It’s now October 31 … has been for about nine minutes. Tonight is Halloween. Covid is on the upswing in our town, as well as the towns we venture off to for supplies. Otherwise I’m at home, or in the country, away from people. It’s a good time to take an inventory of the ghosts […]
A Field Guide to ghosts on Long Island’s North Shore along Rt. 25A, where you find more hauntings per mile than just about anywhere else
If ghost stories are to be believed, then Long Island must be one of the most haunted regions in the country. This fifty mile drive averages about one ghost every two miles. And this isn’t close to a comprehensive list. Officially the main road is called New York State Route 25A, but it goes by […]
The difference between Halloween and Samhain is in the stars, on the calendar and on the wind
When you begin looking at the sources for Halloween, you’re inevitably drawn to Samhain. But the waters of history are truly murky here. I set out to track down whether Halloween is indeed descended from Samhain, what connection with the two actually reflects ancient practices, and what when in the year did it occur? The […]
A Tale Told By A Tombstone: A real life Poison Ivy appears while searching for a ghost in a Carmi cemetery
Red Skelton, a comedian of the mid twentieth century was once asked, “what was the best thing about growing up in a small town?” Skelton grew up in the small town of Vincennes, Indiana, and he spoke for many of us when he replied “leaving.” For some it’s for opportunity, or to see the world. […]
Monster hunting in southern Illinois at Alton, the Murphysboro Mud Monster, Harrisburg, Enfield, Mt. Vernon and more … and why not Bigfoot while we’re at it?
Southern Illinois is a strange place. Those of us descended from the early settlers come from an anti-social stock. They were those who pushed into the Appalachians from the early colonies, only to find those remote regions too crowded. The pushed on through the passes and gaps, settled for a few years then noticed there […]
My first Dahlia proves a delicate bloom
This battered little Dahlia is the first I’ve grown. They get lost in the garden as they aren’t that big, and a bit away from any sitting area. But they’re worth the walk. Dalia’s came from the Aztecs. When the Spanish came over they also botanists, who befriended the Aztec gardeners. Francisco Hernandez recounted the […]
August brings purple and turns the witch’s garden into a moon garden
Brugmansia, a form of Datura has a prominent place in a witch’s garden. Some say it induces visions. Others say madness. Both are correct. But at night, the blooms, which live for only that night put off an intoxicating scent. It’s the one intoxicant put off by Angel Trumpets that you can safely enjoy. This […]
Kali blesses the Hibiscus in the Witch’s Garden, July 4
In the Hindu religion, the gods are are connected to certain flowers, and the Hibiscus belongs to the goddess Kali, who can be found in art merging with the flower. Kali is a goddess of destruction, and the red flower is associated with her tongue, and the blood lust that she was capable of exhibiting. […]
