The southernmost city in the United States is known for its party scene, its colorful culture, and, of course, its ghosts. Key West, once named the Bone Cay by the Spaniards, is one of the top four most haunted cities in the U.S., for good reason.

And Nixie, a guide for some of the island’s most ghostly attractions, is about to tell you all about it. Of course, Nixie has had her own encounters with the island’s deceased residents. Because if you die on this island, apparently you stay on the island. Forever. Grab yourself a slice of frozen, chocolate-dipped key lime pie on a stick and get ready to be scared, today, on Homespun Haints.

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About the Guest: Nixie Buettner, Key West Ghost Tour Guide

Becky met Nixie on the Ghosts and Gravestones tour in Key West, Florida. The ghost tour guide originally hails from Austin, TX, where she was constantly spotting orbs. She used to be a skeptic of the paranormal, until she started to work at the haunted Shipwreck Museum, where she caught a spirit called Daddy Long Legs on video.

Becky loved the trolley tour she took with Nixie earlier in 2024. If you’re in Key West looking for a great ghost tour, check out the Ghosts and Gravestones, and ask for her specifically using the stage name “Daphne” . Besides being a ghost tour guide, Nixie is also an artist and entrepreneur. Check out Nixie’s artwork on Instagram @saga_of_eggs.

Becky and Diana’s Recipe for Lazy Haint Spray

Gaaranteed to at least temporarily remove lazy haints out from under your sofa. Feel free to make your own from the following recipe, so that your home also smells fresh and unhainted!

Lazy Haint Spritz Spray Recipe:

• 8 tsp filtered water
• 2 tsp of rubbing alcohol, witch hazel in alcohol, or bathtub gin.
• 10 drops of lemon essential oil
• 10 drops of sage essential oil
• 10 drops of rosemary essential oil

Add all ingredients to a glass spritz bottle or a very well cleaned out old empty Windex bottle.

Make it a cute label so you don’t get it confused with your Spirit Summoning Spray. That would be a hot mess.

Is the Key West Shipwreck Museum Haunted?

In today’s episode, Nixie tells us her first-hand account of this haunted stop on her Key West ghost tour. Wreckers, or individuals who would dive down to Salvage materials from shipwrecks, were once a major part of the island’s economy.

Interestingly, the basement of the museum is now a theater, used to be a morgue. An underground, below sea level morgue. Eew.

The Cursed Silver Bar

Nixie saw the same full-body apparition walk by the supposedly cursed silver bar at the Key West Shipwreck Museum at least twice. They actually caught a spirit called Daddy Long Legs on video.

The bar has a complex and sordid reputation on the island. Becky wouldn’t even touch the silver bar. Nixie HAS TO touch the bar for her job, so she tells herself, “it’s only dangerous when wet.”

The museum credits the bar with being associated with 6 distinct shipwrecks. Causation aside, what are the odds that all 6 ships that attempted to transport this bar of silver over the water ended up at the bottom of the sea? The only way the bar eventually made it safely to shore was to drag it underwater all the way to land.

Where other people die, we profit! -not the island’s official slogan

How to Safely Take Photos of Robert the Doll Without Getting Cursed

Nixie tells us that, if you want to take a picture Robert the Doll, you must follow three rules, or else you may be cursed.

Robert’s Rules of Disorder

• Politely greet Robert the Doll,
• Respectfully ask permission to take his photo,
• Politely say goodbye to Robert. A “thank you” wouldn’t hurt, either.

This whole practice might seem like hyped-up superstition, as most tourists blithely ignore all posted signage to do as they please. Surely the hundreds of tourists who visit the museum every year and take Robert the Doll’s photograph without following all three rules aren’t all cursed, are they?

Well, it would seem that yes, they are. People who don’t follow the rules while taking aphotograph of Robert the Doll end up regretting it later, when the bad luck starts. So many people, in fact, that the museum receives over 1000 apology letters annually. A staff member apparently has to read the apology letter to Robert the Doll aloud to invoke his forgiveness. Then, the staff posts the letters on a wall right next to him. We’re not sure if this is primarily for the doll’s ego, or to serve as a warning to tourists of the future.

The Real Life Corpse Bride Who is NOT Resting in Key West Cemetery

In the Early 1900’s, a young woman on the brink of death went for an xray. The xray tech, Carl Tanzler, saw her, and immediately recognized her as the woman he’d been literally dreaming about. For the rest of her short life, he begged for her hand in marriage, even though both of them were already married. Countless times, Elena turned him down….remember that, it’ll be important later.

Because tuberculosis was basically a death sentence at the time, nobody was shocked when the sick young woman passed away…but at least one person was thrilled with the development. Tanzler (the xray tech, going by Count von Cosel) had more money than Elena’s family, so he built a mausoleum in Key West Cemetery for Elena’s final resting place. Or, semi-final resting place, at least. The “count” visited the mausoleum as often as he could, until one night, he heard her voice, singing a familiar melody. Tanzler saw this as Elena asking him to release her spirit.

