Homo Species - Sasquatch Connection?

There has been quite a bit of speculation on the possibility that Sasquatch could be a surviving species of early human. I have learned that you never say never or that something is impossible when dealing with biological organisms or nature in general. So let us now look at the facts as they currently exist.

We know that, at least in North America, what we consider to be bi-pedal, non-human primates are rather large. Those allegedly seen in the Northwest have tended to be described as larger than their other counterparts across the continent. Sizes have varied depending on region, gender, and age. Descriptions of males typically make them larger and females have reportedly been seen with juveniles. Features such as skin color (light to almost black), hair color, and amount of facial hair also run the gamut. These are all similar traits and variations seen in humans. The problem is the reported sheer mass and height of these creatures. Regardless of gender, they all (adults) are reported to be massive and far larger than humans. So nothing new here for Squatchers/Bigfooters and other cryptid fans.

What we now have to look at are known physical characteristics of ancient humans (Homo spp.) based on specimens that are currently available. Homo habilis (Handy Man) lived in Eastern and Southern Africa from 2.4 to 1.4 million years ago. The average height for H. habilis was 3' 4" to 4' 5" (100-135 cm) and estimated weight was about 70 pounds (32 kg). It would have taken a major feat of evolution for Handy Man to have become Sasquatch. Homo floresiensis (The Hobbit) lived in Asia (Indonesia) around 95,000 to 17,000 years ago. The only data are on a female with an estimated height of 3' 6" (106 cm) and an estimated weight of 66 pounds (30 kg). While geographically closer to North America than H. habilis and more recent on the timeline, the Hobbit would still have needed an evolutionary miracle to have become Sasquatch. Homo erectus (Upright Man- the first known early human to have similar physical characteristics to modern humans) lived in Northern, Southern, and Eastern Africa, Europe, as well as Asia (Dmanisi, Republic of Georgia, China, Indonesia) about 1.89 million to 143,000 years ago. The average height for H. erectus was 4' 9" to 6' 1" (145-185 cm) and an average weight of 88-150 pounds (40-68 kg). Fossil remains of this species indicate a wide range and variation in height and weight but give no indication of gender. What is interesting is that the fossils found in Africa were larger than their Asian counterparts. H. erectus was geographically close to North America and was one of the largest of the ancient humans. Homo heidelbergensis (Heidelberg Man) lived in Europe, Eastern and Southern Africa, and potentially China about 700,000 to 200,000 years ago. The average height of H. heidelbergensis was 5' 9" (175 cm) for males and 5' 2" (157 cm) for females with weights averaging 136 pounds (62 kg) for males and 112 pounds (51 kg) for females. Again, one of the larger ancient humans with close geographical locations to North America. Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthal) is the closest modern human relative and lived in Europe and Central Asia from 200,000 to 28,000 years ago. The average height of Neanderthals was 5' 5" (164 cm) for males and 5' 1" (155 cm) for females with average weight of 143 pounds (65 kg) for males and 119 pounds (54 kg) for females. H. neanderthalensis was the mid-size model of early humans and was certainly geographically positioned close to North America. Homo rudolfensis is a wildcard in the evolution of early humans. There is very little known about this species and scientists are unsure if it should be in the genus of Homo or should be classified as an Australopithecine. H. rudolfensis was originally catagorized as Homo habilis but the face, brain case, molar and premolar teeth are much larger. Homo rudolfensis lived in Eastern Africa 1.9 to 1.8 million years ago. We do not know the height and weight of this species due to lack of fossil evidence.

So, having considered the evolution of early humans, would it be possible for any of them to be the elusive Sasquatch? I am completely open to any evidence, pro or con. DNA analyses show that Sasquatch may be the mid-way point between chimpanzees and humans. This has given rise to the idea that Sasquatch is a hybrid species with maternal human DNA and paternal DNA from some other early/sub human or primate source. This has led to claims that this unknown DNA was from Homo erectus or Homo heidelbergensis. Because DNA degrades over time, sequencing from many of the earlier humans has been unsuccessful so there is no conclusive evidence at this time. There are some similarities between these early humans and Sasquatch. H. erectus still had a mid-tarsal break and a sagittal crest around 300,000 years ago. Early humans also had larger and more pronounced brow ridges and other facial features, just as Sasquatch is reported to have. There are also variations in overall size in early humans, modern humans, and Sasquatch (as well as other Sasquatch "cousins"). And one other thing to consider as far as variations within species- there is always the possibility of the extreme in gene expression or mutations. This explains why incidents of dwarfism and gigantism occur (and to qualify this, yes there are also diseases/conditions which can cause these as well) within species, populations, or even families and could be a possible reason for the overall size and shear mass of Sasquatch or the smaller and slighter build of a few of its cousins around the world.

