Review of my ghost hunt

Saturday evening my husband and I met up with a local paranormal group to go ghost hunting in a cemetery about 40 minutes from our house. This was my first time meeting them, so I wasn't sure what to expect. They all seem nice, but I didn't get a chance to talk to anyone other than the usual hello's because everyone went off on their own once we went inside. The cemetery itself was very interesting and had mostly old graves. Most of them were from the later 1800's to early 1900's with some from the civil war. We walked around about an hour and during this time I found a lot of family plots. Several of these were surrounded by the old iron fences. I love these kinds of graves and find it comforting somehow that the families are buried together. You don't find that often now days. When I was growing up my parents would take me to Georgia where my grandparents lived and we always went out in the countryside to an old rural cemetery where my great grandparents were buried. In those days the graves were still raised a bit above the ground with the dirt making a mound of sorts. I found a few here that reminded me of those except these were covered in ivy.



Also one thing I noticed about this cemetery was it seemed to have a "feel" about it. The only way I can describe it is it seemed to have high energy. At one point I was especially drawn to three graves surrounded by one of the fences I mentioned.
I was inside the fence looking at the grave in the middle when all at once I felt dizzy. I told my husband who was sitting outside the fence waiting on me that I felt "weird". At that point I came out and found the lady who was in charge of the hunt. Without telling her what had just happened I asked her to go inside and see if she "felt" anything. She took her EMF meter and did a reading around the area. Everything was normal until she scanned the center grave. At this point the meter reached a .4 reading. While this is in no way a high reading she said there was no reason for it to be past a 0-2 because there was no source of electricity to cause a spike. One of the other women on the hunt with us came over at this time and said that it smelled different to her. That there seemed to be a vacuum here with NO smell where the rest of the areas to her had an old smell to them.



I had my voice recorder with me but do not seem to have any type of EVP that I can detect and nothing shows up in my photos, but all the same it was an experience for me that I usually don't have.
Nothing usual happened the rest of the time I was there and I had an enjoyable time looking around and taking photos. When I got home I listened to my recorder and within the first seven minutes of entering the cemetery I got a very clear EVP. This was recorded BEFORE I stopped at the graves were I got dizzy.
I am posting it here and would like to know what everyone thinks it is saying. When you click on the link it will take you to a site where the recording is at. You will need to click on the download bar and it should load to your computer where you will be able to listen to it in what ever type of player you have.
Let me know if you have trouble listening to this and I will try and send it to you a different way
http://www.badongo.com/file/10153498

I won't tell you yet what I hear, because I really would like someone else to tell me what they think first.

I failed

31 As a 1930s wife, I am Poor Take the test!

I found this little test while surfing the net. It was one of the better ones that I have seen in awhile.

Visiting Endview Plantation

The Hauntings
Endview Plantation
Used by both sides during the civil war as a hospital. Reports have said that a woman has been seen crossing the road from the cemetery towards the house during re-enactments that are held at the Plantation Reports also show that the room, that was used as a nursery has curtains that open after they have been closed for the night.



The History and Tour
Yesterday we took a trip to Endview Plantation. This plantation is one of the smaller ones that we have visited. It is located about 10 minutes from my house and I have passed by it several times without stopping. Although there is both Revolutionary War and Civil War history recorded here, the owners center more on the Civil War. During this time the home was owned by Dr. Humphrey Harwood Curtis. The young doctor established his medical practice at the plantation in 1856 and married Maria Whitaker in 1858. The 1860 census shows that Curtis owned $8,000 worth of real estate, $21,000 worth of personal property and 12 slaves. As disease and fighting took their toll, the Confederates used Endview briefly as a hospital.
The tour proved to be interesting due to the fact that we were the only ones there at the time. The guide was very friendly and took his time talking with us and answering questions.
We got a tour of all the rooms which included the Doctors office where we saw some of the original old medicine bottles. A few pieces of the Curtis family clothing and furniture are still in the home.
At this time the history of the home is still being researched and no one knows yet where the out buildings such as the kitchen and slave quarters were.
We did get to see the family cemetery and a natural spring on the property. Also they have day camp for kids there.
For girls ages 8-12. Includes tour of local historic sites, needlework instruction, etiquette, parlor games, dancing, campfire cooking.
For boys and girls ages 8-12. Includes camp life, drills, skirmishes and basic soldier’s equipment.
One thing I did notice while we were they is how hot the room the girls were in. They were sitting on the floor listening to a story and reading. I thought to myself.
BORING. According to the web page for the plantation the parents of these kids were paying about 100.00 to a 150.00 for the camp. Better them than me.


