Spectral Lovers...of the Great Dismal Swamp

"Lake Drummond in The Great Dismal Swamp
National Wildlife Refuge" photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
 Northeast Region via Wikimedia Commons

One of only two natural lakes in Virginia is surrounded by 100,000 acres of deep, dark wetlands straddling that state's southeastern border with its neighbor, North Carolina. Lake Drummond sits in the midst of the Great Dismal Swamp and, along with its mysterious swamplands, is the source of many ghostly tales. As this intriguing natural wonder is central to my latest work-in-progress (a middle-grade novel entitled Zephyr Stone, Ghost Charmer,) and as this is the romantic month of 
February, I am sharing one of the swamp's most famous stories.

"Thomas Moore" by Martin Archer Shee

One of the oldest tales of the Great Dismal Swamp is the enduring legend of the Lady of the Lake. The earliest people to populate the swamp were Native Americans who are thought to have first lived there 13,000 years into the past. It is not surprising, then, that this long-lived tale features those early inhabitants. It is said that a young Native American woman died just before her wedding day and her ghostly image can be seen paddling a white canoe through the dark waters of Lake Drummond. While visiting Norfolk, Virginia in 1803, Irish poet Thomas Moore immortalized the Lady and her distraught bridegroom in his poem, "A Ballad: The Lake of the Dismal Swamp." This was part of Moore's book, Epistles, Odes, and Other Poems, written in 1806 about his experiences and impressions during his visit to Bermuda and the eastern region of America. His introduction to the collection is a scathing criticism of the people he encountered in the young nation. His poem about the spectral lovers, however, is the height of romanticism.

From the Sheet Music Collection of
Samuel S. Levy at Johns Hopkins University

A Ballad: The Lake of the Dismal Swamp
by Thomas Moore

“They made her a grave, too cold and damp 

For a soul so warm and true; 

And she’s gone to the Lake of the Dismal Swamp, 

Where, all night long, by a fire-fly lamp, 

She paddles her white canoe. 

“And her fire-fly lamp I soon shall see, 

And her paddle I soon shall hear; 

Long and loving our life shall be, 

And I’ll hide the maid in a cypress tree,

When the footstep of death is near.” 

Away to the Dismal Swamp he speeds— 

His path was rugged and sore, 

Through tangled juniper, beds of reeds,

Through many a fen where the serpent feeds, 

And man never trod before. 

And when on the earth he sunk to sleep, 

If slumber his eyelids knew, 

He lay where the deadly vine doth weep 

"Stained Glass of Dismal Swamp" photo by KL Wood

Its venomous tear and nightly steep 

The flesh with blistering dew! 

And near him the she-wolf stirr’d the brake, 

And the copper-snake breath’d in his ear, 

Till he starting cried, from his dream awake, 

“Oh! when shall I see the dusky Lake, 

And the white canoe of my dear?” 

He saw the Lake, and a meteor bright 

Quick over its surface play’d— 

“Welcome,” he said, “my dear one’s light!” 

And the dim shore echoed for many a night 

The name of the death-cold maid. 

"Beaver Dam, Dismal Swamp" photo by KL Wood

Till he hollow’d a boat of the birchen bark, 

Which carried him off from shore; 

Far, far he follow’d the meteor spark, 

The wind was high and the clouds were dark, 

And the boat return’d no more. 

But oft, from the Indian hunter’s camp, 

This lover and maid so true 

Are seen at the hour of midnight damp 

To cross the Lake by a fire-fly lamp, 

And paddle their white canoe!

    My husband and I visited the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, today, with

"Tree in Road, Dismal Swamp" photo by KL Wood

the intention of driving to Lake Drummond. Unfortunately, a victim of this morning's wind storm blocked our path half-way, its long branches stretching across the narrow road, its large root base upended over the canal leading to the lake. Oh well. Another day. Who knows, perhaps the Lady of the Lake did not wish to be disturbed today.

