This past week, mother nature dumped 12 inches of the cold white stuff on the lakeshore in Western Michigan. Being a bit farther east, we received a couple of inches to decorate the trick and treating hours. Heavy coats with some imagination made for Halloween fun. One young fellow wrapped himself in toilet paper and claimed to be a fat mummy. The snow on the ground reflected the streetlights, making the travel between homes easier.
The next day, we noted the tracks as children made bee lines from one front porch to another. Running kept the kids warm.
My husband, John, loaded the treat bowl with rice crispy treats, bags of gold fish, chocolate and small toys. Many children paused to look for a toy or special candy. One young man asked if we had another mini paddleball toy for his brother. John found one and handed it to him. A small girl grabbed a sparkling spider attached to a hair clip. She attached to her hair before continuing her begging.
“Take all you want, Otherwise I will have to eat it.”
Treaters limited their selections to two or three items. Many took time to admire the skeletons using binoculars to observe the bats and crows on a trellis. I heard one young woman taking her two small children away.
“If you think this is great, you should see what they do for Christmas!”
Well, I will have to come up with a new activity for the dolls to demonstrate on our front porch.
Treats were not limited to children. John would go out to replenish the suet cakes and seeds in the bird feeder. Feeling sorry for the lone squirrel, he left a small pile of sunflower seeds for him. Oven the hill scurried 5 turkeys. They chased the squirrel up a tree. After finishing the seed pile, several wandered to the water to take a long drink.
Now the snow is gone but the critters have trained us to come and feed them twice a day. Better buy some more treats for the tricksters.
The deer have not been forgotten. John put our three pumpkins on the hill, away from the house. Last evening, there was much activity. Several deer spent time around the pumpkins. This morning there was an eight inch hole in the largest one. We wonder if the squirrel will expand the hole in the daytime. This is better than pumpkin carving and the fun lasts longer.
Full moon glows with light
blanket reflecting bright
trick treater’s refrain
leaving small tracks in the snow
memories Halloween’s lure
Carolaspot@aol.com November 6, 2023
traveling up and down the blind highway 