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Often associated with compact dead wood of various broad leafed trees. Adults can be found in woodlands visiting flowers from April to August.
The Long-eared Owl is associated with coniferous woodland and tall scrubby habitats during the breeding season, favouring sites where dense nesting cover is located close to open areas that are used for hunting. Although widely distributed across Britain and Ireland, the Long-eared Owl remains a scarce breeding species and one that is easy to overlook. The species appears to be more abundant in Ireland than it is within Britain, perhaps because of reduced competition Tawny Owl, which is absent from Ireland.
This is a medium-sized owl, slightly smaller and slimmer in appearance than a Tawny Owl. The main confusion species is Short-eared Owl and BTO has produced a useful video on how to identify the two species – this is available here.
When perched, or when the Long-eared Owl’s ear tufts are visible, the species can be readily separated from Short-eared Owl. At other times, eye colour is useful: those of Long-eared Owl are yellow-orange, while in Short-eared Owl they are yellow. The general appearance of the upperside of the wing in Short-eared Owl is of sharp contrast between the dark wing tip and the extensive pale panel that sits between this and the darker ‘carpel’ patch. In Long-eared this panel is more richly-coloured and less obvious.
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated 👍
The Church are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Sydney in 1980. Initially associated with new wave, neo-psychedelia, and indie rock, their music later came to feature slower tempos and surreal soundscapes reminiscent of dream pop and post-rock. "this unique Sydney-originated entity has purveyed a distinctive, ethereal, psychedelic-tinged sound which has alternatively found favour and disfavour in Australia." The Los Angeles Times has described the band's music as "dense, shimmering, exquisite guitar pop" (from Wikipedia).
Sometime in history, there was here, in what we know as Mérida, Yucatán, México, a worship place for the Mayan god Itzamná, however, Spanish conquerors, built over it a little chapel in 1572 and many years later a temple dedicated to Saint Michel Archangel. At this time, it remains the baptismal font in the restored Church of Itzimná.
En algún momento de la historia existió, en lo que hoy se conoce como barrio de Itzimná, un adoratorio dedicado al Dios maya Itzamná, sin embargo los conquistadores decidieron construir en 1572 una pequeña capilla y años más tarde el templo donde por muchos años se veneró al Cristo de las Esquipulas y dedicado también a San Miguel Arcángel. De la primera capilla se conserva aún la pila bautismal en lo que ahora es la ya renovada Parroquia de la Señora del Perpetuo Socorro en veneración a dicha Virgen.
en-yucatan.com.mx/merida-yucatan/iglesias/itzimna/
The Unguarded Moment: youtu.be/qQvr2eF5zMM
Bristol MW6G / ECW, registration 56 GUO.
Sixty years old almost to the day, having entered service with Western National in June 1961 as 2267.
Seen on one of the round trips to Maypole during Wythall's May Bank Holiday Special Event.
dass ich mit den Erläuterungen erst einen Tag später komme ... jedoch verliere ich im Spiel mit den Pixeln oft die Zeit aus den Augen, dann ist ein Termin zu schnell da und ich muss alles stehen und liegen lassen ...
Zum Glück hat Frans van Hoogstraten
erkannt, um was es mir hier ging ...
Wenn man schon ein Fan von SANAA ist und noch nicht nach Japan kam, freut man sich über jedes Gebäude, das hier in Europa entstanden ist.
Meine gute Freundin Hilde, auch Architekturfotografin, hat für uns Japan fotografiert, die japanischen Bauten von SANAA und unseres geliebten Tadao Andos, die ihr hier, zusammen mit anderen Impressionen, sehen könnt.
www.flickr.com/photos/32273289@N05/albums/72157685708354032/
Alle drei Architekten haben einen ähnlichen Ansatz, den Frans schon zitiert hat. Sie bauen gerne in die Landschaft integriert, etwa gleich viel des Programms oberhalb der Erde wie im Untergeschoss.
Beide sind natürlich Pritzker-Prize-Träger.
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The comet or marine betta (Calloplesiops altivelis) is a species of reef-associated tropical marine fish in the family Plesiopidae.
The comet is native in the Indo-Pacific Ocean and the Red Sea, commonly found between 3 and 50 m deep.
Adults are usually found near reefs, and in caves and crevices along drop-offs. The comet is nocturnal by nature, and will hide under ledges and in holes by day. During night time, it leaves its hiding place and swims along the reef searching for food.
Comets are predators, feeding on crustaceans and small fish. They catch their prey by approaching it swimming sideways and then waiting for the prey to try to escape.
Comets possess an eye-like shape which is actually the dorsal fin. When in danger, this fish will poke its head into a hole and expose its tail end, which mimics the head of the moray eel.
The dark brown to black comet can reach a maximum length of 20 cm. The white spots are found on its body, head and fins, except for the median and pelvic fins which have small blue spots.
De oogvlekrifwachter of kortweg rifwachter (Calloplesiops altivelis) is een tropische zeevis uit de familie Plesiopidae.
De oogvlekrifwachter leeft in de Indische Oceaan en de Rode Zee in de buurt van rotsige riffen, holen en spleten, meestal tussen 3 en 50 meter diepte. Overdag houdt de oogvlekrifwachter zich schuil en 's-nachts zwemt de vis langs het rif op zoek naar voedsel. Het is een roofvis die vanuit een schuilplaats zijn prooi vaak zijwaarts besluipt. Het voedsel bestaat vooral uit schaaldieren en kleine vissen.
Komt de oogvlekrifwachter zelf in gevaar dan steekt de vis zijn kop tussen de stenen of duikt met z'n hoofd in het zand en laat dan alleen z'n staart en rugvin zien. Achterop de rugvin zit een grote oogvlek waarmee de kop van een murene wordt geïmiteerd en eventuele rovers worden gefopt.
De donker bruine tot zwarte oogvlekrifwachters bereiken een lengte van maximaal circa 20 centimeter. Honderden witte vlekjes bedekken het lichaam, het hoofd en de vinnen.
De opname van deze onder zee-aquariumhouders populaire vis is in een privé-aquarium gemaakt.
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All rights reserved. Copyright © Martien Uiterweerd (Foto Martien). All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission.
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Kaziranga National Park
State Of Assam
India
The wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee), also called Asian buffalo, Asiatic buffalo and wild buffalo, is a large bovine native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List since 1986, as the remaining population totals less than 3,400. A population decline of at least 50% over the last three generations (24–30 years) is projected to continue. 3,100 live in India, mostly in Assam. The wild water buffalo is the most likely ancestor of the domestic water buffalo.
The wild water buffalo occurs in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, and Cambodia, with an unconfirmed population in Myanmar. It is associated with wet grasslands, swamps, flood plains and densely vegetated river valleys. Tigers, mugger crocodiles and Asian black bears feed on adult wild water buffaloes.
In India, it is largely restricted to in and around Kaziranga, Manas and Dibru-Saikhowa National Parks, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary and Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary and in a few scattered pockets in Assam.
Wild water buffaloes are both diurnal and nocturnal. They are probably grazers by preference, feeding mainly on graminoids when available. They also eat other herbs, fruits, and bark, as well as browsing on trees and shrubs. They also feed on crops, including rice, sugarcane, and jute, sometimes causing considerable damage. – Wikipedia
For the doubters among my followers...yep, I got the yip.
