tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66133961004320491382024-03-27T08:16:57.299+00:00Dark Legends and Moonlit MythsLegends, folklore, history, fantasy / sci-fi and tales of the dark. Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-26173372906344592652024-03-27T08:16:00.000+00:002024-03-27T08:16:06.095+00:00Snippet: The Howden Moor Incident<p>Here's a snippet from the Moonlit Myths Substack post about The Howden Moor Incident, read the full article <a href="https://open.substack.com/pub/moonlitmyths/p/the-howden-moor-incident?r=3kcjzq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true" target="_blank">HERE</a> - sign up to my newsletters for free and get them straight to your inbox 😀</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FKaGQ5b0xWL43gJBvwyhNG8ewX6RtjQ9YPSj3zPgVY4TAI9Z2eNQX454kKjpKev_Ij1t0VXKc1FuTiMipyM6eUstG-2aIMrwqLrpb8t-eo6xDrpBOhgEvweE2OlLjciQv5v-OmPs-OEJ0GvM9lRNfW1k6mvY3tG1SbLyDzWcilB6Bv3tK4A2-wUmIPwB/s1422/howden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FKaGQ5b0xWL43gJBvwyhNG8ewX6RtjQ9YPSj3zPgVY4TAI9Z2eNQX454kKjpKev_Ij1t0VXKc1FuTiMipyM6eUstG-2aIMrwqLrpb8t-eo6xDrpBOhgEvweE2OlLjciQv5v-OmPs-OEJ0GvM9lRNfW1k6mvY3tG1SbLyDzWcilB6Bv3tK4A2-wUmIPwB/w360-h640/howden.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-72431188793447165382024-03-14T13:39:00.001+00:002024-03-14T13:39:35.364+00:00Now on Substack!<p>Hi folks, long time, no see! Just a note to let you know that Moonlit Myths is now available on Substack. It's a great platform where you can subscribe for free (or pay a bit if you like) and get these posts straight to your inbox. Whether it be crime, hauntings, UFO's or cryptids, it will all be there, regularly and without too much waffle.</p><p>Click<a href="https://moonlitmyths.substack.com/" target="_blank"> HERE</a> to have a look see.</p><p>Cheers!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-sH2FoDbuuFcpJzSzOXXIK5ljNudRrv2SETC4WcPYCFsIjQ4uPTib_DGNZsg8Oh6n2252VfQXu7_9L8HkiedKtUBtrUgXGLWYOSKvnO7IEYEfkQCG_58OhlFdeIhz2kQ6CP6P6WGmXRJ-OAQ8XHaRo1wctRRZMQm9lVhuftDT5kS5F9lP3hkx2t4c_0H/s1107/1710412924272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="1046" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-sH2FoDbuuFcpJzSzOXXIK5ljNudRrv2SETC4WcPYCFsIjQ4uPTib_DGNZsg8Oh6n2252VfQXu7_9L8HkiedKtUBtrUgXGLWYOSKvnO7IEYEfkQCG_58OhlFdeIhz2kQ6CP6P6WGmXRJ-OAQ8XHaRo1wctRRZMQm9lVhuftDT5kS5F9lP3hkx2t4c_0H/s320/1710412924272.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-14498197155952938012022-08-09T10:29:00.005+01:002022-08-09T10:30:37.155+01:00Hello again...finally.<p>Blimey, it was January when I last posted! To cut a long story very short the end of last year and the first half of this year have been not far off a living hell for me, no time to post and no brain power to come up with anything, I lost both my parents within 6 months of each other and it has been awful.</p><p>Anyway, here I am, still battling on. Hope you have been OK dear reader, there have been a few things that have helped get me through these dark times so I thought I would mention them...every little helps!</p><p>Television-wise we haven't watched much except on demand stuff, a re-watch of <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0944947/" target="_blank">Game of Thrones</a></i> was great and now my other half and I are reading the books at last - really enjoying them as expected, the detail is much deeper of course, but so far they haven't taken anything away from the show. Personally, I think watching it on TV first helped a bit, especially with visualizing the characters - although they are described differently in the books, I was pleased with the casting, some will disagree I'm sure, but if we all thought the same life would be very dull!</p><p>Our sci-fi needs have been very well met, most recently <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12327578/?ref_=ttep_ep_tt" target="_blank">Star Trek: Strange New Worlds</a></i>. I really enjoyed it, more so than <i>Discovery</i> which I found hard to stick with. <i>SNW</i> has lots of subtle humour and the casting is fantastic, so highly recommended. Season three of <i><a href="https://orville.fandom.com/wiki/The_Orville" target="_blank">The Orville</a></i> has been amazing, they really went to town on it with some hard subject matter and in-depth story-lines whist keeping the Seth MacFarlane comedy element, excellent as always and I can't wait for season 4. Stranger Things landed, we have watched all but the last two episodes so there is a bit more to tide us over until 2024 when the final series comes out...hopefully.</p><p>A bit late to the party I know, but we just started <i><a href="https://www.syfy.com/resident-alien" target="_blank">Resident Alien</a></i>...and oh my god its brilliant. So funny in a dark way - just our thing. Just when you think you can predict what will happen, it throws a curve-ball and takes you by surprise to hilarious results...watch it if you haven't already, its my new favourite thing.