Thanks for stopping by...y'all come back now.  And Happy Valentine's Day!
Kate

Following in Big Footsteps...Big Foot Legend and Lore

"Peyto Lake" photo by KLWood

When my husband and I spent several months wandering around in the wilds of the far north and west--Canada, Alaska, Washington, Oregon--it was easy to imagine all kinds of creatures prowling about unseen, watching us and our two little dogs. Usually we were on the lookout for mountain lions, wolves, moose, black bears and grizzly bears (all of which we encountered in the wild except for the mountain lions. We only saw mountain lion warning signs along a trail in Washington where one had recently been spotted.) We spent a fair share of our time alone on back trails singing at the

"Wrangel-St Elias Moose" photo by KL Wood

tops of our lungs so as not to surprise one of these lovely large beasts. The one critter of which we saw neither hide nor hair was Big Foot AKA Sasquatch. In my recent research I have discovered that Big Foot isn't just the product of overactive imaginations of backwoodsmen perhaps out on the trail a little too long. There is a long history and tradition of tales of big, hairy man-like creatures throughout the cultures of Native American and First Nation Peoples of the northwest. Native American tribes all over the continent have stories of wild, hairy people of the woods and plains but those outside the northwest tend to be the opposite in stature and known as Little People.

"Alaskan Grizzly" photo by KLWood

The Big Foot (Big Feet?) as described by natives of the northwest pretty much match the classical image we have of the creature--hairy, smelly, six to nine feet tall, strong, reclusive, elusive and night-foraging. The Athabaskan people of Alaska know of a creature called Wood Man/Woodsman. Wood Man is usually a solitary being who sneaks around quietly, remaining hidden from humans and does no real harm although he can be mischievous, stealing items from the villages. They have even been known to come to the aide of their stronger-brained but weaker-bodied human neighbors. In some tribes he is known to be more aggressive, stealing children and attempting to mate with humans. Depending on local tradition, he is either one immortal being, as believed by the Ahtna people, or is part of a larger community of male and female Wood Men. None are considered in any way sophisticated and communicate only with whistles, grunts, and sign-language. 

The Author and Big Foot (photo by the author's husband, Bill Ahearn)

The creatures are known by many different native-language names as well as Wood Man, Hairy Man, and the more violent varieties known as Bush Indians and Stick Indians.

Whatever you call them, I think you might not want to surprise or startle them anymore than you would a bear or a moose. So, I invite you to take a page from our backcountry hiking songbook and when you find yourself alone in the deep, dark northern wilderness fill your lungs with the fresh, wild air and SING! Our song of choice? "We All Live in a Yellow Submarine." Worked wonders.

Have a good couple weeks, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...y'all come back now! 

Kate

Feeling Hawkish...the hawk in Native American lore

"Red Tailed Hawk" photo by KL Wood

On August 15, 2015, my husband, mother, and I attended the Nansemond Pow Wow held on tribal land recently returned to the Nansemond people by the city of Suffolk, Virginia. We were invited to experience this amazing event by the head male dancer whom we met at our home this summer in Edenton, North Carolina. The drumming and singing and dancing were spectacular and touched a deep-seated connection within me. Although we know nothing about her, family lore has it that my great-great grandmother was Native American. Physical connection, or not, I certainly felt a spiritual one, especially with their relationship to the natural world and its deeper other-worldly relation with animals. One of the highlights of the day, for me, was the opportunity to pose for photos with a gorgeous, female red-tailed hawk. As she was held aloft behind me, the wind from her beating wings wafted against my head stirring my hair in her avian breeze. I loved it!

"Male Dancers" photo by KL Wood

The hawk is an important symbol of many Native American tribes across the continent. It is seen as a protector in the skies and associated with the elements of rain, wind, lightning and thunder, known by some as the Thunderer. Iroquois tradition has the Thunderer armed with a bow and flaming arrows as it fights a continuous battle against the forces of evil.

The author's Power Animal for the day.

 The feathers of the red-tailed hawk are considered sacred by many and used in religious rituals and ceremonies. They are worn as an honored part of Native American regalia. (One of the things I learned at the Pow Wow is that the appropriate name for the traditional clothing worn at such an event is never "costume," but always "regalia"--a costume being an outfit one wears when pretending to be something they are not.)

The hawk is a "Power Animal" or "Spirit Animal." The best definition of Power Animal I have found is at www.warpaths2peacepipes.com . Here is a quote from the website: "Power Animals are strongly associated with the Native American Indian belief in Animism that is a belief based on the spiritual idea that the universe, and all natural objects within the universe, have souls or spirits.  Power Animals are believed to be a supernatural power that embodies, attaches or conveys influence empowering a person with the powerful traits and characteristics of the animal. The doctrine of this belief is that everything is alive, and possesses an inherent virtue, power and wisdom. Power animals represent a person's connection to all life, their qualities of character, and their power. Power Animals are  regarded as guides who appear in dreams or Vision Quests in the form of an animal. Power Animals, or spirit guides, walk through different stages of life with a person, teaching and guiding them,

"Pow Wow Dancers" photo by KL Wood

and in some instances protecting them."

