Laurel Hill Cemetery, PA

🍂 Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia

A PumpkinSpice Hearthcraft Field Note Visited on a rain‑washed afternoon

Laurel Hill greeted us on a soft, overcast day — the kind of weather that turns stone into story and makes every carved name feel a little closer. A steady drizzle followed us through the gates, sometimes gentle, sometimes insistent enough that we tucked our cameras beneath our coats and waited for the clouds to catch their breath. Even so, we managed to gather a lovely handful of photographs, a few of which are shared here.

Cemeteries have always been places of folklore and history for us — once tangled up in the paranormal craze of our younger years, but now appreciated with a quieter, deeper affection. With age comes a shift in focus: away from chasing the unexplainable and toward honoring the culture, craftsmanship, and human stories held in these landscapes. Laurel Hill, with its sweeping views and Victorian monuments, is a treasure for anyone who loves history and folklore as much as we do.

Despite the moody weather, the cemetery felt peaceful and grounded. The rain softened the edges of the world, giving the marble and granite a gentle sheen. It wasn’t ominous so much as contemplative — the kind of atmosphere that invites you to slow down and notice things you might miss on a bright, sunny day.

We wandered the paths reading names, some familiar (like General Meade, pictured above), many others belonging to people whose stories we’ll never fully know but who deserve remembrance all the same. That act — pausing, reading, acknowledging — felt like the truest form of connection.

Not every place we visit offers folklore in the form of legends or ghost stories. Sometimes the folklore is simply the landscape itself: the way the river curves, the way the monuments lean, the way time settles into the stone. Laurel Hill is rich with that kind of quiet narrative.

We stopped by the small gift shop before leaving, a charming little nook filled with books, postcards, and bits of local history. The person tending the shop was warm and knowledgeable, sharing stories about the grounds and pointing out details we might have missed. My fiancé, ever the history enthusiast, was in his element — perhaps even more than I was.

Philadelphia gave us many places to explore on this trip, and we’ll share more of those adventures alongside the photographs. As for Laurel Hill, we’re not sure if we’ll return — there are so many new corners of the world calling our names — but we’re grateful for the time we spent there. If you find yourself in the area, it’s well worth a wander. Bring a good pair of shoes, a curious heart, and a willingness to let the past speak softly to you.

Arcadia State Park, RI

Arcadia State Park, RI Arcadia State Park, RI

We visited in 2016.

©  2016  - 2026 -  PumpkinSpice Hearthcraft - All Rights Reserved 

🍂 Arcadia State Park, Rhode Island

Visited in 2016 A PumpkinSpice Hearthcraft Field Note

Arcadia State Park has always felt like one of Rhode Island’s quiet treasures — a place tucked between Richmond, Exeter, Hopkinton, and West Greenwich, protected by pine forests and old stories. Though Rhode Island is the smallest state in the country, Arcadia stretches across 14,000 acres, making it one of the largest natural areas in New England.

I first visited Arcadia as a child, and in 2016, I returned with the kind of nostalgia that pulls you back to places that shaped you. The moment we stepped onto the trails, I remembered why it stayed with me: the hush of the pines, the soft light filtering through the branches, and the way the forest seems to breathe around you.

Arcadia has its own folklore — as most old New England landscapes do — but unlike some nearby areas where the stories lean heavy or unsettling, Arcadia feels gentler. The wildlife is the true heartbeat here. With fewer crowds over the years, the forest has reclaimed its quiet, and the animals have grown bold and curious. Spring especially feels like a soft‑footed season in Arcadia, when everything is waking up, and the trails smell like pine needles warming in the sun.

We didn’t feel anything eerie or foreboding during our visit. If anything, Arcadia felt like a place that holds you rather than haunts you. We’re already looking forward to returning for another nature walk.

🍁 Folklore of Arcadia

Breakheart Trail & the Penny Nest

Local lore says that hikers in the 1930s dropped a penny into an abandoned bird nest perched at the top of a hill near the pond. The nest sat at a fork in the path — where Breakheart Trail meets Penny Cutoff — and over time, the tradition stuck. The nest is long hidden now by overgrowth, but the name remains, carrying the memory of those early wanderers.

Giant Snappers & Mischievous Toes

Every New England kid has heard some version of this one. The snapping turtles in the murky waters are enormous — the kind you might mistake for stones until they decide to move. Parents used to warn children to keep their toes out of the water unless they wanted a turtle to “borrow one for a snack.” It’s the kind of playful, slightly dramatic folklore that keeps kids close to shore and gives families something to laugh about later.

The Indian Princess of the Pond Path

One of the oldest stories tells of a beautiful Native woman who runs along the pond path searching for her lost love. If you catch a glimpse of her, the tale says she’ll disappear around the bend near the old, broken bridge. It’s a story meant to remind hikers to stay on the safe part of the trail — a poetic cautionary tale wrapped in a bit of mystery.

Stonehenge, England

Stonehenge: A Journey Through Time and Quiet Magic

We’ve been blessed to visit Stonehenge not once, but twice—first in 2008, when we captured the photograph I shared, and again in the summer of 2018. And still, it calls us back. One day, we hope to return for the Summer Solstice, a dream that has lived quietly in our hearts for years.

Walking Into History

Stonehenge is one of the Seven Wonders of the World for a reason. People travel from every corner of the globe—pagans, historians, wanderers, and the simply curious—especially during the Solstice, when the sun aligns with the stones and the air feels charged with something ancient.

But you don’t need to arrive on a sacred date to feel the power of this land.

Standing before those towering stones, surrounded by open fields, farmland, and the quiet sweep of Wiltshire’s countryside, you feel time loosen its grip. You’re left with awe, questions, and a sense of connection to something older than memory. It’s humbling in the best way.

For me, Stonehenge awakened something deep in my Celtic, English, and Irish roots—something I didn’t even know was waiting. I made a conscious effort to be present, to listen, to absorb the energy of the land. And in doing so, I felt a kind of healing and knowing that I couldn’t have found anywhere else.

That first visit opened a door. It taught me that if I kept saying yes to the places that called me, the path would unfold. And it did. It still does.

Avebury: The Other Sacred Circle

During our first trip, we also visited Avebury, just twenty‑four miles from Stonehenge. If Stonehenge is the iconic monument, Avebury is the quiet, powerful sibling—vast, open, and deeply alive.

The moment you step onto its grounds, you feel it: the hum of the stones, the weight of history, the sense that you’re walking inside a living circle rather than observing one from afar. It’s one of the most sacred places in England, and its energy is unmistakable.

Why These Places Matter

Whether you’re a traveler, a history lover, a spiritual seeker, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of the world, Stonehenge and Avebury offer something rare: a chance to stand where ancient hands shaped the earth, where rituals once rose with the sun, where the past still breathes.

These places remind us that we’re part of a much larger story—one that stretches back through our ancestors and forward into the unknown.

I hope the photographs I shared give you a glimpse of that magic. And I hope, someday, you have the chance to stand among these stones yourself. There’s nothing quite like it.

Below are some of the pictures we took on our visits.