Be sure to stop by Nick's page and meet his new pal :
Head to head with the Chupa
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Bigfoot prints? Or just big footprints
Bigfoot sightings and encounters are definitely no stranger to the Michigan countryside, especially in rural settings where much of the backdrop is corn and other various types of agricultural fields.
Last night, my daughter and I decided to take a relaxing walk in the fresh evening air to get some exercise.
We live right on the outskirts of town. Nixon Road, in Ann Arbor, turns from suburbs right into farm country after our driveway.
As a researcher and a naturally curious person, I almost always have my nose to the ground, so to speak. And last night, I was very glad that I do that.
At around 8:15 pm, our leisurely walk turned into a mini expedition.
As we were walking and chatting, I happened to glance to my right and see a couple little scuff marks by the guardrail next to the road. Something about it looked odd, but I couldn't put my finger on it. To my surprise,when I looked closer and to just the other side of the guardrail, there was a very large footprint coming up the embankment of the small overpass and looking like something had taken a step over the guardrail and across the road, coming out of the cornfield that sits just off the road and down the embankment.(The corn doesn't appear to have started growing in this year yet as you can see by the pictures below)
Since it did rain earlier yesterday morning and afternoon, I'm thinking this footprint had been made fairly recently or it would've been washed away with the rain or at least more eroded than it appears in the pictures.
My daughter and I walked the rest of the way home, and I grabbed my digital camera and went back to take the pictures you see below.
If someone hoaxed these, they were in for a long wait, because the footprint was not easily visible to someone who doesn't have their nose to the ground like I usually do.
Being a small but fairly busy country road as far as vehicle traffic, I don't think someone would set up a hoax there. There isn't much in the way of foot traffic at all. Its dangerously cramped at that overpass. It's cramped to the point that in some areas you have to step off into the grass when a car comes by to avoid being hit. It just does not seem a likely place to play a practical joke. Whether this is an actual print from a large upright creature or not is anyone's guess. It could simply be a weather erosion pattern, a different type print that spread and faded, or nothing more than the imagination of a passionate cryptozoologist on an evening walk with her daughter down an old road in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
You be judge,Haven fans.
Picture 1. Guardrail and print. Facing direction footprint was coming from.(Pics 1, 2, and 3 taken today-June 14,2009-to show surrounding area)
Picture 2. Guardrail with field in background. Facing where footprint was coming from.
Picture 3. Cornfield
Pictures 4,5,and 6. Footprint with dollar bill for comparison.(Note that only 4 toes are clearly visible)
Last night, my daughter and I decided to take a relaxing walk in the fresh evening air to get some exercise.
We live right on the outskirts of town. Nixon Road, in Ann Arbor, turns from suburbs right into farm country after our driveway.
As a researcher and a naturally curious person, I almost always have my nose to the ground, so to speak. And last night, I was very glad that I do that.
At around 8:15 pm, our leisurely walk turned into a mini expedition.
As we were walking and chatting, I happened to glance to my right and see a couple little scuff marks by the guardrail next to the road. Something about it looked odd, but I couldn't put my finger on it. To my surprise,when I looked closer and to just the other side of the guardrail, there was a very large footprint coming up the embankment of the small overpass and looking like something had taken a step over the guardrail and across the road, coming out of the cornfield that sits just off the road and down the embankment.(The corn doesn't appear to have started growing in this year yet as you can see by the pictures below)
Since it did rain earlier yesterday morning and afternoon, I'm thinking this footprint had been made fairly recently or it would've been washed away with the rain or at least more eroded than it appears in the pictures.
My daughter and I walked the rest of the way home, and I grabbed my digital camera and went back to take the pictures you see below.
If someone hoaxed these, they were in for a long wait, because the footprint was not easily visible to someone who doesn't have their nose to the ground like I usually do.
Being a small but fairly busy country road as far as vehicle traffic, I don't think someone would set up a hoax there. There isn't much in the way of foot traffic at all. Its dangerously cramped at that overpass. It's cramped to the point that in some areas you have to step off into the grass when a car comes by to avoid being hit. It just does not seem a likely place to play a practical joke. Whether this is an actual print from a large upright creature or not is anyone's guess. It could simply be a weather erosion pattern, a different type print that spread and faded, or nothing more than the imagination of a passionate cryptozoologist on an evening walk with her daughter down an old road in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
You be judge,Haven fans.
Picture 1. Guardrail and print. Facing direction footprint was coming from.(Pics 1, 2, and 3 taken today-June 14,2009-to show surrounding area)
Picture 2. Guardrail with field in background. Facing where footprint was coming from.
Picture 3. Cornfield
Pictures 4,5,and 6. Footprint with dollar bill for comparison.(Note that only 4 toes are clearly visible)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Michigan feral pigs and the increased threat of Pseudorabies
As many of you know,I have taken a keen interest in, and have been conducting research on, the recent feral pig issues.
Though most probably escaped from local game ranches and pig farms, it is also presumed some of the wayward swine are making their way up from southern states in an effort to seek out more abundant food sources and take up residence in territory previously uninhabited by their kind.
Washtenaw(the county I myself reside in) is apparently one of the hot spots in Michigan for encounters with wild pigs.