</p><p>Other than TV (sounds like we watch a lot, but its not that bad, honest) while I'm working and doing things around the house, my constant companion is the fab podcast <i><a href="https://www.lastpodcastontheleft.com/" target="_blank">Last Podcast on the Left</a> </i>which I highly recommend to anyone who likes comedy, swearing, rudeness, guys who are long time friends and make fun of each other in a 'loving way' and of course the subject matter. The show covers everything from folklore and aliens to serial killers. The shows are really in-depth and there is another called 'Side Stories' for a weekly news round-up. Listen to it, its great, I've been a fan for years and have tickets to the live tour in the autumn...can not wait!</p><p>Anyway, that's kind of it from me for now. I'll be back soon with more ramblings, in the meantime join me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/MoonlitMyths" target="_blank"><b>@moonlitmyths</b></a> :)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRZIjRgn4Ws-d1tqG2yVg9ZFSUe9artrhXFT6LaJw24sCalbPyAheB1K7o1kJOPfgDKQZf4VHWduZrqNKfy7rz8VOmq0XpWXz24j4b6DLTTThCJAs428R2r88bcwd1aLJTTeR7hBkvoc3p6Mz9UCCb7ETsl3nPOH8z-xutuVZJOcpK0aM7LoX2pbCpQ/s3573/20220713_230254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2299" data-original-width="3573" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRZIjRgn4Ws-d1tqG2yVg9ZFSUe9artrhXFT6LaJw24sCalbPyAheB1K7o1kJOPfgDKQZf4VHWduZrqNKfy7rz8VOmq0XpWXz24j4b6DLTTThCJAs428R2r88bcwd1aLJTTeR7hBkvoc3p6Mz9UCCb7ETsl3nPOH8z-xutuVZJOcpK0aM7LoX2pbCpQ/s320/20220713_230254.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-46066105634460574352022-01-25T11:21:00.005+00:002022-01-25T11:21:58.160+00:00Dark Times - Fantasy Matters<p> Since November we have had some very dark times - my lovely Mum passed away very unexpectedly and it left a huge void and a lot of shock. Fantasy and sci-fi helped enormously as a way to escape my brain and thoughts, reading and watching - namely the final season of The Expanse (I have since started reading the first book in the series), Merlin...again and season 2 of The Witcher.</p><p> I didn't realise before how important the genres were - I mean they have always been my go to, X-Files has been a near-obsession in the past especially when it first came out, Buffy and a whole host of other great shows, but the actual importance of escapism and creativity with few of the 'real world' issues. Money, politics, celebrity, competition to name a few, are issues in today's society that fuel depression and feelings of inadequacy. In the realm of fantasy, sci-fi and other worlds, values like loyalty and friendship play a far greater role and this, I think gets forgotten. So read your favourite sagas, watch the shows and films if it helps you get through the day...and bugger what anyone else thinks!</p><p>Oddly, social media in the form of Twitter and Instagram helped, the people I follow as Moonlit Myths have an intrest in history, crime, high strangeness, paranormal and other fascinating subjects, and although I don't post much, reading through my timeline and looking at their posts makes me feel slightly less alone...so thank you. Facebook however is the last thing I have wanted to look at, and this will continue.</p><p>Take care.</p>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-77030594683326580762021-11-01T10:00:00.001+00:002021-11-01T10:00:10.299+00:00Halloween 🎃 Hope you all had a fab Halloween, a bit more like 'normal' for most even with Covid still creeping about. We did our usual thing of turning the lights out (to deter trick or treaters) and watching something on the laptop. At the moment we are on the newly released season two of Locke and Key which is great, we really enjoyed season 1 so have been looking forward to it. Obviously the other TV gem last night was the new series of Doctor Who - Flux! Great stuff.<div><br></div><div>Reading wise I am about to dive into The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy. I love his writing and am very much looking forward to it having been madly interested in the case for years.</div><div><br></div><div>Anyway, have a good week all!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The crew from Hill House and Bly Manor are fantastic again, the scenery is just my thing....can't wait to see what happens next!</div>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-91503722851299211502021-04-09T08:55:00.000+01:002021-04-09T08:55:00.617+01:00This Week's Viewing Pleasure....<p>Hi folks, hope you are well (saying folks like anyone actually reads this lol) and happy. thought I would update you on what we have been watching this week - I do have a job, honestly!