I saw a ghost the other evening,

[Kindigger]

and it seemed perfectly natural. I was so excited to see "him" that I told several people the next day...always starting the conversation with "I know you're gonna think I'm nuts but...".

I just got back from my second trip to central IL (I also went two weeks ago). It's a beautiful time of year to drive the countryside, and photograph those "in the middle of nowhere" cemeteries.

I was in a small cemetery in Littleton, IL, a speck of a town (pop.75?). The cemetery was unkempt, with a lot of beautiful tablet-like stones. I waded through the tall grass, looking for one relative, eventually giving up as dusk neared. Not wanting to waste the drive, I began walking through the "old" section. There was a gnarly old tree in the center, surrounded by ornate tablet stones leaning every which way, as well as many lost tablets stacked against the base of the tree. I was particulary taken with an ornate tablet that was listing at an extreme angle, with prairie grass waving in front of it.

I knelt in front of it with my camera, called him by name, and told him what a beautiful stone he had. I snapped a couple of pictures in sepia, and got up to walk around the tree. As I stood looking toward it, "he" flitted from behind the tree, and along the stones in front of me, disappearing near the stone I had just photographed.

Actually, he didn't flit, it was more like striding quickly. It was definitely a "he", and quite visible from head to toe. There was no breeze, and no more light to make unexplained moving shadows.

I was thrilled :) I thanked him for coming out to see me. Of course I can't be sure it was the subject of my photo but....

[sybylla]

1. How fun for you!

Whether or not anyone believes in ghost stories, they are always a most delicious candy for the imagination.

Thanks for sharing.

[Digit]

2. Great story

It would be interesting to see if anything shows up on the photos.

[Quakerfriend]

3. Oh, I just love your story!!

Thank you for sharing it with us!

If you get a chance, post a pic. We'de love to see the place.

[Kindigger]

4. Here's a pic of my visitor's stone

[CBHagman]

5. That's beautiful.

I enjoy having the visual, and of course the photo itself is very atmospheric.

When I visited various family graves a year ago, no one showed up! :shrug: I paid my respects anyway, and even got a new bit of information (albeit cloaked in a mystery, now solved) from the trip.