I have to to uncover my septic tank lid to have it pumped – that can be pretty scary opening one of those up. Luckily we don’t have the kids here to help fill it so it has been several years since the pumper guy has been here. When you have several teenagers taking showers, doing laundry and using the toilet it can be hard on the system, especially the drain field. One year it was so bad I rerouted their shower drain out to the lawn to keep it watered. The drain has since been set back to code, Michigan has stricter use of grey water laws than some other states do.
The feature image is one I created. I am a graphic artist which is one of my many hobbies. The image fits in with the Halloween theme.
With Halloween right around the corner I decided to bring back my tales of haunted houses, ones I have experienced first hand. Having lived in New England there are a lot of stories of the old houses which have been there for a couple hundred years or better. I lived in a large three story Victorian house just off the main street in Madison Maine, sadly the house has been torn down to make way for a parking lot though I wonder if that was the only reason. It was the most haunted house in the city. If you look at ghost registry sites on the internet you will find info on a haunted grave yard just outside the city – I will get into that one next week.
Our house was haunted by at least three spirits which lived mainly on the third story. We rented out the second and third floor to various tenants, the third floor was hard to keep occupied for more than a month. After word got out that it was haunted my brother and I moved up there because we couldn’t get renters to occupy it. We saw the spirits quite often and got used to them hanging around – they never bothered anyone or anything though the rooms got cold as they passed through. We couldn’t get friends to stay overnight, they would try but end up leaving before the night was over. Not sure who the ghosts were, I guess we didn’t care to pursue it.
I have seen a lot of strange things over the years which many disregard or don’t believe in, however seeing is believing and not for the faint of heart. I lived in another haunted house in Hopkins, that spirit was more annoying. He appeared in a more human shape and form. He would suddenly appear right next to a person and watch what they were doing – he did that to me several times. I call it a he because he was believed to be an uncle of the people that owned the house who passed. He would take things and move stuff around the house. Jewelry would disappear and be found elsewhere several days later. As with most spirits the room would get cold even on hot days. He scared everyone due to his annoying habit of suddenly appearing right next to a person invading their personal space.
Whether you believe in these things or not they are verifiable due to personal experience and those of relatives and friends and as I said, seeing is believing.
Our weather pattern is great for a Halloween theme with light rain, drizzle and cloudy skies right on through the weekend. Daytime and nighttime temps will be within five degrees of each other with lows in the mid to upper 40s and daytime highs around 50°. Rainfall will only be around a tenth of an inch per day.
[xyz-ihs snippet=”Seven-Day-Forecast”]
Looking MUCH better soon!!
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/814day/814temp.new.gif
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead14/off14_temp.gif
BRING IT!!
We usually get a measurable snowfall by early November in GR, but I’m not seeing anything! Another winter that starts late?
That image is outstanding, MV. The depth (the 3D look?) is really cool. I’m no artist, but I think you get my drift.
What leafs we have on trees are tumbling down today the unseasonable cold air we have now for over 2 weeks has won!! This will be the 3rd time going out to rake hopefully the last …. playoff football is in the air perfect weather for tonights games enjoy your Friday blogers!! Also Slim when was the last time West Michigan did not have a Indian summer this is looking like the year if that has ever happened?? INDYDOG14!!
Maybe it’s the kind of trees, but in my area there are still a lot of leafs on the trees. The color is now better then at the start of the week but still not great. Of course GR is not like when I lived in Alpena or Bay City where the trees were bare by Halloween. Will see how many leafs are sill around by election day.
Slim
More than half the trees here are full yet as well, with most of them being green yet. As for “unseasonable cold air”, we’ve been in the 50s almost every day this week. Average high temps are also in the 50s. Right where we should be for the end of October.
Yesterday Mookie made this statement.
“Remember it snowing many times on or around Halloween and the trees being bare. Doesn’t look like the case this year! No snow and green leaves.”
I checked the NWS records to see if that was indeed a completely true statement. As Mookie left out the “I” and I don’t know how old or where Mookie lives I went back to 1950 I only used the dates of October 29th 30th and 31st to see if that is a true statement. This is what I found
For October 29th at Grand Rapids 1954 was the only year of measurable snow fall at 0.4” there was a trace reported in 2015.1993, 1957 and 1952. At Lansing a trace fell in 2015,2011,1993,1968 and 1954. At Muskegon 0.1” in 1993, and a trace in 1968 and 1994.
For October 30th at Grand Rapids a trace was reported in 2017,2012,1993, and 1994. At Lansing 0.1” was reported in 2012 with a trace in 2017, 1993 and 1954. At Muskegon for the 30th a trace was reported in 2017, 1993, 1955 and 1954.
Now for the big day October 31st At Grand Rapids 0.4” fell last year 2017, with a trace reported 2014, 2012 and 1995. At Lansing a trace was reported in 2017, 2014, 1998, 1988 and 1954. And at Muskegon a trace was reported in 2017, 2014, 1996, 1995, 1955 and 1954. If you look at November 1st there are more years and more snow fall dates. But while it has snowed in late October it sill in somewhat rare. Remember the above is only going back to 1950 the all time record snow fall for Grand Rapids on October 31st is 1.5” in 1917 at Lansing the all time record is just 0.3” way back in 1875 and at Muskegon it is just a trace. I will also post this for my Saturday post.
Slim
GR has seen at least a trace of snowfall around Halloween in 2017, 2015, 2014, and 2012. Even more years if you count November 1st. I wouldn’t call that rare!
While not unheard of it is still rare to see snow on Halloween in west Michigan. The odds are just as high seeing temperatures in 70’s as that has happened 4 times since 1950 and even a better chance of seeing temperatures of 60 or better as that has happened 24 times since 1950. On the flip side there has only been one year where the temperature did not reach at least 40 on Halloween (since 1950) that was in 1996. So the big snow events did not last very long.
Slim
Lol….Thanks Slim the stats come out!! INDYDOG14!!
Here’s another stat for you with regards to your statement from yesterday and how you couldn’t remember the last time Halloween had temps in the 60’s:
You would have to go way back to the year 2013 when the high was 63. I guess if your 5 or under you wouldn’t remember that far back:
https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/mi/grand-rapids/KGRR/date/2013-10-31