</p><p>I was a bit late to the party with one series, but got there in the end and now it is definitely in the top 5 best TV shows I have ever seen....the mighty GOTHAM. We finished watching it this week, and I am now in mourning that it is finished and there will be no more! What a show...the familiar characters played by an amazing cast, plot lines to keep anyone hooked, brilliant sub-plots and scenery. I am probably the last person to see it, but if you haven't I highly recommend it.</p><p>Another show we binged in 2 days was THE IRREGULARS - I am admittedly instantly drawn to anything Sherlock, dark historic London and the paranormal (obvious to anyone who follows Moonlit Myths) and this - despite my initial misgivings - was really good. Great scenery, enough twists and turns to keep the story moving and a talented cast...well worth a look.</p><p>Caught up on the last episode of season 2 of SNOWPIERCER...can't wait for season 3! Great drama and peril and so many "but what will happen to..."cliffhangers.</p><p>So those are the things we finished, I am currently on season 7 of Homeland and we are re-watching (again) Star Trek Next Generation so there is never a dull moment.</p><p>Take care!</p>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-80779529791789309302021-03-03T09:19:00.005+00:002021-03-03T09:19:36.591+00:00The Staircase<p> Hi folks, </p><p>I am rewatching The Staircase after listening to the BBC Sounds podcast about it and I am getting a wider view...although am still undecided on Mike Peterson's guilt. The podcast is told more from the side of the prosecution, lots from those who thing he is absolutely guilty and the evidence to show it, whereas the Netflix documentary is more from the defense point of view - also with evidence to show it. It is an intriguing case, no doubt with lots of "ah yes...but" moments...quite the brain workout!</p>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-34888153945831367372021-02-16T09:38:00.002+00:002021-02-16T09:38:24.963+00:00The Keepers<p>Ok, I'm a little late to the party on this one, but I have just finished The Keepers on Netflix - what a brilliantly done series of such abhorrent subject matter. The bravery of the victims is astounding, my heart goes out to them and what they have had to live with. The fact that this series got made is a real 'up yours' to the establishments of the Catholic Church and Police force who clearly covered up a huge amount, and blatantly lied about their part in any investigations.</p><p><i>I would highly recommend watching The Keepers, but be warned it is hard viewing at times and has many triggers for those who have been in similar situations of sexual abuse.</i></p>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-81198537582139162342021-02-11T08:57:00.004+00:002021-02-11T08:57:35.524+00:00Crime Scene: The Vanishing at The Cecil Hotel<p>The shear number of weird goings on and the strange guests that The Cecil Hotel in L.A has seen over the years is truly fascinating... murders, suicides and residents such as Richard Ramirez spark interest in me and so many others. One of the most famous features the strange behavior and subsequent disappearance of Elisa Lam - most of us with an interest in 'the strange' have seen the elevator video, and this documentary on Netflix goes into great depth and detail about her story and eventual discovery in one of the water tanks on the roof. Answers are given, and without handing out any spoilers, I would highly recommend this show - even with some conclusions, the number of synchronicities given in episode 3 cannot fail but grab one's attention. It is the story of a young woman, what happened to her and the impact it had on those staying at The Cecil...well worth a watch.</p>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-58925706901243577622020-12-28T10:46:00.004+00:002020-12-28T10:46:35.242+00:00Festive Achievement - May The Force Be With You.<p>As we all know too well, this holiday period has been less than normal, we have spent it at home trying to amuse ourselves so we did the ultimate in laziness (with the occasional walk) and watched every single Star Wars film...in the correct order...including Solo and Rogue One. I have to say, it was so good, I have seen the films before of course, but never in sequence and it really did open up the story to it's fullest. In previous years we have watched other series simply because they have been on TV (Harry Potter was a good year) but after treating ourselves to Disney + so we could watch The Mandalorian it seemed right to take full advantage!</p><p>I hope you had a restful Christmas and that 2021 is kinder to us all.</p><p>May the force be with you!