Of course we
celebrate Halloween here in the woods. For me it is a chance to rekindle those
first spooky nights I spent living alone in my humble cabin so many years ago.
Just stepping out the cabin door after dark was a challenge. I alerted to every
tree crackle, splash in the creek and nocturnal bird wail. When there is a
tingle of fear in your heart the mind will oblige by creating beasts out of
simple shadows and voices out of the combined frequencies of running water,
wind and rustling leaves. Once I even convinced myself I heard Latin music
coming from across the valley. In the light of the next morning I realized it
was a combination of the thump of a pumping oil well and a squeaky cam bearing.
(I hope I haven’t offended any Latin music lovers). As I grew more familiar
with the sounds of the night the beasts, voices and tingles went away. I miss
them.
Fear may be the oldest and strongest emotion
of mankind. I think a little scare now and again can be a wonderful tonic for
the soul, even the playful scares of Halloween.
Traditionally there
is a contest among Dooley, the chickens and the goats to create appropriate
Halloween decorations for the cabin, coop and pens. The chickens won for the third
straight year with a figure depicting West Virginia’s famous Mothman creature.
It stood five feet high, was covered in feathers and flapped its wings (there
were two chickens hidden inside that animated the wings). Second place went to Dooley.
He crafted a ghoulish “dog devil from hell” (his own words) out of the
carcasses of a number of dead animals he had collected from the woods. If he had
figured out some way to cover the stench, he may have taken first place. The
goats took third by spelling out “Happy Halloween” with leaves stuffed in the
squares of their pen fence.
After the goat’s
annual protest that the contest isn’t fair because the chickens have more materials
to work with, the trick or treating commenced. I wait inside the cabin until I
hear a peck, scratch or head butt at the door. I open the door and hand out
species appropriate treats. The costumes were very creative this year. Dooley
showed up at the door twice, once with a moustache and sombrero and then again
with a squirrel on his back astride a small cloth
saddle. I pretended not to notice it was Dooley and gave him a second treat
because…well, because it was Dooley.
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