My Opinion...Is it haunted?
I would say no, not this one, although some stories have been told.
I think it is just a lovely old home, but no investigations have been done (I asked) on the property, so perhaps something may happen later to change my mind.

Sky Watch Friday

Wow this week has flown by and Sky Watch Friday is here again. I have been on vacation and have had the chance to visit several different places. I am posting a few of my favorite sky shots for your enjoyment.

The Ghost at Westover Plantation

While visiting the beautiful Westover Plantation I took a short walk to the cemetary where the Byrd family is buried. I had read about the tragic love story of Evelyn Byrd and wanted to see her tomb. While standing there taking photos "something" brushed my arm. I thought it was a spider web and went to brush it away only to find nothing was there. I commented to my husband that Evelyn must have touched me. Is the place haunted. I would say YES to this one.


Story of Evelyn Byrd
(Taken from the Internet)

This stately plantation is said to be haunted by the lovely, Evelyn Byrd. Miss Byrd, was born in 1707. She was the daughter of William Byrd II.

Mr. Byrd was a very prominent statesmen during the colonial era. He was an advisor to the governor of Virginia and the founder of the city of Richmond, to name just a couple of his jobs during his lifetieme.

Evelyn when she was young, was considered an intelligent child, but on the other hand she was also considered to be spoiled. Although, Evelyn has been dead for over 250 years, many witnesses have reported seeing her at Westover.

When Evelyn turned 10 years old, her father sent her to England to be schooled. It was here that Evelyn fell in love with a man, many historians believe to be, Charles Morduant. But her father was adamantly against the relationship.

He ventured as far as telling Evelyn,
QUOTE
as to any expectation you may fondly entertain of a fortune from me, you are not to look for one brass farthing...Nay besides all that I will avoid the sight of you as of a creature detested.


So with heaviness of heart and reluctantly, Evelyn returned to Westover in 1726, forgetting the romance. But William Byrd would live to regret his decision. Because in 1737, Evelyn Byrd, many say died of a broken heart.

Evelyn has been spotted at Westover over the years. The first time was in about 1738, when Evelyn's dear friend, Anne Harrison, saw Evelyn walking towards her in the gardens of Westover.

Another relative of the Byrds, committed suicide here in 1777. William Byrd III was distressed over financial matters and committed suicide at Westover sitting in his favorite chair in his bedroom.

The first wife of William Byrd III, Elizabeth, was killed at Westover when a heavy cabinet fell on top of her, crushing her to death.

It is said that William Byrd III can still be seen at Midnight slumping over his favorite chair in his old bedroom. Elizabeth, it is said, you can hear her wailing still echoing through the halls of Westover, still awaiting for someone to help her.

On The Prowl

The next few days should prove to be exciting. Coming up on Saturday night I am going on a ghost hunt with a local paranormal group to a cemetery. Then next Tuesday I will be meeting with the group I told you about a few weeks ago that is interested in spending some time with my grandson. We will be meeting at the farm where he first "saw" the ghost lady I have in my photo. The group wants to spend some time with him. I am guessing that they will set up some equipment in the area and see if anything happens. Both trips should provide some interesting post, so check back for them. In the mean time here is a slide show from The Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond VA. (This is NOT the same cemetery that I will be going on with the group this weekend). I know I showed a few photos from there in a previous post, but with approx. 75,000 people buried there I thought you might like to see more.

