Day 13: Stories by the Campfire

[Lawrene0]

It's Friday the 13th, so for Day 13 I am going to go with the scary stuff that has happened this year. I host a camping spot, so pull up a stump, take a sip of hot cocoa, and lean in so our faces appear in a ring in the flickering firelight.

The first one, I already mentioned here in the forum:

Scary Story #1

I ask my guests to park beside the tin man (one a friend had made for fun and was throwing out - corrugated iron man would be more precise) on the driveway near the road. 

A guest who was here in February, the boyfriend of the primary booker who had not received the parking instructions himself and had not noticed the tin man when they parked as a snowstorm was brewing, was sent back to the car after dark to get something. It was still storming, and he fought his way the kilometre up the footpath to the car in snow and wind by flashlight. He felt his way around to the passenger door, where the tin man suddenly appeared in his beam. 

He screamed.You would scream too.

Scary Story #2

Since apparently nothing happened in history in Canada in August, we have a made-up day off called the Civic Holiday. We're cool like that.

My neighbours had leftover Canada Day fireworks, about four small rockets, and shot them off that night to entertain their visiting relatives. They are well down the road, so it was four short pops faraway and some brief sparkles on an otherwise dead quiet evening. 

My guests that night were from Detroit, Michigan, a city in which four short pops can mean something other than fireworks. They told me, the next morning, that at the sound of the first they ducked below the windows, and stayed there. 

They napped in the hammock the next day to make up for their mostly sleepless night.

Hideout

Scary Story #3

A friend was throwing out (you are seeing a decorating theme here "A friend was throwing out...") a fake bronze, painted plaster bust of Franz Liszt last year, and I scooped it up to add to the bend in the footpath. Bit of fun for guests to spot.

Weather gradually made him super scary.  

He has been moved to the barn where I store the firewood. Now the barn is super scary. I keep forgetting he is there when I walk in.

FunScary

Scary Story #4

Although I work with the conservation authority to defend the fox snakes and milk snakes that are species-at-risk here, they make me shudder.  As my guests are mostly experienced hikers, they are mostly cool with them. So I play it cool. 

This fall I was guiding new guests down the trail to the treehouse when I was startled by a snake on the path. I played it cool, and pretended my sudden intake of breath was delight. "Oh look, a snake!" 

My guests chimed in with "Oh, nice!" but all three of us were backing up. They were playing it cool for the host; I was playing it cool for them. None of us cracked.

The snake took her time moving off, possibly interested in the mini lecture, How Snakes Help Maintain a Healthy Ecosystem,* I was making to fill the time, but more likely having a laugh. 

It is winter now. No snakes.

* For information on How Snakes Help Maintain a Healthy Ecosystem, just book my treehouse and catch me on the trail pretending not to be scared of snakes by lecturing about them. 

[Pat271]

Delightful, @Lawrene0 , thanks for the smiles. 🙂

[Giuliana142]

@Lawrene0  Hahaha, I loved your scary stories. Fantastic prompts you have on your property. Was fun reading and inspiring. I like repurposing things as well. 

[Heather133]

Thanks for the laughs @Lawrene0 ! Makes me wish my friends were getting rid of more interesting stuff!

[Miloud0]

Salute, 

Thanks @Lawrene0 for sharing these lovely stories 

Thanks, 

Miloud

[Jennifer1421]

Thanks for the smile this morning, @Lawrene0 

For the record - that bust of Liszt IS freaky. I recommend you put a ridiculous hat on him so he stops messing with your head when you go into the barn!

[Stephanie]

Haha! We always do that in my home town @Jennifer1421 @Lawrene0 

[Helen427]

Well presented @Lawrene0 as per your cheery smile.

Corn/ wheat maizes are always a fun place for scarring the daylights out of people.

Isn't it funny how we have fears of the animal kingdom thrust into our young brains as we set off from birth in life @Lawrene0 @Jennifer1421 @Miloud0 @Heather133 @Giuliana142  ?

Who started that story animals are dangerous?

Cattle have horns to plough up the ground & to protect themselves from danger amongst other things.

Snakes to are simply going about there day to day lives.

I wonder what their parents have taught them about us Human Beings?

It's great to see others doing something to keep animals alive & there important role as  part of our day to day living.

All The Best

[Giuliana142]

@Helen427 @Lawrene0 @Jennifer1421 @Miloud0 @Heather133  Fun fact: I am not scarred of animals at all. I find them very respectful and kind. It’s people that I am worried about sometimes. They can present themselves as one thing and then you get to see their “other side”. Such as my last guest for example. Surpriiissseee! Oooppss...didn’t see that coming....we live, we learn.

[Lawrene0]

Well, very obviously, @Giuliana142 , you have not met the wild raccoons around here. They are anything but respectful. 🙂

Sorry to hear that your guests acted like my raccoons. 

[J-Renato0]

@Lawrene0 

I think that the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe would love your listing! Would you gladly host him?

I think that Stephen King would love to be your guest as well ! 🙂

[Cathie19]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼😱🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🎄👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Suzanne302]

@Lawrene0  What a fun read! Great stories!

And I'm totally jealous of the Liszt bust. I *may* be one of those people who keeps a few Halloween decorations up year-round....

[Robin4]

@Lawrene0 

Some day, some how, I just have to visit you Lawrene and stay in your cabin. You have so many wonderful stories that, I am sure you would be that treasure in the flesh that you show yourself to be here on the CC.

My God, Franz Liszt does look a touch creepy!

I have to tell you there are only two 'busts' in my house, and the both of them reside on my piano.......

The little guy on the marble base is Mozart, and the larger green individual, who actually gives you the impression he can see,  is Beethoven!

Neither of them unfortunately have had an influence on my piano playing......but Ade thinks they give some authenticity to what goes on up here in the man cave!

*

Thanks Lawrene for another wonderful post we can all get lost in!

Cheers.......Rob

[Lawrene0]

Oo, green Ludwig would fit right into the woods setting here, @Robin4 !

White Wolfgang would get lost in the snow...

Do drop in any time 🙂