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Weather Report:  20 Signs of a Hard Winter  |
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mndreamer
True Blue Farmgirl
191 Posts
Vicky
Popple Creek
MN
USA
191 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 30 2011 : 8:46:58 PM
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I came upon this list and was just wondering how many farmgirls have experienced any of these signs yet?
Thicker than normal corn husks
Woodpeckers sharing a tree
Early arrival of the Snowy owl
Early departure of geese and ducks
Early migration of the Monarch butterfly
Thick hair on the nape (back) of the cow’s neck
Heavy and numerous fogs during August
Raccoons with thick tails and bright bands
Mice eating ravenously into the home
Early arrival of crickets on the hearth
Spiders spinning larger than usual webs and entering the house in great numbers
Pigs gathering sticks
Insects marching a bee line rather than meandering
Early seclusion of bees within the hive
Unusual abundance of acorns
Muskrats burrowing holes high on the river hank
“See how high the hornet’s nest, ‘twill tell how high the snow will rest”
Narrow orange band in the middle of the Woollybear caterpillar warns of heavy snow; fat and fuzzy caterpillars presage bitter cold
The squirrel gathers nuts early to fortify against a hard winter
Frequent halos or rings around sun or moon forecast numerous snow falls.
Do any of you know of any other signs?
~Vicky~
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. ~~Ronald Reagan
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emsmommy5
True Blue Farmgirl
1547 Posts
Angie
Buckley
WA
USA
1547 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2011 : 9:17:50 PM
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Just the spiders around here. But that could be because it suddenly got really hot for the first time this "summer" last week.
Do what you love, love what you do. |
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Acelady02
True Blue Farmgirl
1266 Posts
Penny
Washington
GA
USA
1266 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2011 : 9:26:56 PM
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Well I've seen the heavy fog, mice in my house, and alot of acorn...wow...hope not a really hard winter
(((((Hugs All)))))Penny
Farmgirl Sister #3343
God gives Miracles to those who Believe, Courage to those with Faith, Hope to those who Dream, Love to those who Accept, & Forgiveness to those who Ask... |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2011 : 9:27:48 PM
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Seems like I remember something about the number of fogs in a certain month predict how many snow falls there will be. Wish I could remember what month.
I have noticed an abundance of frogs and really fat hairy caterpillars.
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Aug 31 2011 : 5:53:13 PM
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The old timers here say that because we had so many days in a row of extreme heat and no rain, it'll be an early fall and a hard winter.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet--Dr. Kioni
http://madame1313.wordpress.com/ |
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mndreamer
True Blue Farmgirl
191 Posts
Vicky
Popple Creek
MN
USA
191 Posts |
Posted - Aug 31 2011 : 8:11:39 PM
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You know... I tend to trust the old timers more than I do the weather forcasters. We have so much to do before winter...
~Vicky~
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. ~~Ronald Reagan
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Aug 31 2011 : 9:44:46 PM
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We have had the spiders, mice, fogs, and the acorns.
There is also an old sayin about the tomatoes. The thicker the skins in the fall the thick the blankets on the bed should be before the snowfall. Grandma swears by it and she is rarely wrong. Our tomato skins have been thicker and tougher than I remember for a very long time.
I'm preparin for a bad winter and just hopin I'm wrong.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 05:42:08 AM
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Well the horses started blowing out their summer coat almost a month ago and the deer are shedding like crazy and getting their thick winter coats in. My leaves are already turning...the last couple winters we have had an early and deep October snow so I think the trees are preparing ahead of time this year! I have a gut feeling that it will be a very bad winter. I think we are on the 20 or 30 year cycle of bad winters and can expect probably the next 5-10 years to be fairly bad. Anyone remember the winters of the late 70's and early eighties? That is what I am predicting.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 11:03:01 AM
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I was a baby then, but I have a journal my mom kept of that winter.
They took all of us kids and holed up in the garage. My dad and the neighbor built a sled to put behind the snowmobile and went for supplies on it. They had to go 2 towns over to get formula, gas, diapers, and food. It took them hours to get there and back. The neighbors and us all stayed in the garage on sleepin bags where the wood stove was.
Mom has a bunch of neat pictures of the indoor campin and wood stove cookin experience. I'm prepared if it comes to that sort of thing agian, just don't really want to go through it.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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Dorinda
True Blue Farmgirl
1023 Posts
Dorinda
St. Cloud
Florida
USA
1023 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 12:20:54 PM
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Yes Alee, Even though I am in Florida I remember the cold in the late 70's and early eighties.
I agree with you on what you are saying. For Florida we have had really cold weather the past 2 years in the winter time. My husband and I were married in 1979 of August. I remember going out and buying this thick blanket and everyone said we would not ever use it and boy were they wrong.
We lived in a mobile home back then and I remember it getting really cold. And then it seemed to Taper off there for quite a few years. And now the weather reminds me of 32 years ago when I was a new bride. Some of your old timers will tell you that the weather changes like that every other generation! My husband for some reason seems to think it is from the Sunamies (not sure if I spelled that right) that has hit us in the past couple of years. Remember they said on the news that the earth actually shifted a little and threw us off some. Hum I wonder if that could be...Will be an interesting Winter!!
Seize The Day!
Dorinda |
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SunnyJam
True Blue Farmgirl
129 Posts
Jamie
Seattle
WA
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 12:28:50 PM
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Please pardon my urban-upbringing ignorance, but...
Pigs gather sticks? Really? What do they do with them? I'm cracking up just picturing that!
