Goose Tracks?

30°f/-1°C, snow.

It was a wild one last night. Temperatures hovered between 30 and 34°f, and rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow took turns until 6am, when snow took charge and left an inch or so on top of an uneven coating of frozen stuff.

Larry's poutin' house, which he built from logs from a neighbor's old building, and sometimes uses as a hunting shