Well That’s Weird

So here it is July already. 2019 is just zipping right along isn’t it? We’re already past the longest day of the year and diving head first into those REALLY hot summer days leading up to Fall.

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Why A Smart Ass Shouldn’t Run An Inn

Running an inn is not without its challenges. But, for the most part it’s pretty stress-free and interesting. There are extremely busy days, mountains of laundry, always some fix-it job that needs doing, but nothing that poses life or death decisions for the most part. Except during tornadoes, but let’s not go there.

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Good Things Happen in Springtime

Spring is finally here with warm gentle breezes and blooming flowers everywhere. While the Mighty Mississippi River is still REALLY high here in Vicksburg, things are starting to feel cheery and optimistic. The winter doldrums are waning. Birds are building nests, bees are pollinating and life in general looks bright.

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Mr. Kuner’s Clock

As most of you know, I live in an old house. Almost 150 years old to be exact. I live in the historic “downtown” area of Vicksburg, most famous for the 47-day siege of 1863. If you’re not familiar with this epic historical event, shame on you, but here’s what you need to know: Ulysses S. Grant and his northern armies converged on Vicksburg, entrapping a Confederate army, lead by Lt. General John Pemberton, and hundreds of citizens for 47 days.

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Toto, We’re Not In Kansas Anymore

I’ve lived in Mississippi for almost 4 years now and there are still some things that I just can’t comprehend. Mostly I love the laid back way of life and southern hospitality. I love the charming small town feel of a lot of places in this great state. Other things, I don’t get. At all.

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Keeping It Creepy

I love to explore creepy places. Haunted houses are always cool, old dilapidated buildings at night, attics, basements, cemeteries in the fog, those kinds of places. I like to check out all the little nooks and crannies to see if there’s any hidden switches that open doorways to secret rooms. You know, the kinds of stuff you see on TV.

Photo courtesy Google Images

Here are some photos of some mysterious and supposedly haunted places I’ve had the privilege of exploring:

We’ll start with a local one. These pictures were taken on one of the nights I took the haunted tour over at the McRaven Tour Home here in Vicksburg

McRaven House Photo by P. Rickrode

McRaven House Photo by P. Rickrode

MsRaven House Photo by P. Rickrode

McRaven House Photo by P. Rickrode

McRaven House Photo by P. Rickrode

McRaven House Photo by P. Rickrode

McRaven House Photo by P. Rickrode

If you are interested in touring this fabulous house, and you should if you’re in Vicksburg, here is the link for more information https://www.mcraventourhome.com/

Next we’ll go to California, to a VERY small town called Ione in Amador County. One of the last places I visited before leaving California for Mississippi was Preston Castle. Here is a brief bit of information about Preston Castle:

In 1890, the California State Legislature purchased 230 acres from the Ione Coal & Iron Company for construction of the Preston School of Industry, a place where troubled boys could learn a trade instead of being incarcerated in juvenile prisons.

The complex was highly self-sufficient; the large acreage of the purchase allowed the boys to grow their own food, raise livestock and learn farming trades. Additionally, there was a print shop, bakery and cobbler shop where the young delinquents and otherwise homeless boys could learn skills for self-preservation in the real world.

The school officially opened on June 13, 1894, and the first wards moved in only two weeks later. The superintendent controlled life inside the Preston School of Industry, where discipline was extreme. Loss of privileges seemed minor in comparison to starvation, isolation, and public paddling and lashings, severe strategies that were common at Preston.

Here are some of the photos from my tour:

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Preston Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

For a brief time in 1954 country music legend Merle Haggard did time at Preston Castle for auto theft. For more information about Preston Castle click here: http://www.prestoncastle.com/

Next we’ll head up north to Victoria, British Columbia and take a peek at Craigdarroch Castle. The castle is a historic, Victorian-era Scottish Baronial mansion. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada due to its landmark status in Victoria

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by C. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

Craigdarroch Castle Photo by P. Rickrode

All of these places are reportedly quite haunted although I never experienced anything supernatural while I was there. Quite a few of my photographs from Craigdarroch Castle have what appear to be orbs in them, but it might just be dust motes in the air. This one in particular is of interest.

Me and Corey on the grand staircase at Craigdarroch Castle.

I don’t know what that big cloudy bubble thing is near my hand but it darn near touched me. And, there are at least 3 more smaller orbs in this photo. Do you see them?

Anyway, if you’d like more information about this creepy cool place, here’s where you need to start: https://thecastle.ca/

So there you have it my friends, my nod to keeping it creepy in February. What creepy places have you explored? Do you like visiting haunted houses?

Word of the day: Zloty

Fun fact about me: I guess I live in a haunted house, at least that’s what people tell me.

Original post by Jansen Schmidt, January 2019. Photos by P. Rickrode and Google Images.

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An International New Year

One of the things I really like about innkeeping is meeting folks from all over the world. When we first bought the inn, I never imagined that I’d meet people from so many different countries. I truly never imagined there’d be so many people from other parts of the world interested in the deep south.

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Was It Everything You Hoped It’d Be?

So the holiday madness is behind us and all that’s left is the clean up. Yeah, that’s the part nobody really likes. I’m the person who likes to have everything cleaned up and put away by the end of the day on January 1. It doesn’t always work out that way, but it’s my goal. Not that I’m ready for the pretty sparkling lights to go away – because I’m not – but because I usually have an entire day on January 1st with nothing pressing to do, so I undecorate before the madness of “real” life settles back in.

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On the Twelfth Day of Christmas

Happy Christmas Eve! I hope you’ve all got plans to be with family and loved ones this evening and tomorrow. I’ll be enjoying some peace and quiet here at the inn.

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Adventures in Innkeeping – The Saga Continues

There’s never a dull moment here at The Baer House Inn. Guests come and guests go, some quietly, some with gusto. On several occasions in the past I’ve posted about odd behavior from guests, but just about the time I think I’ve seen it all, something new comes along that makes me scratch my head and say, “Nope, I guess I haven’t seen it all.” Here are some examples of recent unusual happenings here at the inn.

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