Category Archives: supernatural happenings

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Wise Wood Elves Save the Planet

There are many names for the playful elements living in woodlands. The handsome human-like spirits thrived during the golden era on earth, and they are making a comeback under the name, magical elves. They originally lived in the forests located in British Isles and Iceland. As developers destroyed woodlands, communities of wood nymphs relocated to uninhabited areas throughout the world but most joined other fantastical creatures in an elemental realm. Wood elves possess qualities similar in guardian angels and are from the angelic realm.

Due to the large variety of elves, one species is as small as six inches while what man considers to be the traditional elves have a height over five feet. They are athletic, able to climb the tallest trees and outrun a jackrabbit. It is difficult to see elves because they are shape-shifters.

When they aren’t visiting a hidden realm, elves reside in trunks of trees. The woodland elves, who are the tiniest breed, prefer moist furrows off the ground. Human sized elves rely on narrow furrows that stretch to a little taller than their height as entryways to their elemental realm.

Elves are wise, spiritual beings who love music, art and creativity. They celebrate and perform rituals for pretty much every occasion. They are frugal with using their magic, limiting their talents to those with an intention to care for and improve nature. If elves used their magic when the energy around them isn’t peaceful, their powers might harm nature, humans, or even themselves.

In this millennia, wood nymphs and elves are making themselves known by reaching out and communicating with an intention to re-educate people about how to care for Earth. By responding to the desire of people who wish to expand their spiritual awareness, elves are aiding man in his spiritual growth.

According to gurus around the world, man’s evolving consciousness has resulted in greater respect for nature. The Go Green mindset has modified man’s destructive habits. Angelic elves predict the end of the world has been pushed back, thanks to eco-friendly conduct. The world will provide man a safe and comfortable environment for fifty additional years, giving man time to reverse the previous ill-fated acts. In 2062, the elves intend to reevaluate how man treats nature and possibly save the planet.

Learn more about elves and their magic in my fantasy, Elf Book of Enchantments, where elf spirits stop evil from destroying the world.

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Unsettled Sins in Savannah

Reverend John Wesley stands as a statue in Reynolds Square with the same commanding presence he had when he used to clutch his bible under his arm and preach to his flock in the very same spot. After growing up and receiving his religious training in England, Reverend Wesley undertook a mission to spread the word in Savannah which lasted from 1735–1738. He started the Methodist church and established the first Sunday school class in America.

Reverend Wesley stood outside his home which was located at his statue when addressing Native Americans in the great outdoors. This practice cause controversy within the church because the custom was to deliver the Gospel within the church.

Reverend Wesley began seeing a young woman in his congregation, but refused to marry her. His mistress would go to the square and stand under a tree to listen to him preach even though he heartlessly shamed her. During the conservative period, once he ruined her reputation, the community rebuked her. The woman fled Savannah and never returned.

However, her spirit still haunts Reynold’s Square. There is a blue spirit orb in the tree that looks over the statue.

Poor indentured servant, Annie, wanders the Oglethorpe Square where she hanged to death. Early teen, which was marriageable material for the times, Annie was physically and emotionally abused by her influential owner. Like any other young lady, she yearned for love and acceptance. She found her soul mate in a boy who also worked for the man.

When she discovered she was pregnant, Annie asked for freedom but her cruel employer refused. Determined to give her child a better life, Annie and her soul mate sliced her employer’s neck while she washed his hair.

The authorities found her guilty of murder and hanged her. Her spirit lingers in the square. Above her execution spot, Spanish moss never grows, even though the rest of the trees remain covered. Visitors regularly report speaking to a hysterical woman in search of her lost baby. There are ghost orbs in the above photo.


Oftentimes, visitors of the DAR cemetery have seen a child dressed in a white dress sitting on a bench, crying her heart out. Those who walked over to comfort her witness her transform into a white light and vanished as soon as she noticed them getting close to her. She was a victim of the Bay Street killer.

In the late 1800s, a teenage boy named Renee had been accused of snapping the necks of numerous children and animals, and then tossing their dead bodies into the graveyard and alleyways. The community arrested Renee and placed him behind bars. The killings ceased. Renee managed to escape during a city fire and the deaths increased, once again.

