Faith, Folklore, and Friends

google image We have abundant frogs in Alabama. On summer evenings, I love sitting on the deck, listening to them sing.  The tree frogs have a constant chorus, with other frogs and toads calling out occasionally, probably seeking a sweetheart.   Ribbit, ribbit….or maybe they are saying “Wade in deep, Wade in deep.”  Above is an image of one of the gigs my brother used in search of delectable frog legs. It has survived more than half a century; the long pole attached to it did not. My brother and his friends were champion frog giggers. They would go every night if the weather allowed, and usually came home somewhere between nine and midnight with a sack full. They would butcher the frogs, taking only the legs.  Mama would fry the legs up for them, although it was past her bedtime and she had served a normal supper and cleaned up after it hours ago.  My brother and his friends would devour the frog legs as quickly as she could get them from the frying pan to the ...

Looking around in any old cemetery, you will notice that all the graves are positioned so that the feet of the body is facing east. Fortunately, you can't see the body beneath the ground, but if you could, odds are it would be face up.   The tradition of burying bodies in this position comes from Christianity.  The star that appeared before the greatest event on  Earth was in the east.  Those that die with the hope of resurrection want to be looking eastward when Jesus splits the sky.   For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.   ~Matthew 24:27 Before the days of bulldozers and perfectly landscaped cemeteries, people sometimes encountered obstacles that made it impossible for graves to be in the typical east-west position. When this happened, the grave would be dug in a north-south position, and the body would be laid on its side, head to the north and facing east.   Rar...

If you ever wander in old cemeteries, and I know many of you do, you are bound to see some cedar trees. The tradition goes back to the early days of the United States and even earlier  in Europe.  Cedar trees were not always used, but some type of evergreen trees were planted because they were a symbol of everlasting life.  Some  Cherokees believed that cedars contained powerful spirits, including the spirits of the departed buried beneath them. Perhaps because they are known as burial trees, there are many superstitions that surround cedars.  My grandmother told us in no uncertain terms that if we planted a cedar tree, we would die when it was large enough to shade our graves. Some others are: Never transplant a cedar tree; it will bring bad luck. If you transplant a cedar and it dies, you will die shortly. Planting a cedar tree in your yard welcomes poverty. Some say Christ was crucified on a cedar tree, and wil...

  On October 13, we were privileged to attend the 34th annual Tennessee Homecoming at the Museum of Appalachia near Knoxville.  We have been several  times before, but it had been about a decade since we had enjoyed the homecoming.  We were ready. The sounds of Appalachian music filled the autumn air.  There were five stages on the grounds with different musicians about every thirty minutes.   Everywhere we went, there was music. Children loved this--for a dollar, they could shell an ear of corn and take it with them. It would take way too long to name all the musicians there.  We enjoyed them all. This quilt was perfect for the old cabin porch.   These Revolutionary fellows fired off their muskets occasionally, just to keep things lively. We loved watching all the children there.  This little girl danced and played in the dirt at Stage 2 during a performance.  I'm ...