A (Not So) Grim, Grinning Ghost?

Here’s a fun story, courtesy of Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow Patch, about a ghost sighting at Sunnyside, Washington Irving’s Tarrytown home.

While visiting Sunnyside in late June, 14-year-old aspiring writer Rachel Lambert took a number of photos of the exterior of the house, and took a quick shot of Irving’s upstairs bedroom window.  Looking at the photo later on her computer, she believes she caught a peek of Irving through the window, hunched over writing.  Here’s a video Rachel posted on YouTube.  See for yourself:

Irving once remarked that if he were to return as a ghost, he would likely haunt his beloved Sunnyside — and he also assured family and friends that they’d have nothing to fear, as he’d be a pleasant ghost. My pal Rob Schweitzer at Historic Hudson Valley noted that there have been no reports of paranormal activity at Sunnyside — or at least not yet. I tend to agree that the photo is a stretch, but it’s still fun to speculate. And if an Irving sighting encourages Miss Lambert to pursue a career as a writer, then I’d say that Washington Irving — that spinner of ghostly yarns, and a master of hoaxes — would approve of all the chatter and speculation.