Outraged, a mob attacked Renee and strung him by the neck from a tree along the river on Bay Street. Alas, the townspeople made a mistake. Within days, the bodies of additional animals and children were discovered with broken necks. Unless, the folklore is true and Renee’s ghost continues to kill. The only way to ward away his spirit is with iron since it held him captive during his life.

Renee ‘s red spirit is visible at the DAR cemetery. He hovers over the unmarked spot where his body was tossed after his execution.

Ghosts love being alive in stories. In my novel, Surfer Murder, when a surfer returns to the water after her sister’s death, she is confronted by spirits that lead her to a murder.

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Twinkle, Twinkle, Fairy Light

Where’s a gal supposed to go in order to find a good fairy?

Take a close look around your plants. Even indoor potted plants can be infested with the playful spirits. They appear in many forms, one of which is a fairy light. Expect to find the loving spirits around unique natural settings, like trees that have grown together as if they are kissing.

Fairies seek out areas where there are tree stumps and even miniature manmade houses. Anywhere they can quickly hide from intruders pleases them.

Fairies are peaceful, nature spirits charged with inspiring beauty and abundance for plants. They are specifically responsible for encouraging fragrant flowers.

Any colorful grouping of flowers can become an enchanted garden. Fairies gravitate to bright yellows, deep purples, and hot pinks. Shiny surfaces, dangling mirrors, glass marbles, and prisms hung in the sunlight increase fairy energy.

Fairies have a sweet tooth. They are attracted to sweet smelling plants. Rosemary, licorice and peppermint entice them to stay around. Sniff your flower selections before planting them to make sure they remind you of cupcakes and honey.

Fairies love a good party and anything that reminds them of festivities. Look for wind chimes, wood pipes, and bells to add to their play land. Hang them away from the wind so you’ll know their chimes are caused by fairy activity.

If you haven’t noticed a fairy population around your houseplants and on your property, keep an eye out for any fairy doors they use as portals. Unlike entryways for other garden spirits, fairy doors have are similar to a Gothic keystone where the tip of the archway is more narrow than the bottom. Also, the edges will have the precision of having been cut with a sharp blade. Most importantly, make sure you have a pure heart when trying to connect with the cheerful spirits. No need attracting the wrong sorts. They can be mischievous, causing mishaps in your garden, and those are the nice ones.

Don’t expect a fairy to show herself in a human body the first time you meet. As angelic spirits, fairies exist in the form of light. Anyone paying attention can spot a fairy light. They tend to fly at the human eye level. If they want to make contact, fairies will twinkle in hopes of grabbing your attention.

 

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Roaming Gnomes Surround Your Home

A furrow in the base of a tree near your house might not be a random hole. It might belong to your local gnome population.

Gnomes are earth dwelling spirits with the tough job of protecting plants and minerals in the ground. As vegetarians, they adore animals and are always on the lookout to save them. Since people are the number one offenders of abusing the planet, the six inch tall gnomes tend to stay away from humans.

If you happen to glimpse the shadowy figure of a gnome, check out his feet. Gnome legs rotate inward, causing his toes to point to each other. This effect allows him to run as fast as a tiger. His keen vision give him detailed sight a couple of miles in the distance.

If you are thinking your landscaping could use some improvements by the peaceful gnomes, try making your outdoor environment more desirable to them. Gnomes gravitate toward nut bearing trees, mushrooms, vegetable gardens and berry bushes.

The two natural predators of gnomes are cats and trolls. Gnomes won’t live around your house if you have either.

Check out your yard for any gnome homes. They live at the base of trees in furrows between exposed roots. Of course, you won’t see their real home, but only the entryway to their other world. If you want to capture a photograph of a gnome, you don’t have to wait until dark. Simply approach the tree with good intentions and if they are receptive to you, they will greet you in the archway.

Gnome characters play a major role in my novel, The Elf Book of Enchantments, when they interfere with a teenage girl’s quest to right her wrongs that are destroying her family.

Good luck!

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Dial 911 for 311 Hauntings

 

While visiting Chattanooga, Tennessee for Zip’s annual gun show, we stayed at the Sheraton Read House. The National Register of Historic Places recognized the hotel for its Georgian architecture. The hotel brags about its Drexel Furniture and Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Beds, and I am here to tell you, the sleeping situation is outstanding. There is a rumor about the hotel being haunted and seeing as how I love a good mystery, I had to check it out. The hauntings are so well known, the locals believe them full-heartedly and even use the room to their advantage. As a joke, they put Al Capone in room 311 on the night he was taken into custody before being tried and convicted for his unlawful gangster related tax evasion.

