The Dark Children Are Waiting For You.......

Flowers should be sent to the living not the dead. People would enjoy them more that way. The blame game is an easy one to play. People spend time looking back at a past life suffering from “What-if-itis”.  Sometimes we laugh more at the funeral home sharing stories than we did during life. Why all this gloom and doom? Prior to my sister’s surgery we went over her Last Will …. Yikes…

 I gave up my life in Indianapolis to come and help in Florida.  I had a semi-cushy gig up there in Colts country.  Worked writing for different stuff, and as a makeup artist for Nordstrom. Given my background, it was relaxing and far different from my normal pressure cooker jobs. Peace had been mine for the last 4 years.  This was all after my airport breakdown where I cried like a baby (on blog) . There will be no return to Indy for me at this point. Game changed and the universe has left me in Florida for a while.Enjoying the sunshine and writing.

 My book is almost complete and only needs a little more work. Could it be I want perfection ?  Find it  Strange how this book started years ago and is based on an event in Pensacola . I am giving to much info here LOL. Writing a book on the subject of mental illness opens you up to all forms of criticism.. Yep, if people were not pointing fingers before, they will be now! The clock is ticking to the launch and am I prepared for the backlash? One must keep in mind the old country saying.” It does not matter what they say about you, make sure they spell your name right. If people stop talking, be concerned.” Amen on this one…..Still waiting for the gloom and doom part?

It will be on Kindle, Nook, Amazon, and many more sites. The words are waiting for the world to critique on so many levels.  Some people will compare it to a Steven King type story. The Dark Children have a mind of their own.  

This book made me think about my own mortality. We are all forced to do this at some point in time. I want to have a party for friends with stories and laughter. Pass the Crown Robyne Drink (yes you read this right) and enjoy Reggae music.  Don’t forget Funeral for a friend by Elton John and a little Steven Tyler. 

Want to be buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Terry Town New York, Cremate me first and come to the  home of the Headless Horseman. It is a one hour train ride along the river from NYC and a beautiful place . If I should have to come back haunting, this is a happening place.  Spend the midnight hour hanging out with Elizabeth Arden, ( Elizabeth Graham as she prefers.) The one and only  Mr. Rockefeller  and the queen of mean Leona Hemsley.

   I need 3 volunteers to review my book.  FIRST 3 ONLY on Facebook to comment and ask to review will get a chance!   I want to see who would read this far down on the blog. It is not Snow White so be prepared!...Next month it will be open to review. 

Pensacola Lighthouse Ghost Tour Results.... Haunted?

The Pensacola Lighthouse on the Naval Air station is considered to be one of the most haunted in the United States. This started out as a fun thing to do for the blog and maybe find a ghost or two. I decided to take my dear friend and skeptic Judy along for this adventure.

This site has been investigated by the  TAPS Ghost Hunters, travel channel and many others. They have all came to the conclusion of a haunting. Who? There could be a few spirits leaking on the grounds.The main one is Michaela Penalber.  She sliced her alleged cheating abusive husband to death and died tending to the light house alone. Michaela claimed to be innocent but the locals believed otherwise. Children are also seen on the property from time to time and are said to haunt several of the rooms.  

The hunt is hosted by the Pensacola Paranormal Research Group and you meet at the Lighthouse via the back gate of NAS. The night was waiting on a storm to arrive but the sky was clear with a moon peaking out from behind the clouds. Yes. this was perfect ghost hunting weather. 

You check in on arrival at the gift shop and wait for thegroup tour to begin. Greeted by one of the paranormal investigators, we talked about one of the haunted areas of the country. He had never investigated Waverly Hills in Louisville KY. This is my favorite ghost hunt location and assure you it is one of the scariest places on earth. Be ready for experiences you can’t explain.

 Back to the hunt.....Judy and I admired the beautiful moon  and hoped not to have to use the porta-potty outside after a trip through the Starbucks drive through... TMI... Gotcha, but wanted to give all the details. The tour started with a get together and a lecture on the do's and don'ts of Ghost hunting, For example, don't blind others with your camera flash,.make noises and the list goes on.....

 We started with a tour of the keeper’s quarters and listened to stories of the past. At this point was a wonderful tour filled with a “ways the ghosts might touch you tonight warnings”.It appears there have been many occurrences of them trying to make contact with visitors in the past. 

The lighthouse  is full of mystery and records that has been kept since the first lighting in 1859. The records contain a day to day life diary of all events in the house. The original  burnt down after a few years and was relocated to this spot on the water soon after.

