I first came across a reference to Spirit Trees while reading the memoir, Salvation on Sand Mountain, by Dennis Covington--his story of exploring the world of Appalachian snake handlers and his own spiritual turn by the experience. (This, by the way, was one from the short stack of books I read over fireworks season that led me to write the letter, posted here on the blog, to Umberto Eco (still waiting/hoping to hear back from him).)I've looked all over for real information on these things--generally garden ornaments now, so I've learned--and finally came across this very helpful, entertaining website:
http://www.felderrushing.net/BottleTreeImagess.htm. I'm not going to waste your time writing all about them here, as the website does all that for me. Suffice it to say, I'm particularly interested in the historical and folkloric beginnings of these funny things (okay, not "funny;" I'm actually really intrigued by them), and they fit perfectly with an element I want to really focus on in my newest writing attempt. While my book--the writing attempt--is going to be fantasy, technically at least, I'm going to be basing a lot of the human and physical setting--all the various landscapes and the people who inhabit them--in the real folklores that stem from those locations. The book starts in the Midwest, Appalachian foothills, and I'm looking first for folklore from the Heartland.
So here are my two questions:
- What folklore do you know that may or may not have derived, or at least found root, in the Midwest? (By folklore, I mean superstitions, songs, sayings, characters, traditions, foods, and so on passed down and passed down.)
- Has anyone out there had an "experience" --sighting or known someone who has one or have one yourself--with a spirit or bottle tree?
If you can contribute to either of these very open and broad questions, please post a comment sharing whatever and as much information as you're willing or able.
Thank you, thank you, thank you in advance.