Taking the ghostly request way too literally, Tanzler committed what he believed to be the ultimate act of love: graverobbing. Talk about a grand gesture. That’s right—he got over her resisting his advances in life, and decided that he would free her spirit from it’s earthly prison by bringing her corpse home with him to be his bride. Because dead girls can’t say “no”.

There’s much more to this creepy true crime story. Listen to today’s interview with Key West ghost tour guide Nixie for the most sensational details. Or, you can read the official biography of Count von Cosel, for more historical context. For the inner workings of his mind, you can even read Tanzler’s own diary of his misadventures with Elena.

Will you join us for our next book club meetup?

Our next meetup (on Zoom) will be the second Monday in November. All you need to do to be in the Homespun Haints book club is join our Patreon (at any level, including free), read the book of the month, show up at the Zoom from the link on Patreon, and contribute to the conversation without being an asshole. Most of our books are an off-the-beaten-path horror by women or minority authors. Right now we’re all reading Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas. Won’t you join us, for a spooky day?

The post How To Take Photos of Robert the Doll Without Being Cursed appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Episode Summary

In this episode, our cohost Becky shares a story about returning to the family homestead after the death of her grandfather. This story is sad, funny, painful, and of course, tinged with the paranormal.

AI-generated transcript of this episode available upon request.

Episode Show Notes About The House of Octagons

What is the Octagon House?

We’ve brought up Becky’s grandparents’ octagon-shaped house a few times before. See episodes like You Know An Urban Legend Is From Florida If It Involves Beer Disappearing at Night, The One Who Still Waits For Her, and The Secrets of Octagons and Ghosts. While the Octagon House is a smorgasbord of spare parts cobbled together into a vaguely house-shaped, partially indoor/partially open-air maze of spiral staircases in the middle of nowhere, it still manages to shares some striking similarities with the sprawling urban Winchester Mystery House. Especially now that it’s builder and longtime resident has passed on. Sadly, because of some intrafamily drama surrounding the Octagon House, Becky will probably never get to finally break the rules and go in the attic to find Grandma’s misplaced darkroom. But let’s be real, she probably wouldn’t have anyway. It is a rule, after all.

Does the veil thin when we are at death’s door?

Grandma isn’t Becky’s only relative to see deceased loved ones near the end of her own life. There seem to be so many stories of people seeing dead loved ones just moments before they go. Is this a universal phenomenon? Are the dying really able to perceive the presence of the dead? Or is this just a failing meat computer’s last memory lightshow before shutting down; a version of “my life flashed before my eyes” where the beholder is not the main character? How can we ever know for sure?

Sasquatch Sounds + Stank = Skunk Ape?

Becky’s cousin Patrick heard voices giggling in those woods behind the Octagon House. Now Becky and her cousin Reagan have heard strange whooping sounds at dusk. Reagan grew up in that house, and she’s never heard that noise before. Could these be the voices of cryptids? After all, such things have been sighted nearby…at least according to the internet.

Those Florida cryptid sightings, however, were potentially something else. When the locals tell tales of a mysterious hairy manlike beast, they refer to him as a “skunk ape.” This creature, apparently told of in centuries-old lore by indigenous people who traversed the Everglades area, is similar to Big Foot of the Pacific Northwest. There are three main differences, apart from climate preference, that differentiate the skunk ape of the Florida wetlands from a sasquatch. The skunk ape is purportedly about half the size of a sasquatch, tends to be a redhead, and smells extremely foul. This last trait is a feature often noted by human witnesses who have gotten within a few feet of a skunk ape. Its odor has been described as a mixture of skunk spray and wet dog. But ask yourself honestly, if you split your outdoorsy time between a cool, misty pine forest and a dank, sweaty swamp, wouldn’t you pack more deodorant for the later trip?

The Entomology Etymology of What Bit Becky’s Butt

Not just everyone’s new favorite tongue-twister, this phrase may turn out to have actual medical significance. While rummaging through the remains of the Octagon House, Becky stood in a spiderweb in short shorts. Later that same day, her backside erupted in what she’s affectionately termed “PoxAss™.” Becky was slightly concerned that chiggers may have laid eggs under her delicate booty skin. This is actually a common point of confusion.

Chiggers, the common name for the itty bitty red biting larvae of Trombiculidae mites, sounds very similar to another insect. Jiggers (Tunga penetrans), a type of sub-Saharan sand fleas, can lay their eggs under your skin. There is plenty of sand in Florida, so one might expect to encounter sand fleas there. Which one indeed might, BUT the type of sand fleas that live in Florida are actually a species of Ceratopogonidae gnat, that are also called sandflies, no-see-ums, or biting midges; they don’t burrow into the skin, although they do bite. Strangely, in Florida, the term sand fleas also applies to a small crab (Emerita talpoida) sometimes used for fishing bait. Becky also had one of those bite her butt once while she swam in the Atlantic off the Florida coast.

What do you think about the strange unseen creatures, both large and tiny, haunting the House of Octagons?

