Southwest Life - The Durango Herald

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Bridge scores

Durango Bridge Club online and in-person play. All pairs received 50+ percent Sept. 6 – Open Pairs First: S. Brown/C. Campbell Second: J. Mullings/J. Mullins Third: D. ...

DATE: Sep 20, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

And the West is History: ‘A Ticket to Tomahawk’ cast and crew in Silverton – 1949

DATE: Sep 16, 2024 | CATEGORY: And the West is History

Wakra pukará – Every day is a universe

Edward Rimachi Yanqui emerged from under the stone archway wearing his hat and leather gaiters. A rock perch aided me in mounting Ollu, or First Star Of The Morning. My abdomen wasn't as str...

DATE: Sep 14, 2024 | CATEGORY: Travel

Senior Center Calendar

Durango/La Plata Senior Center 2424 Main Ave., 382-6445 Monday 9:30 a.m.: Tai-Chi. 10:30 a.m.: Neo Delphi Meeting, Watch Your Step – Marvel, Chair Yoga. 10:45 a.m.: Seated Yog...

DATE: Sep 13, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Library hosts ‘Local stories: A Ute family history you didn’t know’

The community is invited to hear the rich stories of longtime Ignacio resident Johnny Taylor Valdez’s family's deep roots in the local area from 6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at Pine River Library, 3...

DATE: Sep 11, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Pine River Library hosts immunity boosters class

Learn how to make two immunity boosting “tonics” from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 26 at Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Drive, Bayfield. Participants will make a bottle of elderberry syrup and...

DATE: Sep 11, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

And the West is History: Whittier School and students – ca. 1900

DATE: Sep 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: And the West is History

Durangoan Lacie Fuller graduates from Washburn University

Lacie Fuller from Durango graduated with a degree in Certificate with an emphasis in Diagnostic Medical Sonography from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, this summer. Founded in 1865, W...

DATE: Sep 6, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

La Plata Quilters Guild to meet

The La Plata Quilters Guild will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave. The evening will feature a lecture by Karla Alexander and trunk show, “Lift the qu...

DATE: Sep 6, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

‘How to stay out of a nursing home’ presentation to be held

A free presentation, “How to stay out of a nursing home” or “How to keep your loved one out of a nursing home,’ will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday at Durango/La Plata Senior Center Window...

DATE: Sep 6, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Humane Society hosts film screening to support shelter

La Plata County Humane Society will host a screening of “GOODBOY,” a film by Ashley Mosher, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Durango High School Auditorium, 2390 Main Ave. Proceeds from t...

DATE: Sep 6, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Grange to host community barbecue, apple pressing

Animas Valley Grange is hosting a Community Barbecue picnic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Animas Valley Grange, 7271 County Road 203, about 1 mile north of Durango Hot Springs. The ...

DATE: Sep 6, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Photos: Durango High School footballDHS football takes a loss in the second round of playoffs

DHS football takes a loss in the second round of playoffs

Photos: Veterans Day Parade on Main Avenue in Durango

Photos: Fort Lewis College football defeats NM HighlandsFLC wins its last home game of the season against New Mexico Highlands on Saturday at FLC

FLC wins its last home game of the season against New Mexico Highlands on Saturday at FLC

Final phases of project underway at Camino del Rio and Main Avenue

Photos: Marching for women’s rightsDurango Women’s March on Saturday starts at Buckley Park, continues down Main Avenue

Durango Women’s March on Saturday starts at Buckley Park, continues down Main Avenue

Photos: Durango High School football DHS beat Vista Ridge 20-14 at home Friday night

DHS beat Vista Ridge 20-14 at home Friday night

Gallery: Animals, super heroes and other creatures take over Main Avenue

Photos: A fun and spooky day at school

Haunted house northeast of Durango gets bigger every yearCody Petersen’s Halloween hobby is his escape from the daily grind

Durango resident Cody Petersen said when he moved into his home at 15 Edgemont Way several years ago, his house on the corner looked lonely and spooky.Today, it’s a madhouse. Halloween decorations are splayed practically on every inch of his lawn, in the trees and up and down his home.

