American Folklore...

[HD]

There are quite a few woolly bear caterpillars out and about today! According to folklore, the amount of black vs. brown on the caterpillar can help "predict" the severity of winter. The longer the woolly bear's black bands, the colder, snowier, and more severe the winter will be. Whereas the wider the middle brown band, the milder the upcoming winter. Here are a few we found around the office... not sure what to predict from this variety. 😬 What kind of woolly bear caterpillars have you seen?


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[Reinhard]

Nice to know about that.  So far I haven't seen one.  Usualy see a few out front of my house.  good luck.

[LPS]

I would like to think that is a wide brown band meaning a milder winter. 

[Rebel SS]

I wanna find with with vertical stripes. That means a dry heat waves comin'.

[Gunner55]

We used to have an old school weather guy on the Mason City channel that talked about the woolly caterpillars every year 'bout this time. He was usually quoting The Farmers Almanac a lot too. Most people kind of laughed at him but lookin back, I think he might've been more accurate than a lot of 'em doin it now. 

[Rebel SS]

Heck, my skwirrels are more accurate than them. Frantic nut burying = bad winter.

[Gunner55]

Heck, my skwirrels are more accurate than them. Frantic nut burying = bad winter.

We've noticed how those little red SOB's will climb the big pines on the north side & knock a dozen pine cones down too, Reb. Had to be a little careful workin under 'em as they would be bombin ya. Then they'd come down, eat a little off each 1 & carry 'em off to stash 'em in the woods.

[Rebel SS]

Those rotten little imps! They chewed clean thru my buddy's shed ROOF and soffit to get inside, then ravaged and wrecked all the xmas decoration stored in there. Chewed everything to pieces! Lights, tree, you name it.

[glenn57]

with the bird feeders up at the cabin we get them red skuerrls too!!!!!!! they appear to have an iron deficiency..........so we give them a shot of lead!!!!!

on another note, i've been setting mouse traps since we started bear baiting........i'm between 20 and 25 currently!!!!!!

[Rebel SS]

Best "folklore" I've seen that is accurate is when the geese and other birds start flying and flocking. We know they do that before a storm....flit around and perch in the trees.

[mike89]

hey Reb!!  that last post is number 20,000!!!!   

[glenn57]

hey Reb!!  that last post is number 20,000!!!!   

of useless information!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

seriously congrats bud!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rebel SS]

O....thanks! hey Leech, do I get a hat?  Actually, I don't really care , just like having fun. Besides, half the posts were retorts to Glenn anyway......    

[glenn57]

O....thanks! hey Leech, do I get a hat?  Actually, I don't really care , just like having fun. Besides, half the posts were retorts to Glenn anyway......    

only half??????????

[glenn57]

another old folklore was to look how far out the muskrats are building there mounds and how big they were.

if the amount of black walnuts on my tree are any indication, this winter's gonna be a barn burner. most walnuts i've ever had. and rebs pet skuerrels got my lawn pretty well areated. i hate to see thiis spring how many walnut trees sprout.

[Dotch]

O....thanks! hey Leech, do I get a hat?  Actually, I don't really care , just like having fun. Besides, half the posts were retorts to Glenn anyway......    

Hey! Free hat? Who do you think you are, a farmer or something?  Seriously, congrats! 

[Rebel SS]

No green DeKalb hats, please. 

[mike89]

or JD either!!!

[glenn57]

No green DeKalb hats, please. 

one would think a DUNCE  hat would most appropriate for you!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rebel SS]

You just keep it up!!  I'm gonna hire Mikey and his biker buds to flatten you!! 

[glenn57]

You just keep it up!!  I'm gonna hire Mikey and his biker buds to flatten you!! 

Quick, some one, I need a picture of the wallymart bovine carts!!

[HD]

I'm not sure what, or whom....But, I'm seeing large cashes of acorns in the barn. I have never seen piles of anything in the barn except for cow patties.... 

Could be mice, rats or squirrels...

[Rebel SS]

Well, grays usually bury or eat, rats don't stockpile so much...I"d say mice or those rotten little pine skwirrels.

[glenn57]

Well, grays usually bury or eat, rats don't stockpile so much...I"d say mice or those rotten little pine skwirrels.

Tend to agree with Reb, maybe Chipmunks?? Ya know Alvin and the gang!

[Rebel SS]

Chippies will usually stockpile in their den, underground....so it's rare to see their piles.

[Gunner55]

Well, grays usually bury or eat, rats don't stockpile so much...I"d say mice or those rotten little pine skwirrels.

I bettin it's those little red SOB"s as we seem to get quite a few acorns in some of the compartments of the boats some seasons, if we don't use an ample supply of moth balls and/or drier sheets. Could be Alvin & Theodore as there's some of them runnin around out there too but it seems the squrrels like it more.

[Rebel SS]

I'm goin' with the reds, too. 

[mike89]

http://comics.azcentral.com/slideshow?comic=wiz&feature_id=wiz

[LPS]

One year when we were at our cabin before I had moved to Ottertail we were leaving to go home and our new van smelled like smoke as it was warming up.  I walked around and here the darn chippies had filled the muffler up with acorns in 2 days.  I kept goosing it and acorns were blowing out.  I got 3/4 of an ice cream pail of them.  Happened once with my motorhome there too.  I started shooting the cute little buggers after that. 

[Rebel SS]

"Chestnuts roasting over an open fire".......dume dee doo....


October weather lore....

Rain in October

Means wind in December.

When birds and badgers are fat in October,

Expect a cold winter

When berries are many in October

Beware a hard winter.

"Squirrels gathering nuts in a flurry,

Will cause snow to gather in a hurry."

Onions or cornhusks have thicker than normal skins.

Leaves fall from the trees late in the year.

Green leaves falling mean a mild winter.


Persimmon Seeds

 A persimmon's seeds are thought to foretell the type of winter expected. Carefully cut the seeds open lengthwise. What do you see inside?

A spoon-shaped pattern is said to represent a shovel for all of the heavy, wet snow to come.
A knife signals a cold, icy winter with cutting winds.
If a fork is visible, it means that a generally mild winter with only light powdery snow can be expected.
While it makes no difference if the persimmon is picked or purchased, it must be locally grown—otherwise, you'll be getting results for a region other than your own.