H.A. Larson's Blog, page 60
October 24, 2016
Recipe of the Week #1
It's been awhile since I've posted a recipe that I've made, so I've decided that I need to do a recipe of the week. This will be the first of this installment.
During the week, I have long days. I leave my house around 7:15 in the morning, and I don't arrive home until 6:15 in the evening. Everyone in my house eats differently, that's a fact. I'm the only vegan in the house, my husband will (literally) eat anything, and my kids have their own food idiosyncrasies. As a result of the long days + different palates, I rarely make myself a real meal these days. Most of the time I scour the cabinets and the refrigerator wondering if dinner is going to be toast again. Most of the time it is.
Inevitably, between mid- to end-of-week, I get tired of toast--or whatever sad thing I can toss together quickly--and make myself a real meal. Such was the case Thursday evening when I said, "Heck with this!" and made myself a kick-ass meal.
I had recently gotten myself some polenta, which I discovered is just a fancy word for cornmeal, and I had resolved to make some of this wonderful stuff I had only heard about. I scoured some recipes using polenta online, and bastardized a recipe using ingredients I had on hand. You know what? It came out awesome! Here's what I came up with:
Crispy-fried tofu on a bed of polenta, served with carmelized leeks and a sun-dried-tomato-cashew cream.
It was a fairly simple recipe to make, but it took a few steps to make it, so make a recipe like this when you have some time to spare. Here's the recipe:
Tofu-Polenta-Leek Plate with Sun-Dried Tomato-Cashew Cream
Ingredients:
5 c. vegetable stock (I use Better than Bouillon, it's the best, hands-down)1 c. polenta (or cornmeal)1 block of tofu2 leeks1 c. cashews4 sun-dried tomatoes2 T. lemon juice1 t. each garlic powder and onion poweder1 t. salt1/2 t. pepper2 T. nutritional yeast1/2-3/4 c. watercoconut oil for frying (any frying oil will do, but I prefer coconut for this recipe)salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. An hour before you want to cook, soak the cashews and the sun-dried tomatoes in warm water using separate containers, and press tofu.
2. Rinse and chop up your links into 1/4 inch rings, then separate and put aside.
3. After the hour is up on the soaking, drain the cashews and sun-dried tomatoes. Put them both in a high-powered blender and add the lemon juice, garlic & onion powder, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and water. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides often. Add more water to make it a pourable, but still thick, sauce. Put aside.
4. Cut drained tofu in half, width-wise, then each large square into three triangles. Set aside.
5. Bring your veggie stock to a boil, then add your polenta. To cook the polenta, I used this basic recipe: Smooth and Creamy Polenta.
6. While polenta is cooking, warm 2 T. of coconut oil in a frying pan over high heat, then add the leeks. Stir until all the leeks are coated in oil, then stir until they begin to fry. Turn the heat down to medium or medium-high, strirring occasionally, until carmelized. Approx 10 minutes.
7. Remove the leeks from the pan, setting them aside in a bowl. Cover to keep warm.
8. Add 2 T. more coconut oil to the same frying pan, over high heat, until oil starts to ripple. Turn heat down to medium-high heat, then add tofu triangles. Fry on each side until golden brown and cripsy, approx. 5 minutes each side, but keep an eye on them.
9. When the polenta and tofu are done, you can plate the meal thusly:
-Put down a bed of polenta.-Spread some leeks over the polenta.-Add a couple of tofu triangles on top of the leeks.-Spoon or pour some cashew cream over the top of the tofu.
10. Enjoy! Serves 3 to 4 people.
During the week, I have long days. I leave my house around 7:15 in the morning, and I don't arrive home until 6:15 in the evening. Everyone in my house eats differently, that's a fact. I'm the only vegan in the house, my husband will (literally) eat anything, and my kids have their own food idiosyncrasies. As a result of the long days + different palates, I rarely make myself a real meal these days. Most of the time I scour the cabinets and the refrigerator wondering if dinner is going to be toast again. Most of the time it is.
Inevitably, between mid- to end-of-week, I get tired of toast--or whatever sad thing I can toss together quickly--and make myself a real meal. Such was the case Thursday evening when I said, "Heck with this!" and made myself a kick-ass meal.
I had recently gotten myself some polenta, which I discovered is just a fancy word for cornmeal, and I had resolved to make some of this wonderful stuff I had only heard about. I scoured some recipes using polenta online, and bastardized a recipe using ingredients I had on hand. You know what? It came out awesome! Here's what I came up with:
Crispy-fried tofu on a bed of polenta, served with carmelized leeks and a sun-dried-tomato-cashew cream.
It was a fairly simple recipe to make, but it took a few steps to make it, so make a recipe like this when you have some time to spare. Here's the recipe:
Tofu-Polenta-Leek Plate with Sun-Dried Tomato-Cashew Cream
Ingredients:
5 c. vegetable stock (I use Better than Bouillon, it's the best, hands-down)1 c. polenta (or cornmeal)1 block of tofu2 leeks1 c. cashews4 sun-dried tomatoes2 T. lemon juice1 t. each garlic powder and onion poweder1 t. salt1/2 t. pepper2 T. nutritional yeast1/2-3/4 c. watercoconut oil for frying (any frying oil will do, but I prefer coconut for this recipe)salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. An hour before you want to cook, soak the cashews and the sun-dried tomatoes in warm water using separate containers, and press tofu.