Have you had a relative see deceased loved ones from their own death bed? Would you live out in the Everglades in a house without windows or central A/C, as long as you had a nice sturdy chain link fence for protection? Do you think sasquatch can shape-shift into a tiny gnat and lay eggs under your buttskin? Overall, this must have been a spooky day!

The post The House of Octagons appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Oh, and there was that one time Martha saw a dryad. Also that one time a little devil broke young Vini’s window shade. Listen to hear their full stories:

Episode Summary

Vini and Martha have both seen some strange things that nobody else has seen. Devotees of Hecate and long-time practicing witches, the pair wrote a book together despite living far apart and having little else in common. And yet, their chemistry is on fire…much like a spell quickened with hot sauce.

Learn how they—and you—can create valuable magick from impecunious means, today, on Homespun Haints.

AI-generated transcript of this episode available upon request.

About the Guests: Vini and Martha, Co-Authors of Thrifty Witchery

Martha Kirby Capo

Author Martha Kirby Capo reminds us of our CUUPs days. Her calm confidence is all the evidence we need that she has rightfully earned her “crone” status. A Solitary Witch currently working with Brigid, Hekate, Pan, and Cernunnos, Martha is the page manager of Patheos Pagan’s shared blog The Agora, where she writes as The Corner Crone. She also leads Moments For Meditation on KPPR Pure Pagan Radio.

Martha has been extensively anthologized through Skinner House books, Flying Cow Productions, and various Llewellyn Publications. An award-winning poet and lyricist, she has written for several online and print magazines, including The Wild Hunt and Witchology. Martha has been a presenter at Florida Pagan Gathering, Turning the Tide, and Mystic South. She is a member of Circle Sanctuary and Everglades Moon, a Local Council representing the Covenant of the Goddess in Florida.

Her second book, Quantum Magick, is forthcoming. Follow for updates and also check out her witch mentoring services on Facebook or Instagram @the_corner_crone.

Vincent Higginbotham

Vincent Higginbotham has seen shadow people since early childhood, which was also when he knew he’d be a writer someday. His first book was about how witchcraft saved his life, as his practice helped him first to survive a decade living on the streets and then later to thrive as an author.

Mostly self-taught, Vini is not initiated in any traditional form or witchcraft practice. He follows his gut in all things magic but spends plenty of time researching to be sure his intuition is informed by wisdom before setting his intentions. It is Vini’s goal to empower others the way he wishes he had been empowered in his early years. He has a dedicated practice with the goddess Hekate and lives in the Southeastern US. He knows Martha because he also writes for Patheos.com; check out all his writing at viniwrites.com.

You can find the book Vini and Martha co-authored, Thrifty Witchery: Magick for the Penny-Pinching Practitioner, at Llewellyn Books, Amazon, or your local Barnes and Noble. If you’re local to Atlanta, you can see them presenting in-person at Mystic South, July 13-16, 2023.

Episode Show Notes About Practicing Magick on a Budget

Witchcraft: a private practice

In today’s age of public oversharing, Vini and Martha both stress that it’s important to keep some parts of your magickal practice private. You never know whose influence is going to change the outcome of your work. Becky immediately embraced the advice, and now won’t be sharing any more of her spells with us. But with your own copy of Thrifty Witchery, you might soon be able to get a peek through the witch window and reverse engineer your own spells.

Who is the Goddess Hecate?

Maiden, mother, or crone? Earth, Hell, or Heavens? Olympian, demi-god, or titan? Homemaker, caregiver, or hero? There’s a lot of personalities stored inside Hecate, patron of witches. Stay tuned for this week’s bonus episode about Hekate, where we burp the lid to get a whiff of the trichotomous nature of this powerful ancient deity of ghosts and liminal spaces. See you at the crossroads!

How to Practice Magick on a Tight Budget

How do you stretch your magick budget? If you read Thrifty Witchery also, let us know your favorite tip to implement on our Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/homespunhaints. Seen a ghost, devil, or dryad? Please submit your true ghost story and you could be on our next episode of Homespun Haints! Quick, do it now, and have a spooky day!

Photo by JJ Jordan on Unsplash

The post Well-Heeled Magick on a Shoestring Budget appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Listen here:

Episode Summary:

Anthony isn’t sure why his haunted Miami area condo seems to be a hotbed of activity, but he has a few theories. Hear about the weird things happening in his Florida home and how he deals with them, today, on Homespun Haints.

Episode Promo

Sponsored by Witch Baby Soap

Not much compares to the sensory smorgasbord of Witch Baby bath products. We use them ourselves to wash away our sins and recharge for more bad behavior. Follow your nose to witchbabysoap.com.

About the Guest: Anthony Pena

Anthony is no stranger to hauntings. He has been experiencing paranormal phenomena throughout his haunted Miami childhood. However, his latest hauntings are bothering his child and wife, so he’s sworn off seeking out the spooky and instead focuses on saging his house regularly.

Anthony has a gaming channel on Twitch, @QuePenaGaming. You can also check out the travel vlog he runs with his wife at YouTube.com/c/QuePenaTravels and see his photography on Instagram at @punk_dad_photography.