There are 177 twirling steps to get to the top . This was just to much of a hike and most of the ghosts could be found  in the keepers quarters.  In other words.... we did not want to drag our butts to the top and have to climb back down.  The ghost hunters announced that EMT have had to remove people from the top and were scared by the ghosts. You don't have to tell two country girls twice.

Judy decided to sit outside and enjoy the moon.  I hunted for the ghosts starting in  Room 1.I was the only person in the keepers bedroom and the mini flashlights were laid out on the floor.These are loose so that alleged spirits can turn them on and off. The known haunting in this room includes children and their mother known for having a potty mouth on EVP recordings.Feeling we had something in common, I sat in a chair and asked one of them to turn on the flashlight. It came on. I asked it to turn on the light and this happened 3 times on cue. There were no wires, remotes or any way for this to happen. This was strange and there appears to be no rational explanation for it. Haunted?

Next stop the bedroom upstairs where people have been pushed and items moved on a regular basis. Upon touching the gate, a flashlight across the room came on. I requested it to turn off the light and no response.  Touched the gate again and yep, it came back on. The semi-pro ghost hunter in me said ....no ghost here.

The basement made me feel very ill and dizzy. It contained a lot of electrical wires and an air conditioner. Some rooms have electric currents  that can make a room feel "haunted". It produces the same “feeling” as an alleged ghost. I believe the current in the room sent the body into a strange state.  The feeling stopped on leaving the room. Haunted? 

I left the lighthouse with my interest peaked.  Judy with yet another ghostless trip... Oh well....The tour was well worth the $20 and a two hour time investment. Is it haunted?  Book your tour and check it out  for yourself…… Don’t be scared of the dark and pee before you arrive !

Exploring Indian Burial Mound and One Feather Indian Art

My obsession with Indian Art started with my father telling stories of the Oklahoma tribes. It was evident in by his strong facial features; this was a part of my heritage. He grew up in Chiefland Florida and continued with his strong belief in Native American culture.When presented the opportunity to visit a place of this significance, it was a must on my "Midlife Adventure" list. 

Tomb stones display the names and in some cases the history of a person . The Indian Burial mound in Fort Walton Beach only speaks through artifacts and remains left behind. The prehistoric temple mound served as a ceremonial and political center between 800-1400 AD . In the 1600s, it was abandoned but later inhabited by settlers during the 19th century. Believed to be the largest along the Gulf Coast, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964.

The Indian Temple Mound Museum opened in 1962. It contains over 1,000 artifacts including a large collection of prehistoric ceramics. It is believed that the Mound contained a Charnel house. A Charnel House is a building where skeletal remains are kept and protected.

Located outside of the mound is One Feather Art. Being an art lover, I decided to take a look inside.

One Feather is an authentic and unique store owned by Anna and David Baxter. David is part of the Cherokee Indian tribe of South Carolina. A love for his heritage and respect for the culture is visible throughout the store. One Feather features American Indian art from various tribes around the country. Each piece is displayed with pride throughout the store. If you love authentic Indian turquoise, this is the place to find a conversational piece of jewelry.

You will not find any mass manufactured products here. Each piece is a one of a kind item. One Feather posts the products on facebook. It is a true experience for any American Indian Art collector.

This store is a must visit in Fort Walton Beach Florida. Please contact them with any questions or requests for American Indian Art (850) 243-8907.

Sweet Home Alabama .... Run Forrest Run

 I love Alabama and always will. This southern city holds its own share of magic. It is a special place that displays true southern charm. I lived there back in the early 80’s and have watched it grow to a business hub over the last few decades.

It was raining today and the beach was once again not an option. This was the ideal time to make a road trip to Mobile and enjoy some of the unique experiences it has to offer. Decided to select a few places to see given the abundance of things to select from. 

First stop....Bayou La Batre  Alabama. Made famous in the film Forrest Gump. This small fishing village is home to the fishing boat building business of the south. The Blessing of the Fleet  occurs in May each year and is conducted by Archbishop Thomas Rodi of Mobile.

The Mobile Museum  of Art   was a welcome surprise. Being a little bit of an "Art Snob' did not expect to find the collection of  modern pieces in this southern museum. They offer free admission on Thursday and well worth the visit.

Fairhope is a mini cultural center on the Bay. The small shops  art galleries, and  cozy restaurants make for a relaxing day. Check the weather  webcam  prior to setting out. It views the bay from the edge of the pier.

The unofficial song for the state...... Where the sky's are blue......