The Signs

I don't even pretend to be a weather prognosticator.

I can predict a change in weather by the children's behavior at school and the pain in my knees. I do, however, find it very interesting how our 'old-timers' would predict the weather by observing nature around them and so many times, had great accuracy. Growing up in a 'country' family of storytellers, I remember hearing about the colors and rings of the wooly worms, fogs in August, rings around the moon, the thickness of tree bark, and the positioning of hornets' nests to predict the upcoming winter weather.


The Winter of '09-'10 will be here before we turn around. I always wish for snow and lots of it. The last really big snow we had here was the Blizzard of '93. Maggie has seen a few moderate snows that only last a day or two. The children I've had in school in the last several years have never seen a 'good' snow. (I wish a 'good snow' for them!)

I have always looked for wooly worms and just by chance, my first "weather sign" observation this year was of this hornets' nest a couple of weeks ago out in the McCloud community (out past the TVA Steam plant). (Maggie got a picture of it this past Saturday.) She took the pic with my cell phone from the highway. Yes, the nest is attached to the power lines and there is a very deep ditch below it. Never have I seen a hornets' nest this high. Folklore has it that if they build close to the ground, it will be a very cold winter. If they build high, that is a sign of the amount and depth of snow we will have.

Also, on Saturday, Maggie and I visited our dear friends, The Price family and Kyle went and retrieved an unripe persimmon for me to see what shape was in the seed. I learned this tidbit only about 3 years ago. Persimmon seeds are also an indicator of the winter weather. When you cut open the persimmon seed, there can be one of three shapes inside: a knife, a spoon, or a fork. If the knife is seen, the winter will be bitter cold...so cold, it will 'cut' right through you.
The fork predicts a mild winter. The spoon represents a shovel meaning there will be lots of snow. Guess what....the shape was a SPOON!

As of this writing, I have not seen any wooly worms and I started my tally of fogs in August and forgot to continue the tally after the first fog. I haven't checked the bark on the trees or the crop of acorns, nor the size of spider webs, but according to my observations of the hornets' nest and the persimmon seed, we'd better get out the boots, shovels and sleds, cut the fire wood, have a good supply of books, yarn, toilet paper, peanut butter, and soup. (Miniature Reese's cups would be an excellent staple, too!) Looks to me like we might just have some wonderful snow days and nights!

Wonder what the wooly worms will show?!

UPDATE: (9-11-09) Our Kindergarten Assistant, Miss Beth, said she had HUGE spider webs at her house out Sulphur Springs way....meaning a 'bad winter'! (I still haven't seen a wooly worm.)

YET ANOTHER UPDATE: (10-4-09) The 'wooly worms' are sending mixed messages regarding our winter...Over a period of a couple of weeks, I've seen them colored as: all rust color, all black, but the majority are black at both ends and rust in the middle/meaning: "bad" at the beginning and end with a milder weather in between. (as usual, we'll just have to wait and see...but I'm still hoping for lots of snow!!!!! )

AND YET ANOTHER UPDATE: (10-5-09) I now have pictures (see top of entry-couldn't get the pic down here!) of the "spoons" in the persimmon seeds. I cut open 4 seeds and as you can see, a 'spoon' in each one. So my friends and family, dust off those shovels and grease up those sleds! Yipppppeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!