Much in my life I've learned from "the old folk," my Grandparents and older adults who have now long passed. Growing up I thought it was interesting, amusing, and educational in learning different beliefs that many lived and swore by, even though many could not prove their beliefs or superstitions. Thought it would be entertaining and fascinating to write some of them down and get everyones input. Would love to hear from everyone. I'll bet we'll learn something. I'll start:
My Grandmother strongly believed the phase of the moon and the weather dictated how the laundry would turn out in the end. A full moon would produce a cleaner wash, the whites would be whiter and overall the laundry easier to process.
Across the street lives an elderly woman in her 90's and she told me that if you had dingy whites to hang them outside and leave them overnight during a full moon. The clothes have to be dry when hanging them out but they'll be much whiter in the morning. She said she didn't why it worked, but she swore by it. I had never heard of something like that.
My mother believed that rainy and / or damp weather caused excessive wrinkling. Even if clothes are dried in the dryer. She ironed many basket loads of clothes during the rainy seasons. Today it was misting drizzling outside and I washed a couple of loads of clothes and sure enough they came out more wrinkled out of the dryer than I would have preferred, she was right!
Lasty, I learned from a cooking show on CREATE TV, red beans and rice was always cooked on laundry days in the south, usually on Mondays. The beans would cook slow while laundry was prepared. Very simple and easy recipe because the focus of the day was laundry.
While we're on food, I was taught that if you eat onions a lot in your diet it will help ward off flu, colds, and illnesses. Planting certain vegitables and flowers was also dictated by the moon.
Anyone else?
Barry
My Grandmother strongly believed the phase of the moon and the weather dictated how the laundry would turn out in the end. A full moon would produce a cleaner wash, the whites would be whiter and overall the laundry easier to process.
Across the street lives an elderly woman in her 90's and she told me that if you had dingy whites to hang them outside and leave them overnight during a full moon. The clothes have to be dry when hanging them out but they'll be much whiter in the morning. She said she didn't why it worked, but she swore by it. I had never heard of something like that.
My mother believed that rainy and / or damp weather caused excessive wrinkling. Even if clothes are dried in the dryer. She ironed many basket loads of clothes during the rainy seasons. Today it was misting drizzling outside and I washed a couple of loads of clothes and sure enough they came out more wrinkled out of the dryer than I would have preferred, she was right!
Lasty, I learned from a cooking show on CREATE TV, red beans and rice was always cooked on laundry days in the south, usually on Mondays. The beans would cook slow while laundry was prepared. Very simple and easy recipe because the focus of the day was laundry.
While we're on food, I was taught that if you eat onions a lot in your diet it will help ward off flu, colds, and illnesses. Planting certain vegitables and flowers was also dictated by the moon.
Anyone else?
Barry
