Superstitions

Angel Crowns and Other Superstitions

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It’s really interesting how new information comes when I’m not looking for it. I was reading The Mountains We Call Home by Kim Michele Richardson (Book 3 of The Book Woman series) and how these people in the Appalachians were really superstitious. The main character in this book found an angel crown in her pillow and saw it as an omen that death was near.

So let me explain what an angel crown is. This phenomenon only occurs in feather pillows when the feathers swirl in a circle to form what appears to resemble a crown.

The character in this book found one of these dark omens and refused to sleep on the pillow. She threw it on the floor and slept without. To clarify, she does not die.

Angel crowns were also found in the pillow of a deceased and that was supposed to be a sign that the person went to heaven.

The main character in this particular book by Richardson is Cussy Mary and she has blue skin which is a real affliction by a select group way back in the hills and has been studied by a lot of scientists. Everyone believes if they touch her, they’ll die so they hunt her like she’s a wild animal. I really loved this story.

Anyway, I grew up with a lot of superstitions. A bird in the house is a sign that someone will die. Finding a hat on the bed meant bad luck, illness, or death. To break its curse, you were supposed to spit in the hat, throw it on the floor, and stomp on it. There were a million others. I think these people had way too much time on their hands.

In my new book, Jess’s Reckoning, they’re trapped in an outlaw town with a madman. He’s very superstitious so Abigail, the newspaper owner, plays on his fears by appearing at his bedside in white face paint, wearing a nun’s habit. She tells him he has to pay for his crimes and will face death. Scares him out of his wits. She and Jess McIntyre do finally wear him down and they’re able to get free.

This is a sweet romance. For an excerpt, CLICK Here.

I once had an uncle who was terrified to walk past a cemetery for fear a ghost would get him. He took a night watchman job but never got out of his car. Another time our family was in a flood and found a dead body. They left my uncle to stay there and went for the sheriff. As the water began to seep out of the person, the muscles began to contract in his arms and legs. My uncle took off running and never looked back.

Who still throws salt over their shoulder when they spill it? Or refuse to walk under a ladder? Or how about not crossing a black cat’s path or step on a crack? I don’t think I’m very superstitious but how about you? I’m giving away two copies (ebook or print) of Jess’s Reckoning so leave a comment.

Choosing the Perfect Name for Your Horse

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I’ve owned horses most of my life, from the time I was a preteen until a few years ago (we won’t mention how many decades there are in between). The very first horse I called my own was a bay gelding named Mac. That was it. Just Mac. He wasn’t particularly beautiful, but he was gentle and well-behaved. By the time I turned fourteen, I was ready for a more advanced horse, and we acquired Torno – short for Tornado. Now, he was a beauty. A striking black, high-stepping Saddlebred who sailed over fences. In college, I switched from English riding to Western and Baldy was my horse of choice. She was pie-bald mare with an entirely white face and pale blue eyes.

In all three cases, my horse came with an established name, and it seemed to fit them and their characteristics. Not that I would have changed it. As a youngster, I once read in book that changing a horse’s name was bad luck, and I believed it. Over the years, my husband and I came to own many dozens of horses and mules—some of them with silly or just plain awful names. Still, I wouldn’t change them. Instead, I’d come up with a tolerable, if not cute, nickname. A few of the more memorable ones were a pony named Tinkle and an older white swayback called Dumpy. I couldn’t bring myself to call them by those terrible monikers, so I dubbed them Tinker Bell and Dimples. I figured the nicknames were close enough to not rain any bad luck down on us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was also tasked with the job of naming the many babies we had and any nameless horse or mule that came to us. One of my favorites was a baby mule that we had after several years of trying and much money invested. The moment I saw him at a few hours old, I pronounced him Dollar, which made perfect sense. Eighteen months later, his full sister Penny was born. I mean, seriously, what else could I call her? A dun mare we fostered produced a handsome male foal that looked just like her, so I called him Son of a Dun, Sonny for short.

Not all the names I picked were humorous, although I admit I often leaned that way. Neither were all the names clever and original. We had our share of classics like Lady and Fancy and Patches. I named my favorite horse of all time Tiger because he was born in the year of the tiger. What mattered most is that somehow the names all came to fit the horse or mule.

Oh, and this doesn’t take into account all the names of fictional horses and bulls and even dogs that I had to come up with for books. I once had a fierce bucking bull called Orange Crush and most recently a diminutive mule I gave the name of Short Stack.

Just for fun, tell me, what would you name this silly fellow? Who knows? I just might use him and your suggestion in a future book ?

And don’t forget to check out our P&P reader group on Facebook!

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Western Superstitions

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Are you superstitious? I’d like to say I am not, but I do tend to knock wood every now and again. The fascinating things about superstitions is that many of them have a basis in reality. Or perceived reality.