We are closer than ever before in solving this mystery and yet still so far away.

Creature Weekend 2014

It is that time again!

The Third Annual Creature Weekend takes place May 16-18, 2014 at Salt Fork State Park Lodge and Conference Center in Cambridge, Ohio. Creature Weekend is Ohio's premier Cryptozoology Conference.

Speakers this year will be: John Mionczynski, Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Bill Munns, Tim Stover, and Doug Waller.

There will be a whole host of topics, presentations, and activities covering mysterious cryptids from all over the world.

Ticket Prices are discounted if purchased online.

For more information go to: http://www.creatureweekend.com/

Contact Kel Varnsen at: kelvarnsen@creatureweekend.com

Hope to see you there!

Jeremy Wade at Lake Champlain?

Jeremy Wade of Animal Planet's River Monsters was seen at Lake Champlain. Cryptid Chronicles blogged about it back in June of 2012. Could Jeremy be preparing to search for Champ or was he just on holiday? After all, he traveled to Scotland in search of Nessie for last season's finale and most watched River Monsters episode ever "Legend of Loch Ness." We will be waiting to see when and if a Champ episode airs on River Monsters.

Fish On!

Jeremy Wade at Loch Ness

Image Credit: DCL and animalplanet.com

APCR and SWVA Expedition 2013

APCR and Sasquatch Watch of Virginia had the 2013 Expedition in September. It was a 4 day expedition that took place at one of our remote wilderness hot spots in Virginia.

Here is the Sasquatch Watch Radio Show episode where I discuss the expedition with SWVA Founder and Director Billy Willard and Creature Seeker. As an added bonus, Creature Seeker shares details of his Mothman Festival trek with the audience.

Enjoy!

Check Out Paranormal Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with SasquatchWatch Radio on BlogTalkRadio

Kristen Hawes

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Hawes Family.

Oklahoma: We Are With You

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the folks in Oklahoma. Please help or donate if you can. And remember, there are also many pets and other animals that have been injured and displaced due to this tragic event.

Snow, Solstice, and Full Moon Eclipse

The last hours of fall are waning and what has become the "official" first day of winter is upon us. The Winter Solstice (sometimes called Mid-Winter or Yule) will arrive in just a few hours. In ancient times, this important day marked the half-way point of the winter and brought with it the promise of the lengthening of daylight hours and the time of planting. It is a celebration of surviving the harsh winter, letting go of the old, and welcoming the new.

I have plenty of snow on the ground again this year- perfect for the holiday season. Tonight the heavens will put on a rare show that will create unbelievable beauty on the white, fluffy drifts that are visible across my fields. I am speaking, of course, of the total eclipse of the full moon tonight. The moon will darken to a coppery red and cast its light across the snow in an unforgettable show of nature's brilliance. What an event on the Winter Solstice!

Here is the NASA timeline of the eclipse and all times given are for the Eastern Time Zone. It starts on December 21, 2010 at 1:33 am and totality is at 2:41 am. The best view will be at 3:17 am.

Enjoy!

Cool and Creepy: Big Dog Fits the Bill

I was just playing around on YouTube (actually looking for cool wild animal attacks- don't ask) and came across several videos of "Big Dog." Cujo you say? No, not exactly. Nothing supernatural or paranormal, but definitely futuristic in a cool and creepy way. The beauty of having your own blog is that you can write about pretty much whatever you want. While the blog is dedicated to the paranormal and the cryptozoological, I think this piece will more than fulfill the criteria for strange.