Site History

The hotel site has had several names beginning in the 1847 when the Western and Atlantic Union train station was built across the street. During Civil War days when it was referred to as the Crutchfield House, the location thrived with politics, social events and boomed economically, acting as the Union occupied headquarters and hospital during the war. In 1861, Jefferson Davis and William Crutchfield argued vehemently about whether or not Jefferson was a traitor and military despot, drawing guns and firing into the crowd. After a fire, the hotel was reinvented as the Read House in 1872, with Georgian Revival additions in 1926. The impressive guest list includes, Winston Churchill, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bob Hope, William McKinley, Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Truman, Charles Laughton, Tallulah Bankhead, Eddie Rickenbacker, and along with the many other famous folks, of course, Al Capone.

Likely Spirits

During the Civil War in 1863, a prostitute was taken to room 311 and heartlessly murdered by a soldier. Coincidentally, in the late 1920s, after the Crutchfield House burned to the ground and was rebuilt as the Read House, a woman named Analise Netterly died in the new room 311. There are several versions of her story. 1) She was a kept woman and once she realized her male suitor was dishonorable, she unexpectedly died, some believe due to a broken heart, others say suicide and still more claim murder. 2) She was a wife who cheated on her husband and was cast off at the hotel. Determined to get even with him, she intended to live a lavish lifestyle on his dime, but days before the divorce was final, she was found in the bathtub with a slashed throat.

The Haunting

Regardless of which woman remains attached to the property, men who smoke cigars or cigarettes have reported being harassed by a female spirit. For many years, the third floor of the hotel was the smoking floor but with so many guests checking out during the middle of the night, demanding a refund because they woke with a woman sitting on their chest, or slamming the bathroom door, or staring at them inches from their faces, the hotel came up with some strategies. 1) The hotel switched the room number with 313, thinking people fabricated the sensations, but the hauntings never left the original 311. 2) After switching the rooms back, all guests were responsible for the hotel fee regardless of what time they checked out. 3) When hauntings continued after the smoking floor was removed, room 311 was removed from the guest room list. It is no longer available for lodging and has been converted into a broom closet.

Why Al Capone?

Chattanooga was once referred to as the Dynamo of Dixie because the town relied on manufacturing for its revenues and with that, was a strong supporter of unions. Al Capone was incarcerated nearby and spent his last night as a free man in room 311 during the early 1930s. The guards stayed with their ears against the door, laughing amongst themselves, expecting to hear Capone cry out in fear any minute. Instead, all they heard was loud, rattled snoring. A new legend was born. The discontented spirit in room 311 recognized Capone as being more evil than she was, and hid from him that night.

Al Capone in Chattanooga 

My photos suggested to me that an evil spirit looms in room 311 as opposed to a woman with a broken heart. Could it possibly be the intense personality of Al Capone? I wondered if the gangster leader would have close enough ties to the hotel for him to remain there in his afterlife.

He owned property on top of a mountain forty-five minutes west of town. Today, it is called High Point, a restaurant voted as having the Best Gourmet Meal in Tennessee. Capone financed the stone house for John Dillenger as a hideout for booze transported across the country during the prohibition years. The building has underground tunnels and escape hatches and sand under the floorboards to stop bullets, plus numerous bullet holes in the walls. On December 30, 1941, his son, Albert Francis “Sonny” Capone, married his sweetheart Diane Ruth Casey who was from Chattanooga. Apparently, Capone spent quite a bit of time in the area.

Haunting Encounter

Once I heard the stories about the 311 hauntings, I rallied my children to investigate the third floor with me. My husband, Zip, who doesn’t believe in such rubbish, couldn’t resist joining us, just in case something interesting happened. The hallway was empty and just as the story said, all the rooms on the floor were numbered except for 311.

I took photos from different angles, at first finding an orb beside the door, which grew smaller. As we stood outside the room discussing whether or not the hotel brochure would mention the story of Ms. Netterly being afraid of Al Capone, I noticed a black image, a reddish smokey figure shaped like splattered blood, move across the door. I asked everyone to step back and took another shot. We ordered the ghost to return to its home, i.e., not follow us back to our place. The figure slipped under the door frame and was gone.

