M.J. Rose

You probably noticed as a child that the Nursery Rhymes we all grew up with seemed to have an air of the macabre about them. This concise read on the dark origins of nursery rhymes will solidify this hunch for you…

The Dark Origins of 11 Classic Nursery Rhymes

by Jennifer M Wood

“In the canon of great horror writing, Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Bram Stoker, and Mary Shelley tend to dominate the craft. But Mother Goose isn’t too far behind. Yes, that fictional grande dame of kiddie poems has got a bit of a dark streak, as evidenced by the unexpectedly sinister theories surrounding the origins of these 11 well-known nursery rhymes.

1. BAA, BAA, BLACK SHEEP (1731)

Though most scholars agree that “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep” is about the Great Custom, a tax on wool that was introduced in 1275, its use of the color black and the word “master” led some to wonder whether there was a racial message at its center. Its political correctness was called into question yet again in the latter part of the 20th century, with some schools banning it from being repeated in classrooms, and others simply switching out the word “black” for something deemed less offensive. In 2011, news.com.au reported on the proliferation of “Baa, Baa Rainbow Sheep” as an alternative.

2. GOOSEY GOOSEY GANDER (1784)

It’s hard to imagine that any rhyme with the phrase “goosey goosey” in its title could be described as anything but feelgood. But it’s actually a tale of religious persecution, during the days when Catholic priests would hide themselves in order to say their Latin-based prayers, a major no-no at the time—not even in the privacy of one’s own home. In the original version, the narrator comes upon an old man “who wouldn’t say his prayers. So I took him by his left leg. And threw him down the stairs.” Ouch!…

Click here for more.

A miracle is always a mystery…

If you’re not already a believer in miracles, this particular list (from a delightful site that consists almost entirely of wonderful lists!) may just make you one.

10 Astonishing Cures That Will Make You Believe in Miracles

M.J. Szimanski

“The village of Lourdes in the Pyrenees of southern France was the site of a miraculous series of visions in 1858. Beginning on February 11, at the nearby Grotto of Massabielle, 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous allegedly saw the Virgin Mary 18 times. Two weeks later, a spring appeared at the grotto.

Eight million pilgrims now visit the shrine each year, and they say that the waters manifest remarkable healing powers. The Catholic Church has documented some 7,000 cases of unexplained cures at the shrine there, and they’ve declared dozens of them as official miracles…”

For the list, click here.

Remember those glittery sugar coated Easter Eggs with a tiny, frosted hole in the front through which one could peer into a miniature world of Easter Bunny mystery?

This lovely art installation is the grown up version –

Tiny Worlds Buried into Gallery Walls by Patrick Jacobs

by Danny Olda

“The Brooklyn based artist Patrick Jacobs explores the gallery space in a unique way. He installs his work inside galleries – literally within the gallery. Jacobs carefully constructs meticulously detailed diorama-like models. These models are then installed within the white walls of the gallery and fitted with porthole type windows. The installations give the appearance of miniature and often vividly colored worlds hidden within the gallery structure. However, the small round windows only allow viewers to act as onlookers, as if scientific researchers or even giant voyeurs. A world that would be pleasant to get lost in is perpetually inaccessible…”

For the rest, and many beautiful pictures, click here.