Even though Big Dog sort of creeped me out in a fascinating way, I could not help but watching the videos several times- sort of like watching a train wreck. You just cannot look away. This robot is unbelievable and if you did not know better, you would swear that it was an actual biologic- a living creature. Of course the implications of this machine are far-reaching for everything from military missions to maybe someday being used by hikers and campers. I know that I want one. Although I am sure that the actual price tag for something like this would be well beyond what the average person could ever afford- I shutter to think!

Anyway, take a look at the video. It speaks for itself. If anyone has some advanced knowledge of Big Dog and its technology, by all means, please post it.

Bigfoot Sighted....Everywhere?

I was watching a popular paranormal show a few weeks back and was amazed at the comment made by one of the folks on the show. This person was absolutely stunned and amazed that Bigfoot/Sasquatch has been sighted and encountered in places other than the Pacific Northwest. Really. This comment astonished me in that anyone who is in this business knows that these cryptids have been seen all over the world, not to mention all over the U.S.

Bi-pedal primates have been seen all over the U.S. and Canada for centuries. Relatives of the North American specimens have been seen all over the world. These creatures had been seen and encountered long before the famous Patterson/Gimlin film ever hit the public and our fascination with them turned into scientific research. Sightings and encounters from across the country date back to the earliest written records of European and colonial settlements. Stories and legends of the creatures from the native tribes go back even farther.

Contrary to popular beliefs, the East Coast is not so heavily populated outside of the urban/suburban areas. There are many areas within the Appalachians and their valleys that remain wild and secluded. There are also many swamps and marshes along the coast that could hide virtually any species. We receive steady numbers of reports here in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. These reports not only come from recent sightings and encounters, but from people who are recalling incidents from many years ago and are just now willing to come forward.

APCR and Sasquatch Watch of Virginia have year-round active research and investigations. We have specific areas that we have deemed hot-spots due to reports and/or our own experiences. We have different research techniques that are currently being employed in an effort to communicate with and collect evidence of these creatures and have experienced some successes. There are also individuals outside of the research field who have claimed to have habitualization scenarios taking place in which they say they have established contact and trust with and actively provide food for these North American primates.

In any event, there is no doubt that these creatures have habitat suitable to them all across North America. A simple search on the internet can provide a wealth of information, photos, and videos about our larger-than-life subjects (just be careful they are not hoaxes!). Just be sure to do your homework and get the facts straight before making presentations, especially in front of millions of people.

Eastern State Pets....

Everyone in the paranormal community knows about Eastern State Penitentiary and its infamous otherworldly residents. Many of us have been there and experienced the landmark firsthand. While the structure and its ghosts get all the fame and media attention, the critters who were past residents and the ones who currently reside there rarely get even a small mention.

The current resident "pets" are the bats that reside in the area and within the buildings. They love to "buzz" investigators as they make their way through the cell blocks. It is almost as if they enjoy getting as close as they can while homing in on the many flying insects that they seek. It can be very entertaining, especially if you get folks who are screamers and are afraid of them.

Billed as a notable inmate, "Pep" the dog was allegedly sentenced and imprisoned for life at ESP in 1924 by then Pennsylvania Governor, Gifford Pinchot. Pep was alleged to be a most heinous criminal and was deemed "The Cat-Murdering Dog." It was reported that he had killed the beloved cat of Mrs. Pinchot, Governor Pinchot's wife. Whether or not this is true, no one really knows for sure. Pep did have his mugshot taken with his very own inmate number. He even had his own "cell" at the prison which is part of the walking tour there. According to the plaque that tells Pep's story, there were never any official prison records to validate the story. Could he have been a pet of one of the guards? A stray that prison officers "adopted?" Or could this have been a light-hearted prank played out by the prison workers? It is hard to say. One thing is for sure; Pep has been immortalized along with the other famous inmates.

With the closing of the prison in 1971, the human inhabitants moved on. With its grounds and buildings now quiet, ESP became home to some new four-legged residents- the cat colony. Neighborhood strays moved in and the grounds became the perfect habitat for them. It provided them with plenty of rodents and other feline favorites to catch and consume at their leisure. Over the years the colony grew and the cats began to show a uniformity in their conformations. Dan McCloud, known as "Dan the Cat Man" cared for the cats for 28 years. In later years, the cats were trapped by the local Spayed Club in 1993 and all were either spayed or neutered. By 2003, the population ceased to exist with the deaths of the last remaining animals.