2. Rinse and chop up your links into 1/4 inch rings, then separate and put aside.
3. After the hour is up on the soaking, drain the cashews and sun-dried tomatoes. Put them both in a high-powered blender and add the lemon juice, garlic & onion powder, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and water. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides often. Add more water to make it a pourable, but still thick, sauce. Put aside.
4. Cut drained tofu in half, width-wise, then each large square into three triangles. Set aside.
5. Bring your veggie stock to a boil, then add your polenta. To cook the polenta, I used this basic recipe: Smooth and Creamy Polenta.
6. While polenta is cooking, warm 2 T. of coconut oil in a frying pan over high heat, then add the leeks. Stir until all the leeks are coated in oil, then stir until they begin to fry. Turn the heat down to medium or medium-high, strirring occasionally, until carmelized. Approx 10 minutes.
7. Remove the leeks from the pan, setting them aside in a bowl. Cover to keep warm.
8. Add 2 T. more coconut oil to the same frying pan, over high heat, until oil starts to ripple. Turn heat down to medium-high heat, then add tofu triangles. Fry on each side until golden brown and cripsy, approx. 5 minutes each side, but keep an eye on them.
9. When the polenta and tofu are done, you can plate the meal thusly:
-Put down a bed of polenta.-Spread some leeks over the polenta.-Add a couple of tofu triangles on top of the leeks.-Spoon or pour some cashew cream over the top of the tofu.
10. Enjoy! Serves 3 to 4 people.
October 22, 2016
The Creative Pull
Lately, I've noticed a changed in my creative pull. Maybe it's a permanent thing, maybe it's not, and I can't decide if that's a good or bad thing. Quite frankly, the whole thing has me confused. It's not that I don't have a creative drive anymore, but rather:
1. I have too much of it, and I can't quite reign it in.
and/or
2, I'm distracted too often by other things.
Honestly, it's probably a combination of the two. In my defense, however, I have been busy living life. Life has been pretty good this year, and I find myself really living. I've been doing a variety of things that I've found fulfilling and enjoyable, and that's been a huge boost to my overall emotional health. My whole life, before the last five years, has been a huge struggle. Even after figuring myself out, it's been a learning curve the last five years. I can truly say now, though, that life is grand.
I'm still working daily on my book, "The Box", and I've dusted off some other works as well that have been sitting around. I'm still productive, it just seems to be working differently. Maybe that's it then: I've just changed and grown, and my writing routine has changed and grown with it.
I guess I'll embrace it as it goes, and see where this new routine leads.
In the meantime, have a great weekend!
-H.A.
October 21, 2016
Horror Films of Yesteryear
Autumn is my favorite season of the year. I love the weather, the colors, the plethora of pumpkin patches, bonfires, warm cider, and Halloween. Especially Halloween. I've been a fan of the horror genre since my dad's best friend gave me a copy of Stephen King's Pet Sematary to read back in 5th Grade. I read that book without barely a pause to breathe, eager to devour the next deliciously frightening story. Luckily, my dad--who was also a fan of the horror genre--had saved all of his Creepy and Eerie magazines from when he was a kid. After becoming a newly die-hard fan of the macabre, he gifted all of them to me.
To this day, scary movies are my favorite. Over the last five years or so, I've grown to have an appreciation for old-timey horror films. It happened in the wee hours of the morning, when I caught "The Mummy" (starring Boris Karloff) on television.
So, in honor of Halloween and the Macabre, here are my favorite horror films of yesteryear.
Frankenstein. The classic tale by Mary Shelley of a man and his monstrous creation. Dr. Frankenstein is trying to create life from death, but it doesn't turn out as he planned, leading to dire consequences. Who's the real monster?
Dracula. A man is coerced into a business deal at Dracula's Castle, and it's all downhill from there. A classic retelling of Bram Stoker's novel by the same name. Eerie, but cheesyily romantic in a gothic kind of way.
The Invisible Man. Another mad scientist story gone wrong. Griffin creates an elixir of invisibility. Is it a blessing or a curse? One of H.G. Well's best tales, showcasing all of our fears of the unknown.
The Mummy. A mummy is accidentally awakened after being discovered, and he searches for his lost love. Boris Karloff is such a great actor, and this movie cements that. He's at once charming and creepy.
The Wolf Man. Larry Talbot returns home to Wales after many years away. One night he comes across a werewolf, and the rest is bittersweet. This movie is campy and cheesy, but a fun watch all the same.
Freaks. Hands-down, this is my favorite creepy movie out of Old Hollywood. Cleopatra works in the circus and uses the midget Hans for what she can get from him. His friends, the freaks, keep watch from the shadows. A truly great film, with great acting, risque moments (for a film this old), and some truly dreadful moments. A perfect tale of revenge.
And there you have it, my favorite picks for old-timey horror flicks. While none of these pack the same kind of punch that modern horror films do, by any stretch of the means, they are still very worthy of a watching. These movies were the forefathers of modern scary movies, and the cinematography was amazing. I hope you'll check them out!
