BLAHHHHH!!!!…did I scare you? Welcome to another Halloween adventure from the Falls of the Ohio. Today, I have a special treat in mind for you. My name is Jack Blue and I will be your guide for the next five minutes.
If I didn’t scare you perhaps I fooled you? No need to be alarmed, my Belly Face has eaten recently. You should be safe while I show you around the local Halloween sights. Foremost in mind is the special Shrouded Forest that magically appears at exactly this time every year. It is weirdly beautiful especially if there is a slight breeze present to animate the spirits that occupy the branches. Most of them are plastic ghosts that have either floated here via a swollen Ohio River or drifted in with the wind. Here’s what I mean.
The degrading plastic lends such a festive touch to this area. As the polymer bonds separate and the plastic starts to disintegrate it hangs in decorative shrouds from the willow branches it graces. You can walk from tree to tree and admire these spectral creations of man and nature.
All this “magic” is the result of benign neglect. Whoever discarded this waste plastic sheeting probably wasn’t thinking it would wind up here draped in the trees like artificial Spanish moss. In case you were wondering…it also comes in different colors. Here are two other popular hues for your viewing pleasure and a special “snaky” surprise that might have you needing a doctor!
Okay, maybe this isn’t much of a snake, but if you were walking among the trees and looked up at some point…you probably wouldn’t anticipate seeing this? And now for the “Doctor”…hmm, I don’t think he will be doing anyone any good any time soon! Kind of looks like he could use a doctor himself.
Somehow I missed this bear when I did my earlier post on plush toys. He’s been laying under this willow tree for months now and I just happened upon him! Just in time for Halloween!
The truth is one doesn’t need to travel far these days to find a patch of ground not “haunted” by something that doesn’t belong in the environment. I hope all of you out there have a fun and safe Halloween and please discard all your trash in a responsible way. Otherwise, my Face Belly may develop an appetite for you…trick or treat?
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 
Scary! Your snake rope reminded me of a recent Litter Pickin venture I experienced on the shores of Lake Champlain. Along the sunny sandy beach and driftwood lie an old beat up life jacket with a thin rope attached to it splayed out in the shade of a large exposed root. When I reached to pick it up by the rope, part of the rope moved-just as my hand was about to latch on. Turns out that part was a real snake and not part of the rope connected to the life jacket. Fortunately no harm done. Good thing, as there was no doctor bear about for me.
Still time left before Trick or Treat to read my Halloween menu, and Halloween story – under Halloween Fare on the right side of my blog. And my latest posting of Halloween Bike Ride in BTV, VT-lots of photos of costumed characters and maybe even some real ghastly creatures and Superheros.
Bernie
http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/
I’ve noticed that it is the initial surprise of coming across a snake that upsets people. It’s not as big a deal if the snake was more obvious to begin with. Glad your adventure turned out all right.
Boo!
Hello Al! Great post complete with plastic sheeting galore.
Hope you’re all healed and walking with ease these days.
VERY glad YOU are still posting too! You’re amazing.
Thanks Eva…My knee is much better now, but it will never be at 100% again. I’ll do my best to stomp around out at the Falls and come up with other stories from the junk I find out here.
Happy Halloween, Al! Next up, Day of the Dead tomorrow. I have a feeling you have quite a few pieces to work on that theme down by the river. As I heard one pol say this morning, “there’s no emergency room for the planet.”
Making a shrine to honor the dead would be easy to do out here from all the available materials. Thanks for the idea Sven!