DO OUR DEPARTED PETS GIVE US SIGNS THEY ARE STILL HERE?

Your heart is breaking.....and the tears come pouring down your face like a raging water fall.  You can't believe how much it hurts.  How real the pain is!  If you have ever lost a believed pet like I did this past weekend, you understand completely what I'm talking about.

If you are a pet owner, no matter what the pet....a dog, cat, bird or even snakes (sorry, snakes scare the crap out of me) you develop a love for them that is unconditional.  When you had a bad day.... you've wrecked the car, and have no idea what to do now....you were still greeted with a long, wet kiss on the face when you walked through the door and suddenly what you thought was the worst day ever...doesn't seem so bad after all.  Or your are sobbing at that sad, sad last episode of Friends,  and your "best friend" jumps in your lap and looks up at you with those big brown eyes and gives you THAT SWEET look of "it's going to ok" and you can't help but smile.  Yep.  That's the power they have on us.

So, what happens when we lose them?  We grieve and grieve.  You think about them everyday and can hardly look at a picture of them without breaking down.  Suddenly, strange things start to happen.  You think you see something run through the hall.  You see something jump on your bed that isn't there.  But here's the deal.  Sometimes when we see apparitions or ghosts of a living person, they are here for several reasons.  Maybe because of a tragic event, unfinished business and sometimes the person doesn't even know they are dead.  But pets are different.....
 

There is only one reason their spirit stays behind.  And that's YOU!  Our pets entire lives are built around us and being our companion.  Nothing makes a pet happier than pleasing their owner.  So, guess what?  When they die....that doesn't change. And let me tell, thanks goodness it doesn't!  

Me and Holly-My sweet girl that died in 2015

My boy Tanner.  RIP 

This post is dedicated to my beloved Tanner.  My best friend for 15 years.  RIP my sweet boy.  You take a piece of my heart with you. (Feb. 2004-Feb.2019)

So, if you think you have lost your "best friend" you haven't.  The shadow in hall or the dog toy that suddenly shows up out of know where....is just he/she paying you a visit.  They will give you signs in many different ways to let you know they are still right by your side.  

I want to tell you about my personal experience of a message Tanner gave me the day he died.  My poor boy, Tanner was 15 years old and even though his body was still going strong in spite of wobbly legs and being blind as a bat.  I always thought I would be able to make "that HARD decision" when the time came that he couldn't walk or move anymore BUT NEVER did I think I would have to make that decision because of his MENTAL state of mine.  He started pacing about a week ago.  He would scratch on the doors like he wanted out, but the doors where open.  He would stare into the corners of the room and seem to be so lost.  I wasn't sure what was happening so I took him to the vet who diagnosed him with Dog Dementia.  Who knew that was even a thing!!!!!  She said he just doesn't recognize where he is and it could be scary for him.

She gave me some medicine to try....but it didn't help at all.  After about a week of this, I couldn't take it anymore.  The thought that he was scared and didn't know where he was and being blind on top of that...was more than my heart could take.  I called the vet Friday morning and said, "today is the day".  I feed him his favorite food and gave him his favorite treats and in my mind tried to make it just like any other normal day.  Talking and playing with him first thing in the morning.  But then it was time.  I drove to vet and let my boy go to Heaven without me.  I had never had to make this kind of decision before.  And for anyone who has, even though you know it is the right thing to do, making this kind of decision is the worst feeling ever!!!!  

I walked to the car and began to sob uncontrollably with my hands over my face.  Had I done the right thing?  Did he have more time?  Should I have waited?  I needed help.  I needed a sign.  I let my hands drop and looked to the heavens and said, "Tanner, PLEASE I need a sign that I did the right thing.  I can't move on unless I know."  I slowly started the car and just by habit I turned on the radio.  And there was only ONE sentence that came on.  It was Carrie Underwood singing Amazing Grace...but I didn't hear the whole song only the last sentence...……………..I was blind, but now I see.  And not another thing was said.  Not  a commercial...…..not a DJ for a few seconds.  There was definitely a pause before the DJ began to talk.  And with that, I raised my head and said "Thank you" and drove home with a smile on my face.

Now, I wanted to include an article written by Stanley Coren Ph D., that I just read that has nothing to do with ghosts, or ghost spirits, but it does have to do with death and how when we have more than one pet that the other pet grieves as well.  That's right.  Your other pet.  The one that will stare into the kitchen looking at the dog bowl as if they are seeing something.  Maybe they are!  But lets not forget them in this process.  They grieve as well.  And you know, as much as your pet loved you...they loved your other pet to.  So, it is no surprise that they would come back to say "hi" to them as well.  The article below talks about your pets grief.  I thought it was really good and just wanted to include it with this blog.

Do Dogs Grieve Over the Loss of an Animal Companion?

A poignant study confirms what many owners suspected about pets and grieving.

Posted Nov 10, 2016

• It's well-known that dogs form strong emotional bonds with members of their human family, and often suffer grief when a loved one dies or moves away. However, one might wonder if dogs suffer an equal sense of loss when an animal companion who has lived with them in the same home suddenly disappears. 

