Sunday, October 30, 2011

It's Halloween Once More

By Joann M. Ringelstetter

The ghosts and goblins prowl about
The ghouls and gremlins scream and shout


The spooks come out at half past four,
It’s Halloween once more.


The Jack-o-lanterns gleam and glow,
The ghosts are lined up in a row,


And Frankenstein comes to the door,
It’s Halloween once more.


The zombies rise and begin to stumble,
The mummies stir and start to mumble,


And someone’s tapping on death’s door,
It’s Halloween once more.


Last Sunday, Ruth and I photographed our way to Delafield, Wisconsin. Our mission was to see the illuminated pumpkin display in front of an old church building known as “The Steeple.” The night before, Delafield held their “Grand Pumpkin Illumination” where over 300 pumpkins were illuminated.


These pumpkins were carved by children from the following local elementary schools: Cushing Elementary School, Lake Country School, Prairie Hill Waldorf, and St. Joan of Arc School. We arrived shortly before dusk so that I could snap a few shots in the waning daylight.


Then we waited for darkness to begin to descend over the scene. While we waited, we examined the carved pumpkins more closely. There were some very creative carvings and many of them made us smile.


Some of them showed signs of struggle to carve the face or whatever else the kids were aiming to create. Others looked like the carving had gotten out of control and most of the pumpkin was carved away, leaving us to imagine what they might have been trying to create.


As we photographed this whimsical scene, cars pulled up and people walked past to enjoy the lighted display. And one little girl came with her mother, peering into the sea of pumpkins in an attempt to locate the pumpkin she had carved so that her mother could take a picture of it. It was quite an enjoyable way to end our afternoon of photographing.


When creatures emerge from the Black Lagoon,
And werewolves howl at the moon,


When vampires show up at the door,
It’s Halloween once more.


When people plan for tricks and treats,
And costumed children hit the streets,


And pumpkins shine from shore to shore,
It’s Halloween once more.


Happy Halloween and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann

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