I’d never photographed a sinister image before and all of us were a little spooked. Even skeptical Zip flinched when he saw the figure move around us. In unison, we all said it must’ve been Al Capone, maybe attached to his last great night of sleep. He might’ve been curious what we had to say about him, or wanted to protect his property. This haunting resembles the ghostly character in my novel, Under a Full Moon, by interacting with others on the material plane.

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Savannah Savors Spirits

Savannah, Georgia is one of the three most haunted cities in the United States. Ghosts throughout the town squares are so active, their stories are told with the same enthusiasm as nasty gossip, spoken without hesitation or question as to the likelihood spirits savor the old houses and historical town squares.

For instance, at the 17 Hundred 90 Hotel, an unfortunately poor child named Anna was forced into a servitude marriage with an old, abusive man. She performed into hard labor in addition to having almost no food and too many beatings. After a few years, she fell in love with a sailor who promised to return and free her from her enslavement. When the boy returned, her husband beat her to death, then tossed her out the upstairs window. There in the window, her spirits remains, waiting for her one true love.

At a quaint house around the corner, a black cat once lived and played with the local children in the courtyard. So attached to the fun and energy of happy kids, after his death, the cat makes himself visible to children in the form of yellow streaks.

Ah yes, the famed most haunted home in Savannah is the Hampton Lillibridge house that survived the 1820 town fire. The spirits love this home so much they refused to leave when the house was relocated, which incidentally resulted in an accidental death. The then owner, Jim Williams stood trial three times for murder and the word on the street was that in addition to a crypt found in the basement, Jim placed his victim there as well. During the 1960s, the hauntings were so outrageous, the neighbors accused him of having loud parties every night. The community insisted the local bishop perform an exorcism, however the paranormal activity continued.

The orb in my above picture belongs to a boarder who hanged himself. The below picture shows three white orbs and at the edge of the picture is a blue orb, all probably there for the nightly party.

In Reynolds Square at the previous site of the naughty pastor John Wesley’s home, there is a haunted tree beside his statue. Wesley arrived from England as a missionary for establishing the Methodist church in Savannah and creating the first Sunday school class in the country. His practice of preaching outdoors caused controversy, as well as his love for a young woman who didn’t return his advances. As punishment to her, he ruined her reputation and ran her out of town.
Bars have always been the favorite hotspots in Savannah. Despite the communities strong religious roots, pirates crowded the streets, swindlers looked to get rich quickly, Native Americans scalped citizens, men fled the law and cruel soldiers settled in the town after an invasion. At this particular bar, the owner never left. He still carries trays and sits down to have a drink while chatting with the late nighters.
The residents of Savannah have so many ghosts, they love them the same way a neighbor loves the noisy kids living beside him. The weather tends to be either sticky or wet, adding to the ghostly atmosphere and making it difficult to capture clear images. The town history is intriguing with its founders sharing their decadent behavior and gallons of tears while joining together for survival.
Actually, my first vision for writing my fantasy, Evangabella, came in 1997 when I photographed a ghost in a Savannah graveyard. I had certainly felt spooked before that but never realized spirits posed for photos. My later fantasy, Under a Full Moon, incorporates paranormal happenings I’ve experienced over the years.
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Fairy Sighting in Costa Rica

Have you ever felt like someone was watching you while alone in the woods? Perhaps, you had connected with nature and received a little intuitive communication from the plant spirits, also known as fairies.

I have a passion for flowering plants. My hobby is trying to magnify the captivating nature in paintings, which I sell in galleries and boutiques. My family travels often, and I always carry a camera for that lone bloom in a parking lot or growing on a wild vine. I’m always amazed by the unique magnificence of each flower.

While visiting the Coiba National Park in Costa Rica, my family and I took a tour of the landscaped garden, which included not only rare species of flowers and trees, but also a petting zoo of poisonous snakes, and other reptiles and snakes, found in the rainforest. The variety of blooms was amazing. I became so excited and took so many photos, the battery on my camera ran out and I had to borrow someone elses.

In one photo there is an orb with what appears to be the outline of wings. The image is a “shining one,” which is energy from the devic realm sometimes visible to the human eye. The energies are playful but serious about their duty to protect nature. They effectively discipline or punish humans for harming the otherwise defenseless plants. These nature spirits appear in various forms based on what the viewer expects a fairy to look like. Therefore, the customs of the area influence the species of fairies. Fairies in Costa Rica are hairy.

