October

I've always been a fairly down to earth person but there is just something about the month of October which spooks me and its nothing to do with Halloween.

I used to love going out on a October morning, crisp, fresh air just cold enough for a small shiver, walking out into dense mist of the fields, as the sun is a low ball of white in the sky. But the Autumn nights find me indoors all shut in.

I don't know about you but I'm superstitious about certain things. As some have noticed, probably due to my protesting, I don't like being the 13th of anything. It doesn't stop there! I don't live one long round of rituals to avert the evil eye but I did ask the Ash tree if I could cut it back, it didn't reply so I assumed it had consented. I don't believe in anything which says a death will occur if.... Far too many pictures have fallen from the wall in my presence without any fatalities to prove thats not true. Farmers here never start anything new on a Friday, its considered a very bad day for new projects.

I'm fascinated by old wives tales and the possible origins. What, if any, superstitions do you have?

Sry Baa, guess I have outgrown all the superstitions - must be old and just wanna do it all and not worry about the Friday the 13ths. or trip 666 - Fall is a great time Halloween is fine for kids, but not much for us anymore with them gone and not many around our neighborhood - made it past age 13 and hope to make 113 as that is the next closest!

Haighr

Friday the 13th holds no fears for me, nor do any 13's other than being number 13, that I don't like.

Halloween isn't all that celebrated here like it is in the US. There are some people who have parties but not much in the way of trick or treating stuff.

Haighr, My DH is much more superstitious than I am. If he asks me to pass the salt at the supper table I always have to put it down before he will pick it up. Also if someone gets up from our rocking chair he will go over and stop it from rocking.He says it's bad luck.I don't go outside in the dark anymore but not because I'm superstitious. I just had a run in this summer with a big ole black bear when I took the trash out one night.I let out a scream that I'm sure they heard in several towns. I don't know who was more scared, him or me.I ran towards the front door and the last I saw of him he was running at a full gallup down the road.

I am afraid of....hmmm....there must be something...nope can't think of a thing! I am not superstitious but do agree that the supertitions are interesting

For instance Why "knock on wood"?

I am reluctant to return home if I start someplace and remember I forgot to bring or do something. I don't do King's X, but am often tempted, just in case. And I really hate to step on sidewalk cracks in case it would break my granny's back. Of course, all of my grannies have been dead for years. I just knock on my head for dead wood, and it must be working. I won't kiss just one of the baby's cheeks, and always take note of an itch on my hands or feet, an inch worm on my clothes, a dropped fork. I insist on giving a penney to anyone who gives me a knife, lest it cut our love/friendship.

I don't worry about superstitions, I trust in the Lord to guide and protect me. I don't do horiscopes either.

My grandmother passed several superstitions on to me.
1. It's bad luck to leave a hat on the bed.
2. Don't start a project on Friday that can't be finished that day. She was a housewife, and she wouldn't start crocheting a new project on Fridays.
3. It's bad luck to leave a rocking chair rocking after you stand up.
4. New Year's Day dinner must include hoppin john (a rice and peas dish) and collard greens. There can be other foods, but the hoppin john is for good luck and the collards is for money (financial good luck in the new year).

There are others, but that's all I can think of for now.

Still sell more black eyed peas for New Years dinner than any other time of the year here. It is either for good luck or prosperity depending on who you talk to.
Sue

We always use cow peas (dried field peas) in 'Hoppin' John. My mother in Charleston, SC has mailed the peas to me since DH and I moved away. As a child I didn't like 'Hoppin' John or collards, but was superstitious enough to have a small portion of each.

We always have Corned Beef & Cabbage for New Years (maybe it's the Irish in us). Mom always put a dime in the pot with the cabbage for financial good luck. Now I carry on that tradition.

I am not afraid of the number 13, never had been - I always wore the number 13 on my sports jerseys (no one else wanted them) It is still one of my favorite numbers to this day.

I am more leary to venture out alone on a night with a full moon. (not because of werewolves). People are just weird that night. They drive crazy and act weird in the stores, etc. I used to work for a magazine that advertised things for sale (The Trader) and the day after a full moon the people would just drive you nuts on the phones.

I guess some supersitions are so ingrained you don't think about them - saying "bless you" when someone sneezes, not opening umbrellas in the house (I figured that one has some safety aspects to it, too!) DH killed a cricket the other night, and I half-jokingly fussed at him, telling him that crickets are supposed to bring you luck. He reminded me that a cricket chirping all night next to our bed wouldn't make either of us feel very lucky :)

Other than that, I'm really not into supersitions. Full moons do seem to coincide with folks doing some weird things - I used to work in HR, and trust me, we knew when it was a full moon. I own a black cat (he's a tuxedo cat from the pound) and I drive/walk across his path several times a day. I love the sights and smells of October, but I don't like the shorter days - not because I'm afraid of the supernatural, but just because I miss the long evenings in the yard and my gardens.