Ghost Walks and Graveyards

I've been holding out... I went on a Ghost Walk the other night! It was just 10 minutes from my home and we were there during a full moon in a graveyard called Maple Hill Cemetery in New Harmony Indiana. Now, I'm not doing this by myself, I've got a girlfriend who is into this sort of thing and a bunch of new found ghost hunting friends. My friend Robin and I investigated the Waverly Hills Sanatorium together last July. You can see that post here.

We also had another investigation in Rockport, Indiana during the beginning of June and I'll share more on that another time. It was with the same group of people that we were with on the ghost walk called SIPI (Southern Indiana Paranormal Investigators). They are a great bunch of fun people and you can see their blog here. They were nice enough to ask us to join in the ghost walk. Even though both experiences were lots of fun, this group takes what they do seriously and I believe they are in it for the greater good in order to help people who really do need it. We have more haunts to investigate with them in the future. Stay tuned!

I'm not sure what the faint light to the left of the headstone is, I didn't see until I uploaded the photos

I don't have a lot to report back on this most recent ghost walk in Maple Hill Cemetery other than it was loads of fun. We laughed, shared stories and walked around an old cemetery on a beautiful night. I just love spooky stuff and spirits and the unknown. I guess that is the thrill seeking adventurer in me. I love to get the beegeesus scared out of me. Of course in the safety of other like minded friends ;)  Being alone and scared is another story. But I mean no harm or disrespect being in a graveyard. 

I took some photos, but then my camera went dead after only 25 shots. I'm not sure why it did that, but I hear that a spirit will try and use any energy it can to try to manifest... sooooo it could be that or just a coincidence. I wasn't the only one though whose batteries went down too soon.

We all did have a shared experience of a mysterious red light that only showed up on my screen on my phone (which I resorted to when the batteries went out in the camera). It showed up on other's screens, too. We couldn't see this moving red light with our naked eyes, but could on the screen. I just saw my photos this evening and I did catch it on some photos and even a phone video that I was taking. We were all looking for the source of this light and could not find anything. No cell phone towers, other people's cameras, tail lights, etc. Very mysterious. I love it!

Mysterious red light that moved around quickly

Some of us saw various shadows darting out here and there and I would swear I did see a large shadow man walk into a large cedar tree. But when you're there trying so hard to see something, I wonder if my eyes are playing tricks on me. I'm not experienced enough yet to determine if the photos or the shadows were the real thing or not but I had a great time. Good people, good times.

A headstone I got a photo of that I thought was pretty before the camera went out

Here are a few shots I took in the fall of 2010 so you can see what Maple Hill Cemetery looks like. Surely I'm not the only one that likes to go out and hang around in graveyards and take pictures, right? Don't you all do it? It was a pretty steep hill to be walking around in the dark with no light but moonlight, but we managed. I think they must've buried those people standing up in some areas! There was even a grave with a monument for a soldier who had fought in the American Revolutionary War so it's a pretty old graveyard for the USA at least. Speaking of which, I hope every one had a great Independence Day in the USA.

Gorgeous old giant cedar trees are everywhere

my art studio looks so big to me with nothing in it

Oh, just a quick update on my art studio. I got the floors sealed today, yay! It has been slow going. Besides gardening in temperatures over 100˚ F (I had a second picking of green beans today),  watering every day, canning, setting up a new art studio and my husband being on a two and a half week vacation, I've not had time to do much else. I did want to get my spooky posts posted though before I forget the details if for no one else but me. I hope you've enjoyed my adventures.

Catch ya later.

Gotta Love a Graveyard

It's getting to be that time of year that makes me giddy. Don't get me wrong, I adore spring and summer, but there is something about the leaves rustling and the ever so cooler wind caressing your cheeks that make me want to get out and walk through a graveyard and of course take picutres. Preferably an old one. I really find them relaxing and peaceful. I remember reading as a kid a book about a young girl who finds refuge in a graveyard, a glowing gravestone statue and a ghostly friend. Something about Benjamin... I can't remember the title right now, but it was an Omar Book. I think my fascination may have started around then, I may have been 9 or so. I still have that book in my childhood memory box, also known as scattered about the house. :)

I lose track of all my worries in a graveyard and time ceases to exist for me there. I love to photograph the beautiful headstones or even just a vignette that captures my eye. I go through reading the stones and imagine what kind of life that person may have lead. I've often thought of trying my hand at rubbings, but haven't done it yet. I would love to take a tour of the famous graveyards in New Orleans. My husband, Daryl, thinks I'm nuts.

This photo is one I took from a graveyard very close to my house called Old Beech Cemetery. It gets wickedly creepy this time of year as the fog loves to accumulate around this area. I just love it. Delicious, spooky fun. My best friend, Kelly, says she practically closes her eyes as she drives past this graveyard as it is too spooky for her. I have yet to get her to walk around a cemetery with me. But I'm still working on her.