This year’s visit to the (maybe) most haunted house in Loudoun…

October 30, 2023 / Katie / 7 Comments

In what is becoming one of my favorite traditions for the spooky season, I stopped by the (maybe) most haunted house in Loudoun County again this year.

I’ve posted about it since 2020. Is it the most haunted in Loudoun County? I don’t know. But I do know, as of now, it’s still standing, though for how long is anyone’s guess.

Here it is, just yesterday:

Not much change, I think, from last year.

It’s little more than a ruin now, and has been for some time. I don’t think it’s been inhabited since the 1980s, possibly before, and it’s fascinating and sad to watch it crumble. You can see signs that it was once a beloved, well-kept home – the delicate dental molding at the front, what was once a fireplace on the second floor, remnants of bright white paint on the exterior bricks.

It’s certainly not a home anymore. But whether it’s empty? Well, who can say for sure?

P.S. As I did last year and the years before, I’ll add this disclaimer: This house is on private property, and there are no trespassing signs posted, so please don’t go poking around where you’re not welcome. It’s easy enough to take a picture from the road.

*And one more quick note: October’s short story will be posted one day late, on November 1^st. I think it’s going to be a good one, so check back if you’re interested!*

Is my house haunted?

October 27, 2023 / Katie / 22 Comments

When Graham and I decided to buy an old house, and in the process of looking for just the right one, a surprising number of people asked us if we were worried about ghosts. And the short answer is, no, not especially.

I believe in ghosts. I always have. And I’ve been to a few places I’m certain are really, truly haunted. But I’m not particularly afraid of ghosts, and as we toured historic homes, I wasn’t concerned that we might be walking into our own ghost story.

We did look at one home – it was our second choice, actually – that I felt pretty certain had a ghost or two.

But our house? No, I don’t think it’s haunted.

It’s a question we get a lot. Every time someone comes to visit for the first time, they usually ask. And I can’t blame them! This is, after all, a very old house in a very old village with a cavalry battle in its history. There’s certainly been a lot of opportunity for this house to acquire a spirit or two.

And sometimes, I wonder if I might be wrong.

Often, people will suggest we do a ghost hunt. They’ll offer, and talk about how exciting it would be, and how their friends are really into that kind of thing. And…just no. Y’all, I have to live here. Why would I want to invite the possibility of being frightened in my own home?

This house is cozy. It’s happy. I’ve always felt like it’s a happy space. And so, even if there is a ghost or two roaming around, I don’t think they have any intention of bothering us. I feel lucky to live here, and grateful. A house doesn’t have to have a ghost story to have a story. I’m fortunate to be part of this one.

What makes a good ghost story?

October 20, 2023October 18, 2023 / Katie / 18 Comments

Halloween and Christmas are my two favorite holidays, and I’d have a really hard time choosing between them. But there is one thing that I love that’s definitely more Halloween, and that’s a good ghost story.

(As you can imagine, A Christmas Carol is an absolute forever favorite. Christmas and ghosts? Yes, please!)

But over the last few weeks, as I’ve been sitting a lot, thinking about writing without actually writing much, I’ve been pondering: What makes a good ghost story? What elements come together to make something truly spooky? Or sad. Or happy. Not every ghost story has to be scary. Right?

Or should it?

When I think about my favorite ghost stories, there isn’t really anything consistent among them. Some are scary. Some are psychological. Some are funny.

I love BBC’s Ghosts, which is funny and heartwarming and about as far from creepy or spooky as you can get. I was really struck by the quiet, tense storytelling of I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House. Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House is sort of a revelation for psychological hauntings – the things that haunt us not because they’re real ghosts, but because they’re our ghosts. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is sweet and sad. Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood and Co. series (the books, but the show on Netflix, as well) is such an interesting exercise in building an alternate world that feels close to our own, but is one we definitely wouldn’t want to live in. And certainly some of the old stories, like The Turn of the Screw and The Tell-Tale Heart, they stick with me. That building sense of dread, there’s really nothing else like it.

All of that to say, there are so many components, I think, that can make a really good ghost story. And some that can make an otherwise great story feel hokey and silly. Jump scares are fun, but they need to be used sparingly for maximum impact. There’s more to fear in what you don’t see, what you imagine and build up in your head, than in what you do see.

I’m rambling, I know. But I’m curious. What are your favorite ghost stories? What draws you in, or pushes you away? How do you like to see ghost stories end? Do you like to be scared in the first place?

I do, within the secure confines of my comfy chair and cozy living room. And that’s the power of stories, isn’t it? To be scared – or sad, or angry, or worried – but ultimately safe.

Baby Party Break!

October 11, 2023 / Katie / 13 Comments

We’ve got some family visiting this weekend, and we’ve planned what I hope will be a very enjoyable baby party, despite the weather not cooperating. (Because yes, after a whole summer with no rain, it now rains like clockwork every Saturday.)

