All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors
The harmless phantoms on their errands glide,
With feet that make no sound upon the floors.

—“Haunted Houses”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

In early 2020, a friend of mine purchased an early 1900s farmhouse that had sat abandoned for over 30 years. When I walked through the accumulated refuse, junk, and artifacts contained within it, I thought of this poem by Longfellow and wanted to inject life into something so neglected. Though some of my creations are more akin to ghouls than the benign spirits referenced in Longfellow’s work, they are all my tribute to the lives lived within historic houses.

 

Also, as a special treat, my toothless cat Alonzo features in one of my photos. Though still very much among the living, he can at time be quite ghoulish.