A Halloween Love Story

Happy Hallowe'en!

Candy Corn on the Cob

I would be remiss if I didn't have at least one post about Candy Corn this Halloween. 

I had often thought about Candy Corn on the Cob but never delved deeper - either on the interwebs or at home. But after reading a post over at Spookshow's blog, I think I may try this. 

Click here for instructions at Instructables!

Calcified Critters

The photography of Nick Brandt

Click Here to read about Lake Natron that cause calcification !

Pumpkins, Ghouls and Monsters...Oh My!

The Reveal.....

WOW! What an experience! 

Very surreal. 

If one wasn't a believer in spirits before, a ghost hunt at Miramont Castle would certainly make them a believer. 

The Ghost Hunt was led by the group The Haunted Dimensions. And yes, they used K2 meters, flir camera, and a nifty app on their pads - Ghost Radar. Ghost Radar works very much like the Ghost Box by scanning through radio frequencies quite rapidly and detects sound bytes which it then can translate into words. (a simplistic definition)

There were two groups of approx. 13 people plus at least 3 investigators. One group started at the top on the fourth floor. And the other group started in the basement. Each group worked its way through the Castle and eventually met up for coffee where we compared notes. We then split up into smaller groups to investigate our 'favorite' spot. 

While nothing like seeing an apparition or being touched by something happened to me, some of the night's attendees did speak of experiencing such things.  My night's remembrances are of flashlights. And questions being answered. The Lead Investigator would ask yes/no questions and ask for the spirit to respond by turning on the flashlight. This happened a lot! Some of the resident spirits were quite chatty. I guess you could say these were intelligent hauntings. On two occasions I volunteered to sit in one of the rooms by myself with only a flashlight, camera and recorder. I spent at least 15 minutes, maybe more, 'chatting' with a boy(?) from Europe who had been at the Castle because he was ill - perhaps ill with tuberculosis. Very surreal to hear the words on the Ghost Radar and to see this flashlight, which is positioned across the room with absolutely nothing around it, go on and off.

I had no doubt about the existence of spirits or ghosts before our trip to Miramont Castle. And what I experienced only reinforced those beliefs.

Brief History: Miramont Castle is located in Manitou Springs, Colorado and was built in 1895 as a private residence for Father Jean Baptist Francolon, a French born Catholic priest, and his mother. The Castle is an eclectic mix of architectural styles - from Byzantine to Tudor. The Sisters of  Mercy shared the property with the Father and operated a sanitarium, caring for people with a variety of illnesses who came to Manitou Springs for the 'miraculous healing waters' which flowed from the various springs. After the Father left for the East coast under a cloud of suspicion in 1900, the Sisters stayed on to run the sanitarium - tuberculosis was by now the main illness but recovering soldiers returning from the Wars would soon fill the rooms. The Castle eventually fell into disrepair but in 1976 the Manitou Springs Historical Society purchased the building and began renovation to the structure. Today Miramont Castle is on the National Historic register and serves as a museum which houses only a portion of the rich history of Colorado.

*** Note to Self : Add Daytime Tour of Miramont Castle to Roadtrip Bucket List ***

Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze

The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze of Hudson Valley

and Sleepy Hollow

A Ghost Hunting We Will Go!

Exciting news! Hubby & I are scheduled to go on a Ghost Hunt tonight! **cue creepy music**

How exciting is that!

We will be two of the 20 people who will be investigating Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs with the Parahistorical Team, The Haunted Dimensions.

Check back on Tuesday for the big Reveal!

Signs of the Season

First Snow of the Season - Sept. 30, 2013

Ghostly Singles

Are you tired of Haunting alone? 

Has the fun vanished from those midnight wanderings in the cemetery?

Well, Ghost Singles is the place for you!

At Ghost Singles you can meet others from the ethereal plane just like yourself!

Find yourself a date for that Seance! Or just chat with someone of like interests - chain-rattling! walking through walls! scaring the pi$$ out of someone!

So don't attend the Hallowe'en Party alone this year! Go to Ghost Singles and find your perfect Spirit!

all images courtesy of Magickal Graphics

Food Landscapes

The photography of Carl Warner

There's a Little Witch

Florissant Grange

In September, I attended a class about home remedies using native plants and things found in the kitchen. The instructor was Mari  Marques, a certified herbalist. Mari is also known as The Thymekeeper .  She attended school in Boulder and practiced for many years to obtain the knowledge she has about herbs, oils, tinctures, and native plants. And her mental encyclopedia is quite vast. I am hoping she'll have more classes as time goes by. I would love to soak up some of the knowledge she is so willing to share.

She made cough syrup during the class and kept up a constant dialogue about herbs and their uses while she was cooking the concoction. I could see in my mind's eye how this very scenario may have occurred so many times throughout history - a Wise Woman teaching her pupils the ways of healing.

As I glanced around the room of the old Grange, I saw an assortment of people taking notes and absorbing the knowledge that was being given. And I was reminded of a saying from one my favorite movies (and probably one of yours as well!), 
Practical Magic. 

There's a Little Witch in All of Us.


Cough Syrup
**This is meant for information purposes only**

Hibiscus Flowers  - 1/4cp (vitamin C source)

Anise Seed - 3/10 oz (healing to lungs)

Cramp Bark - 3/10 oz (anti-spasmodic)

Ellacampane - 3/10oz. (anti-spasmodic)

Wild Cherry Bark - 3/10oz (reduces fever)

Grindelia - 1 1/2oz (helps relieve phlegm build-up)

Osha Root tincture - 1 oz (all purpose healing agent, promotes sweating & expectoration, antiviral)

Echinacea tincture - 1/2oz

Honey - same amount as water used to boil bark/root/seed mix

Marshmallow Root Powder - 1 TBLSPN (relieves sore throat, good for mouth ulcers)

Brandy - non-flavored 1/4cp (used for a preservative)

1. Steep Hibiscus flowers & 1/2oz Osha Root tincture in 1 1/2cp boiling water. Let steep while making the rest of the syrup.

2. Place Anise seed, Cramp bark, Ellacampane (root), Wild Cherry Bark, & Grindelia in pan. Cover with 2 cps water. Bring to rolling boil, reduce heat and simmer for approx. 15min - 20 min. Strain through a cofee filter or very fine wire mesh strainer. 

3. Add Osha Root tincture (1/2oz), Echinacea Tincture. Stir well. Whisk in Marshmallow Root powder until dissolved. Measure amount of liquid. Add equal part Honey.

4. Strain Hibiscus flowers through coffee filter or strainer. Add Hibiscus flower water to honey mixture. Stir well.

5. Add brandy. stir.

Store in bottles or jars in refrig. until needed.

Tree or...

Take a good look at the photo below. Do you recognize what the scraggly tree in the center of the photo is?

It's a cell tower. Now why can't they all look so unassuming?

Cat Tales ~ Mes a Tiger!

Mommy said Me has stripes cause Mes part Tabby Kitty. But Mommy is wrong!!!!

Me is part Tiger! 

Scientists have discovered that Tigers share 95.6% of their DNA with House Kitties.

Click Here to read more!

Purz and Catnip Dreams.......Gomez

Steampunk Dream Catchers

The Art of Indiana Nelson

A Dark and Stormy Night

The wind howled from the north driving the sleet before the car as I headed toward Denver. There was only one thing that would get me out on a night like that! Family! But it was SO worth it!

John Wyatt Gripp

7lb. 14oz.

Born 10-4-13   12:02am