Festival of Trees

Yesterday I went looking for trees that might fit this months Halloween theme for the festival of the trees. Just a few miles from the prairie sits a little forest that I had been to before and thought I might find what I needed. Lester Davis lived here around 75 years ago when this was mined land, coal mostly. Lester being a bit of an eccentric and and maybe a bit of an environmentalist decided to create a small forest here when the coal ran out. This is an 85-acre forest with 5 acres of strip pits. The area was mined land that was planted with trees by Lester Davis, the previous owner. There are over 50 species of native and non-native trees and shrubs.
But Lester didn't just plant a few of each he planned it out so that there are stands of Pines, Oaks, Cedars, Tulip Trees and just about anything else that would grow here. Now all around seventy years old and about that tall.

It is really like walking in one of those forests we read about (or as close as you're gonna come to it in SW MO) in fairy tales as kids. Some might consider it scary, I know my daughters did when they were young. Rarely did they run ahead over the next hill as they usually did in other places. The trail winds quietly along on leaves, moss and rock. Even when its windy its quiet here, except for the tops of trees that might be swaying and rubbing making noise. Of course there is the sound of flickers and woodpeckers probing for food and the occasional crow.
I do always find myself when alone here looking behind expecting to see a cougar or small bear following me silently. Hasn't happened yet, but up ahead I did see a turkey slip behind some vines and a white tail buck stood watching me for a moment.
Did I find any scary trees?
These vine covered trees pointed the way to a clearing where I found this tree.
Maybe an ent? maybe a tree being celebrating the morning with arms lifted high. Maybe.

The Lester R. Davis Memorial Forest