Episode Show Notes

A Haunted Miami Area Monolith: Hollywood Beach Resort

There are multiple people with evidence of a haunting at this creepy old hotel where Anthony inspected fire alarms. Is it really full of the ghosts of Al Capone’s shenanigans?

In fact, this spooky place is SO haunted we did a special episode on it, to be released Thanksgiving Day! Subscribe now so you don’t miss it!

How to properly dispel ghosts

There’s a lot of ways to cleanse your space to make sure your home is safe and full of good vibes. We made some TikTok videos to explain it best, but the gist of it is here:

If you have a ghost “problem” in your house, you can first try to negotiate with it by setting boundaries or leaving activities for it so it will have something to do other than bothering you. If the problem goes beyond a simple nuisance, you can dispel the ghosts by walking along every wall and into every corner of your home (don’t forget closets and the attic) with a cleansing substance in hand, as listed below.

Here are three tools you can use to excise your excitable ectoplasmic entity

1. Burning stuff. If you’re prone to pyrotechnics then you’ll feel right at home with this common method of cleansing. Sage tends to be the common go-to, even though using it is controversial. However, burning other herbs such as rosemary, mint, or basil also work (herbs you grow yourself are the best). You can also use incense or a stick of cinnamon. Just be careful not to catch anything on fire cause then you got an even bigger problem.
2. Holy water. I say “holy water” with a grain of salt (pun intended). Dude, there are so many ways you can get water that’s blessed or charged or “holy” and it doesn’t matter what religion (or lack of religion) you are.. You can find rituals online to do it yourself by placing a jar of water under a full moon or throwing salt, herbs, spices, whatnot in it. Or if you’re Catholic, you can go to your local parish and get some. There’s even a YouTube video out there where a priest says the blessing for making holy water and you just need to leave some water by your computer with the volume up. I’m not making this up. 
3. Making noise. Yes, noise, cleanses out those cobwebby companions. Some people prefer to walk around their house with a bell, some people like to use singing bowls, and some people resort to banging a spatula against a frying pan. I don’t judge. Whatever is your jam (see another pun) will do the trick.

If you live in the extremely haunted Miami area, we suggest doing the above at least every two weeks.

Raising kids to respect ghosts

After being disbelieved by his parents about his childhood paranormal experiences, Anthony seems set on helping his son constructively interact with ghosts. How would you react if your kids told you they saw a ghost? Hopefully with the right guidance and support, future generations can learn to love having a spooky day!

The post Everyone in Florida Is Possessed appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Listen to the episode here, then scroll down to hear the bonus episode:

Episode Promotions

Acid Queen Jewelry

This episode is sponsored by Acid Queen Jewelry. You can use the coupon code homespun for 10% off her gorgeous handmade, one-of-a-kind necklaces, rings, earrings, cuffs. While you’re browsing her site, make sure to sign up for her newsletter for early access to new releases.

¡Ay Ghost Mio!

Our podcast promotion this week comes from ¡Ay Ghost Mio! by Melissa Trahan.

An Interview with a Paranormal Investigator: Joe Hunts Ghosts

Joe is a Floridian paranormal investigator who works with Eric The Ghost Hunter of South Florida at War Party Paranormal nonprofit, which you can follow on FB and IG. He helps people with haunted homes get answers, including his family members. Joe has also worked with our friends Karly of The Village Tarot Witch and Stephanie of Stephanie Marie Marketing.

Florida is Florida-weird

In addition to his paranormal investigations with War Party, Joe has recently launched his own podcast called Greetings from FLOWEIRDA. Check it out wherever you listen to podcasts!

Bonus guest Carly Lyon

This week’s bonus episode contains a reprisal of Joe’s musings on why he’s so haunted, and how it might be the objects around him…or himself. Another guest, Carly Lyon, joins us to describe an experience with a haunted object that a fellow art show exhibitor foisted upon her. If her story intrigues you, so will her artwork! And if you live near East Cobb, GA, sign up for a pottery-throwing class with Carly. You just might run into Becky there. And, word on the street is, you’ll probably outshine her at throwing pots.

Listen to the bonus episode, Can Antiques Be Haunted?

Can antiques be haunted?

Our interview guest, paranormal investigator Joe has many theories as to why he kept winding up in haunted homes. All his residences do possess a Florida address. However, Joe posits that his mother’s antiques caused some of the hauntings.

Would a house full of antique furniture make for a house full of ghosts? It does make a certain amount of sense that the older an object is, the more likely it would be to pick up a spirit at some point along its history. Also, with our lowered expectations for cheap, pre-fabricated modern furniture, a unique old piece does tend to spark some feelings.

Your haunted object may not be haunted at all.

Perhaps, your new-to-you acquisition picked up some residual energy while it rested in a haunted antique shop. The easiest way to dispel this residual energy is to thoroughly cleanse the object. Just make sure you use a cleanser that won’t damage the surface of whatever vintage find you’ve just acquired.

But sometimes, there’s more than just residual energy attached to an object. Usually, if an antique is “haunted,” it is because a previous owner just doesn’t want to let go. In this case, you’ll need to do more than perform a general scrub-down. Burn incense or your favorite herbs, play a singing bowl, or perform some other cleansing rite around the object to help its ghost move on her way.

