Gettysburg Ghosts

The Lost Silver Mine of Silver Run

2012-01-02T19:17:00.000-05:00

In the County of Carroll in the State of Maryland sits a small town called Silver Run. In the late 1700's, a master silversmith by the name of Ahrwud lived in the area with his daughter Frieda. They lived apart from the other settlers of the area, and Ahrwud was known to be a friend to the local Native Americans. People wondered about Ahrwud's friendship with the Indians, his beautiful daughter who was know to run around the woods with her hair in braids and the fact that Arwud was able to sell his wares at an unusually low price. It was almost as if he had access to an unlimited supply of silver.

Each night, Ahrwud would lock Frieda in her room. She would hear her German father speaking the language of the local Indians and then she would hear her father close and lock the shop door. Frieda was angered at being treated as a child when she was 17 years old. So one night she waited up for her father to return. When she heard Ahrwud come into the house, she went to him begging him to tell her where he had been all night. Seeing his daughter's tired and worried face he agreed to take her with him the following night if she swore never to reveal his secret.

The night came and Ahrwud did as he promised. He blindfolded his daughter and started out into the night leading his daughter in one hand and holding a lantern in the other. The trail was rough and had them going up hill and down through briars and brush. At a stream, Frieda was allowed a drink and the blindfold taken off momentarily. She took the opportunity to get a bearing on her surroundings before being blindfolded again and continuing on their way. They eventually came to a cave. Ahrwud led Frieda inside and removed her blindfold to reveal a silver mine with silver coins and bullion lying about and a thick shimmering vein of silver striking through the rock. Ahrwud explained to his daughter that the mine belonged to the Indians who shared its location with him because of their friendship. Ahrwud warned his daughter that should the secret of the mine ever leave their family, they would pay a penalty with their lives within 3 days. The mine would vanish and their souls would walk the earth until 3 lives were sacrificed to set them free. Only then would the local settlers learn of the mine's location. Frieda swore to keep the secret.

Ahrwud began melting down the silver and making coins. An hour before dawn, he blindfolded his daughter and they made the trip back to their home. Frieda, though blindfolded, was able to mark the trail by breaking branches. Once home, Ahrwud went to sleep, but Frieda was too excited and immediately went to tell her friend of the treasures she had seen. After some coaxing, Frieda's friend convinced her to show her the mine. Using the broken branches as markers, the girls made their way to the cave. They loaded up with as much silver as they could carry and made their way home. Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched.

The first day passed without incident as did the second, but on the third day, several Indians showed up at Ahrwud's home. Telling Ahrwud of his daughter's betrayal, they took both father and daughter out of the house and to the mine. There Frieda was beheaded and burned Ahrwud's eyes from his head with a rod of hot silver. It's said that people still see the shadowy form of Ahrwud in his wide brimmed hat carrying his lantern making the trek back and forth to the mine and his daughter by his side.

The location of the mine is thought to be in the vicinity of Rattlesnake Hill just east of Union Mills. Just recently, my parents (who reside in Silver Run) had a sinkhole open up in their pasture. It made me immediately think of the mine. Sadly, there was no sign of silver.

The Family Witch

2011-12-19T22:01:00.000-05:00

Grandmother Scheufele in her "church room"

Years ago, I interviewed my grandmother for an Anthropology project. The topic was my great-great-grandmother who was reputed with being a psychic-medium. Grandmother Scheufele had a room in her home that was called her "church room". Here she would conduct services. My grandmother Pauline remembered attending one or two of these services where she witnessed Grandmother Scheufele going into a trance and speaking in a voice that was not her own. Mt grandmother claimed these "services" were actually seances. Later in my grandmother's life, when she was married, she was having some health issues. Her mother took her to the doctor, but nothing seemed to be helping. Finally, they went to talk to Grandmother Scheufele. It was suggested (by Grandmother Scheufele) that someone (my grandmother's mother-in-law) had placed a curse on her. She told my great-grandmother to cut open my grandmother's pillow and there she would find a hard lump of feathers. They were instructed to burn the lump of feathers in an outdoor fire while saying an incantation. Unfortunately, my grandmother was unable to remember what the specific incantation was, but did say that it was to take place during a specific time of day and month. After burning the feathers as instructed, my grandmother began to heal.

Another story involving Grandmother Scheufele had to do with my grandmother's cousin Will. Will lived with his grandparents because of his stepmother (who, according to my grandmother, did not like Will and was not very nice to him). Will was described as something of a daredevil. He like to torment the bull at the nearby farm and generally wasn't afraid of anything. One night while he was downstairs at Grandmother Scheufele's house, he saw a face looking in the window at him. He screamed and threw the closest weapon he had- a hammer- right through the window. Grandmother Scheufele came to see what the problem was, and after Will told her what happened, she told Will that his stepmother had sent the devil after him.

The paper I wrote for my class was titled "The Family Witch" though my grandmother took offense to that reference. She would get downright angry if she heard me refer to Grandmother Scheufele as being a witch. Not that it is meant in any derogatory way. However, recently I discovered that Grandmother Scheufele had a book (or possibly more than one) that was written in German (she came from Germany) that contained recipes for potions. She also had a crystal ball.

It's unfortunate that I was never able to meet this fascinating woman. Though I am thankful that was able to record some of the stories about her before my grandmother's passing.

Ghost Ships: The Titan

2011-11-28T21:21:00.014-05:00

On April 14, 1912, the huge "unsinkable" ship the Titanic was steaming across the Atlantic towards New York. This was the Titanic's maiden voyage, and her captain was encouraged to break the record for speed while making the voyage. As most people know, after striking an iceberg, the unsinkable ship went down in only a matter of hours. Out of the 2,201 passengers, only 711 were saved. Since then, there have been many books and movies about the Titanic.

There was one fictional story written by a merchant seaman by the name of Morgan Robertson. Robertson's book was about an unsinkable passenger liner that sank while carrying the elite people of the time. The ship in Robertson's story was called the Titan and the book was titled The Wreck of the Titan. Even though the book is fictitious, the events in the story parallel the events of the Titanic. Both ships were built to be unsinkable. Both ships sank after striking an iceberg. Both ships were on their maiden voyage. The most well to do famous people were on the Titan and Titanic. Only one third of the passengers on each ship survived. Both ships had an inadequate number of lifeboats. Both ships were encouraged to break speed records during their voyage.

Robertson's book The Wreck of the Titan was never published. Each time it was rejected by editor's, they told him the same thing. The story was unbelievable. Surely the events he wrote of could not possibly happen to an unsinkable ship.

The book The Wreck of the Titan was written in 1898,

fourteen years before the Titanic hit an iceberg and settled on the bottom of the northern Atlantic.

History of Halloween...

2011-10-31T09:51:00.000-04:00

Halloween dates back to the time of the ancient Celts who celebrated their new year on November 1. The new year signified the coming of the darker colder months of winter- a time when many fell ill and died. The Celts believed that on the eve of their New Year (October 31), the physical world and the supernatural world were closest and allowed the spirits of the dead to roam the earth. These ghosts were said to destroy crops and cause trouble, but it was also believed that their presence helped the Druids (Celtic priests) make predictions for the coming year. These predictions offered comfort during the hard winters, and so to commemorate the event, large bonfires were built. The Celts often wore costumes, mainly animals skins and heads. At the end of the celebration, the Celts would carry embers from the bonfire in a hallowed out turnip or rutabaga to their homes to light their hearth. This "holiday" celebrated on October 31st is called Samhain (pronounced sow-in and derived from Old Irish Samuin meaning summer's end).

Through the centuries, Roman festivals were incorporated into the Celtic traditions. One in particular, a day to honor Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees, is possibly the origin of the tradition of bobbing for apples. Eventually, the Catholic church created All Saint's Day on November 1st and then All Soul's Day on November 2nd in an attempt to replace the Celtic holiday with one sanctioned by the church. On All Soul's Day, people celebrated by having big bonfires, parades and dressing in costume. The name Halloween is derived from Middle English Alholowmesse which means All Saint's Day. The day before was termed All-hallows Eve and eventually became Halloween.

The celebration of Halloween was limited in colonial New England because of the strict views of the Puritans. Halloween was most popular in Maryland and the southern colonies where different European ethnic groups and Native Americans meshed their beliefs. Public events were held to celebrate the harvest and people gathered to to share stories of the dead, tell each others' fortunes and dance and sing. When the millions of immigrants fleeing the potato famine of Ireland began hitting the shores, the celebration of Halloween began to become more popular. People dressed in costume and went door to door begging for food or money which later became "trick-or-treating".

In the late 1800's, people were encouraged to do away with the scarier aspect of the celebrations. It was then that the holiday lost most of its religious and superstitious meaning. In the 1900's, celebration moved more towards community events such as parades and parties. By the mid 1900's, the tradition of trick-or-treating was revived as it was an inexpensive way for the community to share in the holiday (and perhaps prevent any mischief). During this time, Halloween became more of a young person's holiday.

And where do Jack o' lanterns fit in? There's an old Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack who tricked the devil. Because of this he was not allowed into heaven, nor would the devil allow him into hell. So Jack's soul was forced to wander the earth with only an ember in a hallowed out turnip to light his way. So people began making hallowed out turnips lit with a candle to keep Jack and other evil spirits away. Because of their size and abundance, Americans began using pumpkins. There is also a correlation between the Celts' use of the turnip to carry embers from the sacred bonfire to their homes.