To this day, scary movies are my favorite. Over the last five years or so, I've grown to have an appreciation for old-timey horror films. It happened in the wee hours of the morning, when I caught "The Mummy" (starring Boris Karloff) on television.
So, in honor of Halloween and the Macabre, here are my favorite horror films of yesteryear.
Frankenstein. The classic tale by Mary Shelley of a man and his monstrous creation. Dr. Frankenstein is trying to create life from death, but it doesn't turn out as he planned, leading to dire consequences. Who's the real monster?
Dracula. A man is coerced into a business deal at Dracula's Castle, and it's all downhill from there. A classic retelling of Bram Stoker's novel by the same name. Eerie, but cheesyily romantic in a gothic kind of way.
The Invisible Man. Another mad scientist story gone wrong. Griffin creates an elixir of invisibility. Is it a blessing or a curse? One of H.G. Well's best tales, showcasing all of our fears of the unknown.
The Mummy. A mummy is accidentally awakened after being discovered, and he searches for his lost love. Boris Karloff is such a great actor, and this movie cements that. He's at once charming and creepy.
The Wolf Man. Larry Talbot returns home to Wales after many years away. One night he comes across a werewolf, and the rest is bittersweet. This movie is campy and cheesy, but a fun watch all the same.
Freaks. Hands-down, this is my favorite creepy movie out of Old Hollywood. Cleopatra works in the circus and uses the midget Hans for what she can get from him. His friends, the freaks, keep watch from the shadows. A truly great film, with great acting, risque moments (for a film this old), and some truly dreadful moments. A perfect tale of revenge.
And there you have it, my favorite picks for old-timey horror flicks. While none of these pack the same kind of punch that modern horror films do, by any stretch of the means, they are still very worthy of a watching. These movies were the forefathers of modern scary movies, and the cinematography was amazing. I hope you'll check them out!
October 19, 2016
Ipsy's October Glam Bag
Good morning! It's Wednesday, which means we're halfway through the week now, and I'm here with another Ipsy post. It's been exactly one year since I received my first Glam Bag, so happy Glam Bagaversary to me!
Here's this month's bag and theme. I have to say, they've gotten more creative since a year ago, which is a testament to how far they've come in the past year. It's Halloween month, obviously, so what better than "Black Magic"? That bag is so cute! <3
Here are the contents of the bag.
First up is a nail polish by Kokie. The color name is Heavenly, and it's a gray color with a hint of purple. Seems pretty Halloween-y to me.
Pur-lisse has provided other items for Glam Bags before, but this is the first lip item I've received by them. It's a Daily Lip Nourisher with Mango & Shea butter. I just used some and it seems fairly rich with a nice scent. You can never have too many lip balm-type products, so I'm happy with this.
This is a felt-tip liquid eyeliner by Ciate of London. The line is called Fierce Flicks and it's definitely in the color black. I know some people absolutely hate these types of eyeliners, but ever since Almay came out with one years ago...I've been a huge fan. I have three other ones, and one is ready to die, so I can rest easy knowing I have another one. lol
Here's another lip color pencil by treStique. As you already know from previous Ipsy posts, I have received a few of these before, even in the same color. I'm happy to report that I have a new, more appropriate for Fall, color in the name of Florence Fig. It's a muted, dark reddish-brown, and I like it immensely.
One of my favorite ever Ipsy items was an eyeshadow by theBalm called Meet Matt (tri)Mony. I was fortunate to receive two by a fantastic accident, that coincidentally left me with the extra treStique lip color that I don't really use much.
Anyway, I received another eyeshadow by theBalm, called Hot Mama! It's a reddish-orange color, and another perfect color for Fall. I don't think I'll love this as much as Matt (tri)Mony, but I will definitely use this all the same.
And there you have it, my latest Ipsy Glam Bag. I can't believe it's been a year since I got my very first bag. I've heard some people complain about their subscriptions, saying that they'll never use any of the items. Well, then this sub is probably not for them. While I still haven't used every single item I've received through Ipsy, I have a few things to say about that:
1. I will, eventually, use all these items.
2. I've gotten some really awesome items from Ipsy that I can't live without.
3. It's not even expensive, you can always give cute gift bags/boxes to friends as gifts using items you don't think you'll ever use. (Not me though, I'm not parting with a thing!)
4. I don't even use all the items that I buy for myself.
Really, if you're not that much into makeup, or if you're a big makeup snob, then this sub isn't for you. For the rest of us though, it's pretty awesome. But hey, that's just my $0.02.
Here's this month's bag and theme. I have to say, they've gotten more creative since a year ago, which is a testament to how far they've come in the past year. It's Halloween month, obviously, so what better than "Black Magic"? That bag is so cute! <3
Here are the contents of the bag.
First up is a nail polish by Kokie. The color name is Heavenly, and it's a gray color with a hint of purple. Seems pretty Halloween-y to me.
Pur-lisse has provided other items for Glam Bags before, but this is the first lip item I've received by them. It's a Daily Lip Nourisher with Mango & Shea butter. I just used some and it seems fairly rich with a nice scent. You can never have too many lip balm-type products, so I'm happy with this.
