On Friday, I knew I needed to distract myself as much as possible because it was my dad’s birthday. So I got together with my photographer friend, Audrey, and we headed out to the haunted attraction S and I are building. I don’t consider myself to be a great photographer, but it was so beautiful out that day, and things are starting to age and weather nicely, so there was plenty of inspiration.

When you’re in the throes of building and it’s eleventy-twenty-seven degrees out and you’re getting eaten alive by mosquitos or gnats or running from spiders or snakes or homicidal deer and you feel like you’re going to die, you forget to stop and look at what you’ve created. Bringing someone out there for their first time seeing it makes you see things anew and allows you to look at what you’ve created with some measure of pride. And, when I’m just strolling and photographing and not building or shoveling or sculpting, it lets me fall in love with the property itself, which gives me more energy to continue on with the endeavor. We got lucky that we had a perfectly clear, sunny day, and the leaves were starting to change. All the textures and colors of the property were prancing and showing off for us, shouting, “Look at me!” and “No, look at me!” and “Over here!” Here are some of my favorite pics from the day (not focusing a ton on the sets, since they’re not dressed and complete yet):