When I posted the Red-tailed Hawk yesterday, I mentioned that it flew across the prairie dog town while I was attempting to photograph a jump yip. Actually, I had already managed to get that shot about ten minutes before the hawk entered the scene.
During each trip to Black-tailed Prairie dog country, I've been rather intensively observing the little rascals with the intent of increasing my odds of capturing the jump yip. The payoff was that I captured nine of them during our latest trip.
Some info on jump yip behavior:
Black-tailed Prairie Dogs have a vast "vocabulary". Some scientists consider their vocalizations to be a language. They can communicate the type of predator/threat, the size, the color and whether it's on the ground or airborne.
One of their communications is called a "jump-yip" where one will stand up, seemingly without reason, on its haunches, lean back its head and call out "wee-oo." One of the main theories for this behavior has been that it's a signal of "all clear". But research has shown that they perform the jump-yip before, during and after dangerous events. Some researchers now conclude the whole point of jump-yipping is for one prairie dog to assess the alertness and responsiveness of his or her associates.
The colour yellow is primarily associated with spreading happiness and joy; however, it is also the ideal colour for symbolizing friendship. With their bright hue and cheery personality, yellow flowers can be used to better someone's day and increase the positive energy in a room.
Yellow roses whisper the secrets of
laughter and long talks with friends.
(unknown)
Weekly Theme Challenge - Yellow
Looking close... on Friday! - FILL THE FRAME with ONE FLOWER
(photo by Freya, edit by me)
Thanks for views, faves and comments!
The star cluster Melotte 15 in the central region of the Heart Nebula, IC1805, in Cassiopeia.
The image is dominated by clouds of emitting hydrogen gas with dark dust lanes within.
The gas near the star cluster is sculpted into rope-like, contorted, and intricate pillar-like shapes and whisps. These features are believed to be as a result of stellar winds and intense radiation emanating from the young, hot stars, of Melotte 15.
Imaged in narrowband with my Esprit120ED and a ZWO 1600MM camera.
This is a further process of data that I acquired last year - but I have reprocessed centring on the central star cluster with its associated fascinating gas structures.
Shot in narrowband HHOO with my Esprit 120ED and a ZWO 1600mm camera.
40 x 300s Ha
20 x 300s OIII
All at gain 200 - camera cooled to -20
The Ha was mapped to red, the OIII to blue and a synthetic blend of Ha and OIII to the green channel.
Austrian Butterflies - Schmetterlinge Österreichs
This is the sixth species in a series of alpine butterfly photos taken in the Tyrol region of western Austria.
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Woodland Ringlet [Erebia medusa]
Classification: LEPIDOPTERA > Papilionoidea (butterflies)
> Nymphalidae > Satyrinae (Browns) > Satyrini
Local common name: Rundaugen-Mohrenfalter
Following on from yesterday's post and the associated comments regarding the number of ringlet species that can be seen across Europe, here is a photo of an individual that I believe can only be the Woodland Ringlet. I say that because the forewings are normally double-spotted, rather than having a single large eye-spot, but having looked closely at all the other candidates, Erebia medusa is the most likely. It is very similar to the Bright-eyed Ringlet [Erebia oeme], but can be distinguished by the buff-coloured underside of the antennal tips.
The Woodland Ringlet is found across central Europe, favouring grassy meadows amongst woodland or forests with an altitude as low as 500m up to alpine levels.
The flower of Echeveria agavoides is always associated with hens and chicks. The plants are highly variable with flower stalks ranging for six inches to six feet, and both horizontal and vertical.I had difficulty in isolating just the flower, and when I did, I had to darken the background to bring out these beautiful and very small blossoms.
Echeveria laui is a slow-growing perennial succulent plant native to the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Until you understand the variations in this pink/lavender plant, it's easy to confuse laui with Echeveria cante which I uploaded yesterday. Some of these plants have flowers that droop; others have blossoms that are erect. This one is ... in between. The laui also is more compact, has more flowers, and is less rangy. The flowers are longer as well. But the colors of stems and flowers are the same.
I put a lot of the information about all these plants because quite a few people like to grow succulents at home, and others are going to "dry gardens" during this drought. I am not one of these people: when it comes to plants - any plants - the average life span of plants on my back patio is a month. On the front patio, it's less than that. Note: not all of these can be found in nurseries.
Found at Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek, northern California.
A TRRA yard job is seen working the south end of Madison Yard just outside of Brooklyn, Illinois. In the background, 101 prepares to depart for Lindenwood via the Mac Bridge. The concrete bridge piers in the background were part of the Illinois Terminal's Venice High Line, a mile-long trestle that connected the McKinley Bridge with the IT's yard facilities in East Madison. It was abandoned around the same time as when the IT ended rail service over the McKinley Bridge in 1977.
ERF 'LV' model 66GX six-wheeler flatbed lorry NBB609L seen in Slinfold, Sussex at a Boxing Day vehicle gathering.
1797 Listed Grade II*
The two first mills in Belper, the South Mill and the North Mill, were served by the water retained by Jedediah
Strutt’s first weir, a simple structure which spanned the river near the present day railway bridge.
To power the West Mill, Strutt needed a new and very much larger weir. An outline of this structure appears on a
plan of 1796, and building began soon after. As the name suggests, the weir is of distinctive shape. It was modified
and increased in height in 1819 and 1843 yet remains largely unaltered.
The weir and its associated watercourses altered the river significantly.
By 1820, some 5.8 hectares of water had been added to the Derwent
immediately above Bridge Foot. Rees’s Cyclopaedia, which was
published serially between 1802 and 1820, described the mills at Belper
as being “on a scale and most complete we have ever seen, in their
dams and their water works”. It is one of the outstanding engineering
structures of the late 18th century
The Queensland sugar mills and their associated narrow gauge rail networks tend to run 24/7 during the crushing season from mid-June to November.
On Sunday 31 July 2022, Pioneer Mills 1067mm gauge, 0-6-0DH 'Colevale' was seen at Viero Rd, south of Brandon, heading back to the mill with its loaded train.
Colevale was built in Australia by Clyde Engineering in 1965, to that company's model DHI-71 which was, and to a lesser extent still is, widely used in the sugar cane industry.
80D_1_10_9788
280 Park Avenue [aka Bankers Trust Building] - 1961 - Architects: Emery Roth & Sons; Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates
I have shown you so many Romanesque churches from Saintonge over the past weeks that I was sure I would end up boring even the most faithful of those who are kind enough to watch my stream... Therefore, I skipped some, and in particular the Saint Quentin church in the village of Chermignac.
However, as I was tidying up, I found these two lovely photos of some beasts and human faces that were so funny and attractive I simply couldn’t throw them away.
Monsters in the Middle Ages were very present, both in the tales people told and in the religious context. Monsters were serious business. They were associated with Evil, Satan, bad deeds, sins, Hell and the like. They were supposed to scare the members of the congregation, and that’s primarily why they were sculpted on churches: as terrifying reminders of what would happen to you if you strayed.