This is a felt-tip liquid eyeliner by Ciate of London. The line is called Fierce Flicks and it's definitely in the color black. I know some people absolutely hate these types of eyeliners, but ever since Almay came out with one years ago...I've been a huge fan. I have three other ones, and one is ready to die, so I can rest easy knowing I have another one. lol
Here's another lip color pencil by treStique. As you already know from previous Ipsy posts, I have received a few of these before, even in the same color. I'm happy to report that I have a new, more appropriate for Fall, color in the name of Florence Fig. It's a muted, dark reddish-brown, and I like it immensely.
One of my favorite ever Ipsy items was an eyeshadow by theBalm called Meet Matt (tri)Mony. I was fortunate to receive two by a fantastic accident, that coincidentally left me with the extra treStique lip color that I don't really use much.
Anyway, I received another eyeshadow by theBalm, called Hot Mama! It's a reddish-orange color, and another perfect color for Fall. I don't think I'll love this as much as Matt (tri)Mony, but I will definitely use this all the same.
And there you have it, my latest Ipsy Glam Bag. I can't believe it's been a year since I got my very first bag. I've heard some people complain about their subscriptions, saying that they'll never use any of the items. Well, then this sub is probably not for them. While I still haven't used every single item I've received through Ipsy, I have a few things to say about that:
1. I will, eventually, use all these items.
2. I've gotten some really awesome items from Ipsy that I can't live without.
3. It's not even expensive, you can always give cute gift bags/boxes to friends as gifts using items you don't think you'll ever use. (Not me though, I'm not parting with a thing!)
4. I don't even use all the items that I buy for myself.
Really, if you're not that much into makeup, or if you're a big makeup snob, then this sub isn't for you. For the rest of us though, it's pretty awesome. But hey, that's just my $0.02.
October 17, 2016
The Adventures of Mom and Nature Girl #3
Fall is here! Yes, we all know this, and, yes, I've said it before, but it bears repeating. This is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year. Last week had brought cooler weather mixed with rain, and I had gotten a bit down thinking that I wouldn't be getting outside much. I was elated, then, when the weekend rolled around bringing beautiful weather with it. Nature Girl and I headed out yesterday afternoon, as is our newest tradition, to explore and be outside. I decided to head up towards Neale Woods because, not only is it my favorite outdoor spot in town, but it's a great place to see Fall's beauty.
NP Dodge and Hummel Parks are on the same road as Neale Woods, and since we were out exploring without any real agenda, I thought we'd stop at both. While I've spent time in Hummel and Neale Woods, I can't say that I've spent more than 10 minutes in NP Dodge Park. To that end, I've only been as far as the first parking lot. Well, we discovered what else the park has yesterday by driving through every last bit of it. It sits along the Missouri River and has boat docks and nice places to walk along the water. Who knew? Not me until yesterday, apparently. ;)
This is a shot of the Missouri River as seen from the Marina at NP Dodge Park. This is where boats can fuel up, and park patrons can get some snacks & drinks.
A view of the Missouri from one of the boat docks. It was a beautiful view.
After NP Dodge Park, we stopped by Hummel Park, but none of my pictures were too exciting. Isn't it funny how your camera doesn't always show what you see? However, Neale Woods did not disappoint. All of Fall's burgeoning beauty was on display.
A beautiful Fall leaf.
A view towards the old machine shed from the rickety old viewing deck.
A view from our perspective as we walked the Wagon Trail.
Seed-berries. Not sure what plant this is, I'm no plant expert by any means. Pretty though!
A view from Neale Trail overlooking the woods that cover Ponca Hills.
A bed of leaves along the trail.
More Fall foliage.
These leaves are halfway turned, and the color combination was striking.
So, that was a glimpse into yesterday's adventure. I hope you have a glorious and fruitful week!
-H.A.
NP Dodge and Hummel Parks are on the same road as Neale Woods, and since we were out exploring without any real agenda, I thought we'd stop at both. While I've spent time in Hummel and Neale Woods, I can't say that I've spent more than 10 minutes in NP Dodge Park. To that end, I've only been as far as the first parking lot. Well, we discovered what else the park has yesterday by driving through every last bit of it. It sits along the Missouri River and has boat docks and nice places to walk along the water. Who knew? Not me until yesterday, apparently. ;)
This is a shot of the Missouri River as seen from the Marina at NP Dodge Park. This is where boats can fuel up, and park patrons can get some snacks & drinks.
A view of the Missouri from one of the boat docks. It was a beautiful view.
After NP Dodge Park, we stopped by Hummel Park, but none of my pictures were too exciting. Isn't it funny how your camera doesn't always show what you see? However, Neale Woods did not disappoint. All of Fall's burgeoning beauty was on display.
A beautiful Fall leaf.
A view towards the old machine shed from the rickety old viewing deck.
A view from our perspective as we walked the Wagon Trail.
Seed-berries. Not sure what plant this is, I'm no plant expert by any means. Pretty though!
A view from Neale Trail overlooking the woods that cover Ponca Hills.
A bed of leaves along the trail.
More Fall foliage.
These leaves are halfway turned, and the color combination was striking.
So, that was a glimpse into yesterday's adventure. I hope you have a glorious and fruitful week!
-H.A.