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyF_Ou1-Vw48veojAwfL6GtSuTuTBEJx4qdnvosHLjb37X3FDJ0ZKCKO8-X6ZX4aq8YxZhhV6x_RbtvecVtdnzAKkb_LIBUNqVa8uXKdq8KsbyxeuOwuWVFx_IuYOd2a97RTu5WO13hzs/s3971/20201225_210556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2278" data-original-width="3971" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyF_Ou1-Vw48veojAwfL6GtSuTuTBEJx4qdnvosHLjb37X3FDJ0ZKCKO8-X6ZX4aq8YxZhhV6x_RbtvecVtdnzAKkb_LIBUNqVa8uXKdq8KsbyxeuOwuWVFx_IuYOd2a97RTu5WO13hzs/w492-h283/20201225_210556.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-78840336014925879902020-12-24T11:04:00.001+00:002020-12-24T11:04:56.489+00:00Merry Yule!It's a very different year, we all know this of course, but I hope that whatever you are doing you will be safe and happy. It can be a lonely time for many, especially for 2020, I will be keeping an eye on Twitter so feel free to say hello @moonlitmyths 🙂🎄<div>Heres to a brighter 2021.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-72330385393498165902020-10-20T11:11:00.001+01:002020-10-20T11:11:38.293+01:00BBC Ghosts - The Best Thing On TV.<p>Like so many others I have been thoroughly enjoying 'Ghosts' on BBC, from the wonderful crew behind Horrible Histories, Bill and Yonderland. It features a couple - Allsion and Mike who inherit a run-down mansion called Button House which is inhabited by a group of ghosts from varying periods of history, all who met their end there...and it is brilliant.</p><p>They have managed to combine a really good flowing storyline with fantastic comedy and a few touching elements from each character's back story, I have watched both series twice (so far) and literally can not wait for season 3! There is a Christmas special to look forward to apparently which will no doubt be the highlight of this very strange year's festive season. Highly recommended!</p><p>You can watch it on BBC iplayer ...heres a link <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m00049t9/ghosts">https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m00049t9/ghosts</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoucAtLi16UvVz9rpsg20fRqGb5gQMmXQ4gel-d8ccPZlAx8F2vj9LPu_aYjlPPMp6uXJRZYGKiMIxztIY9DT4fZBk_K4WI6DWImAT3s9pevvyPF1ujgg9LgM_xU7augatTdyLNTUSkIi/s800/ghosts-series-2-cast-bbc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoucAtLi16UvVz9rpsg20fRqGb5gQMmXQ4gel-d8ccPZlAx8F2vj9LPu_aYjlPPMp6uXJRZYGKiMIxztIY9DT4fZBk_K4WI6DWImAT3s9pevvyPF1ujgg9LgM_xU7augatTdyLNTUSkIi/w640-h360/ghosts-series-2-cast-bbc.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-18423320618476186262020-07-16T12:10:00.000+01:002020-07-16T12:10:37.975+01:00Ghostly sightings of the Duke of MonmouthOn the 16th July each year it is reported that recurring sightings of the Duke of Monmouth can be seen in the woods at Horton in Dorset. The Duke was put to death at the Tower of London but his ghost is said to haunt the site of his failed rebellion, carrying his head in his hands.<br />
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<i>Source: <a href="https://www.paranormaldatabase.com/">https://www.paranormaldatabase.com/</a></i>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-38683390971518616302020-07-14T10:47:00.001+01:002020-07-14T10:47:47.482+01:00The New Jersey Turnpike UFO Sighting.Just after midnight on the 14th July 2001, droves of motorists including off duty police officer Lt Daniel Tarrant pulled over their cars along the highway at the New Jersey Turnpike and stared in awe towards the sky. A set of orange and yellow lights was sitting in a V-formation over the Arthur Kill Waterway between Staten Island and New Jersey and it was observed for around 15 minutes.<div><br /></div><div>When asked, Air Traffic Control denied any military maneuvers or space operations that could be the lights so many people saw, however the New York Strange Phenomena investigators apparently have FAA radar data that corroborated the event. Still unidentified.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-69185783430431437102020-07-13T14:42:00.002+01:002020-07-13T14:43:00.921+01:00The Hanging of Ruth Ellis.On July 13th 1955, the last hanging of a woman in the U.K occurred at HM Prison Holloway. The woman was mother of two Ruth Ellis who moved to London from Rhyl and was an escort and nightclub hostess. <div><br /></div><div>Ruth Ellis was convicted of shooting her lover David Blakely at the Magdala Pub in London, it was witnessed by many people, and when it was done she asked for the police to be called and waited calmly. Today, her story would have summoned sympathy, probable cause and extenuating circumstances including self-defense...but then the reasons behind her eventual act were not even considered in her defense.</div><div><br /></div><div>She had a dysfunctional, fiery relationship with Blakely - a motor racing enthusiast who was a heavy drinker and abusive man. Ruth (a heavy drinker herself) had been beaten countless times and been hospitalized, she also suffered a miscarriage shortly before she killed Blakely and it is commonly thought to be because he beat her and punched her in the stomach. A love triangle was also an issue, jealousy and tempers added to the violence and ergo the crime for which she admitted guilt.