tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post384900417367026851..comments2023-04-10T03:33:40.803-04:00Comments on Appalachian Lifestyles: SuperstitionsMatthew Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-88040010182707054002022-02-21T20:31:53.979-05:002022-02-21T20:31:53.979-05:00In the Virginia mountains where I lived, it was co...In the Virginia mountains where I lived, it was considered bad luck to sew anything on Ascension Day (40 days after Easter). No one could tell me why, but I heard two theories. One was that each stitch pierced the Savior’s heart. The other was that the article you were seeing would get struck by lightning. Doing a little research, I learned that the superstition was so strong in one area of Pennsylvania that a shirt factory had to shut down every Ascension Day, because no one would come to work!Gracecanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08953868220029705671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-87791298417997235812017-06-23T18:28:04.279-04:002017-06-23T18:28:04.279-04:00Matthew,
I've heard many of these superstitio...Matthew, <br />I've heard many of these superstitions and learned a few new ones here. This post and these comments have made me think about a few things. I think I just realized for the first time that maybe the reason the South is such a superstitious place is because it is such a melting pot of cultures and we all learned the superstitions of several different cultures through our ancestors. How neat is that!? <br />Also, this scared me a little: <br />I had never heard about the swings, rocking chairs, or windchimes moving but I have always been irrationally afraid of those things. I can't stand anything like that. I hate a pull-chain light fixture, for example, I cut the chains so short they can't swing although I then burn my fingers turning out the light! <br />The really weird part is, I was always that way. When I was three, my parents bought me a swing set. I played on them at parks and at other childrens' houses. But I didn't want that thing at my house. I wouldn't play on it and I stood at the door looking out at it and cried. Cried! I remember doing this! I remember hating that they would swing by themselves in the wind and creak. I hated both the swinging and the sound. <br />No one ever told me those stories. <br />I wonder...MakingFunOfDemonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16872770497678604105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-88990459924894084222017-06-23T18:14:23.495-04:002017-06-23T18:14:23.495-04:00Wow. That is a beautiful and sad story.Wow. That is a beautiful and sad story.MakingFunOfDemonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16872770497678604105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-39141615587767525342016-04-15T21:28:02.037-04:002016-04-15T21:28:02.037-04:00David. My mamaw told a story about a rocking chai...David. My mamaw told a story about a rocking chair, and your comment gave me a chill up the spine. My paternal grandparents had 15 children. And my mamaw outlived at least half, if I remember my dates correctly. Anyway, the youngest of the children was a girl (my aunt), Betty. From the little she was talked about, I gathered she was sick often. She caught pneumonia, and was put in the hospital. She was very sick and it was probably know she wasn't going to survive. My mam was<br />Home with my grandfather and was picking up some of Betty's things that were laying about, when she saw her little hair brush and vanity kit. The brush had Betty's hair in it and my mam thought it best to throw the brush into the fireplace. She said my papaw was hurting and she didn't want to see him more upset. As she did that, she said that Betty's little rocking chair began slowly and purposefully rocking. The pace quickly picked up and she grabbed the back of it to stop. She said that she wasn't even aware that she was crying until she looked up and saw my papaw crying as well. They knew little Betty was gone. And upon going back to the hospital, they learned she passed shortly before they got back there. My mam left that little rocking chair in its place by the fireplace. And often she would sit in her chair and him hymns while she sewed. And often, that little chair would rock. She talked to Betty and 'others' her whole life. to this day, the hair on the back of my neck stands and I feel a very uncomfortable level of anxiety when I see someone get up and walk away from a rocking chair. Her Royal Highnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11339431710692662986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-29481722957214075672016-01-10T03:19:27.234-05:002016-01-10T03:19:27.234-05:00I was raised with the rocking chair thing - don...I was raised with the rocking chair thing - don't let an empty one rock, or an empty swing swing, for it invites haints (ghosts). *Seeing* one rock or swing on it own was a harbinger of the death of an elder or a child. <br /><br />Mark your windshield with an X if a black cat crosses in front of your car whilst you drive. I didn't hear about the windchimes, but bells warn the fair folk, or other mischievous Little People, away.<br /><br />Spread red brick dust (instead of salt) to ward off ill intent. <br /><br />And throw dirt behind a departing loved ones car as they drive away - it confuses malicious spirits as to which way the car left, thus they can't menace the driver.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07933195562768085806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-15257547768616440972008-11-03T13:47:00.000-05:002008-11-03T13:47:00.000-05:00You know the one about putting salt around your ho...You know the one about putting salt around your house to keep away evil spirits, I think. There's also the one about having a sudden shiver--my mother always said it was someone walking on your grave.<BR/><BR/>mom always played that game with us at Halloween where we'd go into a dark room and look in a mirror. Our future husband's face was supposed to appear over our shoulder. It was eerie because a lit candle would appear behind us, with a face hovering over it. Of course, the face was our mother's, but it was still spooky--and we never told each other what we saw.Granny Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01129064020727041161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-22706774988878333062008-10-30T08:53:00.000-04:002008-10-30T08:53:00.000-04:00Janet,I've heard all of these but forgot about the...Janet,<BR/>I've heard all of these but forgot about them. Thanks for reminding me. Yes, I've seen the feather crown post and it is great. I'd heard about feather crowns, too. <BR/><BR/>Also, here's another, if it rains at a funeral, the rain is supposed to be the angels tears and the person was welcomed into heaven.Matthew Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-50443373412912569082008-10-29T19:39:00.000-04:002008-10-29T19:39:00.000-04:00I've heard of the ones about death comes in 3s (an...I've heard of the ones about death comes in 3s (and it's usually right), a bird flying in your house is a sign of death, and you aren't supposed to walk over a grave. Some I could add are not letting a rocking chair rock without someone in it (I always stop the rocking when I get up),moving on Sunday is good luck,and I don't think you could call it a superstition, but did you see on Intouchwith's sight about the feather crowns? they say if your feather pillow has one in it after you die that they went to heaven. She has 3 (and she posted their pictures) she found in her father's old trunk.Janet,https://www.blogger.com/profile/17796999156668844943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-86836949551032559742008-10-29T11:43:00.000-04:002008-10-29T11:43:00.000-04:00Tipper,My mom used to have windchimes all over our...Tipper,<BR/>My mom used to have windchimes all over our porch until my Uncle Wood came over one day and took them all down. He told my mother that she could get mad if she wanted to but he'd take them down again if she put them back up, that those windchimes were calling up the dead. <BR/><BR/>After that, we never did have windchimes. I like them,too. <BR/><BR/>MatthewMatthew Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-2556873940116804612008-10-29T11:39:00.000-04:002008-10-29T11:39:00.000-04:00Neat!! The only one I can add-If you hear a screec...Neat!! The only one I can add-If you hear a screech owl at dusk it means someone will die. That one came by way of my Granny.<BR/><BR/>I have windchimes all over the place-now I'll be wondering if I should move them!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com