Artist Linda Brenner pays tribute to the cats and to Dan McCloud with her art installation at the prison entitled The Ghost Cats. 36 white-casted spectres "roam" and "lounge" throughout the prison and along its ominous walls and grounds. The "cats" can be quite startling if you are not aware of them as they look quite real at first glance. It is a challenge to find all 36 as they are placed in some very precarious places on occasion. When I spoke to one of the staff members there during our recent investigation, she told me that they move them periodically so they may not ever be in the same place twice. The casts were made to look exactly like the original colony cats, modeled with their same body types. The exhibit is a testament to the compassion of Dan the Cat Man and to the survival instincts of his beloved cats.

Website Changes

I have been constantly changing and fine-tuning the APCR website. During this week I have made some major changes not only in content, but to the look of the site as well. It will remain a work in progress. I have added a Membership page and we are now accepting resumes and applications. Stop by and browse through the site. I will be adding photos soon. Click on the site link above.

Let's Visit the Cemetery

Have you ever taken the time to really explore a cemetery? Not your thing, huh? Too creepy? Weird? Okay, then I am creepy and weird because I love to hang out in cemeteries. Not just for paranormal reasons, but because cemeteries are art and history museums of sorts. Many are architectural and horticultural wonders as well. They are the perfect places were the past meets the present and sometimes they even offer glimpses of the future.

Here in Virginia it is illegal to be in a cemetery after dark without permission. Before you visit one in your area, make sure that you are there legally. That happens to be a major rule for my team- if you trespass in a cemetery, you are off the team. Okay, enough of the disclaimers and the legal spiel.

My favorite time to visit cemeteries is, of course, fall. Fall just makes the atmosphere that much better. I like to look for the oldest graves and headstones as they are generally the most interesting. They often even state the cause of death and have the most ornate carvings and sometimes quotes or sayings about the person. Knowing the history of the area can also help you find cases of multiple deaths from disease outbreaks, major accidents, or disasters. Family plots and crypts are also fascinating. Just to see the multiple generations buried or entombed side by side is interesting in and of itself.

Something we have been doing is daytime IR photography in cemeteries. It gives a whole new perspective on the monuments, sculptures, and stones. These photos do not even require captions or explanations. They speak volumes about their subject matter.

I visited a small church cemetery last year that was quite interesting. The church had long since been torn down and the most recent graves were from the 1940s. It was small, less than half the size of a football field. The local historical society had rescued and recovered it from years of neglect and overgrowth. Many of the stones had been damaged by vandals, tree roots, and time. The graves had long been forgotten and because many of the stones were out of place, they had no way of knowing which one went where. They came up with an idea to still display the stones. They made walkways with them by intermingling them among paving stones and cobblestones. Maybe not the most ideal method of preservation, but it did serve as a memorial of sorts.

It is also fascinating to see the similarities and differences in cemeteries from region to region and country to country. Some of the most awesome ones are the "old world" types that so often come to mind when we think of our favorite horror flicks. Many of those across Europe contain the victims of plagues and epidemics of proportions many of us have never even imagined, much less seen. Those like St. Louis in New Orleans have their residents in above ground crypts and vaults, away from the danger of their swampy environments, but much closer to the living.

One final thought to leave you with: regardless of our status, wealth, fame, or place in life, we all end up in the same place eventually.

Do You Ever Get Scared?

Over the years people have asked me all sorts of questions about being in the paranormal field and doing what we do. I have been chasing the paranormal for 40 years, long before it was cool or fashionable to be doing so. It has just been a part of life for me. I decided to do a "Q & A" with myself and use a few of these questions. For my other colleagues in the field, these probably look very familiar as well.

Do you ever get scared?
I can honestly say that I do not get scared. I have been startled on occasion, but that keeps things interesting.

Have you ever been touched by ghost?
Yes. I have been touched, pushed, hit, scratched, had my hair touched or pulled, grabbed, and so on. I have also gotten physically ill or had physical pain for no apparent reason.

Do you encounter demons?
My encounters with what could be classified as a "true demon" have been rare. I have most often encountered very nasty spirits who are extremely angry or just evil. There have been occasions when I have come across elementals that were not very nice or were very negative and oppressive.

