Missouri Ozarks Strange Lore

Discussion in 'Tall Tales & Fabrications' started by Frank Sanoica, Mar 9, 2016.

  1. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    While living there we learned that:

    A snake cannot die before sunset.

    A bag of pennies hung above the front door will prevent entry of insects.

    Count the number of turtles on the road going to town and multiply by 10: that's the % chance of rain that day.

    A "pahhl of pahhp" is a pile of pipe.

    Waitresses always asked if "y'in'sd lahhk a slahhse of pahh".
     
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  2. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    I lived for several years in central Misssouri, near Ft. Leonard Wood, and I really loved it there. I had a house out in the country, and was close to trails up in the hills to ride my horse on.
    The neighbor's were wonderful people, and just what a person would want to have for neighbors. they never intruded, but we're always ready help if we needed it , or to answer questions. Their oldest boy (in high school) could barely read or write; but he was a great mechanic, and trained horses and mules for other people all of the time. He was my usual riding companion, and did a good job of finding his way through the old trails that ran through the hills.
    Very few outlying roads were paved, and ours was mostly dirt with a smattering of gravel over the top. When it rained hard, the creeks flooded on both sides of us, and the road was impassable except for people with a high wheelbase 4x4.

    I had three ponds with catfish out back, and went fishing all of the time. I never heard a fish "talk" until I started catching those catfish, and they were croaking loudly when I reeled them in. I am sure that they warned all of the other catfish, because after I caught the first one, no other fish would bite for a long time after that.
     
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  3. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    @Yvonne Smith : Really interesting! Rolla was our "farthest out" shopping, having a Lowe's to get building materials. We shared 300n acres with my nephew and a neighbor from Phoenix, 55 miles southeast of Rolla. Our creek divided the property in two, and often flooded as deepnas 8 feet, totally impassable, cutting both the neighbor and Dan off. We were along the road, so OK. The farmhouse was nearly 100 years old, a challenge to refurbish which my wife dreamed of all her life. Presto, there it was! Nearest neighbor, 3/4 mile down the road, was Harley Hasten, a guy just like you described, always asking if ewe needed anything. He happened to come along minutes after I fell off my workbench and cracked my fool forehead open, helping my wife push aside the pickup (she did not know the keys hung right there!), after which she ran me in to town, Salem, 23 miles. That began another strange saga, helicopter flight to Columbia, overnight hospital stay, scan, etc., no insurance coverage. I quickly learned the first step in billing process of "Care Flights" was a $4,000 charge to push a gurney into the plane! Frank

    [​IMG]
     
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  4. Joe Riley

    Joe Riley Supreme Member
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    Last edited: Mar 11, 2016
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  5. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    We probably were just a bit southwest of where you lived, @Frank Sanoica , but I loved going into Rolla for the livestock and horse auctions every month.
    Other than going to the auction, I didn't really need to go as far as Rolla because our nearest little town (Houston) had enough shopping that it sufficed, but sometimes we went to Ft. Leonard Wood, too.

    I also had to make a hospital trip when I lived in Missouri, and that was when a nasty old copperhead bit me on the leg. I was seriously ticked that they wouldn't even look at the snake bite until they had determined that I didn't have tuberculosis !
    Apparently, it didn't matter what was wrong when a patient came in , they had to have a TB shot if they hadn't ever had one, before they would treat you.

    Your video remind me of the times we went to one of the country song jams, @Joe Riley . They were held monthly in an old barn, and people packed in to listen.
    The singers took turns on stage , singing or just playing their guitar or banjo.
    The local radio stations would play the songs that were recorded by these unknown (except locally) music artists.
    It didn't cost anything to go; and the local church group would usually sell coffee, cookies or sandwiches.
    It was just a great family entertainment evening and was enjoyed by everyone.
     
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    Last edited: Mar 10, 2016
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  6. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    @Yvonne Smith : Been through Houston many times, often enroute to West Plains, about the size of Houston. Last trip, an old guy in West Plains had 200 brand new green wine bottles for half a buck each. We had great crops of peaches and plums that year, and made a bunch of wine out of them!
     
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  7. Krissttina Isobe

    Krissttina Isobe Veteran Member
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    Hmm, I think that everywhere has some strange folklore like here in Hawaii on Oahu...it is said never bring fresh pork over the Pali or your car will stall until you cut a piece of it and throw it out of the car into the forest area so the dead will be appeased. The Pali is where there was a fierce battle fought in the ancient Hawaiian historic time. The battle was not only fierce but many died there. Through out time there have been ghostly sightings of apparitions at the Pali.
     
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