MLive.com posted an article in September 2008 which covers the story of George Albercook, a Washtenaw county resident who had spotted one of the creatures and was able to snap a quick photo with his cell phone.
The story in its entirety,can be seen below,along with George's picture of the boar :
Washtenaw County residents report sightings of wild boars
One of the mounting concerns with recent wild boar explosions,is that of whether they are a catalyst in the recent spread of H1N1,better known as "Swine flu".While there has been no direct connection to H1N1,feral hogs are known to carry at least 13 different diseases,including anthrax, and tubercullosis.
Now, a new threat seems to be on the rise as the invaders make their way across the land. It is that of the disease called"Pseudorabies",which is another name given to the porcine herpesvirus1. The name pseudorabies comes from the rabies-like symptoms it was noted to cause in rabbits who had contracted the disease.
It is estimated that there are already some 4,000 feral pigs in Michigan alone.
Most of the feral population consists of a hybrid cross of domestic European pig(established here by human settlers) and Russian wild boar(most likely escapees from game farms),neither of which are native to the American continent.
The continuing question remains "What do we do about this?"
Since we obviously created this seemingly problematic situation,where then do we start to fix it so that panic and fear do not consume us as a population and cause "frenzied killing",as my dear friend Esther so eloquently and perfectly put it.
In closing,I would like to leave you with a little reminder....
The pigs themselves are not to blame,they are only doing what nature designed and intended them to do.
Note : If you would be interested in becoming a state chapter rep/contact for the North American Fortean Society,please let us know by visiting our state chapters page and sending us an email along with your contact info :
NAFS state chapters
Enjoy your afternoon and have a howling good evening,Haven fans!
Ta ta for now!
Your Mistress of the Mysterious,
Raven M.
Publish Post
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Has a giant snake in the Amazon finally been proven?
Well, according to the father son team Mike (73) and Greg (44) Warner,it certainly has been.
But before we draw any firm conclusions, let us look first to Jon Downes of the CFZ to put things into perspective.
We all want to believe,but in order to give scientific credence to anything "newly discovered",the facts must be completely in place beyond a shadow of doubt.
All we can do right now is hold our breath until the rest of the data is in.
Here is Jon's post:
GREAT SNAKE? OR NO GREAT SHAKES?
Here is Greg Warner's reply to it:
"Hi
This is Greg Warner. I was with my Father Mike when we made the discovery. He is downstairs relexing after our Sunday BBQ.
I'm both excited and surprised to see this blog. One thing we hadn't planned for was a fight to convince fellow crytozooligists. We are putting togther our paper to be submitted to scientific journals as a start of phase two of our project.
However, your questions and concerns are valid and I will bring my father upstairs soon to address these questions.
Sometimes the truth is extraordinary.
GW "
What do you think,Haven fans?
But before we draw any firm conclusions, let us look first to Jon Downes of the CFZ to put things into perspective.
We all want to believe,but in order to give scientific credence to anything "newly discovered",the facts must be completely in place beyond a shadow of doubt.
All we can do right now is hold our breath until the rest of the data is in.
Here is Jon's post:
GREAT SNAKE? OR NO GREAT SHAKES?
Here is Greg Warner's reply to it:
"Hi
This is Greg Warner. I was with my Father Mike when we made the discovery. He is downstairs relexing after our Sunday BBQ.
I'm both excited and surprised to see this blog. One thing we hadn't planned for was a fight to convince fellow crytozooligists. We are putting togther our paper to be submitted to scientific journals as a start of phase two of our project.
However, your questions and concerns are valid and I will bring my father upstairs soon to address these questions.
Sometimes the truth is extraordinary.
GW "
What do you think,Haven fans?
Saturday, June 6, 2009
COULD IT BE "CHAMP" ?
Well,you can certainly decide for yourself when you visit my friend Jason's "A Rare Breed" blog and read his post regarding the now famous Olsen video taken in Burlington, Vermont on Lake Champlain : http://talesfromthecryptid.blogspot.com
Be sure to leave them some feedback. I think we would all like to see what the general consensus is on this particular video.
I hope everyone is well and enjoying this terrific weather we're having!
Ta ta for now from your Mistress of the Mysterious!
Be sure to leave them some feedback. I think we would all like to see what the general consensus is on this particular video.
I hope everyone is well and enjoying this terrific weather we're having!
Ta ta for now from your Mistress of the Mysterious!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
THE SHORE now in paperback!
PLUNGE INTO TERROR!
Sea mists conceal an ancient evil … and even pounding surf can’t drown out the screams at THE SHORE. This highly anticipated sequel to THE PINES sweeps the supernatural saga to a deserted resort town … in the dead of winter.
First Time in Paperback
Many years ago, a novel set in the New Jersey Pine Barrens created a sensation. THE PINES was hailed as “a classic of modern horror,” and its recent reissue has again stirred up a great deal of popular interest in the book as well as in the legends of the New Jersey pine barrens. Now Leisure Books is releasing Robert Dunbar’s terrifying sequel – THE SHORE – for the first time in paperback.
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Leisure Books
Release Date: June 30, 2009
ISBN-10: 084396166X
ISBN-13: 978-0843961669
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