 

Fairy godmothers were given human dimensions, oftentimes without wings. Tinkerbell was tiny with dragonfly qualities. Puck was mischievous and emotional. At a first glance, fairies lacked a particular identity.

Many people adamantly believed in fairies. In Scotland, land developers followed restrictions to avoid disturbing fairy nests located under rocks. Many Iceland residents swore their landscapes were highly populated with fairies capable of entering solid rocks to reach their homes. The increasing credibility of people claiming to see ghosts made the likelihood of additional paranormal creatures, such as fairies, feasible.

The first account of fairies dated back to the original Word spoken by God. According to Scottish folklore, after Lucifer and the fallen angels were cast out of heaven, the gates remained open. Additional heavenly beings tumbled within in the wake of Lucifer’s downward spiral. When God realized many innocent beings had slipped from heaven, he sealed the gates permanently.

“Let those who are out stay out, and those who are in stay in,” God announced. God sent the fallen angels to hell. All other heavenly beings locked outside the gates made their homes on earth.

Thus arose different tribes and races of fairies. Some tribes lived in boisterous communities with political systems, such as a king, queen and advisors. Social fairies sang and danced and held joyful banquets. Solitary fairies preferred residing in human households. Over the years, the races disputed over territories, which created natural disasters.

Another theory as to the origin of fairies evolved from Norse folklore. Adam and Eve had many children after Cain and Abel and Seth. So many, Eve didn’t have time to bath all her children when God paid a house-call. Ashamed of her dirty children, Eve hid them.

“What man hides from God, God will hide from man,” God said. He transformed her dirty children so that they became invisible. The invisible children fled into the hills. Their descendants chose to remain invisible to humans.

Eve’s wood spirit fairies protected nature. They appreciated humans who respected the environment by cleaning waterways, picking up litter and adopting a vegan diet. As a matter of fact, modern day believers, such as Doreen Virtue, advised such actions for developing the ability to see fairies. The magical creatures revealed themselves to deserving humans.

Greeks believed fairies were spiritual beings that evolved from idols worshipped by pagans. Christians invaded cities where pagan worship was prominent and banned idolatry. Since the dead pagans were never baptized, their spirits weren’t allowed into heaven. Hell declined admittance of the pagan spirits because they weren’t evil. Thus, the pagan spirits resided in the netherworld as fairies.

Celtic lore suggested fairies were actually small humans who settled in the netherworld to hide from violent attacks. The fairies despised the iron weapons used by clans to kill their families. Helpless against the forceful warfare, the small people developed magic for defending themselves in battles. They dressed in green and camouflaged their homes which were located on the sides of hills and in caves.

Unlike traditional heavenly beings, fairies were known for being mischievous. Their most common offense was stealing babies. They replaced innocent infants with changelings. Parents became alarmed when they noticed their healthy child grew sickly. If chanting in front of a fireplace caused the baby to climb up the chimney, it was deemed to be a changeling. Many believed death resulted when fairies forced abducted persons to dance to the point of exhaustion. Fairies tangled the hair of sleeping humans and gave incorrect instructions to travelers. If a fairy sat on the back of any livestock, the animal died. Death resulted for any human who disturbed the home of a fairy. If house dwelling fairies felt humans didn’t keep up their homes well enough, they pinched them in the middle of the night.

Humans avoided entering woodlands for fear of coming across a clan of fairies. To protect themselves from harm, people wore their clothes inside out. The custom of carrying bread in one’s pocket for good-luck began with homemade bread being used to drive away fairies. Other protections against fairies included, running water and ringing bells. St. John’s wort and four leaf clovers keeps fairies at bay, also.

If a person learned the name of a particular fairy, he gained control over the magical creature. Fairies possessed the rare ability to turn gold gifted to travelers into leaves or some type of useless object after the travelers continued on their journeys.

As long as an ethereal being isn’t a ghost or human, it could be presented in a fairy-form. Whether fairies truly existed as heavenly spirits or mischievous magicians, paranormal beings lived side by side with humans. Showing respect to our environment certainly was a logical manner in which to live, particularly if fairies punish humans for damaging earth elements. Man’s imagination sprouted the spirits of the dead into something very real.

