I first approached researching Southern Illinois witches the way I would any subject … by getting to know the people. Where I made my mistake was trying to focus on the witches. A mistake, but because the witches were lost in the world of folklore. Who defined a witch here, as in most places, was […]
Harvest Moon: The Magic of the Home, Hearth and Hard Work
The tradition of Donegal fiddle is populated with giants, those who kept the tradition alive at any given time over the past century or so, and today it could be argued that the most recent patriarchs of Donegal fiddle are the Campbell brothers, Jimmy and Vincent. They related to Caoimhin Mac Aoidh in his history […]
Ghost Hunters Wanted: Looking for a creative investigation of a haunting stretching back sixty years … home sweet home!
I’ve travelled to different states and different countries in search of the paranormal. I’m not a ghost hunter, or a paranormal researcher. I’m a photographer and a storyteller. That’s an appropriate combination because when it comes to making people believe in the paranormal, nothing beats seeing it, or even a good story, well told. I’ve […]
A Review: Phil Rickman’s “Crown of Lights”, from the Merrily Watkins series delivers horror and prophecy
I got started on the Merrily Watkins series back about 2006, when I had an hour’s drive each day. The first book in the series, The Wine of Angels had me hooked almost instantly. I listened to it on both legs of the daily drive and when the day was done, it had hit on […]
The Old Slave House: The Crenshaw House breeds a ghost story that preserved the blackest stain on Illinois’ past. Will the state preserve the house, and the history?
The Crenshaw House, known as the Old Slave House, atop Hickory Hill near Equality, Illinois Note: The Old Slave House outside of Equality, Illinois is a decaying symbol of a sordid time in Illinois history. Its own history has been clouded over the years by folklore, and some say the tales of a huckster. But […]
In the war of the worlds, we’ve already thrown in the towel. Where does that leave us?
In July, Congress stepped up and submitted as fact, that unknown craft are infiltrating our most sensitive military sites. Doesn’t that mean we’ve raised the white flag in the war of the worlds?
Haunted Old Louisville: Is this Victorian gem America’s most haunted neighborhood? A summer photo essay
In haunted old Louisville, Central Park was once the front lawn of the DuPont family mansion, one of the earliest in Old Louisville. Uncle Vic frequented the place, but spent most of his time downtown, in the Galt House hotel. It was late summer in Louisville, several decades ago and the heat had broken. But […]
This ain’t the garden of Eden … Clearing up from a ten year old witch’s garden gone feral, and dealing with a snake in the dead apple tree
People always tell me that snakes in the garden mean you have a healthy ecosystem going on. That’s true. But when you walk across the yard and see multiple sets of slithery waves in the grass at the same time, it’s a different story. Snakes go away in the winter here. This is how […]
