Tuesday, October 31, 2017

A Halloween Mystery

Halloween - so many memories.  Dressing up in costumes as a child.  Dressing my then young son in costumes.  The Halloween he trick or treated in a foot of heavy snow.

Some things don't change.  Some things do.
Frog Pond, Bainsbridge, New York
When I was growing up in the late 50's and early 60's, it was enough to carve two eyes, a nose and a mouth out of a pumpkin, and perhaps put a candle in it.  Now, pumpkin painting and decorating is a lot more sophisticated.

Blow up Halloween decorations are everywhere now.

In downtown Bainbridge, New York, the merchants have decorated with pumpkins and scarecrows.

She looks a bit grim, doesn't she?

Speaking of grim, while exercise walking near a small local park, I ran across this.  The park itself is small - there was a house there at one time.  On May 3, 2006, there was a tragic fire that killed a mother and three of her children.  The father and another child escaped.  The cause of the fire, as far as I know, has never been determined.  The fire destroyed the house, and damaged several surrounding houses and a church. 

Now, 11 years later, you would never know.

The park itself is small - just a couple of benches and the small monument to what happened one terrible May night in Binghamton, New York.

I wonder who lay the bouquet of orange wrapped flowers (Halloween flowers) by the monument, in tribute of this tragedy?  That is the mystery I leave for you today.

Tonight, trick or treaters will walk past the park.  They will pass fake scary lawn decorations, but also a reminder that horror does exist in even the quietest of neighborhoods.

Happy Halloween, but also a reminder that life's scares and grit are sometimes real.

Day 31 (the final day!) of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

10 comments:

  1. I visited a community Sunday evening that was all decked out with skeletons for Halloween. I wish I had more time to really walk around and enjoy them. I doubt I will have any kids coming here as it will be pretty darn cold here.

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  2. When I was younger I enjoyed walking around the local graveyard. It was weird to see families buried together and so many young people. It was hard to grasp. When I learned in school about smallpox and other diseases it made sense, but it was still so strange and interesting. In the town I just moved into there is a very old cemetery. It's from about the 1700s my husband told me. I will have to check it out sometime soon.

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  3. It's true, life's scares and grit are sometimes real. Very sad about the fire and loss of lives. Media vita in morte sumus - In the midst of life, we are in death. (Written around 750 in France)

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  4. Sad story. A reminder for this time of year that it's not all fun and games.

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  5. Lovely pumpkin decor

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  6. Whoever left the flowers, I'm glad they did. Such a tragedy.

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  7. Such a sad reason for a park! Too many have been lost in fires this year, and in floods. This memorial is heartbreaking, but I hope it encourages people to consider fire safely more carefully in their own homes. I hope whoever left those flowers heals.
    Evidently it's someone who knew the family.

    But life goes on. And now treat-or-treaters will be out having fun without a thought of those memorialized in the park.

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  8. So sad about the tragic fire but a nice remembrance from someone with the flowers. We have only had about 18 stop for goodies. So many seem to go to community parties or mall activities. Happy Halloween and congrats on the end of the challenge.

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