So, in light of the upcoming busy-ness, I’ve decided to take a quick blogging break. I don’t like to do this without planning ahead, but I feel like I can’t focus well on my writing right now. So much else going on over these next few days! (And that’s not even mentioning the work going on in the house – the bathroom’s coming together!) It’s lovely, appreciated chaos, and I’m so excited to celebrate Baby Girl with some of my favorite people in the world.

And hopefully, I’ll have the energy to do just that, because you guys, pregnancy takes it out of you. I can’t sleep these days. It’s impossible to get and stay comfortable, and Baby Girl is a little gymnast. If I don’t nap for a couple of hours during the day, I’m pretty much a drooling zombie. But a very happy drooling zombie. We’re 32 weeks on Friday, and I just can’t wait to meet this kid. If you’d told me three years ago I’d be looking forward to motherhood this way, I would have called you crazy. Now, I’m so ready for this shift, and I’m eager to see who I’ll be – how I’ll change, how I won’t – come December. But I do miss sleep. Already. And as I understand it, that doesn’t get better for a little while. Worth it, though. So worth it.

All of that being said, I’ll be back on Wednesday, October 18th, and I’ve got lots of fun posts planned – an update on the (possibly) most haunted house in Loudoun County, some thoughts on spooky season and why Halloween is the best, a call for some Q&A questions now that I’ve hit 1000 followers (thank you so much for reading and sticking around!), and of course, October’s short story.

So, stop by next week and we’ll catch up! For now, happy creating, y’all!

Merlin’s Newest, Newest New Spot

September 25, 2023 / Katie / 20 Comments

Now that the kitchen is finished, I spent some time this weekend rearranging things a bit. Nothing major – just some tweaks to how I’d decorated, because it’s always nice to change things up and make things fresh, right?

Well, Merlin must agree, because he found a new spot (yes, another one), and I’d say he fits right in, wouldn’t you?

Yes, he’s quite the showpiece.

Alas, I evicted him shortly after taking the picture, and he had to find another comfy nook to look handsome in. But he managed. As cats do.

Figured we could all use a smile on this Monday morning, and Merlin always obliges, doesn’t he? 😊

Upstairs bathroom renovation starts this week. Short story hopefully on Friday. Happy creating, y’all!

Happy Friday! (Or, Lots of Good Things)

September 15, 2023 / Katie / 21 Comments

And it is a very happy Friday indeed! Why? Well –

First of all, I passed my 3-hour glucose tolerance test. “With flying colors,” said my provider. The test itself was just as awful as I thought it would be, but I’m still grateful for it, and I’m grateful to know the results. The momentary discomfort is worth the knowledge, and if things had turned out differently, I would have been glad to know that, too. Once upon a time, I wouldn’t have known at all, and the outcome for me and Baby Girl might very well have been affected. I’m thankful to be alive and pregnant in a time when testing like this is available, routine, and designed to help both mama and baby stay healthy.

So, yay! I can still have cake and other lovely sweet stuff, which is nice, because yesterday was our ten-year wedding anniversary, and Graham and I celebrated with a really good dinner capped off with a very tasty dessert.

White chocolate bread pudding with apple gelato and jam. So, so delicious. (If you want to get it, too, and find yourself in our little corner of Virginia, then I’d encourage you to check out The Ashby Inn and Restaurant in the beautiful village of Paris, Virginia.)

Ten years married, almost fifteen together, and Graham is still my favorite person in the whole world. 10 out of 10. Would marry again.

And on top of the other good stuff this week, work on the kitchen is coming along wonderfully and should be done quite soon.

The tile looks great, the cabinets and countertops complement each other exactly as I thought they would, and the retro-style appliances fit right in.

Not every week is a great week, but this one’s been pretty good, all things considered. I’m 28 weeks pregnant today, which means I’m officially in my third trimester, and I just can’t wait to meet this baby. I know our world will look very different soon, but I’m ready for those changes, and excited for them. Right now, the future sure does look bright. And I’m just very, very happy.

I hope you are, too.

Merlin’s Monday Reminder

September 11, 2023 / Katie / 2 Comments

When you’re anxious, when you’re busy, when life just feels a little overwhelming…

Smile. Laugh. Be positive. Because mindset is a powerful thing.

(Short story up in Wednesday, so come back and visit! Wishing everyone a good week of creating and being awesome.)

Time Marches On

August 30, 2023 / Katie / 18 Comments

As of today, we’ve got 100 days left until Baby Girl’s due date. It feels like forever and way too fast to get everything ready.

As of yesterday, Merlin (the Magic Cat) is a year old.

As of this week, the kitchen’s coming along nicely. New paint.

