A peaceful autumn walk takes a spooky turn when Mary Stone and her rescue dog, Jolee, discover the Haunted Trails at Mohican Outdoor Center in Blairstown, NJ.

Amid dangling ghosts, creepy creatures, and a masked Friday the 13th visitor, Jolee's hilarious misadventure brings unexpected laughter. But beyond the Halloween mischief, Catfish Pond's beauty stirs tender memories of Mary's brother Bill, heart-shaped stones, and his Lesson of the Leaf.

It's a heartfelt reminder that nature offers room for grief, healing, and laughter—and that joy often waits around the next bend.

Because gardens, nature, and life are always teaching us something. Our role is to listen.

Explore more:

🍂 Haunted Trails and the Comfort of Trees – Read the companion column and enjoy photos of the adventure.

👻 Halloween's History & Sycamore Ghosts – Revisit Mary's earlier story about Halloween traditions and the happy ghosts circling a magnificent sycamore in Hope, NJ.

🎙️ Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries – More stories and lessons from the Garden of Life.

More about the Podcast and Column:

Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
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