Weekend Round-up: Haunted Tour Review

My day got a little turned upside down yesterday, hence the review coming one day late. My apologies for that. But back to biz...

As you may recall, Hubs and I ventured down to Point State Park on Saturday afternoon. It was cold, gray and drizzling, which I felt was the perfect backdrop for a li'l haunted history tour. We bundled up, toted our umbrellas and readied ourselves to be spooked.

The hour-long tour was hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. It told a condensed history of the Point, the point of land where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers intersect to form the Ohio River and where downtown Pitt is situated. Here's a visual reference for my non-Pitt readers:

via Google Images

The Point hosted four forts that played a role in American history: Fort Duquesne, which was occupied by the French, Forts Mercer and Pitt, occupied by the British, and a fourth (which is slipping my mind - anyone know??).

We were told stories of a young George Washington making his way to the French forts around Western Pennsylvania to inform them they had to leave or else, because the British were coming to take over. We heard about French and Indian War capture and torture stories. We learned about a curator in the 20th century who had finally had enough of tourists visiting the Fort Pitt site and subsequently took her life. We were also told of mysterious incidents and ghost sightings the modern day museum curators and staff have experienced. It seems that deep under what is now Point State Park lie the remains of some restless souls.

Despite the stories of torture, suicide and ghosts, the haunted tour was not so spooky. I never got that little chill and thrill typical of hearing a creepy story. That said, I still loved it! I enjoy history and it was quite fun for me to imagine the goings on between the French, British and the Native Americans. {Nerd alert: the movie The Last of the Mohicans is one of my favorite movies of all time; I admit that I was totally imagining the movie throughout the tour.} And bonus! The Fort Pitt Museum staff treated us to complimentary donuts, coffee and hot chocolate at the tour's conclusion. That alone earned them a friend :)

A good-lookin' warrior running through the field to save me from being scalped? Yes please.

Shout out to my fellow Pittsburghers - any other history tours, sites or museums I shouldn't miss??

Happy Halloween Eve!

My week around the 'Burgh

The weekend is mere minutes away, with all of it's sleeping in, cooking, reading and haunted tour goodness! (Keep reading for more on the haunted tour - eeek, so excited!)

I kicked the week off with a Publisher class, compliments of the Carnegie Library. I love the class offerings at the Library's PC Center. And bonus, they're free! What a great opportunity for people re-entering the work place or looking to brush up their mad skills and boost the resume. Check out what they have to offer. Be sure to sign up asap, classes fills up quick. Oh, and take an Excel class with Jude - she's a kick in the pants and a great instructor.

Midweek, I joined the soup kitchen crew at East End Cooperative Ministry. I discovered the EECM last week while perusing the interwebs and decided it was high time to add a little service work to my schedule. What a great bunch of people! Interested in giving a little of your time? Visit the EECM site and click "Volunteers". Opportunities include the soup kitchen, but you can also help tutor school-age kids, deliver Meals on Wheels to house-bound residents or help the pantry organize and distribute food to clients. In the words of a good friend back home, do it.

Weekend time! I'm off to enjoy some African food, music and dance at CMU... but first! The haunted tour! Hubs and I will learn about the history of Point State Park, along with it's stories of "mystery, mayhem, mutilations and manifestations". I cannot wait! I'll be back on Monday to tell you all about it.

Pinterest

 What does your weekend entail? Any spooky, Halloween-inspired plans?

Happy Weekend!

{Almost} Wordless Wednesday: Charlotte, is that you?

This, kickin' it outside the window at Tazza D'Oro this past Sunday afternoon:

View from inside

And outside, up close (but not too close) and personal

Curious, I googled Charlotte's Web. From there, I checked Google images for "barn spider". Seems to me as if we have Charlotte in our midst! I'll let you know if I spot Wilbur running around Highland Park :)

Happy Wednesday!

Fall palette

Mmm, fall. Who doesn't love it with all of it's football, cozy sweaters, tall boots, pumpkins and cups of steamy chai goodness?? Or is that just me? :)

I don't have much to say today, so I'm going to hop the Wordless Wednesday train (okay, mostly wordless). Here are a handful of shots I've captured while out and about over the last couple of weeks. The changing leaves get me every time!

 

The bright red leaves are my favorite. Don't really see these in CO.

I'm so sad that the pic does not depict real life - these trees looked as if they were glowing yellow and orange!

  

Couldn't leave these out... Some kind of mum, methinks?

But seriously - is there anyone out there that truly does not enjoy fall? Please dish, that is most curious to me.

Happy Wednesday!