Old American Pioneer, Superstitions

February is usually the wettest month in Los Angeles, but this year has been very dry.
I am planning my garden for this year and will be composting  & preparing the ground in the next month..here are some interesting Superstitions from old Pioneers of this fair and pleasant continent....

all INFO  pre-1900  

Weather:

If crows fly high ..expect a wind storm
If cats work busily scratching themselves..windstorm
If quail sun themselves in coveys..expect 3 days good weather
If deer lose their spots by mid-July,expect an early Fall
If butterflies appear in late Autumn expect colder weather soon.

The first 12 days of January foretell the next 12 months to come.
Good days and wet days..6th day = 6th Month


When worms and grubs are found close to the surface of the ground, NO Frost.

Snow Omens:
If snowflakes are large, storm will end soon.
If snowflakes are small ..expect a heavy snowfall
If snow continues to lay on ground and melt slowly, it may be "waiting for another snowfall".
The number of sunny days between July 1st & September 1st multiplied by 2, indicate the number of freezing cold Winter days ahead.

Gardening Lore:

Moon Signs:

Dark  of the Moon waning moon between between the Full Moon and the New 
light of the Moon..the waxing period between the New and Full Moon.

Lucky to plant the following crops in the dark of the moon:
potatoes, Onions, Beets, Turnips, Radish ( all root crops)

Lucky to plant in the light of the moon ( all crops above ground)
beans, peas, tomatoes, sweetcorn

Lucky Signs...(not for animals unfortunately)
Scorpio..for planting corn, fruit trees
Gemini..for planting beans, cucumbers, melons, 
Aries..for planting cabbage, lettuce ( head crops)
Aquarius..for de-horning cattle & castrating pigs

Good Dates for planting
March 17th- March 30th ..Potatoes

Good Friday..Beans, Cucumbers ( also May 1st)

May 1st & 10th... Melons

Valentine's Day..Lettuce and peas

July 25th turnips

Good Friday ..flax

Crop Superstitions:

Dig potatoes on Light of moon to prevent spoiling
Seeds soaked in milk overnight make sweeter melons

Unlucky if a man laughs loudly while planting corn
A good crop of tomatoes means a bad crop of walnuts

Rain in June 2nd or 13th expect a bad crop of blackberries
Driving a nail into a peach tree will prevent fruit falling off.

Superstitions about livestock and other animals

Bad luck to give away a chicken it has to be paid for, or something given

A horseshoe hung from a chimney will protect chickens from hawks

Pigs..
bad luck to pull a pig's tail


Sheep..wool shrinks worse if washed on the dark of moon

Deer..bad luck to kill on a Sunday

Dogs..A good dog will do better if named after a "bad" man


Poisonous snakes float on water, non-poisonous only swim with their heads above water.

Bad luck to kill a spider ..long legged mean good luck, small spider means"money is coming".

To kill a cricket is to "kill the luck of the house". Bad luck to the person who kills it.

To keep a dog at home, bury some of it's hair near the doorstep

Ladies be careful May 1st (Important for picking a husband)
1) if she hangs a horseshoe over her front door before dawn on May 1st, the first creature to enter will resemble her husband-to -be in looks or disposition

2) if she finds a feather or stick in her hair, she will marry an irritable, hard-to-please man.

General superstitions:
If your nose itches ( company is on the way)
If the cook drops her dishrag/towel..expect a dirty visitor
If she drops her fork..a man is coming
If she drops a knife a woman is coming
if the rocking chair walks across the floor while someone is rocking it..company is due before night.

If coffee grounds cling to side of cup, high up, company is bringing good news 

..and let us not forget this old gem, concerning days of the week that you were born on:

"Monday's child is fair of face
Tuesday's child is full of grace
Wednesday's child has far to go
Thursday's child is full of woe
Friday's child is loving and giving
Saturday's child will work hard for a living ( I am a Saturday's child)
A child that is born on the Sabbath Day, 
Will be handsome and good and rich and gay"