I recently visited the home of some friends who have always had Boston Terriers as their companion dogs, usually in pairs, and always in the traditional black and white coloration. Quite often, they also had a cat as a pet, which was usually black-and-white to match the dogs. I always felt that it was Violet's work as an interior decorator that compelled her to have color-coordinated pets. On this visit, I found only one dog in the house. Lou explained that in the course of a few months they had lost one of their Boston Terriers (Lily) and shortly thereafter their cat (Rosie). Lou went on to say, "Now we only have Daisy. She took the loss of Lily and Rosie pretty hard, so we are looking to get a puppy companion for her as soon as possible."

I sat down on the sofa where Violet was sitting with Daisy. She said:

"Daisy was really upset when Lily passed. She kept checking the places where Lily usually took her naps, and when she didn't find her she would whine or whimper. She also got really clingy and demanded a lot of affection from me. Things got better after a month or so but then Rosie, our cat, died. I was surprised to find that Daisy showed the same kinds of behaviors when she couldn't find Rosie. Daisy kept looking for her in her usual spots, began whimpering again, and seemed to want to be close to me. She even stopped eating as enthusiastically as she usually did, as though she had lost part of her appetite."

Although Daisy's behavior at the loss of her canine companion was familiar to me, I was a bit surprised to learn she showed signs of grief at the loss of the cat as well. However, a recent study published in the journal Animals attempts to catalog the behaviors of dogs and cats when they suffer the loss of an animal housemate, and what the study found suggests that Daisy's behavior is not atypical. The study was conducted by a team of researchers headed by Jessica Walker of the New Zealand Companion Animal Counsel who collected data pertaining to 159 dogs and 152 cats. The data consisted of questionnaire responses from pet owners in New Zealand and Australia who owned multiple pets at the same time and had lost one within the past five years. The pet owners were asked to recall how the surviving pet responded to the disappearance of their companion.

One of the most common behaviors observed in dogs was to continually check the places where their lost housemate normally napped or rested. This behavior was found in 60 percent of the dogs (regardless of whether the lost companion was a dog or a cat) and 63 percent of the cats. Virtually the same proportion of surviving pets demanded more affection or became clingy and needy (61 percent of dogs and 62 percent of cats). Increases in whining and whimpering was less frequent, occurring 27 percent of the time in dogs. However, increased vocalizing was much more common in cats (43 percent). Roughly one in three dogs and cats reduced the amount of food they ate and the speed in which they ate it (35 percent in dogs and 31 percent in cats). Dogs were more likely to increase the amount of time that they spent sleeping (34 percent), which was less likely in cats (20 percent). The interesting thing is that these are all behaviors one might observe in a young human child experiencing grief and stress because of the loss of a human family member.

article continues after advertisement.

Two aspects of this data surprised me. The first is that the cats seem to show grief-like behaviors to the same extent as the dogs. The second is that the dogs seem to show an equal amount of grief-related behavioral changes when the animal companion they lost was a cat rather than another dog.

One particularly interesting finding is that some animal behaviorists believe that the grief response in dogs can be reduced if the animal has a chance to view their deceased companion's body. The idea is that this provides closure: The dog will understand that their companion is no longer alive and is not coming back. In the study, 58 percent of the dogs and 42 percent of the cats got to view the body of their companion. The majority (73 percent) took the time to sniff and investigate their deceased housemate. However, no one reported behavioral differences between the animals that saw, and those that did not see, a dead companion's body. This seems to confirm that dogs act very much like human children younger than four, in that they do not have a concept of death as a final and irrevocable separation. Instead, they simply feel the loss of the presence, friendship, and companionship of their loved one; that loss causes their stress and grief-like behaviors.

Source: Anna Baburkina/Shutterstock

The conclusion to draw from this study is that dogs and cats suffer from stress when a companion animal from their household dies. Because of this, they show behaviors which can be interpreted as grief. Further, a dog is just as likely to grieve over the loss of the household cat as it is for the loss of a companion dog.

From me Becky:

Give them extra attention, toys and treats.  Remove or put away all the toys played with prior to the death of their companion.  Anything to do with the scent on it from the companion that died should be put aside and new things brought into the home to bring in new scents and memories.  

And may I offer this suggestion if you lost your only pet.  The love that you had for them, doesn't go away...but the love can also be used to give to another.  The thing you notice...is the loneliness.  The dog not at your feet, no barking, no toys to pick up, no one to greet you when you come home..... it all makes the silence deafening!  Consider getting another pet that needs a good, loving home. 

ALL GOOD DOGS GO TO HEAVEN. RIGHT? ARE DO THEY STAY BEHIND AFTER DEATH AS A LOYAL COMPANION?