One section of countertops and a new sink.

And lots left to do. But even small steps are steps forward.

It’s short story time, and I’ve got nothing. I plan to work on it throughout this week and weekend, but it will be next week before August’s short story gets posted. We’re visiting family starting tomorrow, and I just know I won’t have time.

Time, time, time. Funny thing, isn’t it? Infinite, theoretically, but it certainly doesn’t work that way for us. But as the old song says, it certainly marches on.

I’ll be taking a break Friday and Monday, but I’ll be back on Wednesday, hopefully with a late short story for August. In the meantime, I wish y’all happy creating! And if you’re in the US, a lovely holiday weekend!

Happy Birthday to Me! (Also, 37 Things That Make Me Happy.)

August 11, 2023August 14, 2023 / Katie / 51 Comments

It’s my birthday!

I’m 37 today, and grateful for every moment of this life. I feel like I was 16 two seconds ago. Isn’t that strange? And while I’m older, I don’t know that I’m necessarily all that wise. I do think I’m wiser than years past, though, and this year, I think the most important thing I’ve learned – which I already knew, but man, has it been a lesson learned and relearned this year – is that you can choose to be happy.

My mom always told me that happiness is a state of mind, but I don’t think I ever really understood it until this last year, when I’ve had to choose to keep going, to smile, to find the good things, over and over. And choosing to be happy this year doesn’t mean I haven’t been sad, because I certainly have. But there’s so much in my life to be thankful for, so much that makes me happy, and I know, even in the darkest moments, that in my life, there is light.

All of that to say, in honor of my birthday this year, here are 37 things that make me happy.

Annie and Merlin. I love those crazy animals, and they make my life brighter just by existing and sneezing on me.
Graham. Of course Graham. All these years we’ve been together, and he is still my guiding star.
My family and friends. And now we’ve covered the big three. But seriously, I’m surrounded by kind, loving, creative, wonderful people. They inspire me every day.
The dewy green smell of fresh cut grass in summer.
Fresh brownies right out of the oven with a cold glass of milk.
Cake. Any kind of cake.
Going on adventures. Big adventures and small adventures. I just like exploring.
Learning something new.
Picking out a new book to read.
That bittersweet feeling when I’ve just finished a really good book.
Candy. I love candy the way a kid loves candy. I could, in fact, eat it for dinner. But my 37-year-old body disagrees.
Doing something that scares me. I’m not good at this, but I do always feel proud of myself when I’ve been really afraid to do something and then I’ve done it anyway.
Old trees.
Pretty flowers.
A rainy Saturday with a cup of tea.
A sunny Saturday on the patio with friends.
Playing music with people who love to share their music with me.
Playing trivia. Even when my team loses.
Mayonnaise. On fries. With some hot sauce mixed in.
Apparently, just food. Lots of food on this list. But not ketchup. Ketchup is trash.
Getting up early enough to watch the sunrise.
Sleeping in with Graham and the animals on a Sunday morning.
That musty, familiar smell that somehow exists in every antique shop ever.
Christmas decorations. I put them up earlier and earlier every year. We’ll see what happens this year, though, with Baby Girl due right around early December.
People who laugh at stupid jokes. No need to be serious all the time, right?
Howl’s Moving Castle. The book and the movie. They both just make me smile, every time.
Clean laundry. Especially if someone else puts it away for me.
That moment when I’m writing and I know the story’s done. You know that moment? That’s such a cool moment.
The Blue Ridge Mountains. My home. No matter where I go in this world.
Really good craft hard cider, especially if it’s made with heritage Virginia apples. If you’ve never had cider made with Virginia Hewes crab apples, you’re missing out.
Driving down country roads in the fall. No better way to see those beautiful autumn leaves.
Wood fires.
Looking up at the stars in winter.
And while I’m thinking about winter, snow.
Our pokey, cozy old house in this wonderful little village. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
Collecting weird knick-knacks. Bonus points if I have no idea what they’re meant to do.
Just being alive. I know it sounds cliché, but I’m here. Right now. I wake up every day and I can make things and do things and meet people. It’s amazing!

I hope that 37 is good to me. I hope that this year is full of laughs and fun and good memories. I know I can’t control everything that happens, but I can control how I choose to live. And I choose to live happy.

*A quick note – I won’t be posting on Monday. Taking a small break for my birthday weekend. 🙂 But I’ll be back on Wednesday, August 16th, hopefully with an exciting kitchen update!*

Time to Write

August 4, 2023 / Katie / 23 Comments

Things have calmed down around here after some unexpected stress in the middle of the week, so I feel like I finally have some time to sit down and really write. That’s how I’ll be spending my weekend. So, expect July’s short story on Monday – a little late, but life happens.

And in the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at our butcher block countertops!