So go out, have a bonfire, carve a pumpkin, remember your dreams and eat a lot of candy.

Ghost Ships: The Mary Celeste

2011-10-11T09:35:00.000-04:00

Launched in 1860 under the name Amazon, the Mary Celeste started her ill fated life. In the 10 years before she was to become the Mary Celeste, the ship was involved in several accidents and went through several owners. She was sent to the New York salvage auction where she was purchased for $3,000. After extensive repairs, she was christened Mary Celeste.

Painting of the Amazon, later christened Mary Celeste

The new captain Benjamin Briggs, his wife, and young daughter, along with 8 crew members departed New York on November 7, 1872 bound for Genoa, Italy. The cargo consisted of 1700 barrels of raw American alcohol.

Captain of ill-fated Mary Celeste

On December 5, 1872, the ship Dei Gratia came upon the Mary Celeste floundering on the sea. The captain of the Dei Gratia knew Captain Briggs and was surprised to see the ship derelict as Briggs had a reputation as an excellent captain. Men from the Dei Gratia boarded the abandoned Mary Celeste to determine what was going on.

The ship was found in good seaworthy condition. It appeared as though the crew had left in a great hurry. They discovered that the chronometer and sextant were missing. There was water between the decks and the Galley was in bad shape. The stove was knocked out of place and cooking utensils were strewn about. There were no lifeboats aboard the ship and everything was soaked. A rope was found hanging over the side of the ship trailing in the water.

The crew from the Dei Gratia managed to get the Mary Celeste into port. When the cargo was unloaded, they found 9 of the barrels of alcohol empty.

What happened to the crew of the Mary Celeste? Some feel that the cargo became unstable and that the captain decided to trail behind the ship in the lifeboat until such time that it was safe to board. However, for some reason, the ship outdistanced the lifeboat leaving the crew helpless on the sea.

Another theory involves foul play. However, no evidence was ever found to prove that. Still others think that the ship was caught in the middle of a seaquake. And still others claim the crew was eaten by sharks during a swim.

Whatever the reason, the story of the Mary Celeste stills fascinates people. Something about the image of a ship sailing alone, the crew and captain missing..... without a trace.

Weather and the Paranormal

2011-09-21T10:15:00.000-04:00

Weather comes in two varieties when discussing the paranormal: meteorological and solar. Meteorological refers to the weather in the Earth's atmosphere. Weather conditions can affect paranormal investigations in many ways. The obvious way is that certain conditions can create false positive photos- especially when investigating outdoors. Orb photos have become extremely controversial among leading paranormal investigators. This is in part to taking photos in less than ideal conditions. Both snow and rain can be photographed to mimic the orb phenomena. Pollen, like dust, can also produce orbs in photos. While not really a weather event, pollen counts are often recorded on the popular weather.com website.

Wind speed is also an important factor during investigations. Higher wind speeds can create issues with recordings and also blow small particles around. They can create drafts in houses and produce strange and eerie noises. I recently witnessed an " investigator" on the battlefield who was convinced that the spirits were moving plastic caution tape on command. By simply licking my finger and holding it in the air, I was able to determine that there was a slight breeze. The breeze was blowing directly against the area of caution tape with the widest area exposed to the wind. This made the tape move each time there was even a slight breeze. The other areas of tape had the thin end exposed which allowed the breeze to go by without any movement at all.

Humidity levels should also be considered during an investigation. High humidity can be photographed to appear like orbs or even mist. It can also cause some issues indoors by swelling wood. A possible implication could be a door that doesn't close properly- if it were to swing open it could be perceived as paranormal when in fact it isn't. Humidity levels could also have a beneficial aspect for an investigation. Because of water's ability to conduct electricity, a higher percentage of moisture in the air might give spirits more energy from which to draw from.

I've also found that electrical/lightning storms can increase the amount of activity in an area. Again, the electricity of the storm offers ghosts another source of energy to pull from making it easier to manifest or interact. On one investigation at Spangler's Spring on the Gettysburg Battlefield, I witnessed 4 shadow figures move to "block" the roadway. There was little activity most of the night until a storm started moving in. It was when the lightning came closer that I began seeing the figures.

Also be aware of temperatures and how they can affect equipment. Going from a warm house to cold temperature outside or warm temperature outside into an air conditioned house can cause fogging and condensation on lenses. Battery power also drains quicker in colder temperatures. When conducting an outdoor investigation in cooler temps, be aware of whether or not your breath is condensing into a fog. Many people take photos of their breath in cold weather an believe they have captured something paranormal.

The other type of weather to consider during an investigation is solar weather. Solar weather refers to weather involving the sun in space namely solar flares and geomagnetic fields. The geomagnetic field is the magnetic field observed in and around the earth. Flares are sudden eruptions of energy on the solar disk lasting minutes to hours from which radiation and particles are emitted. Basically, an increase in activity concerning the geomagnetic field or solar flares means an increase in energy in the atmosphere.
How does this affect spirits? Spirits use energy to materialize, and they typically pull this energy from the basic sources around them, i.e., heat, batteries, power lines, etc. But during heightened solar activity, the energy level is increased, therefore, increasing the amount of usable energy for spirits. The increase in energy allows spirits to manifest easier and more often, which in turn increases the possibility of paranormal activity.

The phases of the moon also dictate paranormal activity. Everyone knows that a full moon brings out the crazies and werewolves. It also brings out the ghosts. Though many have heightened activity during full moon, I personally have seen an increase during new moon. The gravitational pull of the moon apparently moves more than tides, it also attracts spirits.

So the next time you go out for an investigation, make sure you record weather conditions!

Solar X-rays:

Geomagnetic Field:

From n3kl.org

Chessie: The Chesapeake Bay Monster

2011-09-16T12:47:00.000-04:00

For over 200 years, a strange creature has been sighted in the Chesapeake Bay. This creature, affectionately known as Chessie, is said to be a dark snake-like animal, approximately 30 feet long, and capable of swimming up to 10 MPH. Chessie is known to be playful and is not feared by those who work and live on the Bay.
So what is Chessie? Some believe it is a prehistoric creature, however, this is unlikely. If it were a prehistoric reptilian creature, the Bay would not be an ideal habitat. The Chesapeake is very shallow and cold, in fact, in winter it can freeze over in places. A cold blooded prehistoric animal would not be able to survive.
Others have leaned towards the idea that Chessie isn't an unknown animal at all. In 1994, a manatee was captured and tagged in the Chesapeake Bay. It was taken back to its native Florida home and released. The following year the manatee swam into the Bay again. In fact, it swam clear up to Rhode Island before turning and heading south again. Year after year this same manatee makes his journey. Could it be Chessie the monster and Chessie the manatee (as it has been named) are one in the same? I find that scenario as unlikely as the prehistoric animal theory.

Chessie the Manatee. Not very snake-like.

In 1982, someone by the name of Frew videotaped the creature. Mr. Frew and his wife were looking out at the bay when they noticed a large snake-like creature. The Frews grabbed their camera and started recording. That video tape was later analyzed by people at the Smithsonian. It was determined that the creature taped was a living animal, however, the type of animal could not be identified.

Still frame from Frew video

Chessie is still seen in the Bay. Most sightings occur in May through September most likely because that is when the Bay is overrun with boaters and swimmers. Chessie has been sighted most often at Love Point at Kent Island, the mouth of the Potomac, and the eastern Bay.

In 2008, while visiting the memorial for the U.S.S. Tulip in southern Maryland, we happened to spy a couple of strange aquatic "creatures" in the Potomac. What we saw was roughly 6-8 feet long and swam around for a few minutes before swimming off. It appeared that whatever the creatures were, they were in the middle of fishing/feeding. One photo shows what appears to be knob-like objects along the spine. This is similar to a fish known as an Atlantic Sturgeon.

Was this Chessie? Or was this simply a rare sighting of an Atlantic Sturgeon?

Either way it's a spectacular find.

Mothman

2010-09-13T21:25:00.000-04:00

This coming Thursday, we are headed to the annual Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant, WV. If our previous trips are any indication, we should have an interesting time. Here is a quick overview of the story of Mothman:

The McClintic Wildlife Preserve located in Point Pleasant, West Virginia is a designated bird sanctuary. During World War II, the preserve was dug up to bury 100 igloos to hold wartime explosives. The igloos were covered over and made to look like rolling hillsides from the air.

After the war, the underground igloos were sold to several different companies, all of whom dealt with biochemicals. The McClintic Wildlife Preserve is now referred to the TNT area, and has also developed a far more perplexing history: a creature known as Mothman.

