Maybe the animals know something about this winter that we dont?

[Backwoods Savage]

We have several Indian tribes in Michigan. I went up to Mt Pleasant a couple days ago and ran into one of the older Indians so asked him what kind of winter to expect this year. He said, "Hard winter. Much cold." So I asked how he could tell. He said, "White man build big wood pile."

 

[BrotherBart]

We have several Indian tribes in Michigan. I went up to Mt Pleasant a couple days ago and ran into one of the older Indians so asked him what kind of winter to expect this year. He said, "Hard winter. Much cold." So I asked how he could tell. He said, "White man build big wood pile."

Chief say that joke older than Backwoods Savage and BrotherBart combined.

 

[Bootlegger]

We have fewer birds here on the western extreme of the Appalachians and it is hailing acorns. I've seen a few squirrels but we too had less "frog noise" this year. Ol' timers here say we're "due" for a cold one. Plus my pile is bigger than last year and I have a new stove.

 

[allhandsworking]

We usually have about twenty bats flying around in August. I didnt see any this year! I heard they are suffering from some kind of mouth fungus! I wonder if its all related to the weather! We also had monsun rains this year and I nearly took my eye out mowing over acorns, they are everywere!

 

[Hurricane]

Acorns are like machine guns here. They are exceptionally large and plentiful this year.
My kids collected 2 - 5 gallon pails already and there is prolly 3 more to get picked up. In a usual year I get about a pail and a half.
I have not noticed anything with the squirrels because my dogs keep them away.

What do you do with the acorns after putting them in pails? If you keep them around, beware that the white oak acorns won't last long because the pails will soon be filled with worms which come right out of the acorns. Red oak acorns aren't so bad.

btw, deer will always go to a white oak before a red oak.

I usually take the pails of acorns and spread them under the oak trees where my tree stand is Keeps the deer around.

 

[johnnywarm]

So what do you think nature is telling us about winter?

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Bird feeder hardly touched in the last week - you can skate over my front lawn because of the acorns.

 

[rowerwet]

the beavers in the pond behind my parents house have been the most agressive in getting wood that they have seen since 1985 (the year they built the house) a month ago they came up into their yard and cut down a young tree 10' from their bedroom window, cut it into sections and dragged it almost 50 yards back to the pond. they have piled on more wood on the lodge this past summer than any year we can remember. The wood on the lodge is what they will eat after the ice is in. Makes me glad I have 6 tons of pellets in the bunker for this winter!

 

[katwillny]

Funny you say that, I was just having the same conversation with my wife today. She was saying how throughout the summer the bird feeder would be emptied in two days by both birds and squirrels and she noticed that the thing was half full today since last weekend. Bring on the cold.

 

[Wood Duck]

Hmmm, a bumper year for acorns and berries, and yet there are few squirrels and birds at the feeders. I wonder what could be happening?

 

[katwillny]

WoodDuck, maybe is Global Warming. LOL

 

[Backwoods Savage]

So what do you think nature is telling us about winter?

Methinks Nature is trying to tell us that the first day of fall happens this week and that winter will come right after that. Expect a white Christmas in about 10-15% of the lower 48 States. It will be very cold in January and February. March will be a mix of cold and some warming with longer daylight times.

Many people will be cold and perhaps go back to heating with oil or gas because they have attempted to burn green wood and were freezing in the house because that danged stove they bought ain't no good. Others will run out of wood in February because they were over zealous in stoking that stove in October-December when they only needed to burn half that amount of wood, but they were fascinated with this new wood burning idea.

Some folks, like the Backwoods Savage will once more cut too much wood during the winter and wonder where they are going to stack it all. Others will not cut during the winter because it is too cold out there. They would rather wait and swat mosquitoes and other insects while cutting firewood.

More could be added but perhaps it is better to stop here.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

. Others will run out of wood in February because they were over zealous in stoking that stove in October-December when they only needed to burn half that amount of wood, but they were fascinated with this new wood burning idea.

Hey, I resemble that remark

 

[Corey]

While I love having a warm, glowing fire going during the winter - I hate the cold and snow. It's hard to think about cold when the warm winds of summer are blowing. So I usually take a break from posting in the spring and return to the forum with the cool winds of fall.