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Westover Plantation-ABC Wednesday

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Westover was built circa 1730 by William Byrd II.
This is one of the most beautiful homes in the area. It is an outside tour only and includes the ice-house and a small structure containing a dry well with passageways which led under the house and to the river, as an escape from the Indians.
A short walk from the main house is the site of the original Westover Parish Church and cemetery where the Byrd family is buried. (I will be posting more on this on my other blog)
For more ABC Wednesday photos visit Mrs Nesbitts

Berkley Plantation

Day two brought us to the beautiful Berkley Plantation, which is said to be the oldest 3-story brick house in Virginia. Site of the First Official Thanksgiving in America in 1619 It is the Birthplace of William Henry Harrison, 9th U.S. President and Benjamin Harrison V, Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Ancestral Home of Benjamin Harrison, 23rd U.S. president. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were among its notable guests. The home is where Taps was first composed and played.

In 1744, there was a terrible accident in one of the upstairs rooms.
During a stormy evening in 1744, William Harrison 1V and two of his daughters were trying to shut a window in a bedroom which overlooks the James River. A fluke bolt of lightening came through the window and struck all three of them killing them, but missed Harrison's infant son, Benjamin Harrison V, who was being held by one of the daughters. The baby survived, thanks to a physician who happened to be a dinner guest. Benjamin grew to be an important leader and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and was the father and grandfather of two United States Presidents; William Henry Harrison (9th) and Benjamin Harrison (23rd).



During the Civil War General McCellan's Federal Troops took over Berkeley plantation and used it as his headquarters. The entire Union army (consisting of 140,000 men)camped on the property in 1862. The cellar was used as a holding cell for Confederate soldiers, and the rooms in the mansion were used as a hospital. During this time the plantation was visited by President Abraham Lincoln. A man by the name of John Jamieson served as a drummer boy for McCellan. The plantation was later purchased by him. His son Malcolm inherited the estate in 1927. The Jamieson family still lives at Berkley today.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Photo's Day One

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For more information on Bacon's Castle and what happened to us there go to my Other BlogDoes It Go Bump In The Night

Richmond Vampire

As you know from my previous post, I visited the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond VA today. The cast iron dog is not the only "haunted" story that comes from the cemetery. There is also a legend of The Richmond Vampire. Read the story below, and enjoy the photos. I have to tell you vampire or not this mausoleum was creepy.



From Wikipedia

The Richmond Vampire is an urban legend that began soon after a collapse on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad's Church Hill Tunnel at Church Hill, a district of Richmond, Virginia, which buried several workers alive on October 2, 1925.

The story told of a blood covered creature with jagged teeth and skin hanging from its muscular body that emerged from the cave-in and raced toward the James River. Pursued by a group of men, the creature took refuge in Hollywood Cemetery, where it disappeared in a mausoleum built into a hillside bearing the name W.W. Poole.

Gregory Maitland, founder of Night Shift, a Richmond-based group that researched urban legends and oral traditions, and the Virginia urban legend and folklore expert of the Virginia Ghosts & Haunting Research Society (VGHRS), became interested in the Richmond Vampire story. His study of the disaster confirmed that after the tunnel collapsed a living being escaped from the wreckage. It was, however, a big and strong 28-year-old railroad fireman, Benjamin F. Mosby (1896-1925), who had been loading coal into the steam tank of a train with no shirt on when the cave-in occurred and the oven ruptured.

Mosby's upper body was horribly scalded and several of his teeth were broken before he made his way through the opening of the tunnel. Witnesses reported he was in shock and layers of his skin were hanging from his body. He died later at Grace Hospital. It was from there that the story took on a life of its own through decades of retelling.

Day 2

Day two found us at Berkley Plantation, Westover Plantation, Westover Cemetary, and the Ghost Walk of Williamsburg, based on the books by L. B. Taylor Jr.
I am to tired to post tonight, but will try and catch everyone up tomorrow, with photos from these places along with the ones from Bacon's Castle yesterday.

Summer Vacation Day 1

Good Morning Everyone. It is Day one of our summer vacation and We are heading to Bacon's Castle in Surry VA. Of course as luck would have it we have clouds today with a chance of rain, but maybe the rain will stay in Newport News, since we are going to be in Surry ha ha. [Photos to be posted later}
Enjoy your Saturday everyone. After all it is the first full day of Summer..Yippee

Hollywood Cemetery-Richmond VA

I visited Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond VA today. Among the graves this was my very favorite. It is the statue of the cast iron dog. I had heard this story for a long time and was excited to have found the grave. Hollywood Cemetery has appox. 75 thousand people buried there. Here is the story of the Iron Dog

The cast iron dog used to sit out in front of a general store in Richmond. A little girl used to visit the store with her father weekly and always petted and talked to the cast iron dog while her father did business inside. The young girl later died of scarlet fever. During the civil war, which broke out soon after the young child died, the demand for iron was high. The cast iron dog was placed on the grave of the little girl. This was done to prevent it's being melted down and used to make weapons and to preserve it as a work of art.

