2004 - Major Changes to the Graveyard - Due to age and weather, my large cardboard tombstones are reaching the end of their life. I'm still trying to use them but they require a lot of propping-up and reinforcement. Because of this tragic loss, I decided in 2004 to upgrade the graveyard with several foam tombstones. I gone from 6 large graves to an entire cemetery full of tombstones (24). Also, I made two more fence sections and Cemetery Entrance Columns as well as a few homemade foam Tombstones. For as long as they last, I will place the cardboard tombstones at the back of the cemetery on Halloween night. To add more spooky character, I prop up large sticks that had fallen from my big poplar trees against the inside of the fence with the branches overhanging the fence and hang Spanish moss from them. The back of the graveyard is marked by four tall torches. It looks like a real cemetery!! One benefit of my loss has been allowing me to set up the graveyard prior to Halloween night (except for the cardboard tombstones) and leave it up. The house looks much spookier.

2005 - Graveyard reoriented toward street and trick-or-treaters now enter via a path through the graveyard and exit out the driveway due to addition of 30 more foam Tombstones (total over 50) and construction of Cemetery Gates. Also, purchased two 3ft. hard foam Gargoyles on eBay and placed on top of entrance columns. In 2006 I added red LED eyes to the Gargoyles.