasizing fall harvest activities instead.
But for whatever reasons (probably everyone's terrifying yard decorations), there was just no denying October's ghosties & beasties - real or imagined.
Truth be known, I somewhat enjoy the unseen mysteries that cause October's little, bump-in-the night moments. And to be clear, they're quite different from the BIG BUMPY ones like Jason of Friday the 13th horror film fame. For me, these small "knocks & thuds" help kick-start imaginations and awaken possibilities - not unlike the other unseen mysteries of soft breezes, warm sunrays and earthy fragrances.
"Imaginations are a
terrible thing to waste."
And while on the subject of imaginations, Jeffrey Mansion & Woods is the perfect destination for bump-in-the-night adventures, Harvest Fest activities and manageable doses of nighttime fright. (A similar, but safer version of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.)
An evening walk in an October woods always reveals an entirely different landscape from any other time of year. Barren trees that look like ghoulish phantoms, twisted roots that heave upward from the ground and eerie, almost supernatural, nighttime sounds all quicken the pace to trails end.
An evening walk in an October woods always reveals an entirely different landscape from any other time of year. Barren trees that look like ghoulish phantoms, twisted roots that heave upward from the ground and eerie, almost supernatural, nighttime sounds all quicken the pace to trails end.
dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before." ... Edgar Allan Poe
Case In Point: During an evening walk in the woods last October, I thought I heard soft footfalls dragging along the leaf-covered path behind me. At first, I tried to ignore and reason away the unfamiliar sounds. But when the shuffling noises became clearer, I turned like an enraged honey badger with keys locked & loaded to do some serious damage - admittedly, not a pretty picture.
Anyway, when I saw what seemed to be slow moving shadows, my fear index skyrocketed. In that one terrifying moment, I knew exactly what Ichabod Crane felt right before the headless horseman appeared in those dark New England woods.
Anyway, when I saw what seemed to be slow moving shadows, my fear index skyrocketed. In that one terrifying moment, I knew exactly what Ichabod Crane felt right before the headless horseman appeared in those dark New England woods.
I stiffened with fright, locked my vision on two lights shining from within a darkened mansion and quickly headed for the perceived safety of the forest's edge.
I literally tumbled out of the woods into an empty meadow only to discover the threatening footfalls had not been caused by a menacing band of displaced zombies, but some hungry deer foraging for food along the path. (Caution: An October woods can most assuredly make you feel like you've fallen down Alice's rabbit hole.)
And while that should have been this story’s "Happily-Ever-After-End,” I still faced a journey through a murky meadow with the piercing yellow eyes of Jeffrey Mansion following me - an historic, old home known for its own ghastly/ghostly tales.
My October stroll did not end with a smashed pumpkin like in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but a slightly bruised ego and a BUMPITY story to retell. (FYI: I am once again looking forward to this October's walk in a nighttime woods.)
And while that should have been this story’s "Happily-Ever-After-End,” I still faced a journey through a murky meadow with the piercing yellow eyes of Jeffrey Mansion following me - an historic, old home known for its own ghastly/ghostly tales.
My October stroll did not end with a smashed pumpkin like in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but a slightly bruised ego and a BUMPITY story to retell. (FYI: I am once again looking forward to this October's walk in a nighttime woods.)
Fall Harvest Festival: A great time for the entire family.
Join the Bexley Recreation & Parks Department on Friday, October 17, 2014 from 6- 8 pm.
Activities include a Corn Maze, Hayrides, Enchanted Walk, Live Music, Balloons, Face Painting and a Bon Fire!
This is a free community event. Community groups will be selling pizza, chili, pop-corn, hot and cold drinks, and dessert.
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Join the Bexley Recreation & Parks Department on Friday, October 17, 2014 from 6- 8 pm.
Activities include a Corn Maze, Hayrides, Enchanted Walk, Live Music, Balloons, Face Painting and a Bon Fire!
This is a free community event. Community groups will be selling pizza, chili, pop-corn, hot and cold drinks, and dessert.
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