You think you feel something at the foot of your bed.  You feel something snuggling against your leg.  What is going on?  Could this REALLY be your beloved pet that has passed?  Of course it could!  We all have, more than likely, experienced the loss of a close member of the family....your pet.  If you are a pet owner, no matter what the pet....a dog, cat, bird or even snakes you develop a love for them that is unconditional.  On that bad day you had, they don't care.  The day you wrecked you car, you were still greeted with a long, wet lick in the face or when you are sobbing at that sad, sad last episode of Friends,  your "best friend" jumps in your lap and gives you THAT SWEET look of "it's going to ok".

So, what happens when we loose them?  We grieve and grieve.  This I know first hand, as I lost my little dog Holly very unexpectedly and everyday my I think about her.  I can barely look at a picture of her without breaking down.  But here's the deal.  I have seen her and I have felt her.  Do pets really have spirits that stay behind?  Some do.  Listen, sometimes when we see apparitions or ghosts it's because of a tragic event and the person doesn't know they are dead.  Or they have to make sure someone completes "their" journey.  And sometimes, it's just to help us with the grieving process.

Pets are different.  There is only one reason their spirit stays behind.  And that's YOU!  Our pets entire lives are built around us and being our companion.  Nothing makes a pet happier than pleasing their owner.  So, guess what?  When they die....that doesn't change. And let me tell, thanks goodness it doesn't!  

Me and Holly

The night Holly died I had gone to the store and I came home and found her dead by the door and I have always thought, if I hadn't gone to the store that night maybe I could have saved her.  Was she by the door waiting for me to return?  The guilt was and is as real as anything I have ever felt.  Holly used to sleep with me so I had her buried right by my bedroom window so that she could still "sleep close" to me.  Anyway, after that sad story, I can tell you that I heard Holly many nights walking in the hall like she used to do and I would see her literally running through the house.  I think Holly knew how much pain I was in and wanted to make it better...yes, even from the other side.  And guess what? EVERY TIME I saw her or heard her I would smile.  So, if you think you have lost your "best friend" that always had nothing but unconditional love for you, you haven't.  The shadow in hall or the dog toy that suddenly shows up out of know-where....just might be your "best friend" paying you a visit.

Now, I wanted to include an article written by Stanley Coren Ph D., that I just read that has nothing to do with ghosts, or ghost spirits, but it does have to do with death and how when we have more than one pet that the other pet grieves as well.  That's right.  Your other pet.  The one that will stare into the kitchen looking at the dog bowl as if they are seeing something.  Maybe they are!  But lets not forget them in this process.  They grieve as well.  And you know, as much as your pet loved you...they loved your other pet to.  So, it is no surprise that they would come back to say "hi" to them as well.  The article below talks about your pets grief.  I thought it was really good and just wanted to include it with this blog.

So, I guess what I am trying to say is...your beloved pet may still be around. So have some treats handy...

Do Dogs Grieve Over the Loss of an Animal Companion?

A poignant study confirms what many owners suspected about pets and grieving.

Posted Nov 10, 2016

• 

Source: John Perry photo — Creative Commons License

It's well-known that dogs form strong emotional bonds with members of their human family, and often suffer grief when a loved one dies or moves away. However, one might wonder if dogs suffer an equal sense of loss when an animal companion who has lived with them in the same home suddenly disappears. 

I recently visited the home of some friends who have always had Boston Terriers as their companion dogs, usually in pairs, and always in the traditional black and white coloration. Quite often, they also had a cat as a pet, which was usually black-and-white to match the dogs. I always felt that it was Violet's work as an interior decorator that compelled her to have color-coordinated pets. On this visit, I found only one dog in the house. Lou explained that in the course of a few months they had lost one of their Boston Terriers (Lily) and shortly thereafter their cat (Rosie). Lou went on to say, "Now we only have Daisy. She took the loss of Lily and Rosie pretty hard, so we are looking to get a puppy companion for her as soon as possible."
I sat down on the sofa where Violet was sitting with Daisy. She said:

"Daisy was really upset when Lily passed. She kept checking the places where Lily usually took her naps, and when she didn't find her she would whine or whimper. She also got really clingy and demanded a lot of affection from me. Things got better after a month or so but then Rosie, our cat, died. I was surprised to find that Daisy showed the same kinds of behaviors when she couldn't find Rosie. Daisy kept looking for her in her usual spots, began whimpering again, and seemed to want to be close to me. She even stopped eating as enthusiastically as she usually did, as though she had lost part of her appetite."

Although Daisy's behavior at the loss of her canine companion was familiar to me, I was a bit surprised to learn she showed signs of grief at the loss of the cat as well. However, a recent study published in the journal Animals attempts to catalog the behaviors of dogs and cats when they suffer the loss of an animal housemate, and what the study found suggests that Daisy's behavior is not atypical. The study was conducted by a team of researchers headed by Jessica Walker of the New Zealand Companion Animal Counsel who collected data pertaining to 159 dogs and 152 cats. The data consisted of questionnaire responses from pet owners in New Zealand and Australia who owned multiple pets at the same time and had lost one within the past five years. The pet owners were asked to recall how the surviving pet responded to the disappearance of their companion.

