For the second year in a row, we set out for 826 Roosevelt Avenue in Glendora NJ, the house of Darrin Peters' "Haunted Yard." The first year we had some difficulty finding the location, and when we arrived, Darrin was taking down his decorations, and we discussed returning again the next year.

We arrived to find Darrin in the middle of an elaborate make-up prosthetic job when he answered the door, but were surprised to see him in mask when he made it outside to talk to us. That's the one thing about NJ weather... one year you could be arguing with your mom that you did not WANT to wear your coat, BATMAN DID NOT WEAR A COAT... and the next year you might be wandering around in shorts on Halloween. This was a "warmer" halloween, and causing some issues with the prosthetics.

The yard was a mixture of sorts... homemade props mingled with purchased items, guests were kept out of the yard itself with a fence constructed of plastic bone, twine and skulls, the whole thing costing less then $50. Crosses mingled among daisies and a low lying fog enveloped the area. Many of the props involved masks, and Darrin has quite a collection of them, purchased at Goodwill and Yard sales. His particular fave at the moment in the one he had donned for our visit, a little beautie he had snagged for a mere $2. (Home haunters are ALWAYS seeking a bargain!) Always looking for a scare, he often pockets this mask for his visits to other haunted locations...

Darrin has been interested in haunts since the age of 12, the age that seems to be a common thread among haunters. The 33 year old had been another scaredy-cat as a younger child, his sister working at haunts for the Jaycees and the lad too scared to attend. But lucky for the neighborhood kids, the tide has turned, and we will likely find Darrin out in his yard, early every October setting up for his Halloween Haunt, bringing back his old favorites and bringing out a few new. We wish him the best of luck in the upcoming season.