If that’s not enough, check out this expert’s advice on how to clear your antiques of ghosts. Better safe than sorry, right?

To hear another story about a haunted house full of antiques, check out this haunted house episode where our very own Diana tells us about the chilling experiences she’s had in her childhood home.

An impromptu inter-cultural using-up-leftovers curry recipe

Try a delicious non-traditional curry stew inspired by Diana’s polyglot fascination with transliteration, etymology/etiology/entomology, and the leftover crap in the fridge. Multiply approximately by the number of servings you desire. Make extra, too, because you’re gonna want more than you think you will. Be scant on ingredients that don’t smell good to you, go heavy with ingredients that do, this isn’t an exact science.

Ingredients per serving

1. Oil for frying, based on your personal tolerance for greasiness and the fattiness of your meat.
2. Onion, 1/2, chopped, yellow/white/sweet.
3. Beef, 3-ish oz, cubed or sliced, leftover steak or roast is fine, based on your personal tolerance for animal protein (mushrooms and green jackfruit shreds might be a good vegetarian substitute).
4. Carrot, parsnip, potato, rutabaga, radish, turnip, leek, or other mild root veggie or a mix thereof, 1 cup, chopped, based on your personal vegetable preference and what’s in your fridge, leftover is fine, just avoid cruciferous veggies like broccoli or things that tend to dissolve with cooking like squash and sweet potatoes.
5. Jalapeño pepper, 2, sliced strips, deseeded based on your personal tolerance for capsaicin.
6. Garlic, 4 cloves cut in very large chunks (if you only have minced or powdered, add it later with the ginger).
7. Ginger root, 1″ nub, grated, based on your personal tolerance for isothiocyanate.
8. Turmeric, 1/4″ fresh grated if ya got it, or 1 tsp powder.

Spices

1. Yellow Curry powder, 2 tsp, based on your personal tolerance for deliciousness.
2. Garam Masala, 1 tsp powder.
3. Cumin, 1/4 tsp powder.
4. Coriander, 1/2 tsp powder.
5. Allspice, 1/4 tsp powder.
6. Cashew butter or peanut butter, creamy, 1 tbl, based on your personal tolerance for nut allergens.
7. Sugar, 2 tsp, based on your personal tolerance for carbs.
8. Salt if you must, but not much, remember the sauces added later will add a lot of saltiness.
9. Nutritional Yeast, 2 tsp flakes.
10. Soy sauce, any kind, 1 tsp.
11. Lea & Perrins or an inferior Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp (fish sauce is even better if ya got it, aminos might be a good vegetarian substitute).
12. Cream or coconut milk, 2 tbls, based on your personal tolerance for dairy.
13. Water, boiling, about 5 cups.
14. Cilantro, finely chopped, based on your personal tolerance for soapiness (fenugreek leaves, basil, mint, garlic scapes, or chives might be good substitutes if you are anti-cilantro, but it needs something fresh and green).
15. Optional side of buttered fragrant white rice like basmati or jasmine, or soft fluffy pita bread.
16. Optional chopped toasted nuts for garnish.

Directions:

1. Put the kettle on so you have boiling water on hand.
2. Heat oil in a deep skillet to the highest appropriate frying temperature for your chosen oil’s smoke point and fry onion until browned, deglaze pan with boiling water if necessary to keep it from burning too much when it sticks
3. Add meat (brown meat before adding veggies if using raw meat) and veggies except cilantro and aromatics in small amounts so as not to lower temp of the pan too much. Keep frying ’til everything has a bit of brown.
4. Add ginger and turmeric, also half the cilantro or chosen green herb (this is a good way to use the stems) and minced garlic if that’s what type of garlic you’re using. Fry just until it starts trying to turn brown and stick to the pan.
5. Deglaze the pan and add 1 cup of water per serving or enough to almost cover what’s in the pan.
6. Add all the powdered spices, salt, sugar, and nut butter, stir, and simmer on low. Add a cup of boiling water and stir whenever it looks like it’s getting dry enough to start sticking to the pan.
7. When root veg and meat are very tender, allow water to evaporate while stirring to the point of being a thick sauce that coats the veggies and doesn’t pool. Add flavoring sauces and nutritional yeast, stir, and remove from heat.
8. Pour your cream into a bowl and pour curry on top with the rest of the cilantro or chosen raw green herb or chopped nut garnish next to hot, buttery white rice.

The first rule of ghost hunting

We’ve heard the first rule of paranormal investigating is “don’t investigate your own home.” Becky wants to investigate Diana’s house. But Diana doesn’t want to investigate anything. Is she frightened? Lazy? Or does she just prefer the mystery? Maybe all 3? What do you think? Would you hunt the ghosts in your own home? What’s the worst that could happen, eh? No, seriously, we need to know. We feel very at risk of having a spooky day.