Why do you do this kind of thing?
The main reason is that I want answers. I also want to help those who may be frightened of what is happening in their homes. I want to be able to give them answers and help them understand. I also want to help the entities who may be lost or confused. They may want to move on and not know how. Sometimes they are afraid or do not understand what has happened to them.

Why do you do this for free?
It would be very cool to actually get paid for doing something I enjoy and have fun at. Maybe some day we can all get paid for what we do. In the meantime, I do it for the satisfaction. Many clients who need my help are not able to afford to pay. I feel that I have been given a unique gift and need to use it for a higher purpose than just making money.

How do you feel about people who do not believe?
I learned a long time ago that it is not up to me to convince anyone or turn them into believers. I can only collect and present credible, legitimate evidence and data. Everyone has to make their own decisions as to whether or not they believe it. Many people will never be believers and others may not become believers until they have their own experiences.

These are just a few of the questions that I get asked. I may address some more in future posts. Do you have any questions you would like me to answer? Post a reply.

Until next time......

New Poll

Who is your choice for the hottest male investigator/researcher? Make sure you vote today!

Ghost Stories from Sleepy Hollow- Second Installment

We are getting ever so closer to Halloween! There is that feeling in the air...the veil continues to thin. As we continue on with our daily work of harvesting crops and preparing for the winter ahead, we cannot help but think about the stories and experiences in Sleepy Hollow...............

Just on the back part of the farm, there is a neighboring property that is also of considerable size. My husband and his family know every inch of that place as well as they have often hunted on it and helped the owners with farm work as well. Although it has long since fallen down and been hauled away, the original farmhouse and springhouse once stood just across the property line. There was nothing extraordinary or fancy about the old house; it was just the typical utilitatian structure built by many farmers of the period. It was plain and white with a modest covered porch on the front and the springhouse stood about fifty yards off to the side. Now I never got to see the old place, but my husband and his family remember it very vividly.

Of course this particular story takes place during the fall as well; during hunting season again to be exact. It was about mid-day, but in this area of the property the surrounding woods are quite thick. This tends to block out much of the sunlight even on the brightest of days. Since this part of the property is some distance from the house, the men had gathered at this spot to have a bite to eat. They had carried jerky, cheese, and crackers that day so they settled in to talk about the the morning's hunt and what they planned for that afternoon. They were sitting about fifty to sixty yards from this old farmhouse and not really paying much attention to it at that point. At least not until they heard a banging sound coming from that direction.

Now there was no breeze at that moment and not much of anything or anyone around except my inlaws and a few songbirds among the trees. They did not think much about the banging sound in the beginning, at least not until it became annoying. As they began to watch the old house, the ricketty old screen door would periodically open and bang shut just as if someone were passing through it. Now this would not be something that anyone would give much thought to normally. You could just attribute it to the wind and move on. Only as I had mentioned earlier, there was no wind. The men just watched the activity for a few minutes before they decided to walk down and take a look at what could be causing it. There was always the possibility that some kids could be playing a prank.

They finished up their meager meal and started to gather up their belongings when the old door opened again. This time was different. It opened much slower and closed as if it had been handled by a gentle hand. Now from what my husband tells me, this door had been banging fairly hard. He always says it was as if a bunch of little kids were running in and out the way kids do, throwing a door open as wide as it will go and letting it slam. As the door gently closed this time, a bluish-white mist formed right there on the old porch.

As they watched the mist form, they all were trying to figure out exactly what they were seeing. It began to spread towards the steps and then, as if it was carefully choosing its path, took one step at a time and momentarily stopped at the bottom. Keep in mind that this mist never dissipated or attempted to form into anything. It slowly made its way towards the old springhouse. It was a solid mist, about two feet from the ground to its top, but not really having a shape. It seemed to move with purpose and finally reached the springhouse. The old springhouse door was still in place and although the wood was rotted and the hinged were rusted, it seemed to open effortlessly. The mist continued on inside. After several minutes, the mist re-emerged and the old door closed just as easily as it had opened. The mist retraced its path back towards the old house. My husband said one of his brothers dropped something that made a loud thud and the mist momentarily stopped as if it had acknowledged the sound and the men.