October 15, 2016
Investigation of Edinburgh Manor
It's the post you've all been waiting for! No time to wait, let's get started.
On Wednesday, October 12th, myself, my husband, and my friend Jayne made the 4.5 hour journey to Edinburgh Manor in Scotch Grove, Iowa. It's near Anamosa, Iowa, if that helps relate it to an area you might be familiar with or find on a map. There, we met up with my friend Betty to engage in a lockdown at the Manor, which was a poor farm and a home for the insane.
As you know from a few previous posts in the past, ghost hunting is a hobby I've dabbled in. I've always wanted to do a lock-down style ghost hunt, however, with my friend Betty, who's also big into ghost hunting. We settled on Edinburgh Manor when I found it on a list of some of the most haunted places in America. I went to their website and was intrigued by the fact that almost everyone who investigates gets some kind of evidence. I've had a paranormal experience, but I'm still a skeptic, so while I believe in some things, I will readily dismiss that which has a logical basis.
We got a couple of spirit box voices and two times I had my camera refuse to focus, which was weird because that's never happened. Otherwise, we never experienced any other kind of things while investigating the building. We were never touched, grabbed, chased, felt a sense of foreboding or heaviness, or otherwise felt off while at the Manor. It was still a really creepy place and it was awesome to have the whole building to ourselves to explore. I was a bit disappointed in not experiencing anything else....that is, until I was home the next afternoon going over evidence.
I never found anything off in any of the pictures I took, nor the two videos I shot with my phone, but I was excited and surprised by the EVP evidence I found. I will elaborate on that in more detail later in this post.
A shot of the outside of the Manor when we arrived. The building was in use until 2010 so is in pretty decent shape on the outside yet. It has a basement, first floor, and a second floor. Out in back are a couple of out buildings. One is the safe house that has electricity, running water, bathroom, and a couch.
To the left, inside the main entrance, is a book that has a history of the Manor as well as some photographic "evidence". This page tells about the beginnings of the Manor. The evidence in the book was pretty questionable, but there were a couple pictures that were good.
A warning sign posted in the front entrance.
A shot, looking up, from the back entrance of the Manor.
One of the group bedrooms located on the ends of the floors for families.
One of the many toys spread out throughout the Manor. They've been placed by the staff for the ghosts of the children that are purported to haunt the building.
Secondary staircase from the first to second floors. We're looking down the stairs from the second floor.
A shot of the cook's desk located in the basement. The entire kitchen and cafeteria were located down in the basement.
A clock in the kitchen was dead at 2:00. I thought that was interesting because between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. is when ghosts are supposed to be the most active.
A shot into the kitchen in the basement of the Manor.
A shot from the first floor down the stairway that leads down into the basement.
One of the old recipe cards left behind. I was going to Google whatever this meal is, but I still haven't.
This was a sealed up back room in the basement. It looks like it should be a storage room, but from all the dominoes and cards laying around and the tables and chairs, it must have been a room where someone, residents or staff, played games.
A room in the basement where manuals on chemicals were stored. Next to this room was the room that used to be a padded room. The padding is gone, but the room is still there. The padded room is supposedly where the basement entity "The Joker" died. He's the menacing spirit that lives in the basement and has choked, chased, scratched, and otherwise terrorized visitors to the Manor. We weren't treated to any of this, but the EVPs I got might have been his attempt to get to us.
A shot of the ceiling, including the droopy ceiling fan, of the cafeteria in the basement. The humidity has caused the ceiling fans to droop and the paint to peel down ominously.
A door of Ghost Hunter's/graffiti/former staff at closing's signatures. This door leads into the kitchen from the hallway that connects the cafeteria to the laundry room.
An old table in the cafeteria.
Looking down the hallway, in the basement, from the laundry room down to the cafeteria.
The opposite. Looking down the hallway from the cafeteria to the laundry room.
Howdy Doody time! This guy was sitting on the couch in the rec room located centrally on the second floor.
Betty and I found this lying on a table in the laundry room.
A shot into the laundry room from the doorway.
Okay, so now it's time for the evidence that we did get. Are you ready? It's pretty good.
This was a photo I attempted to take of my husband sitting in a rocking chair down in the cafeteria. My camera refused to focus, which was odd because it has NEVER not been able to focus. When I played back the EVP recording, I got something right when this happened. Listen at this link:
EVP 1
Did you hear it? It only happens within the first 30 seconds, but starts with a voice in the background trying to be ominous by going "aaaahhhhhhh", that turns into a louder one. Then right after I say I'm going to turn the flash off, it says, "IIII neeeeeed flaaaaaash."
This was a picture I took outside of the room at the end of the hallway on the first floor. We were sitting here on the chairs getting ready to do our first spirit box session. This room was where a gentleman hung himself. The only thing clear we got was when it said my name. Listen here:
EVP 2
It happens in the first five seconds, and says, "Heather." My husband says, "Did you say someone's name?" and my friend Betty looks at me and says, "It sounded like it said your name," and I said, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it did."
This was a picture I attempted to take of my friend Jayne on the bed in the "Rape Room". According to legend, a woman who lived here was repeatedly raped in this room on this bed, or at least a bed in this corner. When I listened to EVP recordings later and noticed that I heard an EVP after my husband's blurry picture, I wondered if the blurry picture was an indicator of voice activity. It was. Listen here:
EVP 3
Did you hear it? Right at the 34 second mark, after we laugh, you can hear a man's faint voice yell, "Ahhh!"