One of the most common behaviors observed in dogs was to continually check the places where their lost housemate normally napped or rested. This behavior was found in 60 percent of the dogs (regardless of whether the lost companion was a dog or a cat) and 63 percent of the cats. Virtually the same proportion of surviving pets demanded more affection or became clingy and needy (61 percent of dogs and 62 percent of cats). Increases in whining and whimpering was less frequent, occurring 27 percent of the time in dogs. However, increased vocalizing was much more common in cats (43 percent). Roughly one in three dogs and cats reduced the amount of food they ate and the speed in which they ate it (35 percent in dogs and 31 percent in cats). Dogs were more likely to increase the amount of time that they spent sleeping (34 percent), which was less likely in cats (20 percent). The interesting thing is that these are all behaviors one might observe in a young human child experiencing grief and stress because of the loss of a human family member.

article continues after advertisement.
 

Two aspects of this data surprised me. The first is that the cats seem to show grief-like behaviors to the same extent as the dogs. The second is that the dogs seem to show an equal amount of grief-related behavioral changes when the animal companion they lost was a cat rather than another dog.
One particularly interesting finding is that some animal behaviorists believe that the grief response in dogs can be reduced if the animal has a chance to view their deceased companion's body. The idea is that this provides closure: The dog will understand that their companion is no longer alive and is not coming back. In the study, 58 percent of the dogs and 42 percent of the cats got to view the body of their companion. The majority (73 percent) took the time to sniff and investigate their deceased housemate. However, no one reported behavioral differences between the animals that saw, and those that did not see, a dead companion's body. This seems to confirm that dogs act very much like human children younger than four, in that they do not have a concept of death as a final and irrevocable separation. Instead, they simply feel the loss of the presence, friendship, and companionship of their loved one; that loss causes their stress and grief-like behaviors.

Source: Anna Baburkina/Shutterstock

The conclusion to draw from this study is that dogs and cats suffer from stress when a companion animal from their household dies. Because of this, they show behaviors which can be interpreted as grief. Further, a dog is just as likely to grieve over the loss of the household cat as it is for the loss of a companion dog.

THE RUSSIAN SLEEP EXPERIMENT-THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF SLEEP YOU DREAM OF!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                 The Russian Sleep Experiment
                                              

What the hell????  I thought I had heard it all...... BUT obviously I have NOT!!!!!!!!!!  Have you ever heard of The Russian Sleep Experiment??? Man I hadn't and it is REALLY REALLY CREEPY !!!!

I surfer from insomnia, so when I saw this I was really intrigued!  But now, I think I many want to just "suck it up" and go to sleep!

Me and Tucker.  Close your eyes TUCKER!!!!!
 We don't need any sleep experiment here!

Here's the story......WHAT DO YOU THINK????


Back in the 1940s, a group of unethical Russian scientists performed a sleep deprivation experiment on a group of political dissidents that lead to a horrifying conclusion, or so the story goes. Is the story true or based upon a true story? Is it another object lesson on how a work of fiction can become urban legend? Lets take a look at the story of the Russian Sleep Experiment.

The story of the Russian Sleep Experiment is a work of fiction that can be found on the popular horror microfiction site called CreepyPasta. The particular story can be found here or here. The story relates a tale of a descent into madness for the victims of the experiment, as well as a number of elements which strongly imply paranormal or supernatural influences. Go have a quick read of it.

At the time of this writing, a Google search for “Russian Sleep Experiment” will net several results in which people assert that the story is true or that it is based on a true story. There are also some interesting variants or modifications on the story, for instance the stimulant gas is named in some accounts as “Nikolayev” gas or that the title is sometimes listed as “Orange Soda.” The earliest instance of the story I can find was on the CreepyPasta wiki in December 2010. You can see it here (via the Internet Archive). The archive page shows that the wiki entry was created by “Ovalh3” reportedly from /x/. /x/ is the paranormal section of the 4chan site. Unfortunately, the trail ran cold for me there as 4chan is regularly pruned and not archived (most of the fan archives don’t go back far enough).

There appears to have been a spike in interest and activity in the Russian Sleep Experiment sometime last year (2013). I expect that this is the time at which the story made the jump from a work of fiction to urban legend. Around that time, Snopes created an entry for the story, in which they determine it is false.

Much like the phenomenon of Alexandria’s Genesis, the Russian Sleep Experiment serves as a good example of how fictional work can, given the right context and credulity of reader, jump from a story to perceived fact.

So, how do I know the story isn’t true? Just because it’s on a horror fiction web site doesn’t mean that it isn’t true, right? Sure. There are a number of elements of the story that strongly increase my suspicion that it isn’t true. Spoilers for the story follow, if you are concerned.

The experimental setup doesn’t ring true for a legitimate, even if unethical, experiment. The chamber in which the subjects were housed would be far more observable. There are no control groups. Part of the story hinges on the requirement that the subjects become unobservable for some period of time, so that the reveal of their state can have more impact. If the purpose is to observe the effects of sleep deprivation, why allow the subjects to “hide” for so long? The author had to cover for that by adding in the oxygen consumption meters, so that they could verify the subject’s life and activity.