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Forever and Ever – Love Tree Blessings

Want endless love? Unconditional loyalty is attainable. All you have to do is make the journey of discovery.

Uninhibited seekers of everlasting love realized destiny ended at the Love Tree. Fate led me to it and I recommitted my affections. It was in front of a cozy house built during 1906 in the oldest city in the United States of America.

My family and our two puppies visited St. Augustine, Florida several times a year. One late afternoon, we rushed to reach town before the sunset. As we drove to the historic district on our regular route, construction barricaded the bridge next to the old railroad station. We broke away from the modern city farther north where enormous parking garages imposed on wooden cottages.

I avoided parking garages, especially after dark. There were too many hiding places. It was dinnertime and I knew after a few hours of strolling along the river, it would be scary to walk up a stairwell, out of sight from the rest of the tourists.

On a side street behind a quaint, lime-green house with rose trim sat a small parking lot. Easily accessible, it was two blocks away from the gateway leading to the main pedestrian street. We pulled in and parked.

The dogs hopped out and we fastened leashes on them. Our Labrador acted fussy. He had overindulged on what we call kumquats. Yellow berries fell from Queen Anne palm trees, hundreds a day, and that’s the number of kumquats our dog ate each day. Those berries decided for themselves when they would work their way through his digestive track. Before we reached the grassy area across the street, he squatted. We dragged him by his leash, only to have him ducked under a bush at the bottom of a porch. I realized the house was a restaurant with outdoor seating.

A waiter holding menus appeared beside us. “How many for dinner?”

“Um.” I glanced at our dog as he took his time and then noticed a sign said, “Vegetarian Friendly.” “Yes. We would like vegan pizzas, chips and smoothies for each of us. And a brownie for dessert.”

My family eyed each other. What could we do? The owners caught our dog defacing their establishment.

We filed up the steps and took all the seats, squeezing out a smooching young couple. The view faced a secluded cemetery with monumental tombstones worthy for the wealthiest families. On a stool next to our table, a jukebox played 1940s, mood-setting music. Our Labrador nosed it, punching some buttons and throwing the DVD off track. The waiter/cook stepped outside and eyed the jukebox.

“Oh, sorry. Our lab liked your tunes,” I said.

He smiled and handed us bags of chips. Unable to get the jukebox operational, he cranked up the interior stereo so we could listen to it, instead.

I stepped inside to wash my hands. The bathroom felt like a theater actress’s backstage changing room. Antique bottles of perfume were available for anyone to spruce up her scent. I squirted a few, hoping no ghost wanted them for herself. I sensed an uneasiness as if an apparition guarded the antique bottles.

Feeling guilty about our dog’s poor digestive system, we ate quickly. However, I relished my smoothie. They had become my chocolate milk shake replacements, which was my main source of nutrients before I went vegan.

Our stumbling upon the quaint cafe wasn’t per chance. It was meant to be. Our dog had led us to a supernatural setting – a sacred spot for seekers of eternal love.

According to folklore, a man and woman loved each other dearly. To express their devotion, they planted two trees at the same time. According to an old wives’ tale, planting a tree in honor of any loved one, whether it be a child, a relative or a spouse, bestowed longevity and good luck upon him. The woman planted a palm tree, which was sturdy and able to withstand the most violent storms. The man planted an oak tree, representing flexibility and protection.

One month later, the man passed away. Tormented without him, the woman died within thirty days. Their love endured the passage of death. The two souls searched for one another in the afterlife, refusing to allow fate to rip them apart. A year later on the eve of the couple’s separation, their souls crossed paths and they became reunited. As a manifestation of their joining together for eternity, the oak tree wrapped around the slender palm tree, protecting her while she stood steadfast.

Some claimed to have encountered the spirits of the couple at the Love Tree. The endless love of the two spirits understood true love and channeled their protection and guidance on couples seeking the same spiritual connection. Any lovers who exchanged a true love’s kiss under the Love Tree was likewise be united throughout all eternity.

My husband and I kissed under the Love Tree. Then, we shared a few words about our unconditional love and happiness thus far on our journey together. It felt right.

I wondered if my husband’s fate threaded with mine the same way Servius Snape and Narcissa Malfoy created a pact in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Did joined spirits embody man’s ideals? Or was the afterlife intended for solo traveling?