We went down to the basement a second time where we spent a bit more time. Betty and I were walking into the boiler room to check things out, and I noticed the battery on my camera was dying. After I'm done talking, I get a response. Listen here:
EVP 4
Did you hear it? I just mentioned that my camera had taken enough pictures at the moment (since my battery was dying), and at the the 8 second mark, a voice says, "No it hasn't." Gee, this basement entity really wants me to take flash photography. lol
We made it back into the cafeteria where we had (unbeknownst to us at the time) gotten an EVP recording. We all sat down for a few minutes while I asked questions. I got some responses. Listen here:
EVP 5
These are tougher to hear and decipher, but they go something like this: When I ask what their name is, I get a response that sounds something like, "Simon" or "Someone". When I ask what it was like there, I got a response that started with "It was simple..." then something I can't understand, then "...the house."
We wrapped up our investigation by doing one last spirit box session in the boiler room, down in the basement. We didn't get good radio frequencies down there, but I did catch a voice outside of the spirit box. Listen here:
EVP 6
Did you hear it? Right around the 8 second mark, you can hear a woman's voice faintly say, "Jesus Christ." I guess she found the spirit box annoying or frightening, one of the two. ;)
Last, this is a picture my husband took in the attic during our guided tour at the beginning. We got orbs, but they were all dust particles, except for this one. It could be a bug, or it could be something else. I've leave it for you to decide.
Overall, I'd have to say that Edinburgh Manor is indeed haunted.
On Wednesday, October 12th, myself, my husband, and my friend Jayne made the 4.5 hour journey to Edinburgh Manor in Scotch Grove, Iowa. It's near Anamosa, Iowa, if that helps relate it to an area you might be familiar with or find on a map. There, we met up with my friend Betty to engage in a lockdown at the Manor, which was a poor farm and a home for the insane.
As you know from a few previous posts in the past, ghost hunting is a hobby I've dabbled in. I've always wanted to do a lock-down style ghost hunt, however, with my friend Betty, who's also big into ghost hunting. We settled on Edinburgh Manor when I found it on a list of some of the most haunted places in America. I went to their website and was intrigued by the fact that almost everyone who investigates gets some kind of evidence. I've had a paranormal experience, but I'm still a skeptic, so while I believe in some things, I will readily dismiss that which has a logical basis.
We got a couple of spirit box voices and two times I had my camera refuse to focus, which was weird because that's never happened. Otherwise, we never experienced any other kind of things while investigating the building. We were never touched, grabbed, chased, felt a sense of foreboding or heaviness, or otherwise felt off while at the Manor. It was still a really creepy place and it was awesome to have the whole building to ourselves to explore. I was a bit disappointed in not experiencing anything else....that is, until I was home the next afternoon going over evidence.
I never found anything off in any of the pictures I took, nor the two videos I shot with my phone, but I was excited and surprised by the EVP evidence I found. I will elaborate on that in more detail later in this post.
A shot of the outside of the Manor when we arrived. The building was in use until 2010 so is in pretty decent shape on the outside yet. It has a basement, first floor, and a second floor. Out in back are a couple of out buildings. One is the safe house that has electricity, running water, bathroom, and a couch.
To the left, inside the main entrance, is a book that has a history of the Manor as well as some photographic "evidence". This page tells about the beginnings of the Manor. The evidence in the book was pretty questionable, but there were a couple pictures that were good.
A warning sign posted in the front entrance.
A shot, looking up, from the back entrance of the Manor.
One of the group bedrooms located on the ends of the floors for families.
One of the many toys spread out throughout the Manor. They've been placed by the staff for the ghosts of the children that are purported to haunt the building.
Secondary staircase from the first to second floors. We're looking down the stairs from the second floor.
A shot of the cook's desk located in the basement. The entire kitchen and cafeteria were located down in the basement.
A clock in the kitchen was dead at 2:00. I thought that was interesting because between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. is when ghosts are supposed to be the most active.
A shot into the kitchen in the basement of the Manor.
A shot from the first floor down the stairway that leads down into the basement.
One of the old recipe cards left behind. I was going to Google whatever this meal is, but I still haven't.
This was a sealed up back room in the basement. It looks like it should be a storage room, but from all the dominoes and cards laying around and the tables and chairs, it must have been a room where someone, residents or staff, played games.
A room in the basement where manuals on chemicals were stored. Next to this room was the room that used to be a padded room. The padding is gone, but the room is still there. The padded room is supposedly where the basement entity "The Joker" died. He's the menacing spirit that lives in the basement and has choked, chased, scratched, and otherwise terrorized visitors to the Manor. We weren't treated to any of this, but the EVPs I got might have been his attempt to get to us.
A shot of the ceiling, including the droopy ceiling fan, of the cafeteria in the basement. The humidity has caused the ceiling fans to droop and the paint to peel down ominously.
A door of Ghost Hunter's/graffiti/former staff at closing's signatures. This door leads into the kitchen from the hallway that connects the cafeteria to the laundry room.