A group of school-aged kids stop in front of his house every day to pose with a little gothic doll in the lawn, he said. It’s the favorite attraction amongst hundreds of decorations Petersen bought locally and online as early as July in preparation for Oct. 31, Halloween.He said he doesn’t want to think about how much money he’s spent on fog machines, animatronics and Christmas lights, but the bill easily totals several thousands of dollars.

For trick-or-treaters on Halloween, whom he encourages to visit, jumpscares abound at Petersen’s home, featuring animatronic spiders, growling wolves and other monsters, he said.He’s working on his own animatronic coffin, which shakes and rattles, and a pulley system that will push and pull a ghost up and down the yard, but neither will be ready for this year’s Halloween.He said he has fond memories of his parents decorating for the holidays during his upbringing and he’s a huge horror genre fan. So he enjoys going all out on decorations for the spooky season. He justifies his hobby with the logic his kids will only be in high school a few more years, and it isn’t as cool to decorate the lawn for Halloween when one doesn’t have children living at home.But the neighbors enjoy his haunts as much as the rest of the community. He said his Halloween scene has gradually grown larger every year; at least 50 trick-or-treaters turned up at his home last year.“I'm a home inspector, so I do have a lot of tools and no fear of trying things out,” he said.

He said typical Halloween animatronics cost $400 a piece, but they only last one year or so without breaking. That’s frustrating, he said, and he believes he can do better by building his own.He said this year’s display and experience is more organic than past years thanks to his handiwork. Among his myriad decorations, trick-or-treaters can spot easter eggs referencing “Beetlejuice,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Pet Sematary.”Among the horror props are real animal bones Petersen said he’s found on hikes across the countryside.“I've got ghosts and spiders and witches and that kind of thing,” he said. “Here in Edgemont, we have giant spiders for real. ... We get these huge wolf spiders that are bigger than my hand. I mean, huge, bigger than tarantulas.”

Petersen said he was motivated to make his first decorations within the first month he and his wife moved into the home on the corner at 15 Edgemont Way.A lone pine tree, a typical Christmas tree that would be strung up with lights and ornaments in December, stood out to Petersen in the yard, he said. He just felt compelled to decorate it and light it up.He said he thoroughly decorated the tree and left it lit year-round. Within a month of moving into the house, his neighbor died. The man was old and suffering from Alzheimer's.

Months later, the man’s wife approached Petersen and told him she and her husband’s last salient moments together were spent looking out at Petersen’s lighted Christmas tree, pretending it was Christmas. In the following hours, the man succumbed to delirium. He died several days later.“I don't know why I had that tree, why I lit it, but that's why that tree, even when Halloween is over, all year round, that Christmas tree always stays lit now,” he said.Petersen is a horror movie fan, and in particular he’s always enjoyed the sinister character Michael Myers of the “Halloween” franchise.

He said every year, after thrilling trick-or-treaters at his home, he takes to downtown and East Third Avenue in his Michael Myers costume, bearing a giant bowl of candy, to continue the fun.The highlight of his yard, the creepy doll neighborhood kids like to pose and take pictures with, is Petersen’s “elf on the shelf,” he said. He likes to move the doll around the house, sometimes propping her up to hold animal bones.“I have a real busy and pretty stressful job,” he said. “I just love the fall so much. And to come home, it's just a good way to wind down and, you know, de-stress, just go out and work in the yard.”cburney@durangoherald.com

Cody Petersen’s Halloween hobby is his escape from the daily grind

Reader-submitted photos of Halloween decorationsLast week, we asked readers to submit photos of their Halloween decorations or a neighbor’s decorations. We received dozens of photo submissions. We have selected some of the most spooky, elaborate and fun photos to share in this gallery. Enjoy!

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