Living By the Signs: A Closer Look at how the Moon Influences Our Daily Activities

Creator: Adkins, Ashley

: Riddle, Frank

: Adkins, Wanda Kay Neal

In this project, Ashley Adkins interviewed Frank Riddle, and her mother, Wanda Kay Neal Adkins to learn more about living life by “the signs”. Some people believe that the phase of the moon influences various things in life and they sometimes decide whether or not to do some daily activities based on the moon, and this includes such things as getting haircuts, going to a dentist, planting vegetables and many other aspects of life. Ms. Adkins conducted these two interviews to learn more about this topic and to help preserve the tradition. This interview is among projects created by students enrolled in English 446 (initially English 452), “Appalachian Folklore,” 1981-2019, and in graduate level counterparts English 548 and 648 “Appalachian Folk Culture(s)” offered 17 fall semesters between 1987 and 2009. Minimally contain collector’s introduction and analysis, transcribed informant interviews, and excerpted and labeled examples of oral, customary, and/or material folklore/folklife collected primarily within the Appalachian region. Most include also tables of contents, informant information, indexes (outlines) of interviews, photographs, miscellaneous paper items, and indexes of informants, genres, and geographic locations. Accompanying audio recordings (several minutes to 2+ hours). Transferred to McConnell Library Archives & Special Collections from Appalachian Regional and Rural Studies Center, Fall 2013.