Medically, very little makes sense or seems consistent with what we know about human physiology. Blood loss alone would have ended the lives of the subjects long before the conclusion of the story. I am highly suspicious of any stimulant, gas or otherwise, that could overcome the desire to sleep. Browsing the literature on sleep deprivation studies (almost all animals) shows that chemical stimulants lose effectiveness over time. The only methods that seem to work involve physical measures, such as the “flower pot” method for rat studies.

The conclusion of the story is where the author tips their hand. It is common among the CreepyPasta-style stories to link in demons, extra-dimensional beings, ghosts, or the like to kick up a story’s horror angle. The closing scenes strongly hint of the paranormal, either through some demonic side of humanity or the use of extreme sleep deprivation as a method to access other worlds. The subjects, by all accounts, become like intelligent, super-strong, zombies, as a result of their ordeal. Or maybe it was that mysterious gas…

Sleep has been, and continues to be, heavily studied. Extreme sleep deprivation in all animal testing has resulted, ultimately, in the deaths of the animals. It has been shown that humans will also die of sleep deprivation, through the rare disorder fatal familial insomnia. According to this article, the longest recorded time without sleep for a human is 449 hours, over 18 days.

Sleep is a fascinating subject and the focus of over a century of study. As a chronic insomniac and as someone with sleep apnea, sleep is a major part of my life. I don’t expect to become a hyper-strong super creepy pseudo-zombie if I miss enough of it.

SIGNS FROM YOUR LOVED ONES-DO YOU NEED ONE???

Well, it's getting to be that time of year where people really start to miss their loved ones.  And especially those who have passed.  What is it about Christmas that makes us feel "extra" lonely or "extra" sad?  It is the thought of families coming together for food and fun and we feel like our families aren't complete because of the death of a loved one?

It's at times like these that we REALLY NEED a sign from our loved ones that "some how.....some way" they can still see us or connect with us.  So lets talk about that.

First, you need to know that your loved ones are always with you.  Let me say that again....YOUR LOVED ONES ARE ALWAYS WITH YOU!!!!  You are never alone and can talk to them anytime!
But yet, for some of us......we LONG for a sign...any little thing that would validate to us that they are still near.  Our family and friends actually communicate with us all the time, it's just we have to SEE it.  We may find something "out of place", hear a song, hear a voice or maybe even "feel" them touch us, but we chalk it up to coincidence.  Look, love is the energy that connects our physical world with the spirit world.  Signs are all around you.....just look.

There are many ways we can contact and communicate with spirits.  First of all, you have to ASK for a sign.  Ask your loved one to do something that you will know beyond a doubt that it is them sending you a message.  Look try this.  Sounds silly, but it is an easy way for our loved ones to send you a message.  Pick a song, a song that maybe was your favorite and ask that you hear it on a particular day...like....Please, I want to hear Love Me Tender by Elvis and I want to hear it tomorrow. And see what happens.  My money is on.....you'll hear the song!!!!

It can be something simple like a favorite picture on the wall and ask that your loved one tilt it for you.  Give it a couple days, and see what happens.  Also, ask to find a penny, dime, a quarter...some kind of coin.  Be sure to pay attention where you find it though, because more than likely it has a meaning.

So, a quick story about someone who found a "penny" and beyond a shadow of a doubt now knows it was from her departed husband.  So, out of the blue....I felt a very strong feeling to call a lady that I had done an investigation for and we had gotten evidence that her deceased husband was there.  I had not spoken with her in a few months but texted her and just said "hey, just had you on my mind".  She was super excited to hear from me, which made me feel good. Now, let me just be clear...I don't claim to be psychic but I think after talking to the dead all the time, I have developed a bit of psychic ability....which we all have by the way.  Anyway, she asked me "Becky do you feel anything today?  Anything to do with my husband?"  First, I was a little confused because I didn't, I really did not FEEL anything other than....I just knew I wanted to get in touch with her.  I am going to change the real names and use Beth as the lady and John as her husband just to make it easier.

I said, "Beth not really, why?"  My mouth dropped when she told me "today is mine and John's anniversary".  Man!!!  I did not know that!!!  That really made me feel CONNECTED to Beth like there was something ELSE (besides calling her) that I needed to do.  She ask me "Are you picking up on anything".  So I told her Beth I'm not psychic but I will try.  So, I got very quite and tried to concentrate  and ask her to send me a picture of John so I could see him and she did.  I know it sounds crazy but I just started hearing him.  He told me to tell her "the picture was for her".  I didn't know WHAT picture he was talking about BUT she did.  She said her granddaughter was doing a project and came across a picture of John that Beth had not seen before.  But he was very happy in the picture which made her feel good and smile.