At the sight of this, they became a little nervous. The mist began to move towards the house again after what seemed like an eternity. It made its way back up the steps, across the porch and to the door. The door carefully swung open and then closed and the mist promptly disappeared. Of course the men stood there momentarily wondering what they had just seen and not wanting to admit to anything. Of course, being the type of people they are, the brothers and their father decided to walk down and have a look at the old place and those doors. The oldest brother walked up and reached for the old screen door. As he opened it, the weathered old wood fell apart and the door fell off the hinges. This startled them because they had just witnessed it being flung open and slammed shut countless times. He carefully leaned it back up against the door frame and they walked towards the springhouse.

Now the springhouse door was a different story. Expecting it to be in as bad a shape as the screen door, my father-in-law started to reach for it when he noticed that it was covered in spiderwebs. The webs were not only on the door, but attached to the small roof and even to the weeds just on the ground. Not only that, but it had a large, antique padlock that was securely fastened. Now they knew they had just seen this door open and close. But how? It showed no signs of being touched for a long time. What had they just witnessed? And how could anyone explain the mist stopping half way as if it had acknowledged them?

They tell this story every once in a while. And I have to admit, whenever we have been back in that area I always get a strange feeling. Maybe the family that had once been there were just carrying on their daily activities even in to the afterlife.

Ghost Stories From Sleepy Hollow- First Installment

I know what you are thinking. This is going to be something about the Headless Horseman, and so on, and so on. Do not get me wrong. I LOVE the Headless Horseman. But this time he is not going to be in the spotlight. When I say Sleepy Hollow, I mean the Sleepy Hollow that belongs to my inlaws. Sleepy Hollow Farm to be more precise. And yes, it fully lives up to the name and the reputation of the legendary Sleepy Hollow.

There have been so many things that have happened right here in our little corner of the woods that the ghost stories and the experiences abound. This is probably the most appropriate time to share some of our stories of things we have experienced or that others have.

Long before I met my husband, he and his father and brothers had an experience while deer hunting one fall. Hunting is a tradition here and no fall would be complete without it. This one particular day was far more than just a day in the woods. My husband, his father, his brothers, and several of their friends were in the woods that day.

Keep in mind this is more of a forest- several hundred acres worth- and is part of Sleepy Hollow. These are not just any woods. They have a lot of history, much of it bloody history. From the earliest settlers who arrived here and fought the native tribes, through the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, family feuds, accidents, and unexplainable deaths, this area has seen more than its share tragedies and unspeakable horrors.

As I was saying, this particular day was much like many other days in the late fall here. The leaves were all but gone from the trees, the sky was grey with the first hints of snow, and the air had a cold crispness to it that left no doubt the earth would soon be under a blanket of winter white. It was mid-afternoon and time to head back to the house and get ready for the evening milking and chores.

It would take over an hour to make the walk back through the woods and then down through the pasture to the house and barns. The men met up on the trail and of course, took the customary time to shoot the breeze among other things. There had been a cold breeze blowing all day with squirrells, crows, and many other forest creatures making their noises as they went about their daily routines. As the men started to walk home, they noticed a strange feeling in the air. It was one of those feelings that you cannot explain. Shrugging it off, they continued to walk and watch the woods for any sign of deer. As they walked the cold breeze began to let up and then stopped altogether. The woods began to grow quiet. Too quiet. Before long the only sounds were the footsteps of the men walking through the fallen leaves.

They began to feel uneasy. Now this is something that these men rarely admit to. Being hardy Norwegians, they are not prone to being shaken or being scared very easily. Even if they were, they would never admit it. The group stopped and began to look around and listen. The unspoken question among them was understood without the use of words. They continued to walk and the temperature began to drop dramatically. It became so cold that ice crystals began to form on their rifles and their beards. There was no reason for it to become so cold so quickly. No wind was blowing, nothing had changed. Or had it?

