Firewood lore, traditions, and history

[Wife'nHubby]

Not sure where the connection is but, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowsing

I was referring to dowsing for water using (willow sticks) wood branches.

I would never suggest this for finding underground wires - there are pro companies for that.

Shari

 

[woodbooga]

Kind of wood related: Anyone ever use a divining rod (or dowser)? I had an uncle who was a dowser. I always heard this trait was inherited. His only child couldn't do it but his grandson can.

Shari

My great grammy, a full-blood Mohawk could, as could my nana. Neither my dad nor I could quite get the knack. But by that time, indoor plumbing took away much of the incentive.

 

[Wife'nHubby]

My great grammy, a full-blood Mohawk could, as could my nana. Neither my dad nor I could quite get the knack. But by that time, indoor plumbing took away much of the incentive.

I agree that indoor plumbing took away much of this incentive but the area my uncle lived in it was used a lot to locate water for the cattle in pasture.

Shari

 

[johnnylabguy]

Ok, this is the closest thing I have to firewood lore! My Dad was taught by his father that the way to tell a white oak from a red oak was by this phrase:

White man shoot round bullet(rounded leaf lobes) and Indian(red man) shoot pointed arrow(pointed leaf lobes).

It always helped me remember, too!

 

[woodbooga]

Today's Good Friday.

According to legend or scripture (I don't know my gospels well enough to know if it's there in writing or not) Jesus' cross was made from aspen.

The reason why the leaves 'quake' in the breeze is because of their guilt at being part of this episode in the history of Christianity.

Not firewood related but...

On Holy Thursday, 13 men had supper together. The next day, one of those men was killed. Hence the unlucky number 13.

Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13.

I wonder if it's really bad luck to stand in a grove of 13 quaking aspens.

 

[PatrickIreland]

I agree that indoor plumbing took away much of this incentive but the area my uncle lived in it was used a lot to locate water for the cattle in pasture.

Shari

If anyone can prove they can dowse, James Randi has a cool $1,000,000 prize waiting for them...