Ok...here's where it gets good!!! I kept hearing "TELL HER ABOUT THE PENNY!!!!  YOU HAVE TO MENTION THE PENNY!!!!!   And in my head I am thinking...penny????  What kind of message is that???  Don't you want to tell her you love and miss her????  LOUD AND CLEAR.....I heard...almost in a bossy way......THE PENNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Ok.....Ok....Ok... I finally thought.  So in my most sympathetic voice....because Beth obviously was very sad on this her anniversary date.  I said "Beth, I am sorry.....but I keep hearing Ask her about the penny????"  "I don't know what that means but maybe you will."  It was COMPLETE SILENCE on the other end of the line.  Now, I'm thinking....what happened.....why is Beth not talking.  Finally, I heard her sobbing!!!!  I said "Beth are you ok?"  And she said in an ever so softly voice....I know EXACTLY what that means.....and it makes me SO HAPPY and it is exactly what I needed to know that John was with me".

Then she went on to say that she had moved from her and John's home into another house.  She had packed up the kitchen stuff herself and boxed them up.  A couple of weeks ago, when she was unpacking....she opened a box that had some large bowls in it.  And in the center of one of the bowls was a penny.  She said she had NO IDEA where it came from or how it got in the box.  She had packed it herself and there was no penny in it.

Anyway, it was a great day for the both of us.....I was able to help Beth and she was so grateful with her sign.

Ok....anyway, back to other signs.  Ask that you find a feather, ask that you see a rainbow, ask your loved one to visit you in your dreams.....just something that you could connect with.  Here's the deal.  First you have to ASK...then you have to HAVE FAITH, BE PATIENT, NOTICE THE SIGNS and most of all.....be sure to THANK them for the sign or communication.

Look....I know sometimes we can't help but be sad and lonely over the loss of a loved one....and that's what is suppose to happen during the grieving process and sometimes long after.  But if your struggling with RECEIVING a sign....why not GIVE a sign.  That's right...it is the season for GIVING AND RECEIVING right?  So, put up a special ornament in your love ones name, make them their favorite dish, plant a tree or maybe.......maybe.........just SMILE and say I love You out loud.  I think you will be surprised how good it will make you feel to remember someone and GIVE THEM a sign.

And by the way, many of us may also deeply, grieve for our pets.  Guess what???  They know how to give signs to.  Ask them to lay on the bed or couch with you, move their favorite toy or maybe run in front of you (of course, don't trip on them. LOL) of course, you may see them in shadow form.

And listen, you are NEVER alone...give me shout.....I'll be glad to give you a SIGN that someone is right there with you. :)

LIBERTY HALL 1796- WHAT DID YOU SEE???

Senator John Brown built the hauntingly beautiful Liberty Hall in 1796.  It remained in the Brown family for generation before being willed to the Colonial Dames of America in 1955.  This home turned museum has since been a staple of Kentucky's history.  But who this the illustrious "Lady in Gray" that so many visitors to Liberty Hall have witnessed seeing?  Margaretta van Varrick, also known as Margaret, was the aunt of John Brown's wife, whose assistance was requested after a death in the family.  Sadly, only days after her arrival, Margaretta died of a heart attack.  Her remains were buried in a small family plot located on the property.  But later when the plot was relocated, Mararetta's body was lost.

Soon after, the first reports of a ghostly apparition referred to as "The Lady in Gray" began.  The first to report the sighting was Rebecca (great name don't ya think? lol), a visitor to Liberty Hall who stayed the night in Margaretta's old bedroom.  She awoke with a start to find a woman standing next to the fireplace.  She was so terrified she hid beneath her covers.  When she regained her courage, she stole a peek, but the woman was gone.  She's vanished into thin air.  Many visitors who have slept in the haunted bedroom have had similar experiences.  Other visitors to the museum have reported seeing "The Lady in Gray" peering out of the upstairs windows.  A skeptical college professor in search of an explanation for the odd occurrences stayed overnight.  To his surprise he was awakened by a gentle touch upon his shoulder and confronted by the transparent image of a woman smiling down at him.  The professor's perception of the paranormal was changed that night, by "The Lady in Gray".

THE MILLS CEMETERY, GARLAND, TX-WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS FAMILY IS UNTHINKABLE!-RE-POST

I wanted to do a re-post on the Mills Cemetery just because I really like this place and I really liked the spirits I encountered here.  Also, it reminded me of the devastation that Canton, Tx experienced this last week-end.  The small community of Canton which is about an hour East of Dallas was destroyed by an F4 Tornado which stayed on the ground for 51 miles!!!  In its path it crossed the small town as well as a major highway where cars were completely caught off guard.

This is a small community with limited resources so please if you can find a way to help the people of Canton, please do and keep them in your prayers.
To donate

Thank you in advance and enjoy this weeks post. :)

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The Mills Cemetery, Garland, Tx

The Smiley's

Mills Cemetery, Garland, Tx

I am going just a little off course today, I was going to write about "How spirits help us" and I plan on posting that later this week, but today I want to write about a cemetery and in particular the gravesite of the Smiley family.  One of my viewers wrote and told me about this place last year and it has become one of my most poplar stories with the most comments. Until this past weekend I had not been there myself.