I've noticed I started posting earlier this year than pretty much any other...A sign the winter season is coming earlier too? (Or maybe I'm just remodeling the family room - including the fireplace/stove and adding a gas FP to the basement )

 

[fossil]

None of my lizards seem the least bit anxious about the onset of winter. It happens every year. Into the 30's at night now, downright nippy in the morning, but I'm not burning just yet. Delightful evenings. With good luck, we'll have a nice Indian Summer (though the folks who gave it that name would have said "bad luck"). In any case, I'm firmly convinced that people will forever make a hobby out of trying (in vain) to read the future in the everyday happenings around them. "Witchcraft and superstition will always prevail over logic and reason". Dunno who might have said it, but I think it's (sadly) true. Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

None of my lizards seem the least bit anxious about the onset of winter. It happens every year. Into the 30's at night now, downright nippy in the morning, but I'm not burning just yet. Delightful evenings. With good luck, we'll have a nice Indian Summer (though the folks who gave it that name would have said "bad luck"). In any case, I'm firmly convinced that people will forever make a hobby out of trying (in vain) to read the future in the everyday happenings around them. "Witchcraft and superstition will always prevail over logic and reason". Dunno who might have said it, but I think it's (sadly) true. Rick

Are there any people that have more superstitions and weather lore than sailors?

 

[fossil]

...Are there any people that have more superstitions and weather lore than sailors?

No. Oh, except maybe those Army rotorhead guys. Rick

 

[fbelec]

we've got yellow and red trees and i took care of a yard full of leaves yesterday.
this is early. i feel bad for anybody that has planned a trip in october to go leaf peeping. by the time middle of oct hits all the leaves will have fallen.

 

[d.n.f.]

Can't be bad here. The bears haven't even come off the mountains to raid the fruit trees yet. Bumper crop of huckelberries this year although not as sweet. Hopefully they stay away a bit longer as my plums are pretty bitter and we have a lot of sun in the forecast.

 

[tradergordo]

A lot of people missed this story, but last year was sort of freakish when it came to acorn production - there were virtually NONE in the entire northeast (and midwest?) of the country. Many people were surprised and baffled by this. It seems that this year is either normal or especially heavy - I've noticed this myself.

SEE:
Acorn watchers wonder what happened to crop

This would explain both squirrel activity, and birdfeeder depletion rates. The squirrls are in acorn heaven right now, but last year they had to terrorize birdfeeders everywhere to get enough food.

 

[JustWood]

No nut berries or fruit. More frogs than I have ever seen. Ferral cats,deer and bear out the razmataz. Worst garden I have ever had except squash. Red maple leaves have been brilliant for 3+ weeks.Swallows left early. = I dunno! We get what we get. Got more wood put up than ever and a butt ton of coal. I'm set.

 

[kenny chaos]

Yes, it'll be a long miserable winter. I can tell by the way the wife acts.

 

[Michael6268]

As for the possum, I doubt he was hibernating; just sleeping and "playing possum." Those things are out and about in almost every month of the year. During the winter they might come out for a day or two and then right back to sleep. Same with coons.


.

No he was definetlely hibernating. He was "packed tight" into a huge nest of leaves and stuff that he made a nest out of. He was dead to the world and in a trance for about an hour after I woke him up. I felt kinda bad but I dont want to mess with him later. Since he left I removed a garbage can of leaves/nest from the pile he was in. I only had the tarp on for about two weeks prior so he was very busy to get to sleep.

 

[Hiram Maxim]

The oak trees in my yard are raining acorns like mad...... :bug:

The Walnut production was pretty good as well.
My Dad and I were talking about the acorns this morning and he said he has never seen anything like it.

The grapevines were kicking with grapes this year!

Going to be a cold one this Winter! :shut:

 

[Ratman]

. Others will run out of wood in February because they were over zealous in stoking that stove in October-December when they only needed to burn half that amount of wood, but they were fascinated with this new wood burning idea.

Hey, I resemble that remark

Great Stooges quote.