An old table in the cafeteria.
Looking down the hallway, in the basement, from the laundry room down to the cafeteria.
The opposite. Looking down the hallway from the cafeteria to the laundry room.
Howdy Doody time! This guy was sitting on the couch in the rec room located centrally on the second floor.
Betty and I found this lying on a table in the laundry room.
A shot into the laundry room from the doorway.
Okay, so now it's time for the evidence that we did get. Are you ready? It's pretty good.
This was a photo I attempted to take of my husband sitting in a rocking chair down in the cafeteria. My camera refused to focus, which was odd because it has NEVER not been able to focus. When I played back the EVP recording, I got something right when this happened. Listen at this link:
EVP 1
Did you hear it? It only happens within the first 30 seconds, but starts with a voice in the background trying to be ominous by going "aaaahhhhhhh", that turns into a louder one. Then right after I say I'm going to turn the flash off, it says, "IIII neeeeeed flaaaaaash."
This was a picture I took outside of the room at the end of the hallway on the first floor. We were sitting here on the chairs getting ready to do our first spirit box session. This room was where a gentleman hung himself. The only thing clear we got was when it said my name. Listen here:
EVP 2
It happens in the first five seconds, and says, "Heather." My husband says, "Did you say someone's name?" and my friend Betty looks at me and says, "It sounded like it said your name," and I said, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it did."
This was a picture I attempted to take of my friend Jayne on the bed in the "Rape Room". According to legend, a woman who lived here was repeatedly raped in this room on this bed, or at least a bed in this corner. When I listened to EVP recordings later and noticed that I heard an EVP after my husband's blurry picture, I wondered if the blurry picture was an indicator of voice activity. It was. Listen here:
EVP 3
Did you hear it? Right at the 34 second mark, after we laugh, you can hear a man's faint voice yell, "Ahhh!"
We went down to the basement a second time where we spent a bit more time. Betty and I were walking into the boiler room to check things out, and I noticed the battery on my camera was dying. After I'm done talking, I get a response. Listen here:
EVP 4
Did you hear it? I just mentioned that my camera had taken enough pictures at the moment (since my battery was dying), and at the the 8 second mark, a voice says, "No it hasn't." Gee, this basement entity really wants me to take flash photography. lol
We made it back into the cafeteria where we had (unbeknownst to us at the time) gotten an EVP recording. We all sat down for a few minutes while I asked questions. I got some responses. Listen here:
EVP 5
These are tougher to hear and decipher, but they go something like this: When I ask what their name is, I get a response that sounds something like, "Simon" or "Someone". When I ask what it was like there, I got a response that started with "It was simple..." then something I can't understand, then "...the house."
We wrapped up our investigation by doing one last spirit box session in the boiler room, down in the basement. We didn't get good radio frequencies down there, but I did catch a voice outside of the spirit box. Listen here:
EVP 6
Did you hear it? Right around the 8 second mark, you can hear a woman's voice faintly say, "Jesus Christ." I guess she found the spirit box annoying or frightening, one of the two. ;)
Last, this is a picture my husband took in the attic during our guided tour at the beginning. We got orbs, but they were all dust particles, except for this one. It could be a bug, or it could be something else. I've leave it for you to decide.
Overall, I'd have to say that Edinburgh Manor is indeed haunted.
October 14, 2016
Friday Update
A picture my friend took at the location of our Ghost Hunt.
Good morning, and Happy Friday. It's the weekend and I'm ready. What an exciting week I've had! We're back from our ghost hunt where we collected tons of evidence that we have to go over with a fine-toothed comb. I've been listening to EVP evidence since yesterday, and I definitely have some interesting things to share with you. I will get everything ready and make a post this weekend, so be on the lookout for that. Until then, have a great day!
-H.A.
October 11, 2016
It's a Tuesday Kind of Post
Brown Lady of Raynham Hall, a popular ghost photo taken in 1936.
Good morning, and Happy Tuesday. I have to admit, Tuesday is my least favorite day. You know Monday is coming, Wednesday is the middle of the week, Thursday is Friday Eve, and Friday is the start of the weekend. Tuesday, however, is just there. Nothing exciting about it, it's just there. It's kind of like my Friday this week though, as I have the next couple of days off. What will I be doing? A ghost hunt.
Yep, my husband, a few friends, and I will descend upon a haunted locale in Iowa and investigate overnight on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to it. You know from previous posts that I like to dabble in it, for fun. I haven't really caught anything on tape, per se, but this should be different and I will definitely be making a large post about it this coming weekend.
I hope you all enjoyed the teaser from "The Box" that I put up the other day. You should let me know what you think of it in the comments!
I've been in a bit of a funk the past week or so. Mainly hormones, but maybe it's seasonal too. I hate periods of funk because you have to internally fight with yourself several times, and it's exhausting. I'll be glad when the funk works it's way out.
I have to say, though, that I'm sure glad Fall is here. It's my favorite time of the year, and just seeing the leaves begin to change really puts a smile on my face. Now, if I could just get outside more like I was hoping....
October 9, 2016
Alice Cooper!