November 14, 1966 - A gentleman by the name of Newell Partridge was home watching television one night around 10:30 P.M. when the TV picture turned to static and a loud whining noise started. Bandit, Newell Partridge's German Shepherd, was on the porch when he began howling towards the barn. Partridge shined his flash light towards the barn and picked up the glow of two red pulsating eyes like bike reflectors. The dog ran towards the eyes snarling and Newell went inside and locked his door. He was very shaken and terrified.
The next morning, Newell went outside to find Bandit, but all he saw of the dog were a lot of tracks that looked as if the dog had been chasing his tail, something the dog had never done before. Bandit was never seen again.
November 15, 1966 - Two young couples were parking in the TNT area when they saw the shape of a man 7 ft tall. What they saw had wings folded on its back and large red eyes. Terrified, the young adults took off in the car, only to have the creature shoot straight up in the air and follow them, at speeds up to 100 MPH. Once they had reached the city limits, the creature stopped following.
The two couples contacted Deputy Halstead with the Mason County Sheriff's Department. Halstead returned with the individuals to the spot they had first sighted the creature. The deputy's radio began making high pitched squealing noises and garble. Everyone left and Halstead reported the trouble with the radio.
Several more sightings were reported of the creature flying over cars. The sheriff conducted a press conference. In the time that Mothman as the creature became know, was active, there were over 100 reports. Between November 1966 and December 1967, dog and livestock disappearances and mutilations were common around the TNT area.
When did the Mothman sightings stop? On December 15, 1967 The Silver Bridge spanning from Point Pleasant, WV and Gallipolis, OH was covered with rush hour traffic when suddenly cables ripped off moorings and the bridge and cars plunged into the water. Of the 46 people killed, most had seen the Mothman. Though Mothman sightings are still reported, the reports aren't of the same frequency as they were those 13 months in 1966-67. The collapse of the bridge put an end to Mothman sightings for the most part.
I personally believe that the biochemical companies were to blame for Mothman. Who knows what sort of things leached into the ground water that an animal could have gotten into. On a trip to the TNT area in Point Pleasant, WV, there were several ponds with signs warning of contamination. One pond in particular had red ooze in it and giant lily pads.

One of the contaminated ponds.

Spray painted sign reads: "Mothman shall return"

Water and the Paranormal

2010-09-03T14:40:00.000-04:00

During a radio interview I gave, the question was asked if I thought water had any bearing on paranormal activity. At the time, I hadn't given the idea much thought. But if you consider that paranormal activity seems to be electrical in nature (draining batteries, pulling from heat energy, more prevalent during solar weather and causing changes to EMF) and water can be a good conductor of electricity, then it stands to reason that water could help fuel a haunt.

First, we need to clear up the science of water's ability to conduct electricity. Water itsself does not conduct electricity. It's the impurities in the water (minerals, pollutants, etc.) that conduct electricity. So the more impurities you have the more conduciveness you have. The Discovery Channel's "Ghost Lab" show featured the theory of water fueling the paranormal on their "Murky Waters" episode. It was found that the waters of the Mississippi River near the Nottoway Plantation had a high level of conduciveness. But what about other paranormal "hot spots"?

Gettysburg as a town is a paranormal hot spot, but what about locations within Gettysburg? Spangler's Spring has always been an area of the battlefield that has produced paranormal experiences and evidence. One of the best known ghost stories of Gettysburg, The Lady in White, takes place at The Spring. Most of my own personal paranormal experiences in Gettysburg have also originated from Spangler's Spring, and most of these experiences have been some of the best/scariest. So where is the water? Spangler's Spring is so named because of a spring that is located on the property. In 1895 the spring was capped off because of damage it had suffered from visitors to the area. But the spring isn't the only source of water in that area. Next to the spring is a large meadow that is bordered by Rock Creek. Plenty of water available.

Bridges are also known for their ghosts. There are several bridges in and around Gettysburg that are reputed to be haunted. Sach's Bridge in Gettysburg, Starner's Dam Bridge in Harney, MD, Utica Covered Bridge in Thurmont, MD and Roddy Creek Bridge in Thurmont, MD all have ghost stories associated with them.

In the Tidewater region of Virginia, there is an area referred to as Old House Woods. The 50 acres of trees has boasted paranormal activity since the 1800's. The Baltimore Sun thought it was worthy of a news story in the 1920's. Personally I feel it is one of the most haunted and spooky locations I've been in. Every time I have been there I have experienced some bone chilling things to include hearing phantom footsteps, having a car door slam shut and having a locked and latched car trunk open on its own. The Chesapeake Bay borders one end of the woods and White's Creek runs along the other edge.

So the next time you're out investigating, think about checking to see what bodies of water might be in the area.

Fireflies

2010-06-25T14:31:00.001-04:00

Call them fireflies, call them lightning bugs, whatever you call them they are certainly one of the the bright spots of summer. Most people can remember spending a lazy summer evening catching these bioluminescent bugs and putting them in jars. Summer nights wouldn't be the same without them.

Gettysburg wouldn't be the same without them either. Each summer brings thousands of lightning bugs to the battlefield. While this might not seem that strange or blog-worthy, the sheer number of lightning bugs in certain areas of the battlefield certainly is something to take note of. A few years ago while investigating an area near Spangler's Spring and Rock Creek, myself and several other investigators came upon trees filled with fireflies. There were thousands. So many that it looked as though someone had strung hundreds of strands of white fairy lights in the trees. I have never witnessed anything else like it before or since. Fireflies are usually seen in fields flying around at night, not perched in the trees.

That isn't the only strange firefly story from the Gettysburg Battlefield. About a year ago, I had someone contact me about an unusual lightning bug encounter that occured at The Angle. A family member of hers shared that in late fall (I want to say she said November) he saw what he was certain were fireflies in the field. Only fireflies are not out in the fall and certainly not as late as November. Recently while out jogging the road that runs from the PA memorial to The Angle, I noticed hundreds of fireflies along the side of the road. It was such an unusual sight that I stopped my run to watch and look at all the bugs. It was amazing.

So what can I offer other than a couple of oddball bug stories that occured on a haunted battlefield? In the Mayan culture, the firefly or kuhkay was associated with the practice of smoking cigars. Fireflies were also associated with stars, comets and several Mayan deities. But the most interesting and important association comes from the Japanese culture.

In Japan, fireflies are thought to be the souls of soldiers who have died in battle.

Solar Weather

2010-06-18T13:19:00.000-04:00

What could solar weather possibly have to do with the paranormal you ask?
What is solar weather, anyway, right?

Simply put (and I stress the simply part), the solar weather that I am referring to is the geomagnetic field and solar flares. The geomagnetic field is the magnetic field observed in and around the earth. Flares are sudden eruptions of energy on the solar disk (the sun) lasting minutes to hours from which radiation and particles are emitted. These particles and radiation are shot out towards the earth. Basically, an increase in activity concerning the geomagnetic field or solar flares means an increase in energy in the atmosphere.
How does this affect spirits? Spirits use energy to materialize, and they typically pull this energy from the basic sources around them, i.e., heat, batteries, power lines, etc. But during heightened solar activity, the energy level is increased, therefore, increasing the amount of usable energy for spirits. The increase in energy allows spirits to manifest easier and more often, which in turn increases the possibility of paranormal activity.

New evidence discovered by NASA scientists predicts that a huge solar storm could be headed our way sometime in May of 2012. NASA believes that the solar flares that will be created will have enough power to significantly affect our way of life here on earth. What I mean is that our electrical grids will be wiped out, Internet, cell phone service, land line phone service, etc will be rendered useless. The extent of damage these flares could cause would make the cost of Katrina (in the billion dollar range) look like a mere drop in the bucket.
Still, what does this have to do with ghosts and the paranormal? Think about it. Imagine the amount of electricity and radiation that would be in the earth's atmosphere in order to create such havoc. If ghosts can use energy from an AAA Energizer battery to manifest, what could happen if they had a nearly limitless amount of energy to pull right out of the atmosphere.
Is there a reason why the world has begun this new spiritual revolution? Are all these paranormal TV shows and groups popping up for a reason? Will we be able to finally speak with passed loved ones via our HAM radios?

Totem Animals

2010-04-30T11:22:00.001-04:00

While some might not find the discussion of totem animals paranormal in nature, I tend to disagree (obviously). I find that anything of a deep spiritual nature can relate to the paranormal. After all, paranormal means literally: Beyond the range of normal experience or scientific explanation. Plus totem animal books are in the same section of the library as the ghost books, so there you go.

So what is a totem animal? Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines it as: 1 a : an object (as an animal or plant) serving as the emblem of a family or clan and often as a reminder of its ancestry; also : a usually carved or painted representation of such an object b : a family or clan identified by a common totemic object 2 : one that serves as an emblem or revered symbol.

Totems can also be symbols for an individual's personal or spiritual identity. Most people have more than one totem animal that teaches, guides and sometimes protects them. Most totems remain with you throughout your life, though, a major life change could cause your totems to change in order to adapt to new circumstances. Sometimes people also have special helpers/protectors that show up for a limited amount of time in order to help you through challenges you must face. Check out Discover Your Animal Totems to find out what totems you may have. You can also look at what is going on around to see if there are any animals/insects/reptiles/amphibians that might be trying to send you a message. That's how I discovered I probably have a totem animal trying to get my attention.

I spend a great deal of time outdoors. I love wildlife, and I am familiar with behavior patterns of native species. So when I noticed I was seeing more red-tailed hawks, I thought it was odd, but more or less figured it meant there was a larger population of rabbits, mice and other small animals on the hawk's menu. It's simple ecology. But then I noticed I wasn't just seeing hawks flying around or sitting on top of telephone poles or trees, I was seeing them hunt and grab their prey. While not a typical thing to see on any day, and not something you typically witness time after time, I still figured it was due to higher animal populations. I blew it off, though I did think it was weird. I can imagine that my poor totem animal was getting a bit miffed that I wasn't paying attention, or that I wasn't thinking all these hawks were a big deal. That's when they started getting my attention.