This dog is said to guard her grave, and comes to life to chase people from her grave site. It has also been known to move on occasion. Many people have reported seeing it pointed in one direction and passing it later, it was pointed in another direction

Bacon's Castle

Bacon's Castle was Built in 1665 by Arthur Allen, Bacon's Castle is the oldest documented brick house in America. In 1676 it was taken over by Nathaniel Bacon and his men, who rebelled against the governor of Virginia and burned down Jamestown.
It took four years before Mr. Allen got his home back. The house had been passed down several generations and owned by numerous families. Additions to the house have been made at lest three times.
The family owning the home in the 1800's had both indentured servants and slaves who worked in the house and the adjourning fields. An original slave house is still on the property.
Several of the windows in the home had initials or names etched into them, including one which had an entire love letter from one of the young owners to his wife.
I am sorry I can't remember their names, but it was a bit of a sad story. They were only married about four years before she died at the age of 25 (or so)
Also we saw two previously hidden pieces of wall which was covered with sketches and signatures of the house's previous occupants.
This was by far one of the best tours that I have been on. The guide was very knowledgeable and took us to three different levels of the home, and the basement. The basement was the original kitchen.
The top level was where both indentured servants and slaves slept. One room was furnished to show a bedroom. The door was roped off so no one could go in, but as I stuck my head in the door I felt the energy in this room was "different". I made the comment that the room felt weird. My daughter seemed to pooh pooh this idea until about three minutes later when she was carrying my grandson down the stairs. She took one step and fell down the remaining stairs. (about 4 steps)I screamed out her name and rushed to her. Thankfully they were both ok and she jumped right up, more embarrassed than hurt. On the next level my grandson seemed to trip over his own feet falling to the floor. We all got the giggles at how clumsy they both were, but when we got outside my daughter swore to me that a ghost pushed them. She said "mom we never fall" I asked her did she really feel as if she was being pushed. She said she wasn't sure, because it happened so fast, but swore the rest of the day it was the ghost. I later read on the Internet while searching for more information on the home that during another tour someone had fallen down those same stairs.
this is also the same stairway that the young lady who haunts the house was said to trip on in the video at the end of this post.
Could it just be coincidence? Perhaps, or perhaps there is a ghostly presence that pushes young ladies down. You be the judge.
Just a side note here. While in the home on the main level, my grandson told his mother that he saw a papa outside near a tree, There was no one out there, or at lest no one we saw.
In my opinion, I did feel as if Bacon's Castle had some activity. I would love to get into this house at night with a ghost hunting team. I plan to make another visit back there soon.
In the meantime here is a
podcast of one of our local radio stations Halloween Haunts talking abut the castle
for photos of the house and grounds itself see my blog at Autumns Meadow
Also there are photos there of Lawnes Creek Church Cemetery where the mysterious fireball is said to have some from.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWP7woe6QrQ&hl=en]

Happy Summer Solstice

Sky Watch Friday

Our Sky went from this series of of clouds in about a ten minute span tonight as a thunderstorm rolled in. It produced some hail and rain, then cleared almost as fast as it came.










For more Sky Watch Friday photos stop in at Toms.

