Category — Folklore and Myths

Last week, we were dealing with very cold temperatures and even snow. Today it’s warm and sunny, but my house is being invaded by ladybugs!
From time to time, in the fall, we have many people write to us about the ladybugs that come out in the fall. Are they a sign of a harsh winter [...]

As many visitors to our site already know, the Persimmon Seed is often cited as a means by which we can predict the upcoming winter weather. Melissa Bunker, Farmers’ Almanac’s “Johnsonville, NC Correspondent,” checked in with this photo of what appears to be a collection of knives and spoons (knife-shaped = “cold and icy”, spoon [...]

Goldenrod, long blamed for causing everyone’s hay fever, has an interesting legend associated with it. Supposedly, an old woman was walking in the woods when she came to a river. Realizing her balance wasn’t what it used to be, she decided to find a cane or branch to help her wade across the stream. She [...]

Once when I was about 15 years old, I was babysitting two little boys. One of them threw up in a small windowless bathroom downstairs. I tried to clean the vomit before their Mom Mary Ann got home, but every time I went in to clean, waves of nausea overtook me and I had to [...]

Here’s a fun rhyme about sneezing:
If you sneeze on a Monday, you sneeze for danger;
Sneeze on a Tuesday, kiss a stranger;
Sneeze on a Wednesday, sneeze for a letter;
Sneeze on a Thursday, something better;
Sneeze on a Friday, sneeze for sorrow;
Sneeze on a Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow.
Sneeze on a Sunday, and the devil will have domination [...]

As the full moon shines bright over Earth tomorrow night, people on the planet may go a little crazy, or so some believe. Having long held mystery and intrigue, the full moon has been blamed for causing a sudden increase in crime, psychotic behaviors, and accidents. Nineteenth century lawyers in England would even argue their [...]

 
I always welcome March with some trepidation. March means that the worst of winter is behind us, but the worst of winter  might yet come. For those in northern states, March is one of the snowiest months. And, if you get a storm it is usually very wet and heavy . Last week Maine was hit with [...]