However, from time to time, you encountered someone who also liked to make fun of them monsters, and in the case of this wonderful artist who sculpted at Chermignac, you obtained those lovely, not at all scary creatures that will make you smile, maybe laugh, allowing you to walk away with a slightly more relaxed moral stance on the exacting standards of good and bad that the church was trying to nail into your head... :o)
Sharp Sky Associates have now risen into global awareness. With the massive deplete of DARKWATER troopers and facilities in Europe and the Middle East, Sharp Sky has made their move. Now Sharp Sky has bigger plans and will complete any task as long as the employer has a deep enough pocket.
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For the Purge
Now while waiting for my minifigcat order, I thought I might showcase Sharp Sky troops.
ADL ASSOCIATED DELIVERIES LIMITED ETG 639V
© All rights reserved Ian C Brightman Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.
The Palm Beach County Main Courthouse is a 13 story, 154.82 ft high-rise building situated in downtown West Palm Beach. The structure was completed in 1995 in the Postmodernism architectural style.
As per the building's architect, Micheal A. Shiff, the courthouse has a basement parking lot for the judges.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.emporis.com/buildings/130861/palm-beach-county-courth...
www.mypalmbeachclerk.com/maincourthouse.aspx
www.courthouses.co/us-states/states-a-g/florida/palm-beac...
The Nu River Landing residential condominium located right alongside the New River in beautiful downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Most of the 409 units here at Nu River Landing feature downtown and river views, quality contemporary finishes, floor to ceiling windows. The property also features basketball and racquetball courts, billiards, a roof-top heated pool, a sauna, state of the art fitness center, and much more.
Nu River Landing is within walking distance of the Las Olas Blvd entertainment district, Broward Performing Arts Center, and River Walk. Tenants can hop on the water taxi and ride to the beach or any of the other stops along the scenic Intracoastal waterway.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.highrises.com/fort-lauderdale/nu-river-landing-condos/
www.emporis.com/buildings/133986/nuriver-landings-fort-la...
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
The Rivergate Tower is a 454 ft tall skyscraper in downtown Tampa, Florida with 31 floors. It is also known as the Sykes building and commonly referred to as the Beer Can Building.
Building Facts:
The architects of this skyscraper were recognized with an Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects in 1993.
The building is one of the tallest limestone structures in the world.
At sunset, the building's limestone facade glows yellow-orange over the Tampa skyline.
The building's cylindrical design was intended to look like a lighthouse on the Tampa skyline.
The building's only exterior lighting are two skyward facing lights, which further the building's lighthouse symbolism.
Concentric circles located in the building's lobby mark distances of time and space.
Despite the building's apparent cylindrical design, a linear grid wraps around the building's facade.
The building's measurements and numerical seaquences are based on the Fibonacci series (where each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers).
The building's 1,880 windows and 13 feet from floor to floor resemble the building's mathematical basis on the Fibonacci series.
The building was built as the NCNB state headquarters, which was formerly located in the city of Miami.
At the base of the tower are two 6-story cubes where bank tellers used to work.
The building's top five floors have thin rose-colored glass notches that offer views over the city.
The building has floor to ceiling windows with a thick concrete band horizontally separating them, which gives the appearance of two smaller windows.
The building has a 26-foot high entrance way that faces the park across.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.emporis.com/buildings/128611/rivergate-tower-tampa-fl...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivergate_Tower
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Wonderfully wet winter and spring produced prodigious amounts of color in the Tomichi valley.
Worthy of note in this picture is the absence of the color brown.
The New River Yacht Club is a 26-story residential building in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offering upscale living on the New River. Developed by The Related Group, the tower features 249 residences and is known for its luxurious amenities.
The architect of the New River Yacht Club in Fort Lauderdale was Cohen Freedman Encinosa & Associates (CFE Architects), a Miami Lakes-based firm that designed the project's first phase, completed in 2014
Location: Situated in downtown Fort Lauderdale, along the New River.
Developer: The Related Group and Jorge Perez.
Building Type: A 26-story residential tower.
Residences: Offers 249 residences.
Amenities: Known for luxurious, upscale amenities.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
www.loopnet.com/Listing/400-SW-1st-Ave-Fort-Lauderdale-FL...
www.google.com/search?q=new+river+yacht+club+wiki&sca...
www.google.com/search?q=what+is+the+height+of+the+new+riv...
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Designed in Miami Moderne architectural style, the two-story, 7,300-sq.-ft. Dockmaster Complex features nautical design elements, such as porthole windows and a front façade fixture resembling a lighthouse and is painted a blue pastel color. MDPR's Project Management Team, led by Maggie Tawil, MDPR Design and Development Division Chief, worked in coordination with Rosa Bazo, a Principal of the Miami Lakes architectural firm Arlotta, Bazo & Associates, Inc., and General Contractor Eddy Gonzalez, President of Zurqui Construction Services, Inc., Miami to complete the project.
Nestled in Haulover Beach Park between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercoastal Waterway, this marina is minutes away from spectacular fishing. It is home to the largest charter/drift fishing fleet in South Florida.
The newly renovated Bill Bird Marina featuring a full-service marina, with gated entry to 152 wet slips, accommodating vessels from 35’ to 120’. Each slip provides access to electricity and water. The dock master building offers marina patrons a laundry room with coin-operated washers and dryers, vending machines, ice, and restrooms with showers.
In addition, the marina features a dive boat, fuel dock, pump-out station, bait & tackle stores, boat launching ramps, dry storage, boat and jet-ski rentals, boat repairs, and a restaurant.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
www.miamidade.gov/parks/bill-bird.asp
www.miamidade.gov/parks/releases/11-01-25-dockmaster_comp...
www.miamidade.gov/parks/library/docklines_spr09.pdf
www.flickr.com/photos/miamiboy/54496227994/in/photolist-J...
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Providence and Worcester Railroad's Valley Falls based local PR-3 is headed for the Port of Providence with a long string of tank cars for Univar and Shell. But first they have to make a side trip up the old Moshassuck Valley Railroad in Pawtucket with a load of rebar for Nucor/Harris Rebar. To facilitate that first move the gondola is sandwiched between their two units and they'll drop their train on the main up by old Lawn Tower and run up to the end of the line at Higginson Ave. in Lincoln and spot the car then MU their two units and then return light back off the 1.2 mile long branch.
Looking like the proud independent regional I grew up with, PR-3's two units still wear the classic red and brown scheme some eight years after Genesee and Wyoming orange took over. GP38-2s 2006 and 2008 are original to the road having been built new for the then only 7 year independent company by EMD in Feb. and Dec. 1980 respectively), and have spent their entire careers working the rails in and out of the Ocean State.
The train is arriving at MP 5 at this one time junction with New Haven's Shoreline main known as 'Boston Switch' five miles north of Providence Union Station. Still standing at right in the background obscured behind the trees and catenary poles is the crumbling tile roofed pagoda style interlocking tower that is 110 years old.
This junction came into being when what is today's Northeast Corridor (just out of sight to the right of the tower) was built as the Boston & Providence in 1847 providing a new direct route into the city from East Jct. near South Attleboro, MA. That pioneering road's original 1835 route traveled to East Providence where passengers and freight were ferried across the Providence River into downtown. From this point to Union Station the nee P&W which also opened in 1847 and thee B&P were operated a joint facility. In 1892 the P&W was leased to the New Haven and a year later the former B&P (by then in the Old Colony fold) joined the growing empire and both routes fell under the aegis of the same company.
