The Farm Haus gets haunted
When you move into a historic home, you expect the house to creak and groan. You anticipate the wind to whip around it in a certain creepy way. So when we first settled into the house we never really thought anything of the squeaks and moans we heard.
Slowly the house’s personality began to unfold. Things started to go missing. We began hearing footsteps upstairs. The thermostat was always moving to 80 degrees. The troublemaking was mostly benign, and the ghost became an inside joke. A charming little anecdote to tell friends and family.
That was until the first renovation. The room destined to be a game room has big, beautiful espresso colored beams straight out of Architectural Digest. For some reason, the previous owners installed a drop ceiling more suited for sad office space. The ceiling hiding those beautiful beams was aesthetic terrorism in its worst form. Offended, we ripped it out exposing the rafters and unleashing the ghost.
The entire process lasted about 20 days. Our friendly little ghost immediately became aggressive. The first incident was after a rather pleasant day grocery shopping. We put everything away and set aside a couple of wine bottles on top of the fridge. We settle in to watch a movie when suddenly a crash comes from the kitchen. One of the wine bottles was thrown clear across the room and landed intact at an impossible angle. We stare at each other knowingly.
The next few days were terrifying. The energy in the house was palpable and electric. We kept finding our things in impossible places and configurations. One morning my partner found the basement door wide open with all the lights blazing. He called me at work to ask why I went down there so early in the morning. The door is tough to open alone, and there is zero reason to go down there. The final straw was one night getting ready for bed something ran up the narrow staircase and bangs the door with enough force for it to move.
The next morning we go straight to Orion & the Stone Unicorn for supplies. Armed with sage and a white candle, we hold hands and try to exorcize a demon — banish a ghost?! We went from room to room. We decided to go into the basement and the door handle snapped off. We had to pry the door open with a crowbar.
Clearly, We aren’t professionals because we only managed to move the energy outside. After a couple of days being creeped out, we did it again. Except for this time with all the windows open. We also did the exterior of the house as well.
The experience was extraordinary. The house seemed to vibrate and breathe. The wind picked up and whipped through the house with an unexpected force then it stopped. When it was all done, the house was empty. It felt clear and clean. We felt alone in the house.
And, so it was, we banished a ghost. The ghost makes an appearance whenever I make a renovation. Blinds and windows fly open. But, I think we’re at a truce. I guess it just likes to let me know its still here.
