Fall

Wow! I do believe that Fall is on its way. It is 11:40 AM, and it is only 64 degrees. Our high today is only supposed to reach 70 degrees. I don't believe we are supposed to reach 80 degrees at all during the next week.

I kind of like Fall. The temps are more comfortable. The Wooly Worms start crossing the road, in about two weeks, the corn and soybeans will begin to be harvested. Once that is done, you will be able to see for miles around in any direction.

Back to the Wooly Worms. Here is central Illinois, we have weather reporter, Judy Fraser, who send kids in the area on a Wooly Worm hunt. Typically she receives hundreds of the critters in jars over a period of a couple of weeks. She then counts how many of each color she has (black or cream). The color determines the difference of a cold winter or a mild winter. Here is an excerpt from a website (http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/macon/palette/061015.html), which tells about the Wooly Worm Folklore:

There is a lot of folklore surrounding the banded wooly worm, particularly related to its supposed power to predict upcoming winter weather each fall. The typical banded wooly worm has sections of black hairs at each end, and a section of orange-brown hairs in the center. Legend says that the more black on a banded wooly worm, the more severe the winter will be. Some folks have taken this to an extreme, and noting that there are thirteen segments in a typical banded wooly worm, they argue that each segment represents one week of winter. Orange segments predict mild weeks, and black ones foretell bad winter weather.

My kids used to go out every year and collect these worms and take them to the station. It was great fun. This year, the forecast will be in a couple of weeks. People make it a point to be sitting in front of the TV to hear what Judy has to say.

Then there is the Persimmon seed forecast. Cut into the seed from the narrow side, and look at the kernel. If the kernel is shaped like a knife, look for a cold, windy winter. If the kernel is shaped like a spoon, look for a wet, snowy winter. If the kernel is shaped like a fork, look for a mild winter.

I just love folklore, don't you? Anyway, I am done for now. I just wanted to say, I love Fall, and I believe it will soon be here. Someone is here, so I will close for now. If I can get back on later, I will.

Have a blessed day in Jesus.