"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

Hello Friends!

Friends, Romans, countrymen...y'all. Foodies, gardeners, artists and collectors - let's gather together to share and possibly learn a thing or two in the mix.

Donna Baker

Monday, October 14, 2013

Winter Weather Folklore


Back in the days before weather forecasters tried to predict what the weather was going to do, farmers used lore that was passed down from generation to generation.  I don't know if all the predictions are factual or not.  Has that groundhog ever been right?  One prediction, that birds roosting together on telephone lines predict rain, is indeed true.  I see it time and again.  Another truism is that the moon will have a ring around it when rain is eminent.  
The persimmon seed is said to predict winter weather.  Wild persimmons grow in abundance around here; the deer love them.  Late in fall, the fruit ripens and the seeds are easy to extrude.  What does the persimmon seed say about this winter?


For a spoon, there will be lots of heavy, wet snow.
If the seed has a fork, the winter will be mild with light-powdery snow.
If you see a knife, there will be icy, cutting winds.
Looks like a spoon to me.

Here are a few other folklore forecasts:

When leaves fall early,  autumn and winter will be mild; when leaves fall late, winter will be severe.

A warm November is the sign of a bad winter.

If September is hot (and it was here), look for a mild winter at first, but a very cold end to winter.

Warm falls are followed by cold winters.

13 comments:

RachelD said...

I MISSSS my beautiful persimmon tree, with the perfect little golden lanterns hanging onto the dark bare limbs, especially against an October sunset.

I've never heard of the weather prophecies, but here where we live, we'd probably have to have a whole service-for-twelve, with oyster forks and fish knives, as well. We get a little bit of everything.

rachel

It's Just Dottie said...

We had wild persimmon trees in the fields at home. I don't think we ever ate one. They were very pretty. I pray winter will be warm. I really do hate being cold!!
Dottie

Kirsten Steen said...

I'm so hoping that one about the birds on a wire is not true...we've just had the most gorgeous day here on the Oregon Coast (I'm here for my fall writing retreat) and must have seen 30-40 birds swoop in together to sit on a wire. Our September was cold and rainy. Does that mean winter will come in like a lion and out like a lamb?

La Table De Nana said...

Is that spoon cute or what?
I wonder what an almost so far October in QC says of my impending winter?
Have you ever found a fork?
Saw The Paradise epi #2..so good..those little girls..and the baby etc..

Kirsten Steen said...

Thank you for your visit, Donna. I LOVED Beautiful Ruins! I read one of his others (Land of the Blind) which was good too but I thought his writing was even better in Ruins. He has an amazing way of using metaphor and analogies. (Plus he throws in Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton for good measure.) Just a beautifully-written book. I want to read more of his stuff now. What are you reading?!

donna baker said...

I would think Monique, Rachel and Kirsten, that local lore would only apply to the area in which you live. Don't you? I know the Northwest, has much rain, whereas, we've been in a several year drought. In Canada, I just assumed that it always snowed there in winter. I haven't seen much snow around here in a few years.

Amanda Summer said...

That is so cool! The spoon is unreal looking - and I can't imagine how a persimmon seed would produce a fork image! Thanks for the heads up regarding lots of heavy, wet snow.....

gésbi said...

Interesting messages are out there! Your second picture is beautiful.

La Table De Nana said...

Donna..in my part of Canada..it does always snow..usually a lot..but once in a blue moon..it seems less severe..
Would be nice..but then again so many things would be nice:-)

Joy Tilton said...

Donna, ours here in Arkansas are showing spoons, or shovels, I've always heard that meant snowy winter. Your Grandma knew the secret to good dumplings boiling her broth with backs and necks! Grandma would make chicken gravy after frying and pour off the grease, saving some to put back on top with "cracklings!"

Debbie Nolan said...

Donna - I will be remembering these signs - we will know if they are true come next spring for sure! Our woo ly worms are predicting a nasty winter - their brown stripes are pretty wide this year but we had few nuts and that generally means winter will be mild. Hope you have a delightful day. Take care.

Willow said...

We had been having a gorgeous warm Fall ~ just got our first frost though so the winds of change are a coming ! lol Hope you are enjoying Fall on your farm Donna .

Cobalt Violet said...

That is so cool. I guess here the local lore might be Native American? Chumash? Hmm. Nice photos, by the way. I have some persimmons (though not wild) and I need to figure out what to do with them!
Happy November!!!