Farmgirl Sister #2504 |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2011 : 07:49:31 AM
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Well, I am NOT looking forward to winter at all. We have had really cold hard winters here the past 3 years and I don't think can handle another like them. But we are gathering firewood and looking for a wood stove. Last year we took out the old gas logs and just burned lots of wood in the open fire place. It was nice and pretty but not much heat because it all went up the chimney. So this year we will hopefully have a nice wood burning heater with a blower and a top so I can cook on it if the power goes out.
I did see a huge hornet's nest way up almost to the rafters of a 2 story barn a few months ago. So I am scared we are going to have another bitter cold winter here. I am trying all I can to egt prepared for it. I have to repatch the barn roof. It's old and metal and has lots of little nail holes where rain gets in. And I want my sheep and goats to be warm and dry.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2011 : 10:44:12 AM
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Our oak trees have tons of acorns and the squirrels are gorging themselves. We've had lots of spider activity too - and my friend had a HUGE web on her dining room window (it looked like one of the fake ones you buy for Halloween). Our friendly racoon (aka Bubba)is a big boy - because he keeps eating my suet (grumble, grumble) - he's always been big but last time I saw him - he looked "fluffier" or fuller. Hmmmm... And I stopped putting out the suet too.
I'm wondering about pigs carrying sticks too (I'm also urban raised). Yes, what do they do with them???
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
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Merry
True Blue Farmgirl
765 Posts
Merry
Ankeny
Iowa
USA
765 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2011 : 10:57:32 AM
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I've always heard that if onions had thicker than normal layers, it will be a hard winter.
Merry
Farmgirl #536
http://afarminmyheart.blogspot.com/
Your life is an occasion, rise to it. Mr. Magorium |
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Penny Wise
True Blue Farmgirl
1903 Posts
Margo
Elyria
OH
USA
1903 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2011 : 5:34:41 PM
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we've noticed the starlings flocking already! and the apple trees are abundantly full this year!
tonite it's sposed to get to 37 here-brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Farmgirl # 2139
~*~ counting my pennies and biding my time; my dreams are adding up!~*~ |
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rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2011 : 6:11:08 PM
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Pigs will use sticks to nest. Ours have built huge nests to have their babies in. Looks cool.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet--Dr. Kioni
http://madame1313.wordpress.com/ |
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Nanniekim
True Blue Farmgirl
206 Posts
Kim
Arizona
206 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2011 : 2:15:48 PM
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It seems when we have an extremely hot summer, we have extreme winter also. Our summer was pretty mild so I hope that means a mild winter. Sorry for all of you that had a hotter than normal summer if it brings a cold winter. Or maybe that is why it was a hot summer because of the extreme snow and cold last winter in those areas.
Kim |
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kymomma4
True Blue Farmgirl
516 Posts
RoDonna
Frankfort
Kentucky
USA
516 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2011 : 8:03:04 PM
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The weather here has been crazy. We cancelled football games last Saturday due to extreme heat and two days later it's cold and rainy. I think that it dropped nearly 30 degrees within two days. We've had a lot of fog in the hollers too. Animals have been busy in the woods. Need to be getting my parents some wood bc that's their only heat source. The last couple of winters have been bad so get to stocking up.
Farmgirl #2361
"Blessed is the farmgirl who helps make the world a better and healthy place" ~ Me
www.youravon.com/rodonnacarson |
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MEWolf
True Blue Farmgirl
358 Posts
Margaret
Byers
Colorado
USA
358 Posts |
Posted - Oct 08 2011 : 3:26:16 PM
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We had our first snowfall here on the eastern plains of Colorado today. It was windy, wet and miserable! I am one of those crazy folk who LOVE Winter, and this year I have worked hard to get prepared. Today just seemed a wee bit early!
Margaret
“Kind hearts are the gardens, kind thoughts are the roots, kind words are the flowers, kind deeds are the fruits. Take care of your garden and keep out the weeds, fill it with sunshine, kind words and kind deeds.” ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1808-1882)
Farmgirl #3020
www.grey-wolf-farm.com |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2011 : 3:38:57 PM
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I've been eating more and feel like I'm going into hibernation mode. Do you think that means anything??? :o)
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
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Dorinda
True Blue Farmgirl
1023 Posts
Dorinda
St. Cloud
Florida
USA
1023 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2011 : 6:57:43 PM
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Lorraine, That is so funny!!!!!!You gave me a good laugh for the night!!!!:o)
Seize The Day!
Dorinda |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Oct 16 2011 : 08:46:34 AM
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Dorinda - its the truth! I'm hungry all the time and I don't want to go anywhere. Ha - I might be on to something... Glad I made you laugh.
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
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Lieberkim
True Blue Farmgirl
839 Posts
Kimberly
Sunnyside
WASHINGTON
USA
839 Posts |
Posted - Oct 16 2011 : 7:11:29 PM
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Bring it on!!! I love cold winters......and all the ladies start throwing stones at me....... I grew up in Northern Canada so I haven't seen anything really cold since moving to the western states. My husband will say, "It's cold out there" I'll say, "It's nippy" :) So long as my freezer and pantry are filled with food and I have enough for my livestock I like the idea of just snuggling up by the fire and staying home with my family. Spring, summer and fall are so busy I look forward to holing up for the winter and doing crafts, playing music and just having family time. I'm a weird duck, I know.
Excuse the mess & the noise, my children are making happy memories |
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Weather Report: 20 Signs of a Hard Winter |
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20 Signs of a Hard Winter