In 1914 a massive grade separation and line relocation project in Pawtucket took place. This location was about the eastern limits of the work and according to Edward J. Ozog's phenomenal Railroad's of Rhode Island site:
SS 156 was built to protect the east end of the line relocation. Switches and signals were operated by electricity. The plan of the tower was similar to SS 154 built at the same time at the west end of the relocation but adjusted for its location and orientation. The tower was reduced to short hours when the depression struck and it was closed in 1935 and its duties transferred to Woodlawn Tower. In 1937 the interlocking machine was sent to Bridgeport for use in SS 60. Remarkably some 87 years after the last shift was worked here it still stands guard as a tangible link to the Ocean State's railroading heritage
And even more remarkable is the brick building looming behind the train on Foundry Street. This is the Murdock Webbing company's factory, one of the last textile manufacturers left in the Blackstone Valley where the industrial revolution began in America and where for a century thereafter the textile industry flourished. Makers of mil spec webbing belts and civilian products such as pet harnesses and fall restraints and tie downs, per their company web site:
Our Rhode Island headquarters was originally constructed in 1863, during the American Civil War, and functioned at the time as the U.S. Cotton Mill. In 1936, Frederick Murdock founded Murdock Webbing in the heart of the American Industrial Revolution with only 10 employees and 2 looms. In 1954, Murdock Webbing was purchased by the DeAngelis family, who still currently presides over a thriving company with more than 150 associates in the 285,000 square foot facility.
Central Falls, Rhode Island
Wednesday November 20, 2024
Rare Aromatic Plants and Incense Resins from the Mediterranean by Daniel Arrhakis (2026)
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Rare Aromatic Plants and Incense Resins of the Mediterranean
Following the ritual and practical framing of herbal sticks, it is important to know some of the most significant Mediterranean aromatic plants and resins. Although the incense market is often dominated by exotic resins such as frankincense and myrrh, the Mediterranean has its own precious and rare resins, deeply linked to the history, spirituality, and traditional practices of the region.
Among the main ones are Chios mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), rockrose labdanum (Cistus ladanifer), lavender (Lavandula stoechas and Lavandula angustifolia), juniper (Juniperus communis), terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus), juniper (Juniperus thurifera), and sandarac (Tetraclinis articulata).
1. Mastic of Chios or Lentisk (Pistacia lentiscus)
Mastic of Chios, also known as mastic tree, comes from a dioecious plant, with separate male and female individuals.
Associated with the island of Chios in Greece, it is known as the "tears of Chios". It exists in various areas of the Mediterranean, including Portugal and Spain, and is one of the most valued resins in the world, used since antiquity for its fresh, resinous, and slightly citrusy aroma.
In ancient Greece and Rome, it was used for oral hygiene, being considered one of the ancestors of chewing gum and certain traditional tooth preparations.
In spiritual and ritualistic contexts, mastic is valued for the following symbolic properties:
Purification and clarity: burned as incense, it helps to cleanse sacred spaces and purify the mind, promoting concentration and meditation.
Solar and psychic connection: traditionally associated with the Sun, it symbolizes vitality, optimism, and spiritual enlightenment.
Resilience and healing: being a resin produced by the tree to protect its wounds, it represents regeneration, energetic protection, and recovery.
Elemental attributes: linked to the element Air, it is used in rituals of lightness, mental liberation, and renewal of purpose.
Practical Applications in Rituals
Meditation incense: creates an atmosphere of peace and helps to calm mental noise.
Base for compositions: can function as a fixative or base in complex incense mixtures, such as Egyptian kyphi, and in symbolic preparations described in ancient grimoires.
Healing rituals: in some Greek and Arabic traditions, fumigations with mastic accompany prayers and practices dedicated to physical and emotional recovery.
Note: Grimoires, from the French *grimoire*, are medieval collections or books of symbols, rituals, incantations, and magical instructions for invocations and the creation of amulets.
2. Rockrose and Labdanum (Cistus ladanifer)
The rockrose, an emblematic plant of Mediterranean landscapes, has a profound symbolism linked to purification, resilience, and protection. Its ritual importance derives both from its ability to survive in poor soils and regenerate after fire, and from the aromatic resin it exudes: labdanum.
This dark and sticky resin, historically collected even from the wool of goats grazing among the rockroses, became an important base for the amber aroma in classic perfumery and an incense with a strong symbolic presence.
Purification and energetic cleansing: rockrose is used in fumigations to remove dense energies and prepare the space for sacred practices.
Resilience and rebirth: due to its ability to sprout again after fires, it symbolizes overcoming, new beginnings, and inner strength.
Protection and sealing: its leaves and resin are associated with creating a protective layer against harmful influences.
Mediterranean ancestry: in Iberian traditions, the rockrose appears as a plant connecting to the earth, the sun, and the local spirits of the landscape.
3. Lavender (Lavandula stoechas and Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender, also known as lavender or rosemary, is valued for its relaxing aroma and its spiritual and therapeutic properties. It acts as a plant of balance, emotional soothing, and subtle purification.
Energetic purification and cleansing: it helps to cleanse dense vibrations from environments and the auric field.
Spiritual protection: it is used to ward off heavy energies and promote inner peace.
Calm and mental balance: it favors meditation, introspection, and emotional serenity. Emotional Harmony: In rituals, it is associated with peace, tenderness, happiness, and family harmony.
Ritual Use: It appears in baths, fumigations, blessings, and aromatic cleansing preparations.
Active Principles and Common Uses
Lavender essential oil is rich in bioactive compounds, such as linalool and linalyl acetate, frequently associated with calming, sedative, anxiolytic, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Its aroma acts on the nervous system, potentially helping to reduce anxiety, improve sleep quality, and relieve headaches.
4. Juniper (Juniperus communis)
Lavender baths: used for physical relaxation and energetic cleansing.
Infusions and localized baths: can be traditionally used for calming and soothing effects.
Air fresheners and colognes: perfume the environment and contribute to a more serene atmosphere.
Juniper (Juniperus communis)
Juniper resin and berries have an ancient symbolism centered on protection, purification, and courage. Historically, this plant was seen as an aromatic shield against negative energies and as a facilitator of dialogue with the sacred.
Among its main spiritual meanings are:
Protection and shield: used to ward off negative energies, purify environments, and protect people and objects.
Courage and strength: associated with resilience, it symbolically helps to overcome fears and discouragement.
Purification and healing: its intense aroma is linked to physical, spiritual, and emotional cleansing.
... Renewal and hope: in biblical traditions, it appears as shelter and a symbol of refuge in moments of fragility.
Tree of life: in some traditions, it represents the connection between the earthly and spiritual worlds.
5. Terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus)
The resin of the terebinth tree has a spiritual and ethnocultural symbolism linked to purification, protection, and rites of passage, especially in funerary and devotional contexts.
Its main symbolic uses include:
Funerary rites and protection: the resin was burned in tombs in antiquity, which gave it symbolism of transition, protection of the soul, and respect for the dead.
Connection with the sacred: the terebinth appears in biblical and traditional contexts as a tree associated with places of worship, prayer, and memory.
Cleansing and elevation: its aromatic resin symbolizes the purification of environments and spiritual elevation.