When I first drove up, I thought it was a very pretty, little area, but I had never been to a place that the road runs between TWO different cemeteries side by side before.  But this one does!  On one side, is the supposedly the haunted Mills Cemetery and just to the other side is the Garland Cemetery.  I thought this was a bit odd but....you know....whatever. :)

I went there all alone and now I am really glad I did.(As you will see).  I pulled down into the cemetery and parked the car.  I can tell you from the moment I opened the door and stepped out of the car, I felt a peaceful feeling come over me, which I DIDN'T expect...... because THIS is suppose to be a really ACTIVE HAUNTED cemetery.  I can remember thinking to myself....well this isn't SCARY......it's really nice.



  

As I got out my equipment, I began walking across the cemetery and found the Smiley site fairly easy.  Now, let me tell you what I have heard about the Smiley family.  One story is...... that Mr. Smiley went crazy and killed his entire family then himself and now he wonders the cemetery at night looking for his next victim.  Another story is that if you lay down on the ground in front of the headstone on Halloween you won't be able to get up or you will feel Mr. Smiley grabbing you trying to pull you down.  And then there is the story.....that back on May 9, 1927 the Smiley family came to their untimely death when a tornado tore through Garland which was devastating and is now referred to as the great "Garland Cyclone".  Seventeen people were dead and five of them from the same family......The Smiley's.

                                                                    

So I sat my recorder and flashlight on top of the tombstone and sat down in front of the Smiley's with my Dr. Pepper in hand and began just talking to the family.  I had EXCELLENT flashlight communication and not anything I think  is really to impressive on EVP's but I am going to go over my data again and will let you know if I find something else.  Here is a brief clip of my flashlight session with THE GIRLS(daughters).  Now, I don't want to hear ONE comment on the singing..... It was just me and the girls at this point....I wanted to do something with JUST them because I feel maybe lots of questions are directed to Mr. and Mrs. Smiley.  I did ask Mr. Smiley if it "upset him" about the things written about him and I even read him three articles written on his family.  The response was very clearly a "YES" it upset him about the bad things he had supposedly done.  I also found out Mrs. Smiley is VERY close to her daughters and loves to cook. :) 

v=1YAzurvKouohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YAzurvKouo

Now, I have ALWAYS been honest with my readers and I try to tell it "like it is" or at least the way I see it........so I am going to do that again.  Guys....and gals.....lol.....we ALL want to have a great paranormal experience BUT in the process we have to get the FACTS right!!!  I feel compelled to say this (especially after my session with MR. SMILEY).....people by no fault of their own....easily repeat what they hear......such as......that ol' house on the hill is sooooo haunted because you can see lights in it at night....when the REAL story is YES you do see lights in the house at night because a family bought the house and are doing repairs at night and don't have the electricity turned on yet.....or........don't go there because the BIG EVIL GHOST will get you!!!!  Anyway....you get my point.  Here are the FACTS on the Smiley family as I know them.  The Father, Mother and three daughters did die in a tornado on May 9, 1927 while they slept in the early morning hours around 3am.  One daughter did survive.  That's it folks.  That's the story.  So, I am putting myself in the families shoes.  I wouldn't like people going around saying that a relative of mine MURDERED his family and then KILLED himself when the painful true is soooo different.  So, lets be respectful of that. A good Ghost Hunter reports his/her finding based on facts NOT Legends.   IF Mr. Smiley wonders the cemetery at night......it is my guess it's NOT because he is looking for his next victim.......it is because it's a WONDERFUL place to take a night stroll and enjoy the fresh air. :) That's MY TWO CENTS :)



Rest in Peace and thanks for the visit.



ARE PEOPLE STILL FAMOUS WHEN THEY DIE???

First, I want to say what a BIG LOSS we suffered this week with the death of the music legend Prince.  His music was loved by all ages and even though he sometimes may have been perceived  as a "little strange"... well....wouldn't you if you had to live the lifestyle he had? May you Rest in Peace Prince and may heaven be the most beautiful PURPLE RAIN you have ever seen!

So, with the loss of Prince, how many of you wonder....when people who are famous die, are they STILL famous in the afterlife????

IT'S ELVIS!!! ELVIS!!! Do you think the female spirits in the afterlife got excited that Elvis Presley was coming?  And do you think the guy spirits had their tongues hanging out when they figured out Marilyn Monroe was coming their way???  The probing question is ARE THEY STILL FAMOUS AFTER THEY DIE???  I hate to burst your bubbles...but when a famous person dies....they become just like everyone else!  Just spirits.  It's not like spirits grab one another and say "OMG!!!! Guess who I saw today"? LOL   

Do their spirits linger around the places they loved.....of course!  Just  like other spirits, they haunt a location..... because of some sort of connection.... because they loved it, they are watching over loved ones, or maybe because they left this earth so suddenly they don't even know they are dead, so they do the same things they always done...sing on stage, act in a theater, whatever it was..... they do it because they LOVED IT!. 
 