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the morning of 13th July 1955, Ruth woke, had religious counsel and a large brandy before making her way to the noose - the hangman being the infamous Albert Pierrepoint, the calmest person to go to the gallows according to reports. Public outcry, petitioning and letter-writing began the eventual turn away from capital punishment in the UK, in more recent times it is acknowledged that the years of brutal abuse Ruth suffered would certainly count towards her defense.</div>Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-63680264927997872822020-02-13T10:24:00.000+00:002020-02-13T10:24:53.945+00:00All you need is love...Valentine's Day is approaching and the subject of love is in the air. There is a lot of folklore surrounding love dating back to time immemorial, here are a few known things aside from the better known red roses and chocolates:<br />
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- To dream of a dove is a signal of success in love<br />
- Certain gemstones are connected to love, Onyx represents a joyous marriage, Diamond signifies victory in love and Jasper indicates reciprocated love.<br />
- If you dream of a number 6 or of something in sixes it foretells of love.<br />
- Touching a wedding ring to an aching tooth meant the pain would be relieved through the power of the love held within it.<br />
- To attract a lover, ashes from the hearth could be sprinkled on the path or road leading up to the front door.<br />
- Turquoise is a lucky stone for lovers, thought to be because blue is considered the best colour to wear when first meeting your love.<br />
- To find an Ash leaf with an even number of points was considered lucky, make a wish and place it under your pillow to dream of your future partner.<br />
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So although the modern day Valentine's is somewhat commercial, there are many ways love was celebrated and foretold in the past, and possibly even ways to attract that special someone!<br />
<br />Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-40461989575442444472019-12-05T12:31:00.001+00:002019-12-05T12:31:49.467+00:00Hellier and Hellier 2 ... watch it!No Spoilers!<br />
So I just finished watching Hellier 2...and wow. Its hard to find words sometimes to describe something that one's mind can't quite make total sense of, but this is part of the absolute pleasure that is the Hellier series, coincidences, synchronicity and weird parallels abound.<br />
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Those of us who follow fortean subjects, social media, blogs, podcasts and the like know of Greg and Dana Newkirk by reputation, very well respected in their field they take us on their journey in a way that makes you feel like part of the crew on an unfolding adventure. Together with the team - Connor Randall, Karl Pfeiffer, Tyler Strand and (we are not worthy) John E.L. Tenney - clues, hints and obvious facts combine to lead a merry dance from what we thought was the main subject back in season 1, through a rabbit hole of strangeness to a whole new place we never thought we'd be...but then detours, revisitings and recurring revelations left me at least, literally saying "what the hell?!" out loud in my living room.<br />
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You. Must. Watch. This... in my opinion at least, I wouldn't steer you wrong would I? You will have goosebumps, you will be confused, you will be HOOKED!<br />
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I watched it on Amazon Prime but you can also find it on YouTube.Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-80977081817540634542019-11-20T11:25:00.000+00:002019-11-20T11:25:16.558+00:00SETI Founded 1984On the 20th November 1984, the most famous institute (in my opinion) for exploring life in the universe was founded - incorporated as a 501(c)(3) California nonprofit organization - The S.E.T.I Institute which stands for the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence. It was started by Thomas Pierson and Dr Jill Tarter along with their colleagues and it still going strong today employing many scientists and researchers with the mission to 'explore, understand and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe' and bring it to the general populace.<br />
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The SETI Institute has three main centres which cover it's work. The Carl Sagan Centre is primarily devoted to the study of life in the universe, The Centre for Education is focused on astrobiology, astronomy and space science aimed for students and teachers, and the Centre for Public Outreach produces the 'Big Picture Science' radio show, podcast and the 'SETI Talks' lecture series.<br />