One afternoon I was sitting on my back patio reading a book. I don't live in the county, though there are open fields and woods within view- past the condos and apartments that surround my house. So while I was reading, I felt like someone was staring at me. I turned to look, and sitting on my chain link fence was a red-tailed hawk. Startled, I jumped and said some form of "Holy Crap!" and watched the hawk look at me once more and take off. Now I was paying attention. There was no reason for a hawk to be hanging around my back yard. There were no bird feeders there at the time, nothing to draw a hawk in as far as food goes. I have had several such sightings in the past year.

Recently, things stepped up a bit. As I was driving down Route 15 at 70-some MPH, a hawk came out of nowhere, swooped down in front of the car and flew off. It happened in seconds and was the strangest thing. A few weeks later, I was sitting in traffic when a hawk suddenly dropped from the sky and landed on the side of the road. There wasn't any prey there, and the hawk simply stood looking at me before flying off. The most recent interaction occurred while I was spending a weekend away. While leaving my room, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. A hawk flew from the woods, dropped down to my eye level and flew so close in front of me that I could feel the air movement. If I had reached out I would have hit it. Once it flew past, it soared up and out of sight.

So now I am paying attention to totems. Obviously the universe is trying to tell me something. Either way, researching is interesting and if nothing else I have at least educated myself on a topic I knew next to nothing about.

What are your totems? Are you dreaming about an animal? Do you feel a deep connection with an animal? Noticing some crazy animal behavior that is screaming for you to pay attention?

Pareidolia- Are Those Faces in Those Orbs?

2010-04-06T14:22:00.001-04:00

What is it you ask? Pareidolia (also referred to as matrixing) is a psychological phenomena where a vague random stimulus is perceived as significant. Examples of this would be seeing images in clouds, the man in the moon, Jesus on your grilled cheese, faces in orb photographs or figures in the shadows of trees. And it doesn't always happen with just photos and objects- ever listen to a record backwards and worry Paul was dead? We hear phrases and words in random sounds as well.

This phenomena has happened to the best of us. We take a photo in a haunted location and when we look at it we see it's filled with "faces". I have received many photos where people claim there are faces and figures in them, and I can't see it no matter how hard I look. My personal favorites are photos taken in a heavily wooded area where people see faces and figures. As hard as I try, I can never quite see what others are so excited about- even after they've outlined the area/figure for me.

So what do you do? First, orb photos are not very solid proof of paranormal activity. There are too many things occuring naturally that can produce false positive orb photos (dust, rain, snow, pollen, bugs, reflections, etc.). So while you might think that you've taken a great shot of 100 little faces in orbs, more than likely you've gotten a photo of a lot of dust and "see" the faces because that's what your brain does with random things- looks for patterns. Second, take a look at the photo, are the faces/figures part of the landscape and objects around them (like trees or tree shadows) or are they stand alone objects and separate? Obviously something that is separate from the objects in the photo deserves a better look.

Ever listen to an EVP that sounds like "blah, blah, blah-blah-blah, blah-blah" and someone else immediately declares that it's saying "What you talkin 'bout Willis?" From that point on, you won't be able to hear anything else in that EVP. Honestly, unless you have a clear Class A EVP, chances are there is no way to determine what is being said other than to distinguish the number of syllables. This is why, unless I have a clear EVP, I never offer insight on what it might be saying.

So next tim eyou're looking through your photos, take a minute to really look and think about what you are seeing before declaring great-great uncle Seamus is smiling at you from the tree trunk.

Examples:

What to Watch on TV

2010-01-25T13:17:00.001-05:00

Is it just me, or are there a slew of paranormal shows now on TV? Remember the days when no one really talked about their paranormal experiences because they didn't want to look crazy? Remember when the only information available to someone researching the paranormal were the Time Life books at the library or the 1960's era book (yes one book)?

We've come a long way from such sparse information. Now there are hundreds of websites dedicated to ghosts and/or investigation the paranomal. There are many TV shows dealing with it as well. Here are a few that I've watched, and my opinion of each:

Ghosthunters- SYFY Channel- Follows The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) on investigations. I was excited when this show premiered as it was a bit different than "Scariest Places on Earth". It was real investigators doing real investigations. However, the bickering and yelling that went on completely turned me off to the show. It was a lot like being in the room with a married couple who is arguing. You get uncomfortable and want to leave the room. Luckily all I had to do was change the channel. The show does have some good qualities and did lose a lot of the negative aspects, but I just can't seem to get involved with the show.

Paranormal State- A&E Network- Investigations of the Penn State Paranormal Research Society (PRS) I have enjoyed watching this show since it started. While I don't always like the editing and sometimes I think it's a little too dramatic, I do like that they base a lot of their investigating on researching the place in question. Seeing psychic information validated, or the paranormal activity explained through research is fantastic. I would like to see more of the actual evidence collected during the investigation.

A Haunting- Discovery Channel- Chronicles true stories of the paranormal told by those who experienced the phenomena. I enjoy watching this one. While it doesn't involve investigation, it is interesting learning about different paranormal cases and how they were resolved.

Ghost Lab- Discover Channel- With the use of a high tech "ghost lab" this team travels to investigate hauntings. I like the scientific nature of their investigations though sometimes they push EVP translation a little. Still, the scientific part of the show is great to watch and gives some good ideas and theories.

Destination Truth- SYFY Channel- Josh Gates' team travel around the world searching for cryptids and the occasional haunted location. Again, very scientific, to include gathering DNA evidence. The team has found significant evidence supporting the possibility of a Yeti in Nepal. They also have amazing footage taken in a haunted location in Romania. I really enjoy this show both for its paranormal investigation and the witty comments by Josh Gates.

MonsterQuest- The History Channel- Similar to Destination Truth, MonsterQuest searches primarily for cryptids. Heavy usage of scientific equipment to gain hard evidence. Interesting show but sometimes drags.

Ghost Adventures- Travel Channel- I had very high hopes for this show. The concept is one that I agree is the best for paranormal investigation- 3 guys, no camera or sound crew, just 3 guys and their cameras. I love the locations they go to and they seem to get very good evidence (and show it to you on the show). I enjoy this show, though sometimes I think they get a little too dramatic and carried away.

Most Haunted- Travel Channel- Fake, not worth my time to watch or discuss.

Paranormal Cops- A&E- This show just started last week. The concept is simple. Chicago cops by day, paranormal investigators by night. Their first episode was good. Their investigative backgrounds in the police department may benefit them in their research abilities. Definitely need to watch this show to see where it goes and how it develops.

Psychic Kids- A&E- I saved the best for last. The main premise of this show is to help children who have psychic abilities learn about their gifts and how to control them. Many of the kids featured feel like outcasts, some have treated for psychiatric conditions they don't have. With the help from a psychologist and a psychic (Chip Coffey is the original one used, but this season has several psychics) these kids and their families learn how to empower themselves and feel better about their gifts. They do a little investigating but the main goal is helping the kids. Love it.

Protection from the Unseen

2010-01-07T08:59:00.001-05:00

I've had people ask me what I do to protect myself from the entities I come across. My response is to stare blankly while a chorus of crickets chirps in the background. That's right, I rarely remember to do anything.

My late mother-in-law, who was a psychic and an ordained minister with the Spiritualist Church in Freeville, NY, gave me a prayer to recite prior to a trip to the West Virginia State Penn and stressed the need for such things. I admit I felt quite silly standing there saying it, but did feel a little less spooked after doing so. Obviously I don't want the ghost of a former murderer following me home. I don't want any ghost following me home- I have enough issues with the ones that stop by to chat with my son.

And I admit that at one time, there was a coffee can full of Holy Water that my devoutly Catholic aunt insisted I needed to have. The can rusted. My aunt now provides me with the small plastic bottles of Holy Water- they don't rust.

While I enjoy being silly and sarcastic about the whole thing, I do believe that saying some type of prayer is a positive thing, and one I need to start remembering to do. The experiences I've had with my son lately have shown me that perhaps I need to be more careful and take a few seconds to protect myself and those investigating with me from something no one really completely understands. I don't want to bring something harmful into my home or around my children. In fact, during my latest trip to Old House Woods there was a "creepy girl" who had attached herself to my daughter- according to my son. The walk in the woods in broad daylight was so nerve wracking that I did ask my aunt to bless the cross I wear and also the one my daughter wears. Just in case.

So here are a couple of simple prayers you can use:

Prayer for Protection

The light of God surrounds you,

The love of God enfolds you,

The power of God protects you,

And the presence of God watches over you;

Wherever you are, God is.

This is the prayer that my mother-in-law gave me to use. It's short and sweet and to the point, and easy enough to memorize. I've also seen members of Paranormal State use this same prayer. Many also use the following:

St. Michael's Prayer

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle,

be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil;

may God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,

by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil

spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

And for those who prefer something slightly more pagan:

Great Spirit, Creator of all that is...

Please send to me the most positive energy and light possible in this time and space

to watch over me and those I share this experience with.

Send to us the highest force or forces possible to keep us safe,

focused and positive in our intent.

