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"Herr Schiller? Are there really any such things as ghosts?" The old man did not even show surprise at the question. He heaved a sigh. "Yes Pia, there are. But never the ones you expect." - Helen Grant, The Vanishing of Katharina Linden
First of all, let me say a sincere "thank you" for the incredible outpouring of concern, thoughts, and prayers that everyone sent our way after the tornado hit Jefferson - and The Grove - on the evening of Wednesday, July 13. It's been quite a journey, but after a month, things are almost back to normal. Our power company, SWEPCO, was here twice this week still trying to put everything right. There is still some repair work to be done around the property, and we have to start helping the garden recover, but things look so much better. You have no idea how much we really appreciate you folks!!! Here's a progression of things:
You can scan the QR code below with your phone, or if you don't have a scanner app on your phone, this link will take you to the right place. Like I said earlier, you don't give them any info at all - just a click for The Grove which is greatly appreciated. You're allowed to vote once a day per device, so you can click the link to vote on your computer, and then scan the QR code with your camera. If you get a few spare moments in the next few weeks I'd really appreciate a vote or two as time allows.
Okay, I've got to say it again, and it's really from the heart. One more time, The Grove says... 
Here's what's coming up around Jefferson...
9/16-9/17/2022 - Jefferson Antique Tractor Show
This is a fundraising event for the Jefferson Historical Museum, and it promises to be eerily entertaining! When a death occurred in the olden days, the family would stop the clocks in the house, cover the mirrors, and turn family photographs to the wall. Why? Well, you'll hear all about these traditions and more in this very special program. Complete with mood music and lighting, authentic props and actors in Victorian Mourning Attire, this reenactment promises to be intriguing and fascinating. This is perhaps the most unusual and ambitious fundraiser that the museum board has ever presented. We hope that you will be in our audience on Octorober 14th or 15th and that you will leave wanting to know more. Tickets are required, and the event is open to the public on October 14 and 15, 2022. Seating is limited, and tickets are required, so get yours in advance by contacting the museum at (903) 665-2775.
This is a free subscription ezine for friends of The Grove - in other words, we NEVER arbitrarily add email addresses. We also NEVER sell or share email addresses with anyone else. Feel free to pass the GroveZine on to your friends - all I ask is that if you forward it, please include the header, trailer and everything. Thanks! To subscribe, just go to The Grove's Website and put your email in the blank at the left bottom of the page. To unsubscribe, although we'd sincerely hate to lose you, simply follow the directions at the bottom of the this email. |
If you've been on the tour or read my book about The Grove, then you probably remember the story about Charlie Young, the barber, coming back to visit the daughter of a friend of ours. Well, I got another chapter to that story recently. I was sitting there working when the phone rang, and when I answered it, a woman said, "Hi, my sister and I have brought my mother to Jefferson, and she used to own a house here - The Grove." I ran through the owner chain in my mind, and realized that it would have to be the lady who sold the house to Patrick Hopkins, the chef that put a restaurant here in 1990.
To be honest, I don't know whether to mention this or not - I feel kind of guilty that I find it so amusing! We had three ladies come on the tour of The Grove this month, and from the very start, one had a very sour face. I figured that it was one of those instances when two of them really wanted to come on the tour, but the third didn't care about anything supernatural. It happens more than you'd think. Anyway, two of the ladies were attentive and excited, while that third one just hung back and frowned. Every time that I mentioned the supernatural or told a ghost story, she'd make a big production out of rolling her eyes and shaking her head. It really didn't bother me, because her friends were having such a good time.
When people think about living in a "haunted house," their mind usually goes to horror classics such as The Amityville Horror or Poltergeist, when it's really nothing like that at all. Take the other night, for example. My wife was in the den getting caught up on some paperwork, and I'd was in the laundry room starting the washing machine. I was washing delicates... you see, I'm very particular about my t-shirts. That's a fairly significant part of my wardrobe, so I really take care of them. Wash on cold, air-fluff for only a minute, and then hang up to dry. Sometimes I think that I treat my t-shirts better than most guys treat their suits. Anyway, while I was in the laundry room I heard my wife yell something to me, which I couldn't begin to hear over the water filling the washing machine. I walked through the kitchen and into the den, and when I asked what she wanted, it startled her. "Where did you come from?" she asked. I told her that I was just starting a load of delicates. She smiled, shook her head, and said, "I thought that you were across the hall in the bedroom, so I asked you to grab something for me." When I looked puzzled, she added, "A moment ago I saw a man walk down the hallway and turn into the bedroom!" Since I was the only other person in the house, she thought that it was me. Not always a safe assumption when living at The Grove!
Your help is greatly appreciated in trying to make The Grove one of USA Today's "10 Best Haunted Destinations in America." Although we're up against seemingly insurmountable odds (nationally known places like Winchester House and Eastern State Penitentiary), you can really help by 