Thursday Update

The last few days have been really hectic. My mom is back in the hospital again. You might remember that she had a heart attack in February and had a stint put in. Since then she really has not improved a whole lot as far as being pain free and retaining her energy level. She has been back and forth several times for testing and finally this week they put her back in the hospital. Yesterday they ran a cath to her heart and put in another stint. That went well and we thought she would come home today, but this morning her blood pressure dropped dangerously low, so they hooked her back up to an IV and told her she would be remaining at lest one more day. Thankfully her pressure returned to a somewhat normal level and as if this evening she was feeling better although a bit pale. I spent yesterday and last night with her and stayed until about 7 tonight. I took off work yesterday and I need to work tomorrow, after that I will be on vacation. My sister is staying with her tonight. Sis is a nurse and really needed to be at work herself (she works in a DR. office), but she missed again today to be up at the hospital. It looks like she will miss tomorrow too. She is suppose to be leaving a week from today to fly to Jamaica to get married. Hopefully mom will recover quickly and everyone can relax and have a good week next week.
I'm really tired and sore after spending the night on the narrow little couch in the room. To top it off the TV in her room is haunted. Yep you read it right. It is haunted...
It must be. Either that or it is programed by idiots. Because once an hour. EVERY hour. the damn thing turned on and prompt me to complete a survey. Now I don't know about you, but I can not sleep with any type of light on in a room, even the one caused by the TV. I was so pissed. There is no way I am going to get up and fill out a survey on the TV in the MIDDLE OF THE DAMN NIGHT! What kind of crazy person set that up. The morning nurse told me it would continue to turn itself on, or change from the channel you are watching to the survey until someone took the time to fill it out. Then on top of that they had my mom's bed set with an alarm that went off if she tired to sit up and get out of bed. I told her not to get up, that she had to call the nurse, but she is stubborn and got up anyway THREE times during the night setting off the alarm and waking me up. Of course the nurses came running, and turned on all the lights, waited for mom to pee and then reset the alarm.
Oh and I can't forget to mention that they came in at 3:30 to take her blood.
So between the TV, the alarm and the nurses I think it is safe to say. I DID NOT GET ANY SLEEP LAST NIGHT!!
Anyway I am over tired and I'm going to head to bed soon.
Sorry I missed my weekly ABC Wednesday post. I do have a Sky Watch Friday photo because just as I got home tonight a bad storm came in. I will be posting it and then I am going to get some sleep.

Fort Delaware Hauntings

(Photo Courtesy of Harry Flagle)
"FORT DELAWARE, Del. (AP) - June 19, 2008 -- Ghost Hunters from a Sci-Fi Channel TV show of the same name say they have found evidence of ghosts at Fort Delaware."

Did everyone watch last night's Ghost Hunters Show on Ft. Delaware?
I watched it with great interest since I had already heard some of the stories. I have a friend that visited a couple of years ago and told me then that the place was haunted. During the Civil War, Fort Delaware was a prison for Confederate Prisoners of war. During the war, more than 2,400 people died there, on Pea Patch Island.


Here is his photo of what appears to be a woman (possibly a slave) holding a baby.




(Photo Courtesy of Harry Flagle)

Chit Chat

I've been a bit quiet on this blog other than a couple of meme's and my usual Wednesday and Friday photo post. I think that is good sometimes. When I am not doing a lot of posting that usually means my life is going fairly smooth (Or that I am becoming really boring ha ha) Starting Saturday I am going on vacation for SEVEN...Count them S E V E N lovely days. If things go as planned I will be playing tourist to some local and not so far away (isn't gas prices awful) attractions. The first stop on my list will be Bacon's Castle Built in 1665, The home belonged to Major Arthur Allen. It was taken over by the Nathaniel Bacon and, him and his men led an uprising in Virginia against the Colonial government. They burned Jamestown to the ground. I will be back with photos and more history for you.
For those of you who follow my Other blog I will have some photos and information too. The castle and nearby cemetery is suppose to be haunted.
In the meantime I hope everyone has a nice week.

The Door

I have to tell you about the cool thing that happened tonight. My husband and I were invited to the home of an old friend of mine. C and I grew up together but had not seen each other in about twenty years. We do occasionally stay in touch via email or myspace, and I recently mentioned to her that I am into ghost hunting She wrote back and told me that she has one in her home. As it turns out the house is an old farmhouse about 150 years old and now sits in a quiet neighborhood with other homes around it. I loved it of course from the minute I walked in since that type of house is my dream home. I got a tour of the house and the grounds and a bit of history on the home. C and her husband are not sure who the original owners were, but they didn’t think anyone had died there. They had owned the house about ten years and they said there has always been a ghost or two, (they are not sure but feel like there is both male and female energy there) C went on to tell me that she has heard footsteps coming from upstairs in the part of the house that does not have an upstairs. (Only part of the house has the second floor) She went on to tell me that the door to one of the rooms downstairs opens on its own. Also just so you know the house is on the market for sale and that they are really having a hard time selling it.
It seems that every time someone comes to see the house, they leave saying the house feels strange or they smell an odor in the bedroom (the one with the door that opens)