In return we give thanks and gratitude,

love and positive light for the universal good of all. Amen

It's important to remember that your belief in something is what makes it more powerful for you. Pick the prayer that you are most comfortable with. If you have a special "good luck charm" or talisman, it doesn't hurt to have that with you as well. Again, your belief that it protects you is what makes it so powerful. I wear my blessed celtic cross during all investigations now.

Look for future posts dealing more with talismans.

Resoultions... and creepy girls

2010-01-04T11:51:00.005-05:00

So I know, I am slacking in the blogging department. But, as the title suggests, I am resolving to fix that in the new decade... Luckily, I had something interesting happen this weekend that involved my 3 year old sensitive son and my aunt's haunted house.

My aunt's house in the Shenandoah Mountains has always had weird things going on. I love to visit her house. There are a few possible reasons why her house might be haunted. Her husband's, my uncle's, first wife died in the house many years ago. There was also a boy killed in the backyard near the shed. Apparently it was considered an accidental death that happened while he and another boy were wrestling. There are some who question how accidental it was. I'm sure there are ties to the Civil War and Native Americans also, though I can't say specifically what those ties are. Needless to say, there have been sightings of Civil War soldiers, a little girl, shadow figures, an old woman and chanting has been heard (this is where the Native American thought came in).

As I mentioned in my earlier blog about Ethan's "ability", he has seen a girl there, and he has been concerned over something he saw in the hallway near the doorway of one of the bedrooms... that is where this story begins (cue dramatic organ music and creepy laughing).
This past weekend we were all gathered at my aunt's for our family Christmas. Several family members were seated in the living room area eating and as I was getting ready to eat myself when I heard them asking Ethan what was the matter. He said he saw a girl. Immediately I asked him what he saw and he said he saw a girl go in the bedroom that my grandmother sleeps in. My dad asked what color hair she had and Ethan said black (even after other colors were brought up, he insisted it was black). Kelly (my cousin and investigative cohort) looked at each other. Our Uncle's first wife had black hair. Of course I had my camera and digital recorder with me- just in case- so we decided to check it out. Ethan was a little freaked out and wanted us to see what was going on. In the bedroom he proceeded to tell us that the girl was playing with my grandmother's puzzle and then went out the window. I questioned him some more and even tried to throw him off a bit but he was insistent, even getting angry with me- the girl was playing with the puzzle and went out the window. During one EVP session, we heard a tapping noise coming from the dresser. We were unable to get it to repeat itself, but we were all in agreement it came from the dresser in the corner. We did manage to get some EVP in the room that I hope to get on the website soon (my other resolution).

An interesting thing happened while we were listening to our EVP recordings. Several people heard the door knob on the door move and when we looked down the hall, the door was cracked open. My sister said she was sure she had shut it and I remember hearing the door close tight against the door jamb.

Ethan has been sleeping in my room ever since.

Ghost Ships

2009-10-01T13:10:00.007-04:00

There are two interests that I love- the water and the paranormal, so it's only natural that I would have some interest in stories about ghost ships.
The term ghost ship has two separate meanings. One meaning refers to a ship that is found sailing abandoned with no sign of the crew and things sitting out as though the crew will be back at any moment. A good example of this would be the Mary Celeste.
On December 5, 1872, the ship Dei Gratia came upon the Mary Celeste floundering on the sea. The captain of the Dei Gratia knew Captain Briggs, the captain of the Mary Celeste, and was surprised to see the ship derelict as Briggs had a reputation as an excellent captain. Men from the Dei Gratia boarded the abandoned Mary Celeste to determine what was going on. The ship was found in good seaworthy condition. It appeared as though the crew had left in a great hurry. They discovered that the chronometer and sextant were missing. There was water between the decks and the Galley was in bad shape. The stove was knocked out of place and cooking utensils were strewn about. There were no lifeboats aboard the ship and everything was soaked. A rope was found hanging over the side of the ship trailing in the water. The crew from the Dei Gratia managed to get the Mary Celeste into port. When the cargo was unloaded, they found 9 of the barrels of alcohol empty.
What happened to the crew of the Mary Celeste? Some feel that the cargo became unstable and that the captain decided to trail behind the ship in the lifeboat until such time that it was safe to board. However, for some reason, the ship outdistanced the lifeboat leaving the crew helpless on the sea. Another theory involves foul play. However, no evidence was ever found to prove that. Still other think that the ship was caught in the middle of a seaquake. And still others claim the crew was eaten by sharks during a swim.
Another story takes place February 1948. Distress calls were picked up by numerous ships near Indonesia. The SOS calls came from the Dutch freighter SS Ourang Medan. The signals claimed, "All officers including captain are dead lying in chartroom and bridge. Possibly whole crew dead." This message was followed by indecipherable Morse code then, "I die." Within hours of the first distress signals, the first rescue ship arrived on the scene. Upon arrival, the rescue vessel tried to hail the Ourang Medan but there was no response to their hand and whistle signals. A boarding party was sent to the ship and what they found was astonishing. All the crew and officers of the Ourang Medan were dead, their eyes open, faces looking towards the sun, arms outstretched and a look of terror on their faces. Even the ship's dog was dead, found snarling at some unseen enemy. When nearing the bodies in the boiler room, the rescue crew felt a chill though the temperature was near 110°F.
The decision was made to tow the ship back to port. As the ship was prepared to be towed, smoke began rolling up from the hull. The rescue crew left the ship and barely had time to cut the tow lines before the Ourang Medan exploded and sank.
What happened the the crew of the Ourang Medan? Was it a UFO? Some other paranormal event that scared everyone to death? There is some speculation that the Ourang Medan was carrying illegal chemical weapons (this was post WWII). Could something they were secretly transporting leaked, killing everyone aboard?

The other definition of a ghost ship is of course a ship that has been lost that reappears as a ghost, or a ship that is haunted by ghosts. One example of this would be the notorious Flying Dutchman.
While sailing the ship around the Cape of Good Hope (southern tip of Africa), Captain Van der Decken refused to wait out a storm and instead sailed right into it. It's said the Captain vowed to sail around the Cape even if it took until doomsday. The ship was lost, but is now seen by other vessels. Seeing the spectral Flying Dutchman is considered to be a bad omen.
Another famous ghost ship is The Queen Mary. While The Queen Mary is still very much a solid and real vessel, some of its inhabitants are not. One incident occurred in the area of the boat which housed the swimming pool. No one was allowed in that area of the ship, and the pool was completely drained. However, next to the pool was a woman dressed in a one piece bathing suit that looked to be from the early 1950's. The woman was about ready to dive into the empty pool. The crew member yelled for the woman to stop and she disappeared. Later, while checking the ship's records, the crew member discovered that a woman had drowned in the swimming pool.
Another story comes from watertight door number 13. A guard was patrolling that area with his dog when he heard a noise coming from door number 13. The dog stopped and refused to move any further. They searched the area but found nothing. Archives show that a man by the name of John Pedder was crushed and killed by watertight door number 13. Several years later, a guide felt a presence behind her. She turned and saw a young man standing there behind her. The apparition was there only a few seconds before disappearing. The guide later picked John Pedder's photo out of a line up. She was not aware of the tragic death occurring at door 13.
Another strange story isn't about an abandoned ship, a spectral ship or a ship housing ghosts. It's about the SS Watertown, an oil tanker on it's way from California to New Orleans via the Panama Canal. During the voyage, two of its crew were killed in a freak accident. The pair was given the customary burial at sea. The day after the two crewmen were buried, the rest of the ships crew began seeing the faces of the two men in the waves along side the ship. This happened every day until the ship arrived in New Orleans. The captain mentioned the phenomena to his employers who suggested he take a photograph of it. The captain did this and he captured an eerie photo. The negative was checked for fakery but a detective agency at the time, but no forgery could be found.
There are many mysterious tales of ships and ghosts on the sea. Check out the website for other stories.