Resistance and longevity: being a rustic and resistant plant, it represents strength, permanence, and grounding.
Although it can be confused with the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus) in the production of fragrant resins, the terebinth is distinguished by its valuable turpentine, known since Ancient Greece.
6. Sabina-albar (Juniperus thurifera)
The resin of the sabina-albar has strong mystical and traditional symbolism, especially for its use as incense. The gum resin extracted from this tree is often known as "male incense." The smoke from its burning is associated with the elevation of prayers, purification, and the presence of the sacred.
Male incense: resin traditionally valued in liturgical and spiritual practices.
Elevation of prayers: the smoke symbolizes the ascension of prayers to heaven.
Purification: used as an aromatic resin in spiritual cleansing practices.
Origin and form: It often appears in tears or grains of varying sizes, with a strong connection to North African traditions.
7. Sandaraca (Tetraclinis articulata)
Sandarac is a pale yellow resin from a cypress tree native to North Africa and parts of Spain. It has a balsamic, slightly fruity aroma and is valued in practices of mental clarity, protection, and purification.
Its use in animistic and spiritual rituals reflects the connection of North African and Mediterranean cultures to natural elements, understood as bearers of their own essence and spiritual presence.
These are the central aspects of its ritual and animistic use:
Animistic Practices and Rituals
Clarity and focus: burning the resin helps to dissipate "mental fog," being used before meditations or divination practices.
Warding off spirits (jinn): in North African folklore, the smoke of sandaraca purifies spaces against negative entities.
Weddings and births: it is burned in rites of passage to bless new beginnings and protect vulnerable people.
Transition and sleep: the balsamic aroma promotes deep relaxation and can accompany symbolic work with dreams and astral travel.
Properties of the Smoke
Aroma: releases warm and balsamic notes, with a very fresh citrus and resinous touch.
Combustion: melts very quickly when placed on charcoal, producing a dense and purifying smoke.
Conclusion
Smudging with Mediterranean herbs and resins reveals itself, throughout this journey, as a practice that goes beyond the simple aromatization of spaces. It brings together traditional knowledge, attention to the plant world, ritual intention, and a deep relationship with the Mediterranean landscape, where each plant carries its own memory, presence, and meaning.
When harvesting, preparing, and burning a herbal stick, the practitioner works not only with plant matter, but with a network of relationships: the earth that nourishes the plant, the fire that releases its smoke, the air that carries it, and the human intention that directs it. From this perspective, the ritual becomes a gesture of reciprocity, listening, and care.
The plants and resins presented—from rosemary to laurel, from rockrose to mastic, from juniper to sandaraca—show the symbolic and sensory richness of
Mediterranean. Each offers a distinct form of protection, purification, clarity, serenity, or spiritual connection, allowing the smudging ritual to be adapted to the intention, space, and moment.
Thus, recovering these practices is also recovering a more conscious way of inhabiting the world: a way that recognizes nature as a living presence, respects its cycles, and transforms simple acts—harvesting, tying, drying, lighting, and giving thanks—into rituals of connection, balance, and memory.
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Plantas Aromáticas e Resinas de Incenso Raras do Mediterrâneo
Após o enquadramento ritual e prático dos bastões de ervas, importa conhecer algumas das plantas aromáticas e resinas mediterrânicas mais significativas. Embora o mercado dos incensos seja frequentemente dominado por resinas exóticas, como o olíbano e a mirra, o Mediterrâneo possui resinas próprias, preciosas e raras, profundamente ligadas à história, à espiritualidade e às práticas tradicionais da região.
Entre as principais encontram-se o mástique de Quios (Pistacia lentiscus), o ládano da esteva (Cistus ladanifer), a alfazema ou lavanda (Lavandula stoechas e Lavandula angustifolia), o zimbro (Juniperus communis), o terebinto ou cornalheira (Pistacia terebinthus), a sabina-albar (Juniperus thurifera) e a sandaraca (Tetraclinis articulata).
1. Mástique de Quios ou Lentisco (Pistacia lentiscus)
O mástique de Quios, também conhecido como lentisco, árvore-do-mástique ou aroeira em Portugal, provém de uma planta dioica, com indivíduos masculinos e femininos separados.
Associado à ilha de Quios, na Grécia, é conhecido como as “lágrimas de Quios”. Existe em várias zonas do Mediterrâneo, incluindo Portugal e Espanha, e é uma das resinas mais valorizadas do mundo, usada desde a Antiguidade pelo seu aroma fresco, resinoso e ligeiramente cítrico.
Na Grécia e em Roma antigas, era utilizado na higiene oral, sendo considerado um dos antepassados da goma de mascar e de certas preparações dentífricas tradicionais.
Em contextos espirituais e ritualísticos, o mástique é valorizado pelas seguintes propriedades simbólicas:
Purificação e clareza: queimado como incenso, ajuda a limpar espaços sagrados e a purificar a mente, favorecendo a concentração e a meditação.
Conexão solar e psíquica: tradicionalmente associado ao Sol, simboliza vitalidade, otimismo e iluminação espiritual.
Resiliência e cura: por ser uma resina produzida pela árvore para proteger as suas feridas, representa regeneração, proteção energética e recuperação.
Atributos elementais: ligado ao elemento Ar, é usado em rituais de leveza, libertação mental e renovação de propósitos.
Aplicações Práticas em Rituais
Incenso de meditação: cria uma atmosfera de paz e ajuda a aquietar o ruído mental.
Base para composições: pode funcionar como fixador ou base em misturas complexas de incenso, como o kyphi egípcio, e em preparações simbólicas descritas em grimórios antigos.
Rituais de cura: em algumas tradições gregas e árabes, as fumigações com mástique acompanham preces e práticas dedicadas à recuperação física e emocional.
Nota: grimórios, do francês grimoire, são coleções ou livros medievais de símbolos, rituais, encantamentos e instruções mágicas para invocações e criação de amuletos.
2. Esteva e Ládano (Cistus ladanifer)
A esteva, planta emblemática das paisagens mediterrânicas, possui um simbolismo profundo ligado à purificação, à resiliência e à proteção. A sua importância ritual deriva tanto da sua capacidade de sobreviver em solos pobres e regenerar-se após o fogo como da resina aromática que exala: o ládano ou lábdano.
Esta resina escura e pegajosa, historicamente recolhida até da lã das cabras que pastavam entre estevas, tornou-se uma base importante do aroma âmbar na perfumaria clássica e um incenso de forte presença simbólica.
Purificação e limpeza energética: a esteva é usada em defumações para remover energias densas e preparar o espaço para práticas sagradas.
Resiliência e renascimento: pela sua capacidade de rebrotar depois dos incêndios, simboliza superação, novos começos e força interior.
Proteção e selagem: as suas folhas e a sua resina são associadas à criação de uma camada protetora contra influências nocivas.
Ancestralidade mediterrânica: em tradições ibéricas, a esteva surge como planta de ligação à terra, ao sol e aos espíritos locais da paisagem.
3. Alfazema, Lavanda ou Rosmaninho (Lavandula stoechas e Lavandula angustifolia)
A alfazema, também conhecida como lavanda ou rosmaninho, é valorizada pelo seu aroma relaxante e pelas suas propriedades espirituais e terapêuticas. Atua como planta de equilíbrio, suavização emocional e purificação subtil.