As a Power Animal, the hawk is a Messenger and represents Guardianship, Far-Sightedness, and Strength. Coming into such close contact with the beautiful red-tailed hawk, I could feel how she would symbolize all those qualities.

Have a good couple weeks, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...y'all come back now! 

Kate

Moonstruck...Native American names for each full moon

"Bluemoon (1)" by Craig Deakin from Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - 

I’m back! Completed my first draft of Through the Hourglass and on to the editing phase. (Because of my intense writing schedule, I will be posting new blog posts every two weeks for the foreseeable future.)

We’ve just experienced our third and final Super Moon of 2014 this past Monday, September 8^th. Granted, in my part of the world, rainy skies precluded viewing the Super Harvest Moon, however, there is some argument in the astronomical community over whether or not the full moon on October 8^th could also be considered a Super Moon. If it were, it would be a Super Hunter’s Moon. (Also known as a Super Blood Moon and, this year, coincides with a full lunar eclipse as seen in North America!) Whew! A whole lot of lunar action going on. It’s a wonder we’re not all moonstruck lunatics! To learn more about the eclipse, see this website: 

"Supermoon" by Peter2006son - File:Supermoon - Howrah 2011-03-19 1881.JPG.
 Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - 

http://earthsky.org/tonight/total-lunar-eclipse-blood-moon-hunters-moon-october-7-8-2014#eclipse

A Super Moon is one in which it comes to its fullest phase on the same night it swings closest to the earth, at its perigee. (As opposed to when it’s at its most distant, apogee.)  All that’s fine scientific information to know but I’m in love with the names Native Americans gave each full moon, names adopted by our Colonial American ancestors. Each full moon was named to represent something important going on in the natural world, a world in which our ancestors (Native American and otherwise) lived in much more direct contact than do most of us today.

 So, here is a list of those full moon names, some of their alternatives, and an explanation of each (Thanks to the National Geographic website for this fascinating information.) 

January: Wolf Moon
Native Americans and medieval Europeans named January's full moon after the howling of hungry wolves lamenting the midwinter paucity of food. Other names for this month's full moon include old moon and ice moon.

"Blue Canyon Moon (5020077179)" by John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA -
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - 

February: Snow Moon
The typically cold, snowy weather of February in North America earned its full moon the name snow moon. Other common names include storm moon and hunger moon.

March: Worm Moon
Native Americans called this last full moon of winter the worm moon after the worm trails that would appear in the newly thawed ground. Other names include chaste moon, death moon, crust moon (a reference to snow that would become crusty as it thawed during the day and froze at night), and sap moon, after the tapping of the maple trees.

By Hahn Family Wines (Flickr: Harvest Moon8.JPG)
 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

April: Pink Moon
Northern Native Americans call April's full moon the pink moon after a species of early blooming wildflower. In other cultures, this moon is called the sprouting grass moon, the egg moon, and the fish moon.

May: Flower Moon
May's abundant blooms give its full moon the name flower moon in many cultures. Other names include the hare moon, the corn planting moon, and the milk moon.

June: Strawberry Moon
In North America, the harvesting of strawberries in June gives that month's full moon its name. Europeans have dubbed it the rose moon, while other cultures named it the hot moon for the beginning of the summer heat.

July: Buck Moon
Male deer, which shed their antlers every year, begin to regrow them in July, hence the Native American name for July's full moon. Other names include thunder moon, for the month's many summer storms, and hay moon, after the July hay harvest.

"Harvest Moon" by Original uploader, Roadcrusher at en.wikipedia - 

August: Sturgeon Moon
North American fishing tribes called August's full moon the sturgeon moon since the species was abundant during this month. It's also been called the green corn moon, the grain moon, and the red moon for the reddish hue it often takes on in the summer haze.

September: Harvest Moon
The most familiar named moon, September's harvest moon refers to the time of year after the autumn equinox when crops are gathered. It also refers to the moon's particularly bright appearance and early rise, which lets farmers continue harvesting into the night. Other names include the corn moon and the barley moon.

October: Hunter's Moon
The first moon after the harvest moon is the hunter's moon, so named as the preferred month to hunt summer-fattened deer and fox unable to hide in now bare fields. Like the harvest moon, the hunter's moon is also particularly bright and long in the sky, giving hunters the opportunity to stalk prey at night. Other names include the travel moon and the dying grass moon.