Upstairs there is a small room that sits empty. C said she thought it might have been some sort of storage closet. I spent a few minutes in there, I noticed it had a window. For some reason I felt that this room had a female spirit that looked out the window as if waiting for someone to return home. I am not a sensitive, but have read in more than one case that hauntings in a home of this age seem to be women waiting for someone who does not return from the Civil War. The really strange thing about this room is it has the original door clasp and it was placed on the outside of the door as if someone was trying to lock something in the room instead of being in the room itself to lock someone out.
At no time did I feel uneasy or think there was any negative energy in this room or anywhere else in the house.

When I went back downstairs I and did not notice any type of smell. I went into the room in question several times to check.
Each time I made sure the door was closed well. At the end of the night I was not convinced the house had a spirit. Until we got ready to leave that is…..

The door was open, just slightly, but it had been closed security I am sure. C showed me that just turning the knob would not open the door. You had to push it after you turned the knob. No one had been near the door. At lest no one human.
I hope she invites me back. I suggested to her that I come sometime when it would just be her and I at home. I want to do some EVP recordings. See if anything shows up.
I will let you know if I get a chance to go back.

Another meme

IF you came to my house...

You MIGHT see...
Laundry on my table and dog hair on my floor...Hey it's Friday and I have worked all week, What can I say

We'd probably feed you: Popcorn. I love popcorn and currently have two boxes of it in the pantry. If you don't like that I think we have some burgers in the freezer, but please bring some buns. I am out.

And offer you this to drink:
You have a choice of Diet Dr. Pepper or lemonade. Bring your own water if you don't want it out of the tap. I haven't been to the grocery store.

We'd undoubtedly ask if you'd read:
The Hauntings of Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown by Jackie Eileen Behrend, it is always sitting at my computer for reference.

We’d want to play this music for you:
What ever is playing on Internet Radio, or on Cable Radio on the TV. I don't keep anything current. We don't have a radio in the house. Oh wait. I lied. My husband has a shower radio. But you have to get wet to listen to it.

We’d want to tell you the latest about: My Grandson, he is the one person who always makes me smile.

We’d probably suggest a game of:
Sorry, no games, unless you count the one or two cards that I found under the couch that belong to my grandson's memory game (he took the rest of them home)

We might show off: Sorry I can't think of anything

We might get on the computer and show you:
All of my photos since that is where I keep them

I hope you enjoyed this....If you do it please let me know so I can visit

Sky Watch Friday-June 13th

Happy Friday Everyone. Wow the week sure flies by, and once again Tom is hosting Sky Watch Friday.
I haven't been out this week to snap any new photos, but this one was taken about a month ago in Colonial Williamsburg. I really thought the clouds were pretty that day, so I took this shot guessing I would find a spot for it. Here it is for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy your day and enjoy your weekend. I am working. BLAH!

I've been tagged

solstice dreamer has tagged me for yet another meme.


well here goes...

1) what was i doing ten years ago?
Ten years ago I met my husband in a chat room on the Internet. We met in person in Oct. and started living together in Dec. of 1998. Two years later we married in Dec. of 2000. We are still together.

2) five things on my to-do-list today~
put away some laundry
look up the web page for a campground I am thinking about going to while I am on vacation.
shave my legs
catch up on some blogs I read
Cook a nice dinner.

3) snacks i enjoy
popcorn
crunch and munch (caramel and peanuts popcorn)
Chips with onion dip

4) things i would do if i were a billionaire
Buy a house for myself and my family members.
Travel to California to see my granddaughter
Buy and RV and travel o all 50 states then fly to Europe
Buy everyone in my family a new car.