Last night was a fun night. We got to see Alice Cooper live in concert! He was great live. His backup band is composed of an incredible set of musicians, and, even though he's a year older than my dad, has no problems running around on stage. His stage show was just as cool as I'd always heard it was, and included dead nurses, pyrotechnics, and a guillotine. He played a couple of his eponymous hits, such as Poison and School's Out.
A view of the stage as we waited for Alice Cooper to come out. The drop was a painting of Cooper's face with spiders for the irises of the eyes. Unfortunately, my cell phone camera--as well as my husband's--couldn't filter out the light enough to see them.
A shot of said pyrotechnics and the band.
The shock-rocker in a cape.
Alice Cooper in the middle, flanked by his backup band.
The guillotine and the dead nurse (on the right).
This was my clearest, best shot of the night, and it's of the man himself. I think he changed costume about four times. Very cool!
A photo of yours truly, my best friend, and my husband (the one with the beard).
If you ever get a chance, go see Alice Cooper live. He's puts on a fantastic show!
A view of the stage as we waited for Alice Cooper to come out. The drop was a painting of Cooper's face with spiders for the irises of the eyes. Unfortunately, my cell phone camera--as well as my husband's--couldn't filter out the light enough to see them.
A shot of said pyrotechnics and the band.
The shock-rocker in a cape.
Alice Cooper in the middle, flanked by his backup band.
The guillotine and the dead nurse (on the right).
This was my clearest, best shot of the night, and it's of the man himself. I think he changed costume about four times. Very cool!
A photo of yours truly, my best friend, and my husband (the one with the beard).
If you ever get a chance, go see Alice Cooper live. He's puts on a fantastic show!
October 8, 2016
The Adventures of Mom and Nature Girl #2
Last Sunday, Nature Girl and I spent our afternoon at Platte River State Park (PRSP). Situated near Louisville, Nebraska, this state park straddles the edge of the Platte River. We spent a wonderful weekend at one of the cabins there back in February, but I hadn't gone there specifically to hike in a few years. Being tired of the usual places, I figured it was high time that we went. They have some interesting things to see along the trails, and I made sure we took some trails that we hadn't before in order to see something new.
Here's a view up one of the trees in the park. I love the viewpoint from the ground looking up towards the canopy with the sun just peeking through.
PRSP has a creek that runs through, and feeds back into the Platte River. About midway though the forest trail is a not-very-tall, but nonetheless pretty falls. We've been here when the falls are a powerhouse after the spring rains, but now that it's fall, it's just lightly falling. Come winter, before it freezes solid (we've seen that too), it will just trickle.
A stone's throw from the falls are some of the rock terraces that this area of the state is known for. I've shown you some before from my hikes at Schramm State Park, which is only a few miles across the Platte River from here. Nature Girl decided to dig a bit in the dirt underneath with a stick.
We variated from the normal trails we've taken in the past, and found ourselves along the end of the creek as it's making it's way into the Platte. You can just make out the Platte in the back where it's really bright. The sun was reflecting off the river and shining back to where we were.
At the point where the creek opens up into the Platte River, there's a train trestle up above. We climbed up the embankment and came out at this spot. What a gorgeous view, on a lovely day, overlooking the mighty Platte.
We took a snack and drink break on the river side of the train tracks. When I took a picture of me and Nature Girl, the sun's rays show just so, making a cool picture of us. What do you think? We got up from the spot when we heard a train off in the distance, and went over to the park side of the train tracks. We stood back a safe distance, and waited for the train to pass. We waved at the conductor, who waved back, and Nature Girl was very excited to see a train up close.
We had a lovely day together, and we collected a few things for our scrap book. There will be many more Sundays like this while Fall is here. It's my favorite season to hike and be outdoors.
Have a great Saturday my friends.
Here's a view up one of the trees in the park. I love the viewpoint from the ground looking up towards the canopy with the sun just peeking through.
PRSP has a creek that runs through, and feeds back into the Platte River. About midway though the forest trail is a not-very-tall, but nonetheless pretty falls. We've been here when the falls are a powerhouse after the spring rains, but now that it's fall, it's just lightly falling. Come winter, before it freezes solid (we've seen that too), it will just trickle.
A stone's throw from the falls are some of the rock terraces that this area of the state is known for. I've shown you some before from my hikes at Schramm State Park, which is only a few miles across the Platte River from here. Nature Girl decided to dig a bit in the dirt underneath with a stick.
We variated from the normal trails we've taken in the past, and found ourselves along the end of the creek as it's making it's way into the Platte. You can just make out the Platte in the back where it's really bright. The sun was reflecting off the river and shining back to where we were.
At the point where the creek opens up into the Platte River, there's a train trestle up above. We climbed up the embankment and came out at this spot. What a gorgeous view, on a lovely day, overlooking the mighty Platte.
We took a snack and drink break on the river side of the train tracks. When I took a picture of me and Nature Girl, the sun's rays show just so, making a cool picture of us. What do you think? We got up from the spot when we heard a train off in the distance, and went over to the park side of the train tracks. We stood back a safe distance, and waited for the train to pass. We waved at the conductor, who waved back, and Nature Girl was very excited to see a train up close.
We had a lovely day together, and we collected a few things for our scrap book. There will be many more Sundays like this while Fall is here. It's my favorite season to hike and be outdoors.
Have a great Saturday my friends.
