Country Roads

It was an awakening this morning to note the ground was covered in snow with more flakes steadily falling. We heard it was coming via weather reporters last night but had hoped we would be missed this time. I know, I know, we need the moisture but we had hoped fall rains would come instead. This snow fall came earlier than usual but like it or not it’s here. It’s covering my patio chair. I have enjoyed walking out onto the deck every morning and sitting with a cup of coffee to watch the birds flocking to the three feeders in the yard. The blooming flowers placed near the deck and in pots on the deck were a welcome site. This morning the patio chair is not as welcoming, and the morning sights are not the same. Now I have to be content to look out the patio windows and view the birds feeding. My flowers are covered with snow. They will bloom no more until next spring. They are now at rest.

Here’s wishing all a “spooktacular” Halloween! This year has been pretty “Spooky” without Halloween. First the COVID arrival and it’s lingering stay, the rioting and now the election trauma. Could this Halloween provide any worse spooks? I’m hoping the the only spooks who arrive are the ones coming to knock at our door seeking treats.

Though some look upon Halloween as being something to avoid, my sons looked forward to it and liked dressing up in an invented, original costume. They were never satisfied with a store bought costume. They wanted to dress up as their favorite character. I enjoyed it almost as much as they did. The local elementary school held a Halloween parade and the students changed into their costumes and marched down the town’s main street. There were judges stationed in front of the bank building who would choose the best three out of each class. Then it was back to the classrooms for Halloween parties complete with games and refreshments. Helping with the parties was fun. There was the Halloween punch and the cut out homemade cookies in Halloween like shapes. There had to be Halloween-printed napkins and matching cups for the punch. The classrooms were decorated with artistic Halloween pictures made by the students and hanging from the tops of the blackboards. Several artistic bats hung from the ceiling.

As a teen, there were the Halloween hay rack rides and wiener roasts. Abandoned houses and barns transformed into local spook houses for the brave at heart to travel through. A church youth group I attended held a Halloween party. We bobbed for apples, held a scavenger hunt, and then enjoyed a game of being blind folded with horrible feeling items passed around the circle for everyone to hold. Those were unforgettable fun times.