The post Joe Hunts Ghosts, but do the Ghosts Hunt Joe? appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Listen to this episode right here:

Don’t miss the bonus episode, listen here:

Episode Summary

Remember Becky’s family’s haunted homestead in BFE, Florida? Well, it turns out she’s not the only Rule to be haunted there. Remember when you heard Becky talk about the weird octagonal house with the man-eating cows? Did you think “I wish I could live there”? Boy, do you have a treat in store.

Because Patrick actually did live there. Specifically while fixing up an 1898 haunted boarding house in Florida…a house full of ghosts lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to push this brave man through the rotting floorboards.

Patrick tells us the story of the time he decided to fix up a house in…wait, where the hell is Arcadia, Florida?

About the Guest: Patrick Rule, Haunted Florida Man

Patrick has been a YouTuber for longer than we’ve been YouTubers. He co-starred in a web series, My Best Friend, My Butler, a show about an ordinary dude who wins the lotto and, out of sheer generosity, hires his broke friend as his butler. It’s a poignant and tearful look into the strain of the unequal friendship between employer and manservant.

Just kidding. It’s a campy sitcom that cleverly harkens back to the short-form cheesy goodness of the ’80s TV shows we Gen Xers grew up on. We love Patrick as a content creator and actor, but he’s better known to Becky as her cousin.

Is it a haunting or a squatter?

Patrick shared his concerns that the voices he hears coming from the woods behind Grandpa’s house might be spirits. Or, they might be a family of vagrants hunkered down in the old rotting automobiles stored out there. To us, the latter sounds like it has the potential to be significantly scarier.

How common is it that someone could be squatting on–or even IN–your property without you knowing? Is it possible that those sounds you thought were your house settling might actually be a stranger sleeping in your attic? Here’s a terrifying video and article about times when a house was haunted by the living. Sweet dreams!

Florida Man Visits Haunted Cassadaga; Beer Disappears

Patrick heard a rumor that if you go to the Cassadaga graveyard at night, sit in the Devil’s Chair, and leave a beer out…your beer will disappear. So, like a true Florida man, he thought “what the hell…hold my beer and watch this haunted shit.” Becky and Diana have known many a beer to disappear after sunset in the Sunshine State. In fact, it’s pretty obvious that this particular urban legend arose simply because the first Florida Man to try it simply didn’t have a buddy to hold his beer.

Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post You Know An Urban Legend Is From Florida If It Involves Beer Disappearing at Night appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Listen here:

Listen to “The Ghost Hunter of South Florida” on Spreaker.

Episode Summary of The Ghost Hunter of South Florida

Paranormal investigators use countless tools and devices to capture impressions from the other side. Us mere mortals usually can’t perceive this faint evidence with our regular five senses. But lore tells us that the more we expose ourselves to ghosts, the more we develop our ability to see them. So, does that mean if you regularly investigate haunted locations, you may start seeing more with your eyes than with your recording devices?

Today, on Homespun Haints, we sit down with paranormal investigator Eric, the Ghost Hunter of South Florida. We chatted about some of the things he has experienced while on his myriad investigations. Pour yourself a nice, hot cup of cocoa, cause this episode might give you the chills.

Episode Promos

This week’s podcast promo is for The West London Witch. We were guests on her show and it was a delight, but we really enjoy listening to her podcast as well!

Ectogasm discount on spooky accessories: Visit ectogasm.net and use code HAINTS for 10% off all orders over $20.

Show Notes from The Ghost Hunter of South Florida

About Eric

Eric goes by The Ghost Hunter of South Florida, but that’s not all. Eric helped to found the company Ghostly Experiences, Inc. According to their website, the vision of Ghostly Experiences, Inc. is two-fold. One, to bring ghost hunting into the main stream and give the public an opportunity to search for answers. Two, to teach and share their decades of experience in the paranormal field. Their aim is to teach civilians how to conduct a proper and honest investigation. They hope to bolster the reputation of the entire field of paranormal research by promoting evidence-based ghost hunting.

You can follow Eric on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. War Party Paranormal, is also on FB and IG. Eric works at the nonprofit with his buddy Joe, who helps people with haunted homes get answers. War Party is also featured regularly on Univision paranormal shows. Eric has investigated with our friends Karly of the Haunted Housewives. He has also worked with Stephanie of Stephanie Marie Marketing, and Kat from The Bewitching Hour. He’s been a guest on The Dead Hours YouTube show. He also spoke at ParaExperience 2021 at the Biltmore in Tahoe, NV.

Why is this crappy old recorder so good for ghost hunting?

The Panasonic DR60 is an old, glitchy audio recorder that is no longer in production because it basically sucks. And yet, Eric credits some of his ghost hunting success to owning most of the Panasonic DR60s still in existence. Apparently, ghost hunters will pay thousands for these recorders any time one pops up on ebay. They owe their usefulness to the same quality that made them fall out of mainstream favor: they often pick up strange sounds that nobody heard in real time. Hmmm…sounds familiar.

