Folklore

Moqui marbles have fascinated laymen and geologists alike for centuries. These naturally occurring spheres are found both on Earth and Mars, and are thought to have metaphysical aspects that are...

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "gravy train" as a noun that refers to a much exploited source of easy money. Considered a slang term, gravy train can be used to describe an occupation,...

The coat of arms was originally painted on warriors' shields during the Middle Ages, according to HenryChiles.com. These distinctive markings helped prevent soldiers from killing their comrades....

A creative home environment just takes a bit of imagination and resources to make your visions into a reality. You can hire a professional home decorator, but if you want to personalize it your...

Candles in windows have a long history. Different cultures use the candles to mean different things. The candles can be religious in nature or secular.

Wood turpentine has been used by Americans and Europeans throughout history. According to Merriam-Webster.com, turpentine is the brown semifluid oleoresin that exudes from conifers, or pine sap....

The sun sign Gemini is positioned third in the series of astrological signs of the Zodiac. Gemini covers people born between May 22 and June 21.

Pregnancy is an exciting time in a woman's life. It can be difficult to wait an entire 40 weeks to find out the gender of the baby. Many find it hard to wait for the standard ultrasound given at...

The Priory of Sion is a religious organization made famous by books and novels, including Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" in 2003. In Brown's novel, members of the Priory of Sion are responsible...

"By the light of the moon." A gentle, source of light in the sky that over looks the earth. One of natures wonders that shines through the darkness of the night. The moon has been...

Totems can consist of anything from animals, stones, insects and plants and are used to bring us spirituality and guidance. Native to South America, the hummingbird is a common totem animal that...

Black obsidian is a type of natural glass. Obsidian forms when hot volcanic lava becomes submerged in water. It is composed of silica dioxide and has a glassy appearance. Of the "New Age" stones,...

Oklahoma native Carl C. Magee is the person generally credited with inventing the parking meter. Thought of conversely as a nuisance to many automobile owners and as a good source of revenue by...

Chicago's longtime nickname, the Windy City, has a few stories about its origin. It is not as simple as being "windy" in the sense of weather; there is much history to the nickname.

The signs of the zodiac, derived from the teachings of Astrology, are assigned to individuals based on their date of birth. Astrology further groups the signs of the Zodiac into four elemental...

In a world that it is so important that we call believe in SOMEthing, it is equally important that we instill happiness in a child by allowing them to believe in something - even if we dont. When...

It is always a great thing to be able to recite a poem or a speech from a play. I'm sure that most of us can remember one or more of these from our childhood. I was fortunate enough to have most...

Chinese New Year is filled with celebration and the wish of Luck for the New Year. Follow these time honored steps to ensure you bring good fortune to your family!

The first Bowie knife was crafted in 1827 for frontiersman Jim Bowie by his brother Rezin. Bowie required a combination defensive weapon and everyday tool, and he was dissatisfied with what was...

Flowers play an important role in mythology. As they morph from bud to bloom to faded and wilted petals, they assume various meanings linked to youth, life and death. They are associated with...

Mandrake root has a long history in folk medicine, dating back to the Bible. Mandrake is a long brown root of the plant Atropa mandragora, also called Mandrake or Satan's apple. It is in the...

Water sprites are fantastical creatures that inhabit water. Water sprites appear in the folklore and mythology of many cultures.

The Mayan Aztec calendar ends on 2012 so many believe that December 21, 2012 will be the earth's last day. Some suggest that the earth will end due to a giant solar flare, a reversal of the...

Dragons have fueled the imagination of people for centuries. The typical image of a dragon for most people relates to a European dragon. However, in Asian cultures such as the Chinese culture, the...

Nature has a way of letting us know what kind of weather is making its way toward us if we just understand the signs. Our farmer forefathers knew all of this, of course, but we have lost this...

Siobhan, pronounced "shuh-VAHN", is an Irish name. It's another form of Joan in English or Jeanne (ZHAN) in French. Siobhan is a very popular name for girls in Ireland, though it wasn't always...

Hummingbirds are tiny nectar-drinking birds found in the Americas from Alaska to Chile. The name refers to the humming sound made by the bird's rapidly beating wings. The jewel-like hummingbird...

Firefighters are emergency technicians trained to assist in almost any emergency, from their namesake fires, to car accidents, to natural disaster evacuation and control, to neutralizing hazardous...

Historically, the Masonic symbolism in the design of the confederate flag is nothing more than coincidence. A brief examination of the flag's history shows its design was mainly influenced by...

The third Friday the 13th of 2009 occurred in November - the maximum number of unlucky Friday the 13ths that can occur in a year. Who believes in these silly superstitions? Winston Churchill and...

Do you have an important decision to make? Are you having trouble deciding between two choices? Let a tossed coin make the decision for you. Here is the technique you should use to toss a decision...

Fairies are popular today as ornaments and characters in children's stories, but at one time were believed to be common visitors to homes and farms and a part of everyday life. Fairy legends...

Weavers make Navajo rugs in two basic styles: traditional and pictorial. Only the designs on pictorial-style rugs---adapted, but never copied, from sand paintings---have symbolic meanings.

It's coming. The zombies will overrun our society by their huge mass of numbers. They aren't intelligent, but they will spread like wildfire. Numbers almost always defeats strategy. We can only...

Brace yourself, winter is approaching quickly. How bad will it be? Will we suffer through multiple ice and snow storms, or will we see a mild, pleasant winter? You can ask the animals to...

Wicker Man was a Druidic effigy built out wood and straw, then covered with grass to form a giant man. Legend states that the Druids packed the hollow statues with humans and animals and set them...

Ring games have been in existence for at least 200 years. The origins of such games are the subject of debate among folklorists.

Fairy's are Gentle Creatures, If you would like to become one, then you will have to listen, and read BETWEEN the lines... everything I am telling you has something inside of it you need to find...

Is “Knock-Knock” falling away into the wax museum of chuckle history making way for more sophisticated high-speed humor? I doubt it, but this morning on a Sacramento “Good Day” show, veteran...

IT'S GAME DAY!!! For all you food and football fans out there, this is how to make the best darn taco sauce for those pre-game fixins! It’s easy, it’s delicious, it’s portable, and you can...

Seamlessly woven into everyday life, superstitions outlast culture after culture. For centuries, passers-by have avoided walking under ladders for fear of attracting bad luck. This superstition...

Japanese lanterns are a familiar site outside and inside of Japanese restaurants, in gardens during parties and in homes as decorations. Nowadays Japanese lanterns are mostly used to light...

The pagan Celts revered the sun as an extremely powerful symbol, associated with healing, fertility and a source of life. In the days of ancient Britain, where the weather was harsh and survival...

What is oral history? It is the knowledge, traditions, experiences, memories, celebrations, and customs that we or our ancestors have experienced. These experiences and living traditions provide...

Laurus nobilis, commonly referred to as a bay laurel or a daphne, grows as a tree that produces fresh bay leaves, often used in cooking. Mysticism surrounding this tree extends back to ancient Greece.

According to legend, Joseph Peavey was standing on the banks of the Penobscot River in Upper Stillwater, Maine, observing the yearly log drive when he had a revelation. The tools the log drivers...

The thumb ring is deeply rooted in history. It was used by medieval archers for protection from their bows and Chinese military officials to determine rank. Today, it has become more of a fashion...

Fate can be both a liberating and terrifying prospect for many. The concept goes back to ancient times and has been used as a justification for many events.

The bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) is a large shrub that is native to the Mediterranean area. It has numerous historical and present uses.