Purificação e limpeza energética: ajuda a limpar vibrações densas de ambientes e do campo áurico.
Proteção espiritual: é usada para afastar energias pesadas e promover paz interior.
Calma e equilíbrio mental: favorece a meditação, a introspeção e a serenidade emocional.
Harmonia afetiva: em rituais, é associada à paz, à ternura, à felicidade e à harmonia familiar.
Uso ritual: aparece em banhos, defumações, benzimentos e preparações aromáticas de limpeza.
Princípios Ativos e Usos Comuns
O óleo essencial de alfazema é rico em compostos bioativos, como o linalol e o acetato de linalila, frequentemente associados a efeitos calmantes, sedativos, ansiolíticos e anti-inflamatórios.
O seu aroma atua sobre o sistema nervoso, podendo ajudar a reduzir a ansiedade, melhorar a qualidade do sono e aliviar dores de cabeça ligeiras.
Banhos de alfazema: usados para relaxamento físico e limpeza energética.
Infusões e banhos localizados: podem ser usados tradicionalmente para efeitos calmantes e suavizantes.
Aromatizadores e colónias: perfumam o ambiente e contribuem para uma atmosfera mais serena.
4. Zimbro (Juniperus communis)
A resina e as bagas de zimbro possuem um simbolismo antigo centrado na proteção, na purificação e na coragem. Historicamente, esta planta foi vista como escudo aromático contra energias negativas e como facilitadora do diálogo com o sagrado.
Entre os seus principais significados espirituais destacam-se:
Proteção e escudo: usado para afastar energias negativas, purificar ambientes e proteger pessoas e objetos.
Coragem e força: associado à resiliência, ajuda simbolicamente a superar medos e desânimo.
Purificação e cura: o seu aroma intenso é ligado à limpeza física, espiritual e emocional.
Renovação e esperança: em tradições bíblicas, surge como abrigo e símbolo de refúgio em momentos de fragilidade.
Árvore da vida: em algumas tradições, representa a ligação entre o mundo terreno e o espiritual.
5. Terebinto ou Cornalheira (Pistacia terebinthus)
A resina da cornalheira, ou terebinto, possui um simbolismo espiritual e etnocultural ligado à purificação, à proteção e aos rituais de passagem, especialmente em contextos funerários e devocionais.
Os seus principais usos simbólicos incluem:
Rituais funerários e proteção: a resina era queimada em sepulcros na Antiguidade, o que lhe conferiu simbolismos de transição, proteção da alma e respeito pelos mortos.
Conexão com o sagrado: o terebinto surge em contextos bíblicos e tradicionais como árvore associada a locais de culto, oração e memória.
Limpeza e elevação: a sua resina aromática simboliza a purificação de ambientes e a elevação espiritual.
Resistência e longevidade: por ser uma planta rústica e resistente, representa força, permanência e ligação à terra.
Embora possa ser confundido com a aroeira (Pistacia lentiscus) na produção de resinas perfumadas, o terebinto distingue-se pela sua trementina valiosa, conhecida desde a Grécia Antiga.
6. Sabina-albar (Juniperus thurifera)
A resina da sabina-albar possui forte simbolismo místico e tradicional, sobretudo pelo seu uso como incenso. A goma-resina extraída desta árvore é muitas vezes conhecida como “incenso macho”. O fumo da sua queima é associado à elevação das preces, à purificação e à presença do sagrado.
Incenso macho: resina tradicionalmente valorizada em práticas litúrgicas e espirituais.
Elevação das preces: o fumo simboliza a ascensão das orações ao céu.
Purificação: usada como resina aromática em práticas de limpeza espiritual.
Origem e forma: surge frequentemente em lágrimas ou grãos de tamanhos variados, com forte ligação a tradições do norte de África.
7. Sandaraca (Tetraclinis articulata)
A sandaraca é uma resina amarelo-pálida proveniente de um cipreste nativo do Norte de África e de algumas zonas de Espanha. Tem aroma balsâmico, ligeiramente frutado, e é valorizada em práticas de clareza mental, proteção e purificação.
O seu uso em rituais animistas e espirituais reflete a ligação das culturas do Norte de África e da bacia mediterrânica aos elementos naturais, entendidos como portadores de essência e presença espiritual próprias.
Estes são os aspetos centrais do seu uso ritual e animista:
Práticas Animistas e Rituais
Clareza e foco: a queima da resina ajuda a dissipar o “nevoeiro mental”, sendo usada antes de meditações ou práticas divinatórias.
Afugentar espíritos (jinn): no folclore do Norte de África, o fumo da sandaraca purifica espaços contra entidades negativas.
Casamentos e nascimentos: é queimada em rituais de passagem para abençoar novos começos e proteger pessoas vulneráveis.
Transição e sono: o aroma balsâmico favorece o relaxamento profundo e pode acompanhar trabalhos simbólicos com sonhos e viagens astrais.
Propriedades do Fumo
Aroma: liberta notas quentes e balsâmicas, com um toque cítrico e resinoso muito fresco.
Combustão: derrete muito rapidamente quando colocada sobre carvão, produzindo um fumo denso e purificador.
Conclusão
A defumação com ervas e resinas mediterrânicas revela-se, ao longo deste percurso, como uma prática que ultrapassa a simples aromatização de espaços. Ela reúne conhecimento tradicional, atenção ao mundo vegetal, intenção ritual e uma relação profunda com a paisagem mediterrânica, onde cada planta transporta memória, presença e significado próprio.
Ao colher, preparar e queimar um bastão de ervas, o praticante não trabalha apenas com matéria vegetal, mas com uma rede de relações: a terra que alimenta a planta, o fogo que liberta o seu fumo, o ar que o conduz e a intenção humana que lhe dá direção. Nesta perspetiva, o ritual torna-se um gesto de reciprocidade, escuta e cuidado.
As plantas e resinas apresentadas — do alecrim ao loureiro, da esteva ao mástique, do zimbro à sandaraca — mostram a riqueza simbólica e sensorial do Mediterrâneo. Cada uma oferece uma forma distinta de proteção, purificação, clareza, serenidade ou ligação espiritual, permitindo que a defumação seja adaptada à intenção, ao espaço e ao momento.
Assim, recuperar estas práticas é também recuperar uma forma mais consciente de habitar o mundo: uma forma que reconhece a natureza como presença viva, respeita os seus ciclos e transforma atos simples — colher, atar, secar, acender e agradecer — em rituais de ligação, equilíbrio e memória.