No language barrier for spirits

As a regular contributor on Univision, the biggest Spanish-language televsion channel in the US, Eric is at least somewhat bilingual. But the ghosts speak to him in English. He has enough experience with EVPs, spirit boxes, and oviluses (ovili?) to confidently say that spirits will use the language of the investigator to communicate. This despite all evidence suggesting that the deceased never spoke that language. We’re thrilled to hear this, as we believe it finally settles Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous debate over faked spiritualism. Well, we’re mostly just excited about what this means for our goal of a haunted world tour someday.

Haunted museums

There are a lot of haunted museums in Florida! Eric talks about the Gold Coast Railroad Museum, which apparently has a haunted blimp hangar, whaaa?! War Party Paranormal also investigated at the 1911 Old Davie Schoolhouse Museum. And next time you’re in South Florida, so can you, through Ghostly Experiences, Inc.

Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post The Ghost Hunter of South Florida appeared first on Homespun Haints.

If you choose to listen to this episode, be forewarned: this episode may not be suitable for everyone. These real Christmas ghost stories that we are about to share contain stories of death, dying, childhood trauma, and giraffe urine.

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Why are ghost stories such a big part of Christmas?

Because it’s the spookiest time of year! At least in the Northern Hemisphere, where the nights are at their longest. Winter is here. Days are short. Nights are long and dark. People gather together by the fire for warmth. Is it any wonder that this is a prime time for oral storytelling, especially ghost storytelling?

But, we can thank the Victorians for really making Christmas ghost stories, even real Christmas ghost stories, a time-honored tradition.

During the Industrial Revolution, people moved en masse to the cities. In these unfamiliar environments, Christmas became the commercial enterprise we know it as today.

More people purchasing things also meant more people looking for things to read. Serials and periodicals of the day took advantage by churning out stories as quickly as they could. Ghost stories have always been an easy sell. They’ve got the shock value of good entertainment, and they work well in a short story format.

Victorian printers capitalized on this format to deliver spooky stories to city dwellers already caught up in a buying frenzy. And those individuals in turn began to share their stories to family members during the dark nights of holiday celebrations.

Are ghosts more prevalent in Florida?

Our first story we share in this episode takes place in Florida. And, well, we seem to have a lot of true ghost stories that take place in Florida.

One explanation for Florida’s penchant for hauntings comes from just how strange the state is. For some reason, weirdness and hauntings go hand in hand. You could say all that energy from a diverse population causes a breeding ground for ghosts.

Secondly, Florida is mostly surrounded by water. In fact, a good portion of the state sits right at sea level. And marshlands, lakes, rivers, and swamps pervade most of the state. Many paranormal investigators will tell you that water charges and amplifies ghostly activity.

For Becky and Diana, however, Florida is one of the many places they have called home. And maybe the combined energy of our hosts living in this state helped open a few more portals. We shall never know for sure.

Call it what you will—Florida is haunted AF.

Some of our haunted Florida episodes:

• Sidetable Man Don’t Eat Me!
• It Came Up the Drain!
• Ghosts on Camera
• They Have Their Hooks In You
• You Know An Urban Legend Is From Florida If It Involves Beer Disappearing at Night
• The One Who Still Waits For Her
• The House of Octagons

We hope you enjoyed these spooky real Christmas ghost stories we’ve shared with you today! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a spooky good night!

The post Butt-Dialed from the Afterlife: A Christmas Ghost Story appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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Episode Summary of Our Paranormal Podcasts

If this episode of our best paranormal podcasts, we heard Dr. Kristy Sumner, of Soul Sisters Paranormal, tell us spooky stories about some of her personal experiences in haunted places she’s investigated.

About Kristy Sumner of Soul Sisters Paranormal

Kristy and her team are expert paranormal investigators (not just plain weird goofballs like us). They have documented many real life ghost stories and supernatural experiences during their paranormal investigations. Kristy works closely with Ghost Biker Miranda, who told us chilling tales about the phantom monk of Tennessee.

You can find out more about Kristy’s team on their website at soulsistersparanormal.com. Homespun Haints listeners who love our horror podcast for our classic ghost stories simply must listen to their episodes, posted at https://www.soulsistersparanormal.com/videos.html. Also, check out the Soul Sisters Facebook page at facebook.com/soulsistersparanormal for new episodes and written stories about their strange paranormal experiences.

An Update Since This Episode Aired

Since this episode aired, Kristy and Miranda have started leading history tours and overnight paranormal investigations at the historic Scott County Jail We interviewed Kristy again in 2024, about the history of Rugby; the haunted Victorian village in East Tennessee. The ghost town is kept up basically the same way it was when built in the late 1800’s, with the addition of paved roads and electricity, of course (and the recent addition of huge, high-up scratch marks made by mysterious creatures). We got to explore Rugby on our visit in Spring 2004, and had more than one encounter of our own.

But in this weekly podcast episode, we hear true stories specifically about the following haunted places and locations in Florida and Tennessee.

Ghost Stories about Haunted Houses: The Ma Barker House

If you listen to true crime genre podcasts, you’re surely familiar with the story of Ma (Kate) Barker. Did you know, however, that the Ma Barker House is one of the most infamous haunted houses in Florida? Located in Ocklawaha, Florida, it is the scene of a real life horror story from history.