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By employing the use of many scientific instruments around the globe including the Allen Telescope Array, the Very Large Telescopes in Chile as well as the space telescopes Hubble and Herschel have meant that SETI has been able to delve into the subject of life in the universe for many years and bring the research and result to life, there have been some rocky patches along the way with funding, criticism and skepticism of the work, but I for one will support the institute for as long as possible.Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-27416702113655018372019-11-13T10:51:00.001+00:002019-11-13T10:51:46.497+00:00The Real Amityville Horror.On the 13th November 1974, a well-known and enduring horror story started...in a very real way. A house - 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville - became the scene of a terrible crime, where Ronald J. De Feyo Jr. shot his family dead in their beds - both of his parents were shot twice, and each of his 4 siblings were shot once according to reports. De Feyo is still alive and is imprisoned at Sullivan Correctional Facility in New York serving six concurrent sentences of 25 years to life.<br />
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Jay Anson's book 'The Amityville Horror' was written in 1977 following the story of the Lutz family who bought 112 Ocean Ave, it and subsequent films tell of their brief stay of 28 days before leaving due to terrifying paranormal events. Some of their experiences include unexplained cold spots in the house, foul odors, green slime running from walls and Mr Lutz regularly waking at 3.15 in the morning which was the approximate time of the murders, just the tip of the iceberg.<br />
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If you haven't read the book or seen the film I recommend it, draw your own conclusions, as in most cases like this, there is conjecture as to the validity of the Lutz family accounts. The infamous house however still stands and has had a few owners since the events of 1974, although it has been renamed as 108 Ocean Avenue...for reasons we may never know.Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-73217766136403648062019-11-11T20:32:00.001+00:002019-11-11T20:32:44.262+00:00Typhoid MaryMary Mallon, also known as Mary Brown and famously as 'Typhoid Mary' died on this day in 1938. She was an Irish cook who moved to America in the late 1800's and one of the first people identified as an asymptomatic carrier - someone who can carry and pass on a disease without succumbing to it themselves - of a pathogen, in her case, typhoid fever. It is thought that she infected 51 people in her life, three of whom died. She was forcibly isolated twice by public health authorities after she refused to provide blood samples or cooperate.<br />
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Cases of typhoid fever followed Mallon wherever she worked as a cook, suspicions were alerted when incidents of typhoid occurred in areas when it was very rare. She died from pneumonia whilst in isolation where she had ultimately spent nearly 30 years of her life. During the post mortem, live typhoid bacteria were found in her gall bladder.<br />
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<br />Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-34660457363843488042019-11-09T12:38:00.000+00:002019-11-09T12:38:59.120+00:00The Dechmont Woods Encounter.On the 9th November, 1979, Robert Taylor, a Scottish forester parked his truck by the side of the road and walked with his dog up a forest track at Dechmont Law, West Lothian. Shortly after this he saw a flying dome shaped craft hovering above a clearing. He said the craft was a dark metallic sphere with small propellers around the rim and there was also a horrible odor in the area.<br />
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Smaller spheres like "sea mines" attempted to drag him to the craft at which point he lost consciousness. When he came to, the crafts were gone. He could not start his truck so walked back to his home. When he got there his wife recalled he was very disheveled and muddy, his clothing was torn and she called the police and a Doctor who treated his wounds. He took the police back to the site of the encounter, and they reported ladder-shaped marks on the ground. They recorded the incident as a criminal assault.<br />
