Page 20 - OCT2025

Page 20
Community
By Donna RhoDes
Someone tell me where sum- mer went. It seems like just last week that the rainy skies of spring cleared, the sun came out and the tourists came to enjoy the splendor of our lakes, rivers and mountains. I must say how- ever that we could most definitely use some cloudy skies and good amounts of rain right now.
But, sad as it is to say goodbye to the hot sunny days, I do love that nice chill of a fall morning. Born in September, it is embed- ded in me. Fall is special in New Hampshire, though. It reminds me of the settling of the region, the people who built this great state, harvest time and prepar- ing for winter. The first smells of woodsmoke in the air, the mums, the spectacular colors of the trees seem to awaken my spirit; and there’s nothing like a night by a crackling fire in the cool night air.
Then there’s all the beautiful yard decorations and, most fun
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October 2025
of all for me, Halloween! I love it! Last month, I wrote about Roadside Art, and this really boils over in the fall. People are so creative with their floral and pumpkin displays, with scare- crows popping up amidst it all. We should have a fall garden
tour.
You can also tell Halloween
is loved by many here when you still see skeletons in some yards throughout the year, but boy, does their population multiply in the fall!
Driving to my parents’ home in Concord, on the back roads, of course, I always saw one home with a display out on a country road in Webster that was sim- ply incredible. Each year was different, but it always included literally dozens of mischievous skeletons of all sizes. I especially remember the first time I drove by- there were probably 20-30 of them all over the yard and the house as well. Several of them
had a ladder and were scaling the house to climb through a sec- ond floor window while one was peering down the chimney. An- other year they were more play- ful. A group of four sat at a table playing cards while others were waterskiing behind a boat in the yard, mama skeletons were in chairs, knitting as the youngsters were playing with rubber duckies in a swimming pool. There was also a backyard football game going on with none other than a Tom Brady skeleton ready to make a pass to a player across the yard. Classic.
Just the other day I saw a gi- gantic wolf-like critter (pictured here) sneering at passersby on a dirt road. It made me think of my Sasquatch pal in Rumney who I mentioned last month. I may have to take a ride to see if he is dressed up for the holiday. (I hope so!)
There are so many great Hal- loween adventures people can participate in as well. Scare- crow contests, haunted houses, and many fun Trick-or-Treat nights are on the calendar. Alex- andria is hosting their first-ever Trick-or-Treat Trail on Oct. 26 (see my article elsewhere in this
paper for
details). Plymouth has a great Halloween Night Downtown Trick or Treat celebration at their businesses that is always a lot of fun. Beginning late in the afternoon (check the town or Plymouth Police Facebook pages for upcoming details and times), where the kids can safely go from store to store for treats, check out a haunted hous,e and enjoy other activities before heading back to their neighborhoods for more goodies.
Bristol also holds a downtown Halloween night that begins with a costume parade. It be- gins behind the middle school, then heads down North Main Street to the square, where they can then go door-to-door at the businesses along Central Square and Pleasant Street. There is even a haunted house at the Masonic Lodge where there are chills, thrills and more treats to be found. Best of all I have heard rumors that the Bristol Witches may be flying in to dance in front of Tapply-Thompson Commu- nity Center again!
Some smaller towns, realizing it’s difficult to walk from house to house in the country, have also begun Trunk or Treat nights in town squares and schoolyards. A
Life on the Backroads
few towns have even gone to the trouble of asking willing residents to list their addresses on a map. The maps are then available so parents can drive their little trick-or-treaters to welcoming homes to knock on a door rather than walking along dark wooded roads. Again, check your town web site for information on just what happens in your neck of the woods, or join in on the fun at some of the larger town events mentioned here.
Finally, for adults and per- haps older children who enjoy a good scare, there is the Salisbury Woods. Located on Rte. 127, it’s about a worthwhile half-hour drive from Bristol down Rte. 3A. Go straight through the traffic light in Franklin and look for the right onto 127. The Salis- bury Woods, Haunted Barn and Trail will be on your right at 19 Franklin Road, just before you reach Rte. 4. It will be open Fri- day nights on Oct. 3rd,10th,17th and 24th, as well as Saturdays on the 4th, 11th,18th and 25th. For a special thrill, there will be a Lite Fright Night on Oct. 31st. Tickets are required and can be purchased online at www.the salisburywoods.com where you can also find more details.
Happy Halloween to all. Keep an eye out for the skeletons and other ghouls you may encounter on your journeys through the back roads this month!
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