Moon
“If the moon shows like a silver shield you needn’t be afraid to reap
your fields.
But if she rises haloed round, soon we’ll tread on deluged ground.”
We all
know the moon has a certain control over the ocean tides. But
according to weather lore it also predicts weather patterns and how
plants will grow. Many people believe in planting according to
the moon, they watch it for the next rainfall, harvest fields by it
and predict major storms coming
their way just by
watching for shape, season, color and location.
Native
American belief is if the moon looks like it is tipped on its back, it
is holding water that will not spill. If it is tipped forward the
water will spill from it in the form of rain. You can find
beliefs in many other cultures throughout the world, too. They
use the moon and its mysteries to guide their lives and beliefs.
From weather predictions to religious ceremonies, the moon is a
constant and yet, it is ever changing and always present in lore,
superstitions and stories.
Cold Weather
“Holly berries shining red mean a long winter, ‘tis said.”
Winter
can be some of the harshest weather to survive when you live in a
four-season region. It can be a matter of life and death due to
cold and starvation if you don’t plan ahead. For this reason
many superstitions have abound for predicting cold weather and winter
conditions.
Those
of us that live in a four-season region have to plan for extreme cold
and snow in case of emergencies. Extreme cold can cause power
lines to break and cut the power to homes. No power means no
heat for most homes. Heavy snow conditions mean removing snow
from driveways so you can leave home and go to work. Too much
snow on roofs can cause the building to collapse, often causing
extreme injury to the residents.
It is a
time when we have to prepare for enough food, fuel and transportation
emergencies. Employers have to be somewhat understanding when a
worker can not get off their own road to drive 30 miles to work.
If you can get your car out of the drive and on to the surface
street, ice and slick roads become a problem. Travel is slower
and normal drive time of 15 to 20 minutes to your job becomes at least
an hour.
When facing a hard winter there is going to be increased physical
work: shoveling snow off the roof, running a snow blower for hours on
end and learning to travel slower. No matter what type of
prediction you feel your winter season will be, it is always best to
be prepared for the worst.
Animals
seem to have a built in weather system and can predict hard winters
more easily than any human will ever be able to. When their fur
comes in thicker than normal during the fall it means there is going
to be a hard, cold winter. But this applies to animals that live
in the outdoors all the time, not your well pampered housecat!
Horses, goats and other barnyard animals that need extra protection
from the season are provided for by nature with an extra layer of hair
or fur.
