Tree stumps don't simply die. They become hosts for other forms of life. On my last self-guided walking tour of Halloween decorations, I stopped to study the bouquets of mushrooms, dramatically lit by the late afternoon sun. Imagine a midnight wedding on Halloween, with brides in black, carrying those mushroom bouquets and attended by night creatures...I'm sad to report that, a few days later, the bouquets were gone and long trenches scarred the lawn, where the tree roots had been dug up to discourage the mushrooms. Macabre whimsy is short-lived.