Haint Blue...how to repel evil spirits and spiders too

The next time you go out and sit on your porch, relaxing, rocking, bird and people watching, look up. I mean directly up at the porch ceiling. What color is it? If you live here, in Edenton, or any place in

Author's Front Porch Ceiling photo by KL Wood

the South, it is mostly likely a soft shade of greenish blue, especially if it’s an older home. Huh. Never thought about it, did you? Unless it’s time to repaint that outdoor ceiling, even those of us who grew up kicking our bare legs back and forth on a southern porch swing, often take that color for granted. I mean it’s pretty and it’s obviously what our ancestors preferred so it’s just traditional, right? But why?

The answer comes in the form of its regional name, “Haint Blue.” From the Gullah culture of coastal South Carolina, comes the word “haint,” referring to restless spirits of the not-so-dearly-departed who might bring evil into a home. This particular shade of blue was believed to keep the haints away and, thus, thwart their plans to spirit the residents off or influence them in some negative manner. Why would haints be repelled by such a lovely color? Because, apparently, they are easily fooled. Evil spirits are said to be unable to cross water and this shade of blue mimics the color of water. So since it’s not practical to include a moat around our homes, this paint does the trick. In some places, such as Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA, you will find not only porch ceilings painted Haint Blue, but shutters, trim work, and sometimes entire walls.

Haint Blue is thought to repel, not only evil spirits, but insects, as well. Some theorize that, like the haints, the pesky little critters are also fooled by the color. Not because they think it’s water, but because they think it’s the sky. As with much folklore, there is a kernel of truth there. The original Haint Blue paint was a mixture of indigo, milk and lime. It’s the lime that, most likely, kept the ceiling bug-free. Today’s modern versions of Haint Blue do not contain lime, so keep your fly swatter handy as you lounge beneath that lovely ceiling.

Whether, or not, Haint Blue repels evil spirits or insects, it remains a calming, cooling, peaceful color with which to greet our upward gaze. Coupled with its tie to our past, please consider it when sprucing up your porch. I’m squarely in the “can’t hurt, might help” camp. And besides, it’s so pretty!

Thanks for stopping by...y'all come back now.  
Kate 

Things That Go Bump in the Night...essential oils for Halloween

As Halloween draws nigh, our thoughts turn to all things spooky. And, yes, there is an

"Pumpkin King at Disneyland" By Imperpay at English Wikipedia
via Wikimedia Commons

essential oil for that. Lots of them, actually. Although we most often think of essential oils as means to promote physical healing and mental/emotional stabilization, they have also been used over the centuries and throughout myriad world cultures for protection against negative energies and evil spirits. 

Essential Oils traditionally thought to aid in protection:

Star Anise

Anisee (against disturbing dreams) 

Cajeput

Camphor

Carnation Absolute

Cedarwood Virginian (protection and purification of magical spaces, dispelling negative energies, exorcism and banishing rites)

Citronella (protection against Vampires! Well...bloodsucking mosquitoes, anyway) 

Clary Sage

Clove

Cumin

Eucalyptus (banishing negative energies)

"Cedarwood Essential OIl"
By Itineranttrade via Wikimedia Commons

Sweet Fennel

Frankincense

Galbanum (and banishing negative energies)

Geranium

Ginger

Hyssop

Juniper (and dispelling negative energies and entities)

Lime

True Melissa

Mimosa Absolute

Myrrh (and dispelling negative and harmful energies, psychic sensitivity, protection on journeys to the spirit realm)

Niaouli 

Oakmoss Resinoid

Palmarosa

Black Pepper

Pimento Berry 

Pine

Rosemary (and to assist transition into the spirit realm)

Spanish Sage

Spearmint (protection against negative energies during dream work)

Spikenard 

"Family Resemblance" by the author, KLWood

Tea-Tree

White Thyme

Vetivert 

Yarrow

So, regardless of your personal beliefs along the subject, you just may want to heat some of these up in your essential oil burner come Halloween night. It couldn't hurt. And, you never know, it just might help against: 

"Ghoulies and ghosties, And long-leggedy beasties, And things that go bump in the night!"

Have a good couple weeks, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...y'all come back now! (And Happy Halloween!)
Kate

Make a Wish!...a brief history of birthday tradtions

" April"--Tres Riches Heures du duc de Berry by Limbourg Brothers

April is a pretty big birthday month in my little corner of the world with several friends celebrating their natal days, including my own on the sixth. It set me to wondering about some of our traditions and just how they got started. Thanks to the wonders of the Web I ran across several interesting articles and I'm happy to share some of the research with you this week.

By Jeff Dahl (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

You can't celebrate a birthday without the aid of a calendar of sorts so the first festivities originated after the advent of means to mark the passing of time. Ancient Egyptian astronomers used the stars to note the passing of one year to the next since the movement of the heavenly bodies was constant and observable. It is no great surprise, then, that some of the earliest recorded birthday celebrations were for those of the Pharaohs who were considered gods on earth. Most birthday parties of the ancient world were reserved for royalty and this may be the origin of the later day wearing of special birthday crowns. We're all kings and queens on our birthdays! A little later on, the Greeks celebrated their goddess, Artemis, by baking moon-shaped cakes and lighting them with candles to simulate lunar light. Romans followed by being the first to celebrate the birthdays of mere mortals, with those reaching their fiftieth birthdays given special recognition with cakes made from wheat flour, olive oil, honey and grated cheese. Of course, those special days were reserved for the male population until around the 12th century when us lowly females were deemed worthy of celebration. 

By Francesca Cesa Bianchi, Milano via Wikimedia Commons

In the good old pagan days, it was thought that people were surrounded by evil spirits who especially liked to gather about on special days such as birthdays. In order to ward off such dangerous influences, the birthday honoree would be surrounded by friends and family who would bring good wishes and positive thoughts to the occasion (and if they brought gifts, so much the better!) These were noisy events with the notion that such loud revelry would discourage malevolent spirits. Noise maker, anyone? And what's a birthday without blowing out a bunch of candles and making a silent wish as the smoke of the extinguished flames drifts upward? To the ancients, smoke sent prayers and wishes skyward to the realms of the gods who might grant such desires.

Mildred and Patty Hill

Marilyn Monroe sings "Happy Birthday Mr. President"
Yale Joel/Life Magazine/Time&Life Pictures, Getty Images

It seems the ubiquitous song, "Happy Birthday to You", has been around forever but it's a relatively new tradition. The melody was written in 1893 for a class of kindergartners by sisters Mildred and Patty Hill who penned the song  as "Good Morning to All". At some point, soon thereafter, the lyrics were changed to "Happy Birthday" and the little tune has been sung with gusto and varying levels of musicality ever since. (You might recall Marilyn Monroe's infamous public Madison Square Garden rendition to President John Kennedy in 1962.) 

So, next time you celebrate a birthday, break out the noise makers, wear a paper crown, and make a good wish when you blow out the candles on your cake as your well-wishers gather around singing "Happy Birthday to You!"

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

Kate