Halloween At Greenfield Village

     What a wonderful way to spend an evening - trick or treating at Greenfield Village with the Awkward Family.

     This year the costume theme was Star Wars (except for Matthew and myself - who came as a monster and a spider web respectively). It was a clear cold October evening so we were well layered underneath the costumes. Darth Vader had a difficult time waiting for the gates to open.

     We had to corral her for an Awkward Star Wars Gang photo. Finally the gates opened and in we flowed.

     To greet us as we rounded the first bend, a smoking Grim Reaper materialized.

     He was immediately followed by a spooky Jack O Lantern with stretching skeletal arms encased in rippling rags. Oh what fun this is going to be.

     Gaily we tripped along pumpkin laden paths - past Thomas Edison's houses festooned with all manner of Halloween decorations.

     The gypsy's / fortune teller's caravan lurked around the next corner. Luke Skywalker was quite entranced with her. Quite a line was backed up to hear their fortunes.

     We moseyed on down to where Thomas Edison was sitting in a reflective mood - wearing a lovely wizard's hat and cape appropriately enough.

     Shortly thereafter Frankenstein's creation was being recreated in a brick building - a few liberties being taken with the story. Shrieks and silly doings were the order of the day.

     At this point a little regrouping of the Awkward family demanded attention. A friendly pumpkin nodded its approval.

     Monster, myself and Obi Wan Kenobi then thought a photo with an immobile gnome might make a great souvenir. Shortly after taking the shot, the gnome got up off his perch. Had he done this sooner all three of us would have been tearing down the pathway looking for the exit.

     After this encounter we headed over the Haunted Bridge. At this point night had fallen and pictures were difficult to take but we tried valiantly.

     Headed around another turn we encountered our favorite singing pumpkins. Pictures do not do them justice. They bounce in the wind, their holographic faces flickering up and about their voluminous pumpkin selves - all the time belting out favorite Halloween songs.

     Pumpkin trees seem to be a new phenomenon. Quite fascinating the artistry is amazing.

     In between the pumpkin trees, Awkward Mom and Obi Wan Kenobi took time out to pose with King Tut (plus it was indoors - so a brief respite from the cold).

     Wandering on, Darth Vader had an encounter with Little Miss Bo Peep - successfully negotiating a treat or two.

     Further down before entering Sleepy Hollow and watching the Headless Horseman chase Ichabod Crane around on horseback (trotting to be exact - with anemic cries for help - I think the night was waning for both them and their mounts), Darth Vader managed to snatch another little treat from the good offices of Glinda the Good Witch and her magic wand.

     The little black cat seen silhouetted in an upstairs window of a spooky filled home seemed to be a good omen to the closure of a wonder filled and silly trip through Halloween land - as greenfield Village understands it.