"Fearing Glass Contamination, Nestlé Issues a Limited Recall" by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS via NYT t.co/Ch3k9MC3FX (via Twitter twitter.com/felipemassone/status/708074186430881792)
The Abandoned Pennhurst Asylum
May 25th, 2014
Some info on this historic location:
“Pennhurst is the scariest place I have ever seen. Period. I have traveled all over the country visiting haunted places and attractions and nothing compares to this incredible, dilapidated campus. Last October, I was approached by the owners of Pennhurst Associates, and asked if I would like to be a partner in their haunted attraction. At first I was skeptical because everyone thinks this industry is easy, with a “get rich quick” attitude, and we all know how much work is involved and how hard it is to be successful. I was really skeptical…until I visited Pennhurst. The day I drove into this huge complex of brick structures, I was hooked. I knew this place had the potential to be the greatest haunted attraction ever. With a ton of money, corporate sponsors, the right build crew, and a great plan, Pennhurst Asylum could come to life and entertain the hard core haunters. Not only does this place have an incredible ambiance, a built in cult following, and a treasure trove of unique props, it has a history; a history riddled with accusations of torture, abuse and neglect. A history of mental patients chained to the walls in dark tunnels, children left for years in cribs, sexual abuse by the staff and even murder. All this happened behind the walls of Pennhurst State School, Spring City, Pennsylvania.
Pennhurst was constructed and opened in 1908 as a state school for the mentally and physically disabled. Pennhurst's property was vast, covering 120 acres. Created to house over 10,000 patients at a point in time, Pennhurst was one of the largest institutions of its kind in Pennsylvania. Half of Pennhurst's residents were committed by court order and the other half were brought by a parent or other guardian. It was devoted strictly to the care, treatment and education of the disabled. Originally named Pennhurst Home for the Feeble Minded and Epileptic, it finally was just called Pennhurst State School. Pennhurst employed a large number of staff to help assist in maintaining the facility. This staff included a board of trustees, medical staff, dental staff, and specialists in psychology, social services, accounting, and various fields of education. The grounds of Pennhurst included a 300-bed hospital, which had a full nursing staff and two surgeons on call at all times. Others at Pennhurst included members of the clergy and farming experts who grew most of Pennhurst's food . Pennhurst was an essentially self-sufficient community, its 1,400-acre site containing a firehouse, general store, barber shop, movie theatre, auditorium and even a greenhouse. The buildings of Pennhurst were named after towns in Pennsylvania such as Chester and Devon. The original buildings were designed by architect Phillip H. Johnson. All of Pennhurst's electricity was generated by an on-site power plant. A cemetery lay on the property, as well as baseball and recreational fields for the residents. Many of Pennhurst's buildings were strictly for storage; however, the majority were dormitory and hospital-style living quarters for the residents. Many of the buildings had security screens that were accessed on the inside, to prevent patients from escaping, or jumping to their deaths. Most of the stairwells had security fences to keep patients from jumping over the railings. Many of the buildings are linked by an underground tunnel system designed for transportation of handicapped patients to and from the dormitory, recreational buildings and dietary.
Pennhurst was often accused of dehuminazitation and was said to have provided no help to the mentally challenged. The institution had a long history of staff difficulties and negative public image, for example, a 1968 report by NBC called "Suffer the Little Children". Pennhurst State School was closed in 1986 following several allegations of abuse. These allegations led to the first lawsuit of its kind in the United States, Pennhurst State School and Hospital vs. Halderman, which asserted that the mentally retarded have a constitutional right to living quarters and an education. Terry Lee Halderman had been a resident of the school, and upon release she filed suit in the district court on behalf of herself and all other residents of Pennhurst. The complaint alleged that conditions at Pennhurst were unsanitary, inhumane and dangerous, that these living conditions violated the fourteenth amendment, and that Pennhurst used cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the eighth and fourteenth amendments. After a 32-day trial and an immense investigation, prosecutors concluded that the conditions at Pennhurst were not only dangerous, with physical and mental abuse of its patients, but also inadequate for the care and habilitation for the mentally retarded. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania also concluded that the physical, mental, and intellectual skills of most patients had deteriorated while in Pennhurst.
In 1986, Pennhurst was ordered closed, and began a program of de-institutionalism that lasted several years. Once the buildings were closed, they began to rapidly deteriorate from lack of heating, moisture invasion and vandalism. Thousands of people began to illegally tour the property spray painting everything in sight and breaking all the glass in the place. Theft was rampant and the destruction of the property was in full swing. Patients were thrown out and a large homeless contingent developed in the area.
Pennhurst fell into complete ruin as the complex was shut down. Buildings were abandoned as they were, with patient’s clothes and belonging strewn about. Furniture, cabinets and medical equipment were left to decay as if someone had just got up and walked out the front door. This is the place that will eventually resurrect into one of the most studied properties in the ghost hunter media, and will become an amazing haunted attraction.
As I research the history of this place, I begin to realize the potential of Pennhurst as an intriguing location for a haunted attraction. This place is really haunted. Several reputable Ghost Hunter groups have documented audible recordings, temperature changes, and unexplained movement of objects in the buildings of Pennhurst. This is the kind of environment I want to build the next generation of haunted house; a proven haunted location.
My team, headed by John Brady, Shawn Sieger, Jim Souflous, Todd Beringer, Rob Sieger and others search the complex for valuable props. We wander deep into the tunnels that stitch the complex. We move into the basements of maintenance buildings, storage areas, dormitories and dietary in search of unique items that will set this haunt apart from all other. We find a huge electro-mechanical device that has to be the control for the electrotherapy department. It is so old that it used electrical tube circuits developed in the 30’s. Insulators and other unrecognizable devices are strewn about the room. This is a huge find. As we cruise through the old abandoned hospital, we harvest giant 48” surgical lights that are suspended from the rotting ceilings. They are mounted on tracks that allow the lights to be moved to focus on the unsuspecting patients. These will be perfect in the rooms for our haunt. We find medical cabinets, drawers, storage lockers, operating tables are everywhere. This is a veritable treasure trove of props for our attraction. As we move through the dark corridors, with flashlights moving side to side, I can’t keep the feelings of growing anticipation from my mind. I know there is something out there but can’t put my finger on it. I come around the corner and enter a small room to the right, and there it is; the morgue. I recognize it because it has two drawer slides and a refrigeration unit on top. This is what we came here to find. This will be one of the most unique features of our attraction; a real morgue scene. Stainless steel tables with large drains, stainless steel cabinets, lab equipment and a real, 1930’s autopsy table! I am blown away by this scene. I can picture the thousands of customers coming through our attraction knowing that everything in here is REAL. My arms have gooseflesh!
Back at the Administration building, construction is moving forward. All the asbestos has been abated, the floors have been repaired, roof repaired, windows replaced, and structural inspections have been completed. The building is safe for use as an amusement building. Now the hard work of turning this into one of the most complex haunted houses is under way. A full electrical upgrade needs to be completed. Smart lighting, imbedded audio systems and fiber optical controls will be installed. Pneumatic infrastructure will be run throughout the building so props can be installed in any room. A lot of work must be completed in a few short months in preparation for the 2010 season.
