When I was a child, we used to judge how bad the winter would be by how black the fuzzy caterpillar was, how fast the dogwood berries were eaten by the birds in the fall, and things like that. Nature was usually right.

Agreed! We also used to say that it was determined by how many berries were on holly bushes -

I love that traditional wisdom. I'm afraid it is not being passed on. Do most kids know what a red sky indicates?

The almanac predictions are based upon the planets and stars position in the sky. Its formula has been unchanged since 1818.

Of course modern climatologists reject that influence.

Bill - this kid still remembers:

Red sky at night, sailors' delight.
Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.

My grandmother would predict that a storm was clearing up when there was enough blue in the sky to make a pair of Dutchman's britches. Or, how about: The date of the first snowfall in your area predicts how many snowfalls you will get that year.

(02-22-2014 11:48 AM)L Verge Wrote:  how about: The date of the first snowfall in your area predicts how many snowfalls you will get that year.

Laurie, up north we don't predict the number of snowfalls - just the number of inches each snowfall brings.

I can see why! If you are down South still, are you the one who dragged that Polar Vortex with you?

Roger, please forward that email I sent you about reasons for moving from Illinois to Florida to Jerry.

Laurie,"The Red Sky"theory is so true! A few years ago I went across Lake Ontario-from Rochester to The 1000 Islands in the Fall in a 38 footer.We had 5'rollers from Oswego,NY to Alexandria Bay,NY.We were trying to beat the "Red Sky" in the Morning.My friend asked me,"Why do you have wind shield wipers"?We buried the bow 4 times and our GPS [hand held] blew out of our hands into Lake Ontario.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm looking out the window to even more snow falling. It started about 8 am and hasn't stopped yet. We have about an inch - nothing magnificent to you Yankees - but this Polar Vortex is really getting on this Rebel's nerves! By this time in Southern Maryland, we generally have crocuses and daffodils in bloom.

The cherry trees were in bloom when my husband and I visited Washington two years ago for the Surratt Conference in the middle of March.

They were beautiful.

They are calling for more snow here as well, tonight. OK - much as I LOVE it (and the Polar Vortex as well - don't hit me, Laurie!!!) I'm tired of the snow now and want Spring. I do not, however, yearn for Summer. Hot, humid Virginia summers are hell!

I agree about the summers also. Southern Maryland is basically a peninsula wedged between the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. The Potomac also has tributaries that run through our area. The humidity is awful. My idea of activities in the summer are: run from air conditioned home to air conditioned car to air conditioned office to air conditioned stores, etc.

I'm enjoying the Polar Vortex. Or "Polarwirbel", for our German friends.

The "Polarwirbel" is supposed to plunge our temperatures to -4 overnight and leave us with highs in the single digits to the teens for the next several days. Does anybody know of an Optimists' Club I might join somewhere, because I am quickly becoming a weather pessimist?

Contact Laurie, Roger. I think she's started a Polarwirbel support group.