I clearly remember an episode of The Roy Rogers Show where Roy walked under a ladder, and his sidekick, Pat Brady, knew that something was dreadfully wrong because normally Roy would never take such a chance. I have to admit that sixty years later, I still think twice before walking under a ladder, thanks to Roy and Pat Brady. That will probably keep me from being hit with a falling paint can, or the ladder coming down on my head.

A common cowboy superstition is to never, ever, put your hat on a bed. I assumed that it was so that the hat wasn’t accidentally squashed. That said, cowboy hats can generally take quite a beating and a little steam from a tea kettle will put them back in the shape they were once in. I did a little research and found out that head lice were quite prevalent in the old west, and by keeping hats off the bed, the wearer also kept lice from migrating to the blankets.

Iron was thought to repel evil in the Middle Ages. It could withstand fire and therefore was a protective element. Horseshoes are made of iron and therefore hanging a horseshoe could protect a house and those within. Now there is some controversy about which way to hang the horseshoe. In my house, a horse had to have the U pointed down so that the luck didn’t run out. Some people believe the U has to point the other way so that the luck pours out.  Maybe so, but it still bothers me to see a horseshoe pointed the “wrong way”.

Some people believe that if you should never gift a person a knife. If you do it may severe the relationship. To keep that from happening, the recipient must pay at least a penny for the gift.

Rodeo cowboys and cowgirls avoid eating chicken or wearing yellow when competing. Obviously yellow is the color of cowardice and chicken is, well, chicken. Also a rodeo rider doesn’t compete with change in their pocket, because that will be all the money they get that day.

Lastly, never buy used cowboy boots or you’ll be stepping into the owner’s troubles. Stepping in manure is good luck (kind of takes the sting off from having to clean your shoes). A cowboy will oil his boots but won’t clean them because they may lose their luck.

Do you follow any superstitions? I try not to as I said, but I do have “power” socks for bad days and I knock on wood.

 

 

Cowboys Always Place Horseshoes Up

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This week we welcome award-winning inspirational author Linda Goodnight and she has an interesting blog for us. She also has a GIVEAWAY so don’t miss that at the bottom.

How many of you, as kids walking down a sidewalk, chanted, “Step on a crack and break your mama’s back” and did your best to skip over those cracks? Are you superstitious? I’m not really, but I think it’s fun to hear about them.

Athletes in particular are a superstitious bunch, whether for fun, ritual, or whatever. For instance, one famous basketball player wore the same pair of ankle-flopping socks throughout his career. Serena Williams, the tennis champ, is known to always tie her shoes exactly the same way before a game. Some athletes insist on eating the same pregame meal or wearing the same (sometimes unwashed) article of clothing. Instead of superstitions, they call these “routines” or pregame rituals. Putting their uniform on in the same order. Stretching in the same spot on the nine-yard line. Regardless of whether the behaviors are routines or superstitions, athletes do them because they think they’ll play better if they do. They’ll laugh about it, but they still do it.

Cowboys, including rodeo cowboys, have their own set of unique superstitions. According to one rodeo source, as many as 75% of rodeo athletes adhere to at least one superstition.

Walker Littlefield, the hero in To Protect His Brother’s Baby would quietly grin and shake his head if asked if he was superstitious. He wasn’t. But some of his rodeo buddies were. That’s why I thought it would be fun to discuss some cowboy and/or rodeo superstitions that are still around today.

Let’s look at ten.

  1. Never put your hat on a bed, especially brim down. All the luck will run out. Several theories about the origin exist, including warnings of impending injury or death. Eek! But a more reasonable origin could be the fact that cowboys back in the wild west only bathed occasionally and had headlice. A hat on the bed could spread the vermin. The only thing to do if your hat is accidentally placed on the bed is spit in it, throw it down, and stomp it flat. Problem solved. ?
  2. Place your hat upside down on the table or other surface when removing to keep the good luck inside. Better yet, hang it up.
  3. A horseshoe over the door or tack room brings good luck as long as it’s “heels up.” “Heels down” drains out all the luck.
  4. Never eat chicken before a rodeo. Eat a hotdog instead. You are what you eat.
  5. Don’t wear yellow in the arena. It means you’re a coward.
  6. Never carry change in your pocket when competing. That’s all the money you’ll win.
  7. Don’t kick a paper cup that someone tossed on the ground. It’s bad luck. And could spook your horse!
  8. Never cross your boots when removing them to keep from getting “tripped up.”

       9. Never accept a gift of old boots. You will step into the old owner’s troubles.

 * *10. And my very favorite: Finding a feather in the arena is good luck. It’s a reminder that angels are watching over you.

 So, there you have them, just in time for Halloween!

Leave a comment about a ritual or superstition you or someone you know has. You’ll go into a drawing for a copy of my latest book, To Protect His Brother’s Baby.  GOOD LUCK in the drawing!

 

About Linda:

Linda has appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, and Christian bestseller lists, and her romance novels have been translated into more than a dozen languages. A  former nurse and teacher, Linda loves writing fiction that carries a message of hope and light in a sometimes dark world. Linda enjoys cooking, reading, and travel. Next on her bucket list are Israel and Scotland. She lives in Oklahoma with husband, Gene, who, ironically, doesn’t travel at all.