We want this attraction to be a full experience of Pennhurst, but we need to work the audience up slowly so they won’t chicken out right away. This place is so creepy, that we need to get the ticket sales completed before they see the complex. A state of the art POS system will be installed by Interactive Ticketing, and can handle the thousands of expected customers. This system will track every ticket sold, and with the aid of digital scanners that are integrated with the internet, and keep track of each customer. Once the customer has bought their ticket, they will be guided to the walkway that surrounds the complex. This walkway will act as a huge queue line to the main entrance of the haunt, but will take them on a tour around several other buildings before entering the Administration building. As the customers walk the 800’ long walkway, they will experience the vastness of Pennhurst. With over 10 buildings in view, most in bad condition, they will be able to witness the downfall of this once beautiful campus. The once beautiful courtyards are now overgrown and the children’s playground equipment lay rotting all around. As the people approach the Admin building, they will be diverted to the side and then around to the front and into the main entrance. A large stone portico greets the crowd as they are ushered into the attraction. A unique feature of Pennhurst will be the museum. Many local residents have a strong feeling that the memories of the atrocities that occurred here should be preserved in some way so that they will not re-occur in the future. With this in mind, we felt that the construction of a Pennhurst Museum was in order. We have reconstructed four rooms on the first floor that will act as an indoor queue line and, at the same time, teach the public about the history of this magnificent place. With high tech videos, historical photos and artifacts from the past, the customers will be able to go back in time and witness the rise and fall of Pennhurst, as it happened. As they move slowly through the museum, they will notice that the rooms are beginning to decay. By the time they enter the great corridor the building has fallen into disrepair. This is when they will enter the scariest haunted house imaginable.
With an asylum theme in mind, and real, antique hospital equipment on hand, we began to build our attraction. We painted the entire interior with a special barrier sealant that encapsulates any lead paint and is also 100% flameproof. Rotted flooring has been replaced, and roof leaks have been plugged. We install MDF board as a wainscote and paint it to look like the marble that was part of the original building, but stolen long ago. We want an old time feeling to envelope the customers; a feeling of going back in time. The first room you enter is the intake office, complete with a psychiatrist giving you the Rorschach test, otherwise known as the ink blot test. As the Dr. engages the crowd, slides flip by on a large screen. After the intake, you enter the de-lousing showers, where shower heads spew out a combination of fog, air and CO2, giving it a cold feel. Other rooms include the dietary unit with copious use of existing cafeteria items like tray holders, rolling carts, plastic ware, cups, plates, tables and ovens. Pneumatic and actor scares abound in this haunt as there are a large number of great setups and hiding spots throughout the building. Moving upstairs, we have a large room with the ceiling removed. It shows the expansive architecture of the building, and the roofline looms over 35’ above your head. The focus in this room is the old, female actor in the corner, who is sitting in a vintage wheelchair. She is spot lighted with down lighting that also shows beds, furniture and other belongings. As she distracts the crowd, a switch is flipped and flood lights reveal the height of the ceiling, filled with another animatronic surprise.
Another part of the building is an area that has suffered a moderate fire. Door frames and headers are charred, and the smell of burnt wood is still perceptible. The area that was burned housed two sound proof cells; small rooms where patients could be locked away and their screams could be totally muffled. The floors, walls and ceilings are 6” thick with heavy insulation stuffed between the studs. The interiors are lined with sound proof tiles, and the exterior is sheathed in another layer of sound proofing. Even the doors are 8” thick and insulated. As you walk into these rooms, you can feel the air get heavy, the sounds deaden and you can imagine how the patients felt being locked up in the pitch dark with no one hearing your screams.
As you can imagine, the really cool rooms are left for last. With tons of great, original props, we build out sets that appear to be real operating rooms. One room is set up to be themed as a lobotomy operating room. Steel tables, medical cabinets and surgical equipment are everywhere. Actors bring off the scare and make this scene believable. The next room is our autopsy chamber. This room is decorated with the original equipment we found in the old hospital. The cabinets mounted to the walls are stainless steel, and look brand new, even after 50 or more years. The large sink structure, with an industrial size in-sinkerator, and long overflow drain, is up against the far wall. On the right is the original two drawer morgue unit, moved here from the hospital basement, and restored to its original form. The drawers roll out as easily as they did when first installed, and the refrigeration unit above the drawers adds to the realism of the scene. To top it off, an antique autopsy table stands in the center of the room. I bought the table at a funeral home auction 15 years ago and it has now found a new home. Overhead is a huge surgical style lamp, measuring over 40” across, and fitted with a friction gear that allows one to direct the light in any direction.
Another great room design we are using is the shock therapy room. This room has tile walls and floor, large overhead lights (harvested from the depths of building c) and the original electroconvulsive shock therapy machine retrieved from the hospital. Most modern ECT machines deliver a brief-pulse current, which is thought to cause fewer cognitive effects than the sine-wave currents which were originally used in ECT. Our machine is of the sine wave type, and caused unconsciousness and convulsions for 15 to 30 seconds. It is a large stainless steel console with dials and meters, and long electrode leads still attached. Our shock table is hinged in the center, and can tilt down for easy loading and unloading of the patient. The table has a latch where the actor can drop the foot of the table and attack the audience. This coupled with bang sticks, strobe lights, fog machines and a blistering 400 watt soundtrack make this one of the premier rooms at Pennhurst. In all, Pennhurst Asylum will have 18 complete rooms, not including the 4 room used in the museum. All of these rooms are highly detailed to be realistic in every way.
We have really strived to mix fact with fiction, folklore with fear, to come up with some of our unique room designs. There have been accounts of an old dentist chair that was located in the deep recesses of Mayflower, one of the more notorious dorms at Pennhurst. This chair is a little different than the ones you and I are used too; it has restraining straps attached to the arms, legs and headrest. This chair was reportedly used to remove the teeth of patients that were prone to biting the staff here. Imagine yourself being strapped into this device and having all your teeth ripped out without any kind of medication. This is just one more example of how unique this location is.
The most intriguing part of Pennhurst is their tunnel complex. All of the buildings on the campus are connected by above ground walkways with tunnels under them. These tunnels are 10 feet high, 8 feet wide and thousands of feet long. Concrete floors, tile walls and concrete ceilings create an incredible echo effect at certain intersections. In fact, I have looked behind myself several times to see if there is someone following me a few feet back. The echoes are so distinct you can hear whispers from hundreds of feet away.
As the guests are scared out of the last room in the Asylum, they find themselves in a large foyer with paintings and photographs on the walls. This is the queue line for the tunnels. Once through the lines, the guests are ushered down a long set of stairs and into the basement. Once there, with a temperature drop of at least 20 degrees, they are let through the double doors that lead to the exit…900 feet away. Scenes and actors appear at intersections along the way. Glass jars with cages around them contain the only lighting down here, and they are all connected to commercial lighting controls that are programmed to flicker, dim and occasionally go completely dark. We also added several subsonic bass tubes that cannot be heard, only felt. This will induce an uneasy feeling in all who enter the tunnels. Special chicken exits have been designed into the tunnel system and I’m sure will be used many times. This will be the scariest part of this attraction. The best part of the tunnel system is that it will contain our guests on their way back to the main entrance. People coming into the show along the walkways above will hear the screams emanating from the tunnels below them. They will hear the reactions to our show before they even enter the walkways leading to our haunt. What better way to elevate the anticipation and fear level than to hear, first hand, how scary this place is. If this place is scary to seasoned haunters, imagine how the general public will feel.
Another unique feature of Pennhurst is that it is really haunted. Featured on the Travel Channel, the Ghost Adventures crew have recorded many strange voices, noises and unexplained movement and documented this in their shows. The Pennhurst Ghost Tours, open to professional and amateur ghost hunters, has been a huge success, with recordings, photos and accounts of physical contact throughout the Pennhurst complex. So, if you want to get scared, come to Pennhurst Asylum. You may even witness the supernatural… whether you want to or not.”