Old House Woods

2009-07-31T09:50:00.009-04:00

For hundreds of years, a small 50 acre wooded area has claimed to be one of the most haunted areas in Eastern Virginia. Located on the coast of the Chesapeake Bay, Old House Woods has been the setting for many stories about ghost pirates, British Soldiers, pirate ships, wailing women, ghost livestock, ghost lights, and headless ghost dogs. I think there is even mention of a man wearing Spanish armor. Added to that is the fact that several years ago, a VCU student was found murdered within a mile of the woods. No matter how you slice it, the atmosphere in that area is thick with the paranormal (and it ain't just the humidity!).
Our team has conducted several investigations to this area, and it never disappoints. One of our first experiences of the area occurred while visiting the beach. A man appeared seemingly out of nowhere, dressed in a tattered striped shirt and tattered khaki pants. He walked past us, did not acknowledge us sitting there, and continued on before suddenly disappearing from view. There aren't too many places a person can go to hide on the beach. Was this possibly a pirate encounter? Who knows, but it makes a good story.
During our first investigation of the woods, we parked along the road and our group began to get out of the car. As I was about to close the back passenger door, it slammed shut on its own. I made a note to check it out later. There was also a strong sulphur smell in the area. While therw we witnessed the mysterious lantern lights in the woods. The lights appeared slightly lower than waist height- as though it was a lantern-type light being carried by someone. One of our investigators felt very unnerved and ultimately we ended the initial investigation because the investigator felt so overwhelmed we felt we needed to leave. During the review of the evidence we collected, we inspected the car door to see how much pressure was needed to close it. After several attempts, we determined that a large amount of pressure was needed to slam the door completely closed. The door actually would stick, like a safety mechanism, and needed to be forcefully pushed in order to have it close and latch completely. No one was near the door when it was slammed shut during the investigation. Also, at no other time have we smelled the same sulphur scent in that area (and we have been there in different seasons of the year as well). We have also looked for the same lights to rule out possible house lights. The lights have never appeared again in that area, and during the daytime inspection, we were unable to see anything through the thickness of the trees. Looking at aerial photos, there does not appear to be a house located in the general area where the lights were seen.
During another investigation, we were able to set up stationary cameras and take many readings and recordings with out equipment. We obtained one piece of interesting video. This shot is a still frame pulled from that video. By viewing the other video cameras, we determined it was not from any light source that we had as we were operating with lights out during that point in our investigation. We also obtained EVP recordings and EMF readings as well as seeing a partial apparition in a UV light.
On one of our more recent trips to the Woods, we heard a strange metallic clicking noise we had not heard previously. I heard the noise and asked a fellow investigator if they heard anything. Her reply was "You mean that clicking noise? It's getting closer". At the same time someone else saw something moving towards the car. We opted to leave the area more out of fear of the possible living person who might be approaching in a secluded area, not because I was concerned about a ghost. We were later able to recreate the noise by clicking a pair of metal tongs together. The sound was similar to what it would sound like if someone were wearing a metal object that clicked to the rhythm of that person's gait. Upon further research, there was another group who had heard the very same noise during an investigation in the same area of the woods. Several months later, we heard footsteps on the gravel walking up to the vehicle. No one was there, but again, concern over a living person approaching unseen in a very secluded area had us leaving again.
What is lurking in Old House Woods? Does it house the ghosts of pirates or soldiers guarding their gold? Or is the the souls of those who have perished looking for the lost gold?

My son sees dead people... I think

2009-07-30T09:28:00.009-04:00

My son Ethan turned 3 in May, and since the age of about 6 months he has shown signs of being able to see and talk to people no one else can see.

At 6 months he began focusing on the rocking chair in his room, laughing and waving at it as though someone was seated there and laughing and waving back. No big deal really, I thought it was cute.

At the age of one, he began babbling to the chair and having 'conversations' with someone there. Again not such a big deal, though it was strange that he actually paused as though listening to someone, laughed and began answering in his baby speak.

At 18 months, things started getting downright weird. He could say Grandma Molyneaux as clear as a bell but couldn't say cat properly.

Around the age of 2 I really got weirded out. I went to get him out of his crib and he pointed to the rocking chair and asked "Who Dat?" I said I didn't know who it was (there was no one there for me to identify). He again asked "Who Dat?" and I said " I don't know, who is it?" His reply- "Da Man" I said, " Oh a man?" Ethan said, "yeah, dat da man" so I proceeded to wave to the man and say hi (whoever he was I wasn't about to be rude). I had chills as this was the first time that Ethan had been able to voice actually seeing someone sitting in the rocker (a quick aside- the rocker is not old, was purchased new by me and is not thought to be in any way connected to the 'haunting'). Skip ahead 2 weeks later, I had finally managed to hang a photo collage that I had in storage. Ethan saw it and wanted to look at the photos. He began pointing to each picture saying who it was- Mommy, Daddy, Didgit (his sister Bridget), Gamma, Poppy... and when he came to a photo of my great-Uncle- a man he's never met nor ever seen before in photos- he got excited and began yelling "Da man da man!" (picture Tattoo from Fantasy Island getting all excited over planes). I felt relieved that this was the mysterious "man" in the room as Pepop as he was called, was someone I was very close to and I welcome his presence.
Around the same time, the family was gathered at my aunt's house (known to be haunted). While seated on my dad's lap in the dining room, Ethan began waving to someone standing in the kitchen and saying bye. My dad asked him who he was waving to, Ethan's response "Da Girl". My aunt asked him where the girl was and Ethan pointed to the door leading down to the basement. My aunt told me her granddaughter has also talked about seeing a girl at her house, and of course, no one likes going down into the basement there.

Ethan also says he sees "Onsters" (monsters). One monster named Chocit Mook (Chololate Milk) lives outside in Ethan's playhouse. Perhaps this is simply a normal imaginary friend. Chocit Mook is apparently brown, doesn't say much, and never comes into the house. Also, he doesn't scare Ethan at all. This is an important observation because Ethan has started to become terrified of his room and the dark.

In broad daylight, the lights must be on in the room Ethan is in- Living Room, Dining Room, Bedrooms... At night, he sleeps with the ceiling light on. Nightlights (he has several) don't work adequately enough for him). He expects someone to sleep in the rocker in his room at night. Sometimes we manage to sneak out saying we have to get a pillow and/or a blanket. This doesn't really work much anymore as he is smart enough to have learned we're lying. When he wakes up (as he nearly always does) he is screaming in terror. It's not a typical 'I want Mommy' type thing, it's full out terror get me outta here now sort of cry/scream.

At my aunt's house again for another gathering, Ethan was concerned about something he saw in the hallway. No one likes the hallway in my aunt's house either. Ethan saw something, and the change in his expression was so telling and graphic it gave me chills. He went from relaxed and happy to sheer terror in an instant and ran into the other room. My cousin and I told my aunt what happened, so we sat in the living room area that looks into the hallway to 'talk'. Ethan came back, began staring at something in the hallway again, was overcome by the same fear and facial expression change but this time he climbed on a chair and turned the hall light on. He then stared into the hallway looking, went back and turned the light off, looked, got scared and turned the light on. Still looking, he again got very frightened, only this time both of my aunt's and cousin saw a shadowy form move from one side of the hall to the other (I of course had my back to the area, but saw Ethan's face and that was enough).

Now Ethan is 3. Ethan had another friend show up, this time, however, Ethan was able to give more information. Seeing him talk animatedly with someone unseen, I asked who he was talking to. He looked at me like I was an idiot and pointed to the air next to him and said "Howard" like duh mom he's right there. I told Howard hello. I began looking into Howards to see if there was one at daycare, or a movie he had seen with someone named Howard, anything to explain his use of the name. Nothing. I was certain we had no Howards in the family, but after day 2 of Howard, I emailed my dad and aunts to see if perhaps I was wrong. My dad responded immediately telling me my Grandmother had a 1st cousin named Howard who had died less than a year ago. FREAKY. Howard hung around for a while, and in that time I got what descriptions I could of Howard. Most of what I got from Ethan matched what was know of my grandmother's cousin. Howard has since left and isn't around anymore so says Ethan.

We've also had unnamed girls at the house, and I believe they are children as they seem to want Ethan's milk. He either offers them his cup to have some or spends time at the dinner table arguing about it being his and snatching the cup away from these unseen people. And again at my aunt's house this summer, Ethan was talking to someone who was sitting under a tree. This one didn't scare him, and according to my aunt, it was Ethan's great-great grandfather who she has seen there occasionally.

Some background info that is pertinent.... My great-great grandmother was a medium. She held "Church Meetings" in her home where she would go into a trance and speak in a voice that was not her own- my grandmother witnessed this personally. My maternal great-aunt who was an Irish immigrant could read tea leaves with such accuracy that her Priest told her she could not do it anymore. And my late mother-in-law was a psychic as well (this would be the Grandma Molyneaux I referenced earlier).

I think it is also important to note that my grandmother is terminally ill. Doctors gave her a year in February of 2008. Some say our departed relatives begin gathering in preparing to help another family member cross. Is this why Ethan saw Howard? and why he saw my grandmother's dad (Ethan's gg grandfather) under the tree?

Finally... an update on the UFO Ranch!

