I didn't make it to the great Auntie Family Halloween Bash this year. Your Norwegian Uncle got word on Thursday last that he had to have surgery right away (he's fine, just a little discomfort for a few weeks).  So we figured it might not be so good for him to be in the middle of nowhere while taking major heavy anti-biotics.  He's all okay now -- but he's got a long heal ahead of him.  

I did, however, get pictures! And since I promised to share, I'm posting these photos from Jeff Pinnell. I don't know Jeff personally, but he's Arkansas Canoe Club member and has been to several parties.  He takes amazing pictures and has been kind enough to let me share his:  

This is sunset over the hay field at "Cabin #2." There are two cabins on the property.  

This photo is of the hayfield at dawn. Most of the Halloween guests camp  in the hayfield.  

This is a shot from next to Cabin #2, facing north toward Richland Creek. That's the old root cellar and one of my Dad's sacrificed canoes.  He's got one over at Cabin #1 that is now an herb garden.   

Another shot of the hayfield.   

The dinner line at the Halloween party. Folks show up with food, my parents get some kind of special meat, and everyone stuffs themselves.   

Taking the kids on the "Haunted Hike." This year, the theme of 1920's prohibition gangsters won out.  They took the kids about a 1/2 mile up into the woods to an old CCC camp, where there's still a rock building that the workers erected for their meals.   This picture is by Ryan Center.  

Inside the CCC building, where they waited for the big explosion.  This photo by Ryan Center. 

A true terror shot, this one! The bloody bride is a girl who first started coming to the Auntie Family Halloween Bash when she was five years old. She's 17 now, and old enough to do the scaring.   

 Trekking back from the CCC camp to cabin #2.   

Pumpkin carving  contest entries.  

This place belongs to the farm's nearest neighbor. We call him "John Cool."  I have many, many stories about John.  One of them involves a Llama. 

A view of Cabin #2 from the deck of Cabin #1.  

The yearly bonfire.  No "blow logs" this year, thank goodness. But they did blow up some M-60's  (some kind of huge firecracker?) in the service of terrifying small children. It worked well, I hear. 

A great shot of Cabin #2.  This cabin was built sometime in the early 20th century. It was refigured as a hunting cabin, and then, when my family bought the land, they remodeled it into a perfectly livable little one bedroom house with a nice kitchen, running water, and even a washer dryer.  Just to be safe, there's an outhouse nearby too. 

The outside of Cabin #1.  This is a steel building. Believe or not, it's been broken into. That was before we put the bars on the doors.   

The road home.