"Hard to focus on! (4317424759)" by Bernal Saborio from Costa Rica
- licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike

November: Beaver Moon
There is disagreement over the origin of November's beaver moon name. Some say it comes from Native Americans setting beaver traps during this month, while others say the name comes from the heavy activity of beavers building their winter dams. Another name is the frost moon.

December: Cold Moon
The coming of winter earned December's full moon the name cold moon. Other names include the long night moon and the oak moon.

The Blue Moon
Each year, the moon completes its final cycle about 11 days before the Earth finishes its orbit around the sun. These days add up, and every two and a half years or so, there is an extra full moon, called a blue moon. The origin of the term is uncertain, and its precise definition has changed over the years. The term is commonly used today to describe the second full moon of a calendar month, but it was originally the name given to the third full moon of a season containing four full moons.

From Amazon.com

*And on a less scientific but very romantic note dear Reader, in the 1920’s while on a trip from New York City to Miami, lyricist Benny Davis, pining for his sweetheart and seeing a beautiful moon reflected in the Perquimans River as he crossed the bridge in Hertford, North Carolina (just up the road from my Edenton,) penned the words to the famous song “Carolina Moon”. …Carolina Moon, keep shining, Shining on the one who waits for me…*

Have a good couple weeks dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...Y'all come back now!

Kate

All Hands on Deck! Stepping aboard a 16th century experience

Elizabeth II at Edenton Dock

As part of our town's 300th Anniversary Celebration, Edenton, North Carolina recently hosted a visit by the representative ship, Elizabeth II. The 69 foot, square-rigged ship was built to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of Sir Walter Raleigh's exploratory expeditions to the New World and, since 1984, has allowed us to travel back in time to experience a taste of those extraordinary adventures. The construction of Elizabeth II was carried out by a building and rigging crew in Manteo, North Carolina, along the same banks first explored by the English settlers. When not sailing to other ports of call, the Elizabeth II floats in Shallowbag Bay at Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo, along the famous Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Flag of St George and the Tudors

Upon first seeing the vessel, I am struck by the sensation of viewing an art work come to life since our only visual experiences with such ships are through paintings and drawings of the time. The Elizabeth II was built with an eye to historical accuracy and no detail was overlooked. The ship's design was based upon several merchant ships that plied the seas and crossed the Atlantic between 1584 and 1587 at the command of Queen Elizabeth I. As I stand on the dock gazing at the ship, flags ripple in the gentle October breeze. They, too, are representatives of their time. One flag is white with brilliant green stripes, Elizabeth's family Tudor flag, and others display the red cross of Saint George, the patron saint of England.

Elizabeth II Rigging

 

Stern of Elizabeth II at Edenton Dock

Ropes Below Deck

Captain's Quarters

Costumed interpreters welcome us aboard and gently guide us around the many trip hazards at our 21st century feet and remind us to mind our heads as we descend into the lower depths of the ship. Not only was the ship built to look like a ship of old, it was constructed using 16th century methods. The spars (masts, yards, booms, poles) were built from wood procured from Tacoma, Washington. The large spars were made of Douglas fir and the smaller ones were made of Sitka spruce. Each mast and yard was made out of one tree selected for its appropriate size, stripped of its bark and turned on a large lathe to the exact dimensions needed. The 16th century technology employed even went so far as to having the huge sails hand sewn. The sailmaker chosen for this task was Nathaniel Wilson of East Boothbay, Maine.

Turning the Capstan to lower the anchor

As we climbed down the steps leading below deck, I was cognizant of the confined spaces that would have housed the 50 men on board such a vessel. Reaching the lower deck I heard the soft Scottish accent of a man, dressed in the manner of a 16th century seaman, explaining the origin of the term "son of a gun." According to this man (who could have easily passed for Johnny Depp!) captains would sometimes bring their wives along on voyages but disguise them as men and often have them work as gunner's mates. When the inevitable happened and these gunners ended up in childbirth, the baby boy was called a "son of a gun." I have heard other explanations for the term, but will leave that for another day.

My dear 89 year old mother accompanied my husband and me on the tour of the ship and as

she posed for a photo I was reminded of the irony of the situation. Some of her ancestors (and mine, too, of course) were among the native inhabitants of this New World along with other ancestors of ours who were part of the English settlers who first met them.

My mother, Oleta Wood, aboard Elizabeth II

Have a good week, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...Y'all come back now!

Kate

(All photos on this post were taken by my husband, William Ahearn, and used with his kind permission.)