2009-06-16T21:48:00.022-04:00

I know I know, it's been a month since the trip out to the ranch and I haven't bothered to post anything. In my defense.... I have to actually work a 40hr per week job to support my paranormal habit, and when you leave work for 4 days to go stay at a UFO Ranch... well things get behind. With that said, here is the gist of the trip....
We arrived Thursday evening after a very long plane ride. All I have to say is that the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. I couldn't stop looking! I definitely want to go back to that part of the country to spend some time sightseeing and hiking the area... Anyway, we pitched the tent so that we had Mt Adams outside our front door and spent the evening staring at the
mountain (we actually spent a lot of our free time staring at the mountain, dozing, and reading on our 'front porch). We managed to help some PRS "fangirls" to set up their tent and eventually we had to hit the hay as the jet lag was finally catching up with us (I think the count at that point was 24hrs we had been awake). We crashed. Sometime around 2:00am I woke up to use the bathroom... it was freezing outside- literally. The walk to the bathhouse was long, dark and cold. As I turned a dark corner I saw the moon above the trees and at the same instant coyotes began howling. I have never been in a place with coyotes so the sounds nearly made it so the walk to the bathroom was unnecessary. On the way back to the tent, I was nearly wide awake as my internal clock thought it was 5am. The coyotes were pretty cool and the stars were amazing. I came upon some people trying to set up a tent, and I ended up putting it up for them in the freezing cold (cause I'm just little miss Danielle Boone- Killed a 'bar' when I was 3). Once back in the tent we heard some people exclaiming but we were too tired and too cold to care (did I mention our wet towels and things were actually frozen???). Of course we discovered in the morning that they had seen some pretty cool things.
Friday brought the PRS crew to the ranch. We had a nice lunch, listened to some lectures and had a campfire chat with Michelle Belanger who is absolutely AWESOME. She is very nice, down to earth and intelligent. She made herself available to as many people as possible and seemed to enjoy the time spent around the fire each night. The event was interesting and we met some great people while we were there. There were several interesting lectures, an advanced screening of the season finale of Paranormal State (AWESOME episode!) and one really great group discussion on the meditation mound that was very intimate that I hope they do more of in the future. Thanks to Ryan Buell who was gracious enough to video tape a personal message to my teenage daughter who was not at the event. I went from being a mean mom for not taking her to the coolest mom in the world.
As for the paranormal- Apparently there were some cool things that were seen on 2 different nights. We slept through them. The first evening we were too jet lagged to move.The second occasion took place about 45 minutes after we retired for the night. I guess we're getting old. What was described to us was a triangular ship (3 lights moving in a triangular formation) that came in low overtop of the field. The other night was a triangular ship that apparently changed into a cylinder shape and changed colors. Kelly commented that a UFO could have landed outside our tent and we wouldn't have noticed... James replied that they've landed before....
In our talks with James we brought up how the wasps that were around seemed to be pretty mellow and how the wasps here on the East Coast would sting first, sting a second time, and a third then mellow out before stinging a 4th time.... James said everything on the ranch was mellow. He said the energy there seemed to have a calming effect on the animals as well as people and that the coyotes never bothered anything when they would venture on the property (James has a huge chicken coop). At first I wasn't so sure about his claim, but then I realized I was more relaxed than on any other trip I had ever gone on. As I mentioned we dozed and read and just sat taking in the view... so perhaps there is something to his calming claims.
As for UFOs- we did see some interesting things. There were points of light that moved in "wobble type patterns" unlike anything I had ever seen before. Some of these lights would grow so dim you couldn't see them anymore only to reappear and get extremely bright (this is referred to as 'powering up'). Others seemed to blink but in so specific pattern, i.e., one blink, then 3 then 2 then maybe 1, etc. I have never seen anything like this is all the times I have spent stargazing, and I have done that numerous times and in areas without much light pollution. I think there is definitely something going on out there at the ranch. I was disappointed that I did not get to see Batsquatch. But there were a lot of people there and many who were there more for the PRS hotties than the paranormal so I am guessing that might have played a part in not seeing as much as we had hoped.
All in all it was a cool experience. We were able to walk the labyrinth there and also had the pleasure of being serenaded by Michelle Belanger as we walked it (Michelle is an awesome singer!) We had some very cool conversations while sitting in the field staring at the sky and learned about some things outside the realm of the paranormal (Like life living in Israel) and had some very deep conversations with strangers (Francine from Banff if you ever read this please get in touch!!!! sorry we missed saying goodbye!) And our one crazy interaction took place after everyone was gone- Santa showed up wearing a UFO shirt, overalls, a flannel shirt over his T Shirt and a straw hat. He had a friend named Thor we thought was a small dog but turned out to be an alien head he kept outside his tent. He even had a blanket bed for Thor and spoke to him constantly. Now you know what Santa is up to in the Summer months. Oh, and his friends showed up in a beat up VW Bus (Holy Stereotype Batman!) (I am NOT making this up- I couldn't make this up... I never pictured Santa as an alien head carrying UFO fanatic)
In conclusion.... I would definitely have to say that if you get a chance go to the UFO Ranch, check it out. James is a gracious host and there is much to see and experience.

The Final Countdown

2009-05-11T10:30:00.004-04:00

There are only 2 more days until the big UFO Ranch trip in Trout Lake, WA.

Though I am traveling across the country to stay at a UFO hot spot, I am not a UFO nut. I don't go looking for them and I don't know much beyond the basic information about them. However, that doesn't mean that I don't believe that extraterrestrial life exists. In fact, I feel it's highly arrogant to presume that humans are the only intelligent life out there. And constantly searching for a planet that can sustain life as we know it here on earth is a little ridiculous- why does all life have to be just like us? Couldn't another type of life form be developed and learn to adapt to other conditions? Couldn't there be something out there that breathes Nitrogen?

Back to the point, while I am a paranormal investigator, my expertise lies in ghosts and hauntings with a little cryptozoology thrown in. I was clueless on the UFO front. So, as any good investigator would, I began investigating.

UFO's have been in the news quite a bit lately. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Vatican came out officially to state that it is OK to believe in ET's and UFOs. At the same time, governments around the world have started releasing their UFO files. A former American astronaut claimed to have seen UFOs while in space and urged the US to release its UFO files before other countries beat it to the punch. There have also been more UFO sightings reported. Just this morning I read an article about several people witnessing a jelly fish like UFO in England, and last week I saw a video of a UFO in Moscow. I've viewed video of a press conference where high ranking officials have stated they are willing to testify under oath to the things they have witnessed. Some had proof such as radar scans and dialogue transcripts.

I also began looking into information about 12/21/2012- the purported end of the world based on the Mayan calendar. What is interesting about this (and I am going to briefly paraphrase) is that it was not just the Mayans who prophesied this time but also the Incas and the Hopi Indians.

So what's going to happen in 2012? Some think the end of the world will happen yet others feel it marks a dramatic change for earth, both physically and spiritually for those on earth. Scientists have indicated a couple of things that could be happening. First is an increase in solar activity. Every 11 years, the Sun moves through a period of fewer, smaller sunspots, prominences, and flares called a solar minimum and a period of more, larger sunspots, prominences and flares called a solar maximum. The last solar maximum occurred in 2001 which means (for those not quick on the math uptake) the next maximum occurs in 2012. So what does this mean? It means that as we near the solar maximum, Coronal Mass Ejections (CME's- explosions in the sun's corona that spew out solar particles) become more and more frequent. CME's can cause problems with radio transmission, orbiting satellites and power grids. Some scientists believe that because the current solar minimum has been so quiet that we're in for a very bad maximum- one that could destroy satellites and cause widespread blackouts.

At the same time, there are those who believe that Planet X (the tenth planet in our solar system of which little is known) will be coming close to earth again- in 2012. It's thought that the close proximity to this planet is what will cause earth's magnetic poles to shift. Many believe the environmental changes occurring now (melting ice caps, increased severe weather) are a result of the shifting magnetic poles and NOT global warming. Needless to say, 2012 could be a very interesting year.

So basically, my point is this- could this heightened UFO activity be part of the greater picture? Are we experiencing the beginnings of the big 12/21/2012 mystery?

Ghost, Demon or Guardian Angel?

2009-04-22T13:01:00.003-04:00

I recently came upon an article about something called the "Hat Man". This was not something I had ever read about before and became interested. Upon reading the article further, I became somewhat fearful.... before I go into detail, let me share my own personal story.

This took place roughly 10 years ago at my parents' house. My fiancee' at the time was out of town and my daughter and I had planned on spending the night with my parents. It was a Saturday, and being a typical Saturday for us it included dinner and a night of paranormal investigation on the Gettysburg Battlefield. I remember that we were in the area of the Peace Light Memorial located on the 1st day's Battle are of the park.

Here I need to add a little background information to explain some of my thoughts later on. During the time frame, my group was having regular communication with a spirit we dubbed "Ed". He showed up each week like clockwork and "talked" to us through EVP. He followed me home on at least one occasion where I was also able to record EVP. Around the same time I had an experience with a mirror in my room- I had seen a face (not my own) in the mirror and it terrified me to the point where I removed it from the wall. To this day I still refuse to look into the mirror directly. Back to the story...

So, after a night of investigation, I headed back to the house to hit the hay. Sometime during the middle of the night, I woke up to see a shadowy figure at the foot of my bed. There were no facial features visible at all, just the black silhouette. It was a male figure, roughly 6ft tall and wearing a wide brimmed hat. I had the impression he was wearing some type of jacket or coat as I was able to discern cuffs of some sort and a collar. He had his left arm hanging by his side and the right was holding onto the post of the 4-poster bed. I distinctly remember seeing his fingers curled around the post. The post was white so there was a lot of contrast. He terrified me. I can not explain where the sudden fear came from. Afterall, I go searching for ghosts and while they make me edgey and slightly spooked, I have never had a feeling of total terror before. I was so terrified that I immediately closed my eyes tight, held onto my celtic cross necklace and said the Lord's Prayer over and over again. At some point I fell asleep, but it wasn't for at least 2 hours and when I woke up I was still holding the cross in my fist.

The next morning there was no sign that anything had happened except that my glasses were nowhere to be found. I place them in the same spot each night as I have my own personal (nearly OCD) bedtime rituals. They weren't there. My mother and I tore the house apart but found nothing. I need my glasses to see- I wear them all day until bedtime. So I went off to work (15 minutes late) without my glasses. At the time, my manager was also a paranormal enthusiast and often accompanied me on investigations. I told her what had happened the night before and how I lost my glasses. She looked down at my bag of clothes and sitting on top neatly folded were the glasses in question. I personally checked that bag- dumping everything out and going through all the pockets and repacked the bag myself too. There were no glasses.

Around the same time frame I was also seeing a "shadow boy" of sorts peeking at me from around corners in my parents' house. One day I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and I ignored it for a minute and then suddenly turned my head to see what was there. I was able to distinguish head and shoulders of someone small/short pull back around the corner. Thinking it was my brother playing tricks, I searched the house- I was alone.