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Robert Taylor's account is revered among ufologists and it became the only UFO sighting to be criminally investigated.Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-48196404496235068542019-11-07T11:09:00.000+00:002019-11-07T11:09:02.027+00:002006 O'Hare Airport UFO IncidentAt approximately 4.15 in the afternoon on 7th November 2006, in broad daylight at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, a large number of witnesses both inside and outside airport grounds, including United Airlines pilots, mechanics and management reported a UFO hovering over gate C-17. They described a metallic, saucer-shaped craft between 6 and 24 feet in diameter which was totally silent. After several minutes it "shot through the clouds at high velocity" leaving a hole in it's wake which closed up shortly afterwards.<br />
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To have a sighting described in the same way, by so many witnesses, some of whom were very familiar with the airport and who were professionals in their field is astounding...even more incredible is that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 'declined to investigate' the incident as the UFO didn't show up on radar (even more reason to check it out in my opinion!) and explained it away as weather phenomenon.<br />
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NARCAP - The National Aviation Reporting Centre on Anomalous Phenomena published a 155 page report in the incident and called for a government inquiry on the basis that;<br />
"Anytime an airborne object can hover for several minutes over a busy airport but not be registered on radar or be seen visually from the control tower, constitutes a potential threat to flight safety."<br />
<br />Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-65224597708441230532019-11-06T08:56:00.000+00:002019-11-06T08:56:19.790+00:00Christina von StommelnChristina von Stommeln - also known as the Blessed Christina von Stommeln - was a stigmatic, Roman Catholic mystic and ecstatic who died on this day in 1312.<br />
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She was born to farming parents in the village of Stumbeln (Stommeln), Germany in July 1242, and at the young age of 5, she began to have religious visions. At age 12 she ran away from home after her parents wanted to arrange her marriage, at this point she joined a Beguine community in Cologne where a few years later she began to exhibit stigmata on her palms, feet and head, as well as mystic episodes. Sadly, by now she was widely regarded as being insane, and was returned to her home village in disgust (not very Christian eh?)<br />
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Her life was to take a more positive turn however, as when back in the village, she was put into the care of the local Priest, here she met 'Peter of Dacia' who became a lifelong friend, when he died her experiences stopped, and she lived the rest of her life peacefully until her death aged 70.<br />
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Her remains have been moved many times since her initial burial in Stommeln, and her resting place was spared during the air raids of World War 2.<br />
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She was beatified on November 8th 1908 by Pope Pius X.Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613396100432049138.post-46047215208647496832019-11-04T16:23:00.000+00:002019-11-04T16:23:29.442+00:00Tutankhamun's Tomb discovery.On the 4th November 1922, Tomb KV62 was discovered in the East Valley of The Kings, Egypt. It would later be more commonly known as the tomb of the young Pharaoh Tutankhamun and would also be revered for the wealth of valuable antiquities found inside.<br />
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Howard Carter - the famed Egyptologist - was hired by Lord Carnarvon to excavate the tomb, which was discovered almost by accident when Carter's crew were clearing some debris and huts He had abandoned some years previously. A young water boy apparently tripped on a rock which later turned out to be the top stone of a flight of steps carved into the rocks.<br />
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The process of excavation took 8 long years to complete, partly down to the condition of the tomb which was small, hastily built and had been raided twice over the centuries, and in part due to Carter's meticulous cataloging of artifacts.<br />
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In the years following the revelation of Tutankhamun's tomb, several of the team, and visitors to the site died in unusual circumstances, talk of a curse was rife which would affect anyone who was involved in disturbing the resting place of the pharaoh. Arthur Conan Doyle perpetuated this apparently on the event of Lord Carnarvon's death suggesting 'an evil elemental' spirit was created by priests to protect the mummy, no curse was actually ever found in the tomb or sarcophagus.<br />
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<br />Gem Reece-Hollowayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989416537187326521noreply@blogger.com0