Curious whether the legend could be based on truth, I photographed the Love Tree to see if any ghost revealed themselves as orbs. Although there were no lights on the house and no reflective surfaces on the porch, energies appeared to watch over lovers who craved a similar fate. White bundles of energy stood for love and healing power.

Nothing more than two entwined trees made up the Love Tree. No ornaments decorated the surface; yet, a pink light moved around the trunk as couples declared their undying devotion to each another, sealing their intentions with a single kiss. Pink energy channeled to our world inspired compassion, nurturing and unconditional love. Exposure to pink spiritual rays bestowed blessings for unconditional acceptance and the love of God.

Could it be a true story? Regardless, passing under the Love Tree evolved into a tradition for couples to recommit their love for one another and take a moment to appreciate their one true love. The original couples’ intentions never died.

If interested in gaining some loving rays? Contact Ancient City Tours at 6 Cordova Street by calling (904) 823-1818. Their office sits inside the Love Tree Cafe and provides attraction tickets for tours in St. Augustine, vegetarian friendly dining, and loving couple ghost tours in the supernatural setting where the legend began.

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Talking to Ghosts, Walking in Orlando

Christopher HufferWe love Scooby Doo at our house. For a live experience, we made an appointment to walk through downtown Orlando with the American Ghost Adventure. I expected a man dressed in Victorian garb with a top hat to tell us ghost stories. Instead, we met Christopher, a regular guy wearing a black tee-shirt with a gothic cross on his chest. His ghost hunting activities aired in Great Britain.

He educated us on the different classifications of paranormal activity. Memories of emotional moments in a person’s life sometimes repeated themselves without intentions. Lost apparitions had no idea people noticed them. Other spirits reasoned and interacted with living beings.

He passed around KII EMF meters and we strolled through downtown Orlando. The fresh city had more history than the glass skyrise buildings made it seem. Christopher didn’t focus on historical events. He reported details of recent paranormal encounters.

Okay, sure. It’s possible. I mean, I’ve seen a few odd things myself over the years.

With the setting sun, the accounts of ghosts hauntings became spooky. I appreciated being greeted by a cross whenever I looked at Christopher. The bar activity added to the atmosphere. Stilettos and cocktail dresses were the perfect ghost hunting wardrobe because as it grew dark outside, the streets fill with hoochie girls, Hollywood boys, and transsexuals. It was a nice touch for the raucous happenings behind the unrested souls.

Did I see a ghost? Maybe, at the top of the Bumby building where apparitions of children played upstairs. The white light suggested they were active.

At the end of the walk, with a scary tone established, Christopher took us to his home-base located at a reputable museum. As bold as I was, entering an unfamiliar building after closing hours with a security guard locking us inside bolstered the creepy factor.

Upstairs we went into a historic courtroom. A streak of terror hit me when I touched the last spot Ted Bundy, the relentless serial killer, sat outside jail. He etched his name on the table during his trial. According to our EMF devices, a ghost was in the courtroom with us.

The real action started in the judge’s chamber. Several ghosts lingered after traumatic life experiences. They seemed accustomed to Christopher because they answered his questions by turning on flashlights.

Christopher placed equipment on the table for anyone to use. EMF (electro-magnetic frequency) detectors revealed paranormal activity.  An ovilus exposed the words on his iPhone.  Bursts of heat and chills read on the temperature gauge suggested other-worldly presences controlled the paranormal activity. He took photos with a night vision camera.

An EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) taped paranormal communications. One ghost engaged us in a thirty-minute conversation. He asked me to get a pencil and paper to write down his words.

The EVP gave cryptic phrases, same as if English wasn’t the first language of ghosts. It reminded me of the way neuroscientists routed brain waves of paralyzed patients who had lost their ability to speak to computers. As images flashed on screens, the computer verbalized the patients’ thoughts, proving loss of the ability to speak didn’t mean lack of intelligence.

This experience was perfect for paranormal lovers. It was thrilling, clean fun. Highly recommended to be added to the theme park entertainment list. The tour ended by ten o’clock and made an excellent cocktail hour before clubbing, too.

I became a believer. How about you? Well, fine then. If you have pictures with suspicious looking images or experiences out of your comfort zone, contact the specialist for yourself at americanghostadventures@gmail.com. He answers all emails and freely provides his opinions.

