Ah, the spooky old house. That Halloween icon — the abandoned home, once a place where a family lived, now just the dwelling of ghosts. Every neighborhood needs a haunted house.

I have written often about ghosts in this column. On at least one occasion, actual ghosts — the spirits of the dead that purportedly have haunted my old farmhouse, but mostly about ghosts in the sense of old memories. My home is far more haunted these days by my brothers and my younger selves than it has ever been by the poor dead boys of Vonnie and Nat Frohock.

Isn’t that what ghosts are, just the memories of people that came before? At least that is what I tell myself, ever since my brain matured, and I adopted more skeptical view of the paranormal that fascinated me in my younger years. A committed agnostic, that is what I am.

As I inhabit the place where I grew up, the ghosts of memory are everywhere. I see stores that no longer exist — Henry Bovine’s market, Burns Buttery. I hear the wisdom of Frank Slegona or Andy Andrews. I think of Myra Polan, living out her widowhood in that ancient home at the end of South Chesterdean Road, stacks of communist newspapers in her attic, and wish my adult self could talk to her through the years.

When I was young, this town was full of abandoned houses. There were even more in the years prior. The family moved on, the old house was simply too much to maintain. Not so much anymore. With an influx of new residents, the old places are torn down, the fields where cattle grazed becoming multiple homes, each far grander than the modest farmhouse that once sat there.

I often drive by our old home on Slab City Road. I always look, imagining what is happening in the place where we raised our kids from 2007 to 2018. It was recently sold again, and I see a baby stroller in the dooryard. Do they know there are ghosts? Ghosts of my children playing on “pirate rock” — that boulder in the front yard — dancing to silly music in the living room? Whoever they are, I hope that there are children dancing in the living room again.

Raymond Oxton’s home on Atlantic Highway has been slowly decaying in the 23 years since he left us. Recently it has been cleared of the vegetation that has been consuming it. I suppose it will soon be gone.

Every morning, Bella and I walk past the nearest house, the home of Ben and Florence Mikutajcis in my youth. Now years sitting abandoned.

My daughter recently told me that this is her haunted house. How strange that the place she sees as something out of horror movie is the same place where I drank Moxie with Florence after mowing the lawn or weeding Ben’s garden.

Everywhere we go in this little town the ghosts are there, whether we know they are or not. Thousands of years of people, making their way to our shore, feasting on deer and shellfish. The forebears of Lincolnville’s oldest families, who built the most ancient farmhouses in town. Our own loved ones, those who lived here or who we brought with us in our memories when we moved to this little town.

Samhain, All Hallows Day, the Day of The Dead — the beginning of November is for remembering those who came before us, to commune with our ancestors. This week I will remember my own dad, on what would have been his 84th birthday by making meatloaf, and maybe a pineapple upside down cake.

Sometimes we catch a whiff of pipe smoke around this old place, and we remember.

Library Happenings

Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m. will host needleworkers. Join the book discussion of Tales From a Haunted South at 5 p.m.

From 3 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday will be the poetry circle.

The library will welcome grades K-2 from LCS Friday morning, who will walk down from the school for stories and activities. At 4 p.m. they will welcome Trick or Treaters.

Finally, on Saturday at 10 p.m. will be Music Together for little ones and their parents.

Halloween in the Center:

Lincolnville Center continues to be the place for your Trick or Treaters in town. Starting at 4:30 on the 31st, the LCS parking lot will be given over to Trunk or Treat cars. Beth’s Farm Market has once again donated pumpkins which will be carved by LCS students and light the road from the school to Petunnia Pump.

The Lincolnville Volunteer Fire Department is once again going all out on Halloween with games, a haunted maze, pumpkin decorating, and a costume contest. Stop by the station at 470 Camden Road between 4 and 8 Halloween night for a sppoktacular time.

I have my costume all ready, and I will be in the Center to get pictures of the ghosties and ghoulies of Lincolnville for this very publication.

Stay warm on these chilly mornings, and enjoy the afternoon sunshine while you can. Look after each other, and reach out at ceobrien246@gmail.com.

Municipal Calendar:

Monday, October 27

Select Board, 6 p.m. Town Office

Tuesday, October 28

Library open 3-6 p.m. 208 Main Street

AA Meeting 12:15 p.m., Community Building, 18 Searsmont Road

Lakes and Ponds Committee, 7 p.m. Town Office

Wednesday, October 29

Library Open, 2-5 p.m., 208 Main Street

Thursday, October 30

Library open 2-5 p.m., 208 Main Street

Friday, October 31

AA Meeting 12:15 p.m., Community Building, 18 Searsmont Road

Library open 9-12, 208 Main Street

Saturday, November 1

Library open 9-12, 208 Main Street

Sunday, November 2

United Christian Church, 9:30 a.m. Worship and Children’s Church, 18 Searsmont Road

Bayshore Baptist Church, 10 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages, 10:40 a.m. Coffee and Baked Goods, 11:00 a.m. worship, 2648 Atlantic Highway