The Hermit of the Superstition Mountains

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I have the really good fortune of living not too far from the Superstition Mountains – a range of about 160,000 acres east of Phoenix and north of Mesa and Apache Junction. I mentioned in a previous blog that my next Love Inspired Suspense Mountain Rescue book will be set there. When I first planned this blog, I thought to write about the legend of the Lost Dutchman’s Mine, something which the Superstitions are perhaps most known for. Instead, I decided to tell you a little about another famous legend, that of Elisha Reavis, and one I have much more experience with.

He was known as the hermit of the Supersitions, though, by some newspaper accounts, he was actually quite social and likeable when he came to town to sell his produce. Social, and a little touched in the head as they said in those days. He was born to a well-off family in Illinois and came to Arizona in 1869, abandoning his wife and child. Why exactly no one is sure, but he established a ranch in the heart of the Superstitions at the only location with enough natural water to grow fruits and vegetables. Mind you, he didn’t buy the land, he simply settled there and began to farm it.

Constructing a house and out buildings, digging wells, and bringing in equipment was no small task, considering the remote location of his new home. Not to mention transporting his produce to town for sale. It takes a special person with an incredible amount of determination. There are plenty of wild stories about Elisha, which may or may not be true. He supposedly fought off a band of local Apaches who weren’t happy about him settling on their hunting ground by taking off his clothes and running around naked with a butcher knife. Some thought he had supernatural powers. It’s been said the house contained an impressive library. What is know for sure, he died on the trail, and a small monument now marks the spot.

The legend of Elisha Reavis lives on today in the form of apples. He planted a large orchard that produces an impressive harvest still to this day — depending on weather conditions, of course. I’ve visited Reavis Ranch, as it’s called, many time, riding in on horseback (though you can also hike in if you’re up to it). We used to make several trips each year, always one in the fall to collect bushels of apples. We’d carry out the apples on a packhorse and later turn them into apple sauce, apple pie, and fried apples. One year, we even spent the night in the old abandoned ranch house. I’m glad to have had the chance because, sadly, the house was burned down by vandals some years ago. Only the foundation remains.

There are some incredible views to be had on the Superstition trails to Reavis Ranch that will quite literally take your breath away. Weaver’s Needle is easily recognized by its distinctive shape (check out the first picture at the top of the blog). And if you know where to look, you can also visit ancient Indian ruins and natural springs that create an oasis in the middle of desert mountains. I’ve been to both. But, as often as I’ve ridden the mountains, I’ve never found the Lost Dutchman’s Mine. That’ll be a blog for another day!

Old Wives’ Tales Around the House

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I love The Farmer’s Almanac and have both an old version and I a newer one.  I enjoy reading about old wives’ tales around the house from days gone by and wanted to share some of them with you. I took this information from The Old Farmer’s Almanac.  Enjoy!

  • Never give a knife as a housewarming present, or your new neighbor will become an enemy. I grew up on a version of this.  In Texas we were told never to give a knife to anybody under any circumstances; so, we always did the next thing.
  • If you give a steel blade to a friend make the recipient pay you a penny to avoid cutting the friendship
  • When you move to a new house, always enter first with a loaf of bread and a new broom. Never bring an old broom into the house.  I never heard of this and only moved twice since we married 52 years ago and I always brought my old broom.  Hum?  Fact or fiction?  We’ve had a wonderful life in both house.

  • Never walk under a ladder, which is Satan’s territory. If you do, cross your fingers or make the sign of the fig (closed fist, with thumb between index and middle fingers.)  I knew never to walk under a ladder because it’d bring you bad luck, but never knew the name for the sign of the fig, which I think we all have used at one time or another.
  • To protect your house from lightning, gather hazel tree branches on Palm Sunday and keep them in water. How many of you have a hazel tree or can even get branches?  Not in my neighborhood.
  • To banish serpents and venomous creatures from the room, scatter Solomon’s seal on the floor. I have two issues with this.  I don’t think I’ve ever had a serpent or venomous creature in our house and I sure don’t know what Solomon’s seal is.  Do any of you?
  • Never pound a nail after sundown or you will wake the tree gods. Interesting???
  • Nail an evergreen branch to new rafters to bring good luck. An empty hornets’ nest, hung high, also will bring good luck to a house of any age. Well, here in Texas, we like to hang a horseshoe over the door for good luck.
  • Never carry a hoe into the house. If you do by mistake, carry it out again, walking backward to avoid bad luck.

I thought this had a bunch a fun superstitions and old wives’ tales from around the house.  There are many more takes about the house and home, but are they fact or fiction?  Often only time will tell.

Do you have a superstition you want to share?

To one reader who leaves a comment, I will  send you either

your choice of an eBook of any of my books listed on Amazon or

a $10.00 Bath and Bodyworks gift card.

 

Petticoats & Pistols