Stacy Horn

On June 1, I’m going to talk about my book, Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory. The show starts at 10 (but I’m going on later) and you can listen here and also chat with other guests. To call in and ask questions the number is: (786) 245-8127. (The show will be archived at www.skywatchersradio.com if you miss it.)

A view of uptown from my train window.

Several weeks ago I visited the Archives of the Archdiocese of New York looking for any items related to Blackwell’s Island. I found some, and a few fascinating pieces, but I’m not sure if any relate to what I’m doing with the book. But what a beautiful place it is. I envy the people who work (and attend the Seminary) there.

A view inside an enchanting tree on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Seminary. My friend Ellen Tarlow should write a book about the world inside that tree.

Going through the gate to enter the Archives.

I was looking for pictures of the buildings on Blackwell’s Island so I could describe them better, and I came across a great series of pictures on the Museum of the City of New York’s image collection. The Museum’s enlargement feature is the best I’ve come across, and I was able to zoom in on and grab some clear pictures of faces.

This was the first I found. What a face, no? It’s heart-breaking because I know it almost 100% likely that nothing good came of this young man’s life after this.

When I lived on 11th Street between Waverly and West 4th, our building shared a garden with Saint John’s in the Village. It’s a beautiful garden. I haven’t seen it since the 1980s, but at the time it had a wild, overgrown feel, it was not perfectly manicured, which is just how I like a garden. It also had statues strewn about here and there, like the one pictured below. I took tons of pictures, but they’re underneath my bed which I need help to lift. For some reason this one was out. A friend of mine from my choir just started singing in their choir, coincidentally!

I was so impressed with this article in the New York Times about Hart Island I was inspired to upload some pictures I took when I visited the Island years ago. Hart Island is the home of New York’s Potter’s field.

These aren’t my favorite shots, although I do like them, but I don’t have decent copies of my two favorites. I don’t have the energy to find the negatives right now to make them. Someday. Maybe. I wasn’t using a good camera, but the low-res/soft focus works in the subject’s favor.