Apparitions are characters in some of my novels. In Eangabella, they pester the protagonist, same as a persistent guy at a cocktail party tags along after getting the brush off. In Under a Full Moon, a ghost materializes on certain nights to guide the protagonist toward clues for solving a mystery.

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London Ghost Warning

If during a visit to London you have a vacant evening, consider filling the time with a ghost bus tour. Beware, or that is to say wary, if you anticipate actually seeing paranormal activity.

The London ghost tours answer any questions you had about where out of work British actors find work. The commentator of the bus tour puts on a grand show, leaning into the camera to distort his face, utilizing every crazed voice he’s developed and screaming as he runs up and down the stairs. Not that he’s uninformed. Quite the contrary. The commentator shares educational narratives about English monarchy and their brutal deaths. He gives accounts of fires and romances. The catch is, he interrupts himself regularly to intentionally create chaos.

It is all in good fun and is an excellent opportunity to see areas of the city you might otherwise overlook. He talks rapidly, pointing out so many interesting monuments and providing such shocking accounts of English history, it is difficult to glimpse every location.

If there are ghosts, the bus moves too quickly for anyone to take photographs or see them. The actors are there to entertain. The ghost tour creates suspense to scare the patrons. It is similar to a haunted house where the purpose of going inside is to be scared.

Patrons include a families and gothic collegians. Young adults show up with wigs, black lipstick and Goth clothing. Expect to laugh and sit at the edge of your seat to avoid being attacked by ghoulish monsters. The interior of the bus resembles a coffin and gives the feeling you are headed to a funeral.

Surprises crop up, according to the time of year. For instance, around Easter, a serial killer rabbit joins the crew.

Patrons get off the bus one time, and a huge surprise is that the tour ends on a sentimental note, instead of somewhere dangerous. It is a great way to learn about London and monarchy deaths. The actors discourage young children from taking the tour because they do want to scare you.

The tour reflects on experiences of people who often lead to their becoming ghosts. Paranormal activities first interested me when I was three years old and my grandmother passed away. My interpretation of paranormal activities appear in my stories. In Evangabella and Under a Full Moon, the protagonists encounter ghosts they must learn to understand in order to solve their conflicts with the world.

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Ghost Orbs Populate St. Augustine

The ghost tours in St. Augustine, Florida encourage visitors to take photographs of the haunted locations in hopes ghost orbs appear on film. Orbs are a recently discovered phenomena. Researchers theorize orbs of light appear in pictures when spirits drift into the scene. Some believe the spirits seek out past relatives to comfort and protect the living. Others consider the orbs to be disquieted souls with unfinished business on earth. Such ghosts suffered emotionally or physically at the time of their death.

Even though I saw no evidence of ghost orbs while walking around the town, images of round lights appeared on my developed pictures. “Are they nothing more than distorted refractions of light taken by digital cameras?” I asked the film developer. He also toured St. Augustine and felt some were glitches with digital cameras and others were actual spirits. “It’s whatever you want them to be,” he said.

The spirit of a boy likes sits in this tree at the Catholic cemetery. Thousands of confused spirits join him, wishing someone would tell them how to get out of the graveyard.

Native American Chief Osceola was imprisoned at the fort on the river. Upon his death, the doctor decapitated him and kept his head as a souvenir. Taking on a bluish appearance, the head of Osceola bounces above the fort in search of its body.

Spirits enjoy hearing stories about themselves and follow the tour guide along with the visitors. My dog growled and became anxious at this point so I took a picture curious if she was reacting to ghosts.

Many townspeople died at the city gates, forbidden to enter because of an illness or unsatisfactory behavior. The town burned to the ground on several occasions and fleeing residents died. One sweet little girl still skips down the street and then sits at the top of the left column.

Robbers uncovered a body and stole a man’s gold teeth. The man’s spirit searches for his teeth during the night. This yellowish orb is identical in size and placement to other photos posted on the ghost tour websites.

Three rogue brothers lived a jovial life, drinking and partying every night. Even after their death, the three brothers play around the cemetery.

A school mistress looks out the window in search of her students who burned in a fire. The spiral lines inside the orb suggest it is a spirit and not refracted light.

Ghostly encounters throughout my life inspired the theme for my supernatural story, Evangabella, where a girl senses paranormal activity but doesn’t know whether to trust the spirits.

What do you think? Are they real?