Steph Rae Moran

So cool!

Collecting Folklore Wasn’t Always Easy for the Early Folklorists - Steph Rae Moran In this post we take a behind-the-scenes look at some of the challenges early folklorists encountered while collecting folklore and how they overcame them.

To collect folklore, folklorists often traveled on foot or by horse in order to visit with people and learn about local traditions and tales. This post takes a behind-the-scenes look at some of the challenges early folklorists encountered while collecting folklore and how they overcame them.

Thanks! The Getty Villa looks beautiful, but I haven't been yet.

Photo of view of Los Angeles with Getty architecture and one of the gardens.

I love this view! You can see so much of Los Angeles from the Getty, which is perched on the hillside. I recently had the chance to visit @gettymuseum.bsky.social. It's a lovely museum that offers a range of art (from medieval to contemporary), plus it has unique architecture and beautiful gardens.

The deer and heron were not very shy and let me get pretty close to take their photos. The sea lion was tired from the day, but would occasionally lift his head and bark.

A mule deer at the side of the trail.

A black-crowned night heron in the harbor.

A sea lion in the harbor.

I ran into a few animal friends on my walks this week: a mule deer, a black-crowned night heron, and a sea lion. :) I love that even though I live in an urban area, I still have opportunities to see lots of wildlife. 💜

An Introduction to Irish Faerie Folklore - Steph Rae Moran In this month’s post we explore Irish faerie folklore, including Irish faerie structure and a few specific examples of Irish faeries.

This month's blog post explores Irish faerie folklore! First we look at their mythological history, then we learn about Irish faerie structure, and finally we touch on a few specific examples of Irish faeries.

Sounds like I got the crows that were off to the side as well. 😉

On a recent walk I saw several butterflies dancing. 🥰 I tried to catch one on video. 🦋

Just added this episode to my podcast queue! Sounds so interesting. :)

So cute!

“The Owl Was a Baker’s Daughter”: Unpacking Ophelia’s Folkloric Remark - Steph Rae Moran This month we explore a folktale ("the owl was a baker’s daughter") referenced by the character Ophelia in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

I hope you enjoy this month's post. It explores a folktale referenced by the character Ophelia in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Photo of a tree with grass growing under it.

Photo of tree branches, roots, and creek.

Photo of Steph Rae Moran on the trail.

Photo of the running creek.

Do you have a favorite walking path? This is one of mine. 🌼

Beautiful!

The museum's sign is so cool!

Yes, and there definitely seems to be many variations. I also found a second article from a 1923 issue of The Journal of American Folklore, where it was only said once, so I decided to go with that version.

Photo of a desert cottontail.

I just learned of the following tradition: say "rabbit" as your first word on the first day of the month to receive a present!Source: Notes and Queries (Mar-27-1909).

I came across this cottontail on the side of the trail recently. Not sure if it was posing for me or just too terrified to run, lol.

Owl Folklore, Blodeuwedd, and the Concept of Transformation - Steph Rae Moran This post explores British owl folklore, the story of Blodeuwedd, and the idea of transformation.

This month's post is the first in a two-month owl folklore theme. It explores British owl folklore and the story of Blodeuwedd (a maiden who was transformed into an owl).🦉

If you enjoy my blog posts, you might like my newsletter. See the link in my profile.

This is really cool!

I’m excited—I just discovered that people are beginning to cite my posts as sources for their own work! A playwright referenced my article on apple tree folklore in her show’s program, and a podcast listed my post on Cŵn Annwn as a source. :) Feeling grateful! ✨

Photo of bluewitch nightshade (flower).

Photo of blue dicks (flower).

I'm beginning to see some pretty, spring flowers on my walks. :)

Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, fell for one of the greatest hoaxes of the 20th century when he became convinced that the "fairy photographs" taken by two girls from Yorkshire in the 1920s were real. Mary Losure explores: buff.ly/11byRMg #AprilFools

Photo of my AWP Conference & Bookfair bookbag with a welshcake perched on top.

I enjoyed attending the AWP Conference & Bookfair on Saturday. One of the highlights for me was that Cardiff University had a booth, and I had fun talking folklore and practicing Welsh pronunciation with their representatives. And they gave me a welshcake, which was delicious!

I'm so fascinated with her double major in astrophysics and folklore!

Four-Leaf Clover Uses in Faerie Folklore and Love Divination - Steph Rae Moran Granting wishes wasn't the only folkloric use of a four-leaf clover. They were also used to see through glamour, bring good fortune, and in love divination.

Granting wishes wasn't the only folkloric use of a four-leaf clover. They were also used to see through faerie glamour, bring good fortune, and for love divination. 🍀

If you enjoy my blog posts, you might like my newsletter. See the link in my profile.

Royal Mail launches mythical creatures stamp collection Myths and fables from across the UK are illustrated in the set of stamps.

Royal Mail has unveiled a set of stamps featuring mythical creatures and fabled figures from UK folklore.
www.bbc.com/news/article...

An open letter to graduate students and other procrastinators: it’s time to write - Nature Biotechnology Nature Biotechnology - An open letter to graduate students and other procrastinators: it’s time to write

While this article was written with the scientific writer in mind, the author offers great advice for writers of any genre.

Swallow nests on side of Mission building

FOLKLORE SNIPPETS - March 19th “If this day is clear, so follows a fertile year” Weather lore relating to today, St Joseph’s Day RETURN OF THE SWALLOWS Today, St Joseph’s Day, sees festivities taking place to mark the return of the swallows to Capistrano in California. The tradition of celebrating the birds’ return was started in the 1920s by Father O’Sullivan and is linked to the coming of spring, and all of the concepts of renewal and rebirth that go with it. A whole day of events take place at the Mission San Juan Capistrano, including symbolic ringing of the Mission bells, music and dance, and Native American storytelling. The swallows are said to migrate each year to Goya, in Argentina, and then return in March to their summer home at San Juan Capistrano. Small scale celebrations used to take place when the clergy at the Mission noted that the birds usually returned close to the Feast of St Joseph, an important church calendar day, and since then the celebrations have become internationally known. Father John O’Sullivan relates the story in his book, Capistrano Nights, of how he saw a local shopkeeper trying to dislodge swallow nests from the eaves of his shop and so told the birds that they should build nests at the Mission, where they would be provided shelter. Image: Swallow nests at the Mission from their website: https://www.missionsjc.com/

Folklore for today, March 19

Finishing up my newsletter, which goes out Wed. Also working on revising my novel draft.

Photo of Steph on the trail.

Photo of a patch of clover on the side of the trail.

Photo of a blooming cactus.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I've been sneaking out for walks between rainstorms. I came across a patch of clover on one of my treks. (Four-leaf clover folklore will be the topic of my next newsletter, which goes out Mar. 19th). 🍀 And I also saw some cacti blooming. Spring is beginning to peek through.