The dark event became one of the most famous shootouts that ever happened in FBI history. On January 16, 1935, FBI agents surrounded the house where Ma Barker and her son Fred were hiding out. After a lengthy gun battle, both Ma Barker and Fred were shot to death.

The Paranormal Investigation of Ma Barker’s House

Kristy’s team went to investigate this haunted location where true crime history intersects with classic ghost stories. They even did their ghost hunt on the anniversary of the deadly shootout. Ma Barker fans must listen to the video episode of the same name on their site at soulsistersparanormal.com/bradford—ma-barker-house.html. You’ll discover that they captured some very strange footage.

In addition, Kristy volunteers at this haunted location during the day. She has plenty of horror stories about strange things visitors have witnessed while on her tours.

The Gilchrist County Jail

Kristy next tells us the story of her investigation of the Gilchrist County Jail with friend Miranda. Also in Florida, it operated from 1928-1968, after which it was abandoned. One of its most persistent urban legends is the ghost story of an inmate whose death remains a mystery. Another ghost story involves the apparition of a woman believed to be the ghost of a jail matron who was known for her harsh treatment of prisoners in life.

Ghost Stories from a Haunted Jail

You can watch the entire ghost hunt video below. The current owners offer guided ghost tours around Halloween, allowing visitors to explore the old jail and learn the truth about its dark history.

The Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

The Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

Last up for storytelling in this episode, we hear a tale about another haunted jail. Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Tennessee saw numerous violent deaths on the property, potentially responsible for the many horror stories of paranormal events there.

Prison Ghost Stories

According to the classic ghost story about Brushy, certain areas of the prison are particularly haunted. Those who were inmates in life still haunt the solitary confinement cells, the chapel, and the hospital wing. One of the most famous ghosts at Brushy is that of James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Stream the paranormal podcast video episodes below for the whole story.

Some paranormal investigation equipment

What is a REM pod?

As much as it sounds like a sci-fi sleep study, a REM pod is actually a pretty interesting piece of equipment that the Soul Sisters Paranormal Team gets a lot of use out of. It’s basically a theremin designed to be operated by ghosts! The device emits noise and flashing lights when something disturbs the field around it, and should theoretically work for unseen entities that influence electromagnetic fields.

What is a trigger item?

Paranormal Investigation Equipment

Modern ghost hunting includes some of the most strange equipment in the world. Kristy had to explain these items to us between ghost stories.

What is a REM pod?

As much as it sounds like a strange sci-fi sleep study, a REM pod is actually a pretty interesting piece of equipment. The Soul Sisters Paranormal Team get a lot of use out of theirs. The device emits noise and flashing lights when something disturbs the field around it. It should theoretically work for unseen supernatural entities that influence electromagnetic fields. It’s basically a theremin designed for ghosts to play! Now that’s our genre of horror music.

What is a Trigger Item?

What in the world is a trigger item in paranormal investigation, you ask? When a familiar object is used to entice a supernatural entity to interact, that object is called a trigger item. For child ghosts, it could be a toy. At a jail, it’s more likely to be a blade. There’s a product you can purchase for that, of course. Check out this cute guy (it’s not a Furby).

Do You Have a Ghost Story? Come on the Podcast!

Do you have true tales to tell about the supernatural, and want to try your hand at horror storytelling? Why not apply here to be a guest on one of the next episodes of Homespun Haints podcast, so the world can listen to your ghost story? Our storytelling podcast offers you the best opportunity to share your supernatural tales on one of our episodes, from classic ghost stories, to strange conspiracy theories about vampires in cemeteries, and any other true paranormal stories that will strike horror into the dark hearts of our podcast listeners!

That’s all for this ghost podcast interview podcast episode Until the next episode, have a spooky day!

The post Ghosts on Camera: Best Paranormal Videos of Haunted Prisons appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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Haunted Asylum Stories

These are first hand accounts of true ghost stories from Florida!

Hauntings in Lakeland, Florida

Lakeland, Florida, is no stranger to supernatural activity. For example, this article from LAL Today offers a nice collection of EVPs and other documented activity.

And, the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel at the Florida Southern College campus in Lakeland may be haunted. But not by just any ghost. Specifically, it claims to home to the ghost of Frank Lloyd Wright. After all, he designed the chapel. You can find more information here.

The haunted asylum stories of the hospital in Peoria, Illinois

Brittany mentions how she tried to visit the haunted Bartonville Insane Asylum in Peoria. Her visit, however, didn’t go as planned. You can watch a paranormal investigation of the hospital here, where the investigators were also told to “get out.”

If you just want to see more photos of what the place looks like, then check out some aerial video of it here.

Terrible accident on I-4

In the episode, Becky mentions an accident on I-4. At the time of recording, Becky thought the accident involved 37 vehicles. In reality, the count was nearly twice that, with 70 vehicles involved, 20 of them semi trucks. Read about what caused this terrible accident here.

Until next week, have a spooky day!

The post Demons in the lake land; cabin in the woods appeared first on Homespun Haints.