Now, for us....the living.....sometimes I think because people are soooo desperately wanting to see a celebrity.....even AFTER they die(for us the living).......we still idealize that person.   That is why I think people still gather at the places celebrities lived, where they hung out or where they died.    I don't  think that being a celebrity makes them more or less likely to be seen as a spirit.  I DO THINK that just like with our family and friends we feel very connected to a celebrity because we see them so much on TV, at concerts, etc........they just become a BIG part of our lives and sometimes it is hard for us to get over someone we love dying.  

 

Elvis Presley The King of Rock n' Roll still haunts his former mansion, Graceland, as well as the Heartbreak Hotelacross the street from it in Memphis, Tennessee. Sightings of the late singer have also been seen by stagehands at the Las Vegas Hilton.

A recording studio in Nashville. Below are pictures I took at Elvis's birth place (little house with swing) and the little church that he said played such an instrumental part in his music career. The rest are the inside of the house where Elvis grew up.   Thought you guys might like to see the inside.  I did not see Elvis, nor did I even catch an orb in either of these locations, BUT I can tell you.... being here you could just FEEL his  presence and that alone was enough for me.  If you ever get the chance to go to Tupelo Mississippi don't pass this bye.

 

The King of rock n’ roll is one busy spirit! Presley is known to haunt Graceland as well as appearing to stagehands in his famous white sequined getup at the Vegas Hilton, where he used to hold frequent performances back in the 1970s. Elvis has also made a ghostly appearance at the old RCA recording studios from the 1950s, which is the site where he recorded his first hit ‘Heartbreak Hotel.’ Even though it’s not a recording studio anymore, the building is still used as a TV studio for music-related productions. Many workers have reported strange occurrences anytime someone brings up Elvis, such as unexplained noises on the sound system and the lights going out.


Marilyn Monroe the blonde starlet is known to haunt the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood and likes to scare the bejeezus out of poor unsuspecting guests by appearing to them in a full-length mirror. This ghost also gets around too: she’s been spotted hanging out by her tomb in the Westside Memorial Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. The belief that ghosts like to appear in the place where they passed away seems to be true in her case: Marilyn has also made her ghostly presence known in the very house where she fatally overdosed on sleeping pills in what the coroner would go on to call a “probable suicide.”

Lucille Ball one of my all time favorites and the one I ALWAYS have to watch after if I watch a scary movie,  seems to still be at home.   Owners of the house where the ‘I Love Lucy’ stuff passed away at the age of 77 complain that there have been spooky happenings: broken windows, furniture rearranging itself and items that disappear and reappear to be mysteriously found later on in the day. Also, they say that it sounds like there’s a party going on in the attic: loud voices are often heard as if they were talking over loud music.

So, listen...IF I am wrong....and you get to Heaven before me....get Elvis Presley's autograph for me and have it made out to "Becky, the Best Ghost Hunter EVER!!!" LOL

Now, very quickly, off the subject...there are some bad, bad storms predicted for tonight for parts of the US.  Please pay close attention to the changing weather conditions and take cover if needed.  BUT don't forget to take your laptop, or Ipad so you can read my blog while you wait for the storm to pass. LOL
 

NICOLAS MCCABE, NINE YEARS OLD KILLED IN AN F5 TORNADO. HIS FATHER SAYS HIS SPIRIT IS STILL HERE AND HE HAS PROOF!!!

We are having bad weather here in Texas this week, so I thought I would write about ghosts victims of Tornados.  Does a natural disaster cause more ghosts to hand around?  Well that would appear to be the case. 

Tornado Victim Ghosts
On May 22, 2011, an F5 tornado struck Joplin, MO and surrounding regions. Over 150 people died, but one family believes some of the victims have yet to move on.

In an episode of Syfy’s Haunted Collector, the Wilson family in Joplin share tales of the paranormal. The family noticed that each time they took a photo of an old mirror in their home, different lines and shapes appeared on the glass. An EVP session conducted during a paranormal investigation also yielded a faint voice and shuffling sounds on the stairwell. The noises came in response to a question about the 2011 tornado. A Joplin author claims that many first responders noticed paranormal activity in their homes after helping tornado victims. The homeowner, Bob Wilson, assisted with the rescue. Did he attract the attention of a ghost?

Last May, another F5 tornado tore through Moore, OK, killing 24 people, including nine children at school. Nine-year-old Nicholas McCabe was one of the kids who died that day, but Scott McCabe, Nicolas’s father, believes his son is still around.

The elder McCabe told an Oklahoma news station that Nicolas appeared in a photo taken on the 4th of July (below). The girl in the photo is Nicolas’s cousin Madison, but the blurred face behind her is Nicolas, or so his family believes.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Scott said. “Nicolas loved the Fourth of July and he loved firecrackers. My brother, when he saw it, he said the hair stood up on his neck.”

Though some people believe the numerous, and often sudden, deaths caused by natural disasters lead to widespread hauntings, Thai psychologist and media commentator Wallop Piyamanotham offers a different explanation:

“This is a type of mass hallucination that is a cue to the trauma being suffered by people who are missing so many dead people, and seeing so many dead people, and only talking about dead people.”
What do you believe?