5) places i have lived
Georgia, California, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia

6) bloggesr i would like to know more about
Anyone who wants to do this

ABC WEdnesday-The letter U

 

U is for UNDER Ground and that is where these Prairie Dogs live at our local zoo.

 

U is also for UNUSUAL. I think it is unsual to see a white peacock but we have one of those living at once of our children's farms.
I hope you enjoyed my post for this week. Be sure and stop into
Mrs Nesbitts Place for more ABC photos

Meme

I have been tagged by Dora over at PeppyLady to do not one but two memes. The first one is called
What won’t I give up and Why.

This one was hard for me, because I have given up a lot over the years. 10 years ago I walked out on my husband of twenty five years leaving behind almost everything. The only things I keep from that marriage were my photos (which some have been shared with him since then) My clothes and shoes, and some Nick knacks. A few kitchen things ( I left behind all the appliances) and the dresser I had as a kid. I left the bed, most of the bedding and kitchen things etc.
In doing all this I realized that material things are not really that important to me. It is family and friends that really matter but for the sake of keeping this meme going I thought of some answers

. Air Conditioning...I don't know how people can live without it in the summer.
. Diet Dr. Pepper... My drink of choice. I like it better than other soda
. My computer... It is my link with family and friends and also my source of entertainment.


The second meme is called Two by Two and it was a bit easier for me

Two Names You Go By? Pat and Mom

Two things you are wearing right now? jean shorts and a sleeveless shirt

Two of your favorite things? My grandson and visiting haunted places

Two things you want very badly at the moment? More money (vacation is coming up at the end of next week) A bigger apartment

Two favorite pets you have or had? I love all the pets I've had, but my favorite two were probably my Sheltie Dog Princess, and my current kitty Molly (yes Carrie this is the black and white one)


Two people you hope will fill this out? I hope more than two do it.

Two things you did last night? Talked to my mom and worked on a blog post.

Two things you ate last night? hamburger and hot dogs on the grill

Two people you last talked to? My grandson and my husband

Two things you are doing tomorrow? Going to work, shop for a pair of summer sandals.



Two of farthest trips taken in the last 5 years? South Carolina, mountains of VA

Two favorite holidays? Halloween, Christmas, although to be honest I really don't like Christmas

Two favorite beverages? Diet Dr. Pepper, Lemonade

I'm not tagging anyone but I hope someone will do this. If you do please leave me a comment and let me know so I can visit.

New Post

My post is up on the Rosewell Plantation Ruins, Check it out Here

Don't bug me. I'm ghost hunting

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The Rosewell Plantation Ruins are located in Gloucester Virginia. This is about a half hour drive from my daughter's house. I have been interested in visiting for a while now because of all the reports that I had read about it being haunted. Since we were so close to home we decided to take a picnic with us. (I had read somewhere that there was a table) When we arrived we stopped at the visitors center where we paid our four dollars each to get in. While there we got a brief history of the place and watched a short film. Being anxious to learn more about the paranormal activity I question the worker there, who was happy to tell me that most of the stories could be explained. One example she gave me was that evidence of rats living in the walls had been found when the ruins were excavated Also she debunked the story of an old car blocking the drive, by telling me that someone living in the area had parked it there. I was still hoping to have some sort of experience so we drove a short distance up to the main area itself. My first thoughts were awe at how tall the structure is. The photos do not do it justice. I am not sure if you can call an old ruin beautiful, but I certainly thought it was. There was only one other person visiting while we were there. There was a woman by herself so we hurried and ate our lunch while she was looking around.

Now before I go any further let me tell you right up front, that it only took me about five minutes to debunk any and all ghost stories about this place. There is NO WAY there can be any ghost out there because.
THE DAMN BUGS WOULD HAVE EATEN THEM!!
I have never seen so many flies, gnats, bees and creepy crawlies in my entire life.
It was bad enough that we picked the hottest weekend we have had so far (Temps at 100 degrees) but the BUGS ate us. In fact it was so bad that as soon as we finished our sandwiches my husband retreated to the car. My daughter was a bit braver, but soon started cussing and yelling about the bugs. They were all over her and my grandson. For some reason when we first got there they were not bothering me. I told my daughter she could go to the car that I wouldn't be mad and she was about to when my grandson told me his momma and Dean were bad. He told that he would stay with me and go Ghost Hunting! I thought that was so funny and so sweet, since he is only three. After a few minutes they did give in to the bugs and went to the car. I was determined to see everything in the area so I walked back to the ice house, which is near the river. The woods were pretty, and I keep waiting for the temperature drops or noises I had read about but nothing happened. While there I did do some EVP recordings, but it doesn't appear to have anything on it other than my own voice. I had planned to do one in the family cemetery, but the bugs that had plagued my family earlier were now chasing me so I gave up and ran for the car.

