The Haunt at Havercroft - 2006

**The Dark Gardener** · 11-03-2006,08:07 PM

I successfully got the Haunt finished in good time. I even had the luxury of going out to breakfast with a friend that morning. The cold I felt coming on Monday morning may have made me feel punk, but I didn't let it slow me down. Not for Halloween. No siree!!!

The first trick-or-treaters came around 5:15. From then on it was small groups trailing in throughout the evening. I got many great compliments from kids and adults alike. One woman said she was going to tell the newspaper about my Haunt and another man said that my humble little garage haunt was "better than the haunted houses we paid to go through."

There was one family that came through with a little girl about 6 years old. I was around the corner and couldn't see them at the time, but I heard the little girl say to her parents, "I want THAT for Christmas!!!" I wonder what she was refering to.

The temperature dropped to around freezing but I was wearing multiple layers under my costume. I was glad I'd set up a crockpot full of hot cider at the exit for people to enjoy. It helped keep me from freezing my nattlins, that's for sure.

The last trick-or-treaters came around 9:20 or so. With no more traffic coming through, I set to work shooting pictures and video of the Haunt. With that done, I had to shut things down and button things up for the night. By the time I finished that and got back in the house, it was 11:00. I took a hot, hot shower and sat down to watch the video footage I'd just shot. But then my cold symptoms came on with a vengeance. Being outside in 30° weather for 6 hours probably didn't help. I ended up staying home from work Wednesday and Thursday. I'm still feeling a few lingering effects but I finally got outside today to start disassembling the Haunt. Some things got wet from the rain over the last couple days, but no permanent damage that I can see. At least all the outdoor stuff is in under cover now. I'll be putting away the interior stuff over the next couple of weeks. My annual goal is to have it all put away and be parking in my garage again before Thanksgiving.

The video footage I shot looks great. I'm very pleased with it. The only thing I couldn't get that night was shots of the trick-or-treaters, which is why I wish my brother could have made it over. He could have done that. But I'll work with what I've got and try to edit it into some kind of cohesive story.

The still photos can be seen here;
http://tinyurl.com/yxtjm9

Roger

**MsMeeple** · 11-04-2006,01:50 AM

Beautiful photo's of all your creepy critters! Your spider victim looked great!

MsM

**a witch from canada** · 11-04-2006,03:58 AM

great job......another great lighting job , everything is very well lighted and all come out in their original way because of that....i like it very much

**SouthernBelle** · 11-04-2006,09:04 AM

DG, I love, love, LOVE the creepy skeleton guy on the roof. Did you make that prop?

**The Dark Gardener** · 11-04-2006,01:16 PM

Yes, I made the Croucher. Wood, PVC, and chicken wire frame with Monster Mud. The head is a full-head mask from K-Mart filled with Great Stuff. The hands and feet are also store-bought. I made him about 4 years ago. I really like him too.

Roger