By this point, there was no sound at all. The men had stopped walking at a spot where the woods climbed high on both sides. It was so quiet that all they could here was the sound of their own breathing. All at once some unseen force plowed through the middle of the men, knocking several of them down. At almost the same moment, a flock of crows began to attack the air as if they were attacking some living thing. They flew right down between the men, cawing loudly and furiously attacking something unseen by the men. They managed to shake the momentary shock of what was going on and get away from the frenzied crows. The birds continued to attack something unseen and began to get closer and closer to the ground, almost as if they were beating back the unseen force. When it was finally over, they were all on the ground with their wings spread open and clearly agitated. The men watched the birds for a while longer until they finally flew up into the trees directly above the spot. They sat on the branches, guarding and waiting. The men noticed that the air had grown slightly warmer by this point. They just stood there shaking their heads and wondering what had just happened. Needless to say, they wasted no time getting back home after that.

Now you may be skeptical or think this is just another Halloween story. I can tell you that it is true- it really happened. I have looked into the eyes of these men when they tell this story and I have absolutely no doubt that their words are true. I can tell you one thing, none of them has killed a crow since that day no matter how much corn they eat from the field.........

Samhain is Here Again

Samhain
Halloween
Hallowmas
All Hallows' Eve
All Saints' Day
La Dia de Los Muertos

There are many names for it. There are many ways in which it is celebrated. It is that time of the year when the veil is at its thinnest. A time when communication with the ancestors and the other world is made easier. It is this time of the year when we see the most paranormal activity. Is it that there is more activity or is it that we are just more open to it or aware of it?

Autumn brings with it the final harvest of the year, the changing and falling of the leaves, the time of transition for the earth from the fertile growing season to the white blanket of winter. It is a time to gather in the last of the food stores and prepare for the long, cold winter. Our pagan ancestors faced much harsher realities than us when it came to surviving the winters. It was imperative that enough food had been put up to last until the warm months and the sun came back to breathe new life into the earth.

Samhain was and is the pagan New Year. Our ancestors spent the holy day worshipping their ancestors and giving thanks for the harvest. It was a time to ward off evil to ensure that the family made it through the winter, a time of protection and appeasement.

There are many sites that offer more in-depth information and history for you. My goal is to get you thinking and wondering. As you head out to the many parties, corn mazes, haunted tours, and of course to score all that yummy candy, at least offer up a quiet prayer of thanks for our ancestors and their abilities to endure the hardships they encountered that ensured our existence.

New Friends & Colleagues

I would like to thank Scott and Erin Hartney and their team members at CORE Paranormal Investigations. We were honored to be invited to investigate Eastern State Penitentiary with them back in August. What a blast we had! It is fantastic when two teams can come together, not knowing much about each other, and investigate as if we had been together all along. I have added their web site to our "Links" list at the bottom of the blog page. We are looking forward to teaming up with them on many future investigations!

New Partnership

We have partnered up with LiveParanormal.com and have added them to our home page and here on the blog as well. You can scroll down to the bottom of the page and click their banner. It will take you directly to their site. Lots of things going on there! Make sure you check them out.

Answer to the Legendary Cryptid Poll Question

Okay folks. I know you have been waiting for a while for this, so here we go.

Our friend in the photo is actually the Hammerhead Bat (Hypsignathus monstrosus). This guy is found in the forested regions of Africa. There is speculation that some of them may have been brought to the United States via ships during the slave trade and beyond. There would be great difficulty for them to survive here in the winter months. They are fruit bats and could possibly survive during the warmer months when there is a food supply.

On to our poll answer now.

Is it Mothman? No.
Is it Ogopogo? No. Ogopogo is a cryptid, but is a lake monster in Lake Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada.
Is it Nahuelito? No. Nahuelito is a cryptid, but is a lake monster in the Nahuel Huapi Lake of Argentina and Patagonia in South America.

That leaves us with.......The Jersey Devil. Theories say that people could have possibly seen the bat and mistaken it for JD. It is larger than many species of bats, but not really large enough to be the size of JD. It does share many of the characteristics of the infamous cryptid- bat/dragon-like wings, head like a horse, etc. It also likes swampy areas. Is this the known animal that people are seeing? It is hard to say. They would have a difficult time surviving the winters here. The size does not match up with the JD, but when someone is surprised or frightened, they tend to exaggerate the size of what they saw. Who can say for sure.

Renderings of The Jersey Devil

Hammerhead Bat

Male Hammerhead Bat Skull

Female Hammerhead Bat Skull

Could it be possible? You decide.