We headed out of there and stopped at the Abingdon Episcopal Church. This church has a connection to the plantation because tombs of the Page family who were the original owners had been moved there. The bodies themselves are still buried at Roswell, so I have no idea why they moved just the tombs there except that some of the other family members are laid to rest in the church cemetery. Perhaps there is not enough of the remains to move? I am not sure.

The church and the cemetery were interesting and thankfully there were no bugs here. We spent several minutes walking around. I didn’t feel like the place had any type of activity although I did get a cold chill as I approached one area near a front corner of the cemetery. I am not sure who was buried there, but there was a grave sitting off a little near the trees. The feeling only lasted a moment and didn't happen again while I was there. I had not thought to get the recorder out of the car so I didn't do any EVP work, but may go back to that area again sometime.
Oh I forgot to mention. My daughter did have one experience at the ruins. As she approached and looked in the cellar area (By the way pretend you are not reading this part because we were told not to go into the center of the structure, but you know I am like a little kid and can't listen) she screamed and jumped back. She said she had seen something move in there. I looked and didn't see anything, and took a photo so I could use the flash as light and nothing shows up.
You can view the photo of the cellar in the slide show above.

So is Rosewell Plantation and Abingdon church haunted? I can't say for sure. All I know is it BUGS me that I didn't see anything but BUGS!!
Enjoy the slide show.
Oh also you might want to turn your volume off or down before you click on it to watch it. I added this really annoying spooky music.

Baby It's Hot Outside

Oh my gosh, it is only the first week of June and already the temperature is boiling. It reached 101 degrees here today and it was so hot you couldn't hardly breath outside. Of course that didn't stop my daughter and I from going on one of our great adventures. We braved the heat and went to Petersburg VA, which is a couple of hours away. Naturally it took us twice as long as it should have to get there because we stopped at every thrift store and antique store along the way. We didn't buy much but I did manage to find this really cute hot pink hat for just $2.95, so you know I couldn't pass that up.


I thought it might be fun to wear when we go back up to the Plantations when I am on vacation week after next.
Along the way we stopped at a antique store where we saw this wooden Indian.

Notice my grandson is being a bit camera shy. Also the antique store owners were getting ready for an auction, so that is why there is so much stuff on the ground.
The store itself was very interesting (sorry I didn't think to take a photo of the front). It was an old house that had been build around 1920. Each room had a door connected to the next. It seems the original owner was afraid of fire, so he wanted to make sure that no matter what room he was in he could get out of the house by either the front or back door.
Once we got to Petersburg we headed to the old downtown area where you can still find historic old buildings like this



It was to hot to walk around for more than a few minutes so we stopped in to have some ice cream at the local ice cream parlor

Before we came back home we stopped in to one of my favorite places. The Blandford Church Cemetery
Blandford Cemetery covers approximately 189 acres. The oldest grave marker is from 1702


I don't recall finding that grave, but we did see many other ones that caught my eye.
Like this mausoleum

When you look inside you can see this beautiful stained glass window with the caskets (cemented in) on either side

Here are a few more photos I took while there.




Tomorrow I have plans to go to the Rosewell Plantation, which is suppose to be haunted. You can look for a report on that on my Other Blog

Freaky

I have facebook and when I joined as a fan of ghost hunters look what it came up as
Patty became a fan of Ghost Hunters.1:18amGhost Hunters TV Show
6,666 fans
Is that freaky or what!!

Sailing

My daughter and I took a trip to Yorktown Beach the other day.
Look what I saw!

Sky Watch Friday 6-6-08

Once again it is time Sky Watch Friday
This photo was taken last week as the sun was just getting ready to go down.