My daughter was not immune to the paranormal at my parents' house either. In fact, she told one person who stayed in her room that if they felt like someone was leaning over them staring at them it was just her guardian angel and if they heard tapping it was just Ed and tell him to stop. She never spoke of seeing shadow figures.

I always chalked the experience up to something following me home from an investigation. Ed often came home with us (this sounds absolutely crazy I know- but he seemed to have attached himself to me)

So today I read something about this "Hat Man". I can honestly say that I have never heard of him before at all and never assumed that my experience had anything to do with something other than the typical ghost haunting. However, here is some info on Hat Man:

*He is a shadow person who wears a trenchcoat and a large hat. One person described

the hat as being like a witch's hat with the pointy part cut off. (same as mine)

*He is accompanied by dread or overwhelming fear. (check- had that)

*While there is rarely any discernable facial features, eyes, when seen, are described as

red and glowing. (No eyes on mine- Thank goodness)

*Shadow people are also seen in reflections, i.e., mirrors and TV screens. (had that- I still don't

look in that mirror)

*With the exception of the Hat Man, most shadow figures are seen only out of the corner

of the eye before quickly disappearing. (Had that happen too)

I would have to say that I definitely had an encounter with the infamous Hat Man and his band of merry shadow people. But what is most disturbing to me is the speculation over what or who the Hat Man is. Some say that it's possible that the Hat Man and these shadow people are merely guardian angle type creatures, something along the lines of Mothman- in a loose way. While that is a nice thought, and my daughter certainly described something that watches her as her guardian angel, that opinion is shared by the least amount of people. Others claim that the Hat Man is somehow related to aliens- especially those with darker or more sinister intent- specifically lizard men and greys. I don't hold much stock in lizard men (who supposedly live in the earth's core and come out and feed on humans- which explains all the missing people in the world) and while I won't say aliens don't exist (I think it's arrogant to assume humans are the superior race and the only one) I don't necessarily think the Hat Man is an alien. The 3rd and most common explanation is that this Hat Man has some relation to the devil or a demon. Do you know how terrifying it is to know you might have been watched by a demon?? And while I am not Saying that I was visited by a demon, I’m not even sure that I believe wholeheartedly in them (in all my years of paranormal investigation I have yet to come across something like that) I am also not saying that they don’t exist either. Demons are just one of those things that are tangled up in religion and personal beliefs- which in itself is a touchy subject. What I know is that I have never know such instant fear- to the point of reciting the first prayer I could think of over and over until exhaustion hit. I also know that if I were to share this story with my very devout Catholic aunt, I would receive another coffee can of Holy Water (I am not joking- had one can in the fridge so long it rusted).

So, anyway, just wanted to put this story out there. I welcome questions or comments or even a story you might have about the Hat Man

The Countdown Continues

2009-04-20T09:30:00.000-04:00

25 days left to go until the trip to Washington State and the UFO Ranch.....

I realized while perusing my blog that I have not yet touched upon the main phenomena taking place at James Gilliland's Ranch: UFO sightings. And we aren't talking about a handful of sightings, we're talking about 3,000 sightings.

I'm sure everyone pictures the stereotypical UFO witness- some trailer park house wife in worn slippers and a flowered house coat sporting pink plastic curlers in her hair and a lit Marlboro dangling from her lips with her husband (who is also a cousin and uncle) next to her with a tobacco juice stained wife beater, cut off shorts and a belly that makes him look like the next octomom. This isn't the case at the UFO Ranch.

Mr. Gilliland has welcomed NASA scientists, military personnel, physicists, members of the CIA, Special Forces Operatives, Boeing engineers.... the list goes on and on but my point is that the people witnessing this phenomena are those with the knowledge to know that what they're seeing aren't ours.

What are they seeing? Some see lights at night moving in the sky. Most would attribute the lights to meteors or satellites passing by. But do meteors or satellites suddenly get brighter (powering up as James calls it) or suddenly change direction and speed? The answer is- no they don't. So what could it be? And why is the ranch often visited by military helicopters when the nearest military base is 3 1/2 hours away? Do they know something we don't?

I am anxious to check it all out for myself. While I have witnessed what can only be called UFO's (as they were certainly unidentified) I was young and who knows what might have been behind my brief sighting. The experiences at the UFO Ranch have been described as spiritual and enlightening. I am looking forward to having such contact with the paranormal world.

Check out James Gilliland's website: ECETI

Batsquatch....

2009-04-14T13:09:00.000-04:00

First let me say that in 30 days, I will be on a plane to Washington State to look for UFO's. Awesome!

In preparing for the big trip, I decided to see if there was anything to be found on the creature known as Batsquatch since it is supposed to live nearby and I am hoping to catch a glimpse of it. I wasn't expecting to find much of anything as I had not heard about this creature before... and believe me when I say I've heard about some crazy creatures! But there are tons of sites dedicated to Batsquatch information.

From what I've read, Batsquatch is reported to have purple colored skin, glowing red eyes, wings like a pterodactyl and a head similar to a primate and/or bat. Though its name is based on Sasquatch, there is no real link between the two creatures. Some believe that it could be a yet unknown type of North American Fruit Bat.... only problem is that Batsquatch seems to like small animals (dogs, goats, hogs...) and last I checked fruit bats ate, well, fruit. Others think that it is another branch of the evolutionary tree and is some type of winged primate. That's right, Ladies and Gentlemen, a Flying Monkey! I will be sure to bring my bicycle and broom.

Seriously though, I am a believer in the existence of cryptids, or creatures that have yet to be officially discovered. We are finding new species all the time and have rediscovered species that were long thought to be extinct though sightings were still reported (the Okapi is one example of that). And I want to bring up another thought- Mothman. I have no doubt that Mothman was real and was sighted by people in Point Pleasant, WV. What I am unsure about is what Mothman actually was.... during his brief life in Point Pleasant, there were increased UFO sightings and sightings of MIB (Men in Black) and if memory serves me, there were also livestock mutilations going on at the same time.

Both Batsquatch and Mothman have glowing red eyes and wings. Both have been sighted in areas of increased UFO activity. I will also go so far as to say both are seen in areas where tragedies occured (mothman- Silver Bridge Collapse, Batsquatch- Mt St Helens eruption). Are these cryptids unknown species? or are they something more? Something that fortells traumatic or historic events? Is there something big coming? Isn't it interesting that the Pope and the Vatican recently announced that it's OK to believe in aliens and UFOs?

"I scream from the top of my lungs What's going On?" - 4 Non Blondes "What's Goin On"

Trip to the UFO Ranch

2009-04-08T09:39:00.001-04:00

Those of you who follow the A&E show Paranormal State are familiar with James Gilliland's "UFO Ranch" in Trout Lake, WA. The Paranormal State episode entitle First Contact was filmed at the ranch and was full of UFO footage. Between the beauty of the area and the paranormal goings-on, this episode became one of my favorites (First Contact) and I hoped I would one day be able to visit Mr. Gilliland's ranch. As luck (or fate) would have it, Kelly and I came upon the opportunity to go- and we're heading out May 14th.

PRS is hosting a 'field trip' at the ranch for 3 days of paranormal activities. We will be camping. Do you have any idea the amount of creativeness it takes to pack camping gear for a flight across the country? And of course there is the paranormal equipment which must be taken on as carry-on. What do we take??! While we have searched for spirits and the occasional cryptid, I've never been on a UFO expedition (side note- there is a mysterious creature in the woods that we will also be looking for called Batsquatch- I know- love the name). At the moment I believe we have decided on the following: cameras (obviously), recorders, video equipment, tripods, flashlights and the stealth game camera (to catch pics of the Batsquatch).

For those wondering, Batsquatch (sounds like something I wouldn't want to step in) is a large bipedal creature with wings. I assume, based on the name, that it must be similar to Satsquatch with large wings. While this may sound slightly silly, please remember Mothman. For those of you familiar with Mothman, you'll remember that this creature was seen in Point Pleasant, WV during a time of heightened UFO sightings. Coincidence? Maybe. Psychedelic drugs? Can't rule them out, but the whole thing is intriguing.

So... as we countdown the days until our departure (36), let's hope that this trip goes off without a hitch. By that I only mean that Kelly and I always seem to have strange adventures... camping in Gettysburg one year we woke up to it raining inside the tent (3 people in a one man A frame + cold outside temps= rain), traveling to Point Pleasant, WV we drove through 4 tornadoes, torrential rain, extreme fog, detoured by flooded rivers, missed a flash flood by mere minutes, got lost in the hills oh and got shot at, and the last camping trip to Gettysburg involved an odd campground full of what looked like carnies.... and that's all I've got to say about that trip.

Stay tuned....

Dipping my toe in the water....

2009-04-02T12:00:00.000-04:00

I have finally stepped into the world of blogging- and it's about time. I guess I struggled with what to blog about, who wants to read my crazy ramblings, right? Then I realized that sharing my various adventures in ghost hunting might provide some with quality entertainment. After all, the trips tend to be full of supernatural terror, not to mention biblical floods, gun shots and peed pants. So sit back and get ready for the first story I end up telling- not sure what it will be- perhaps the upcoming trip to the UFO Ranch in Washington State, or the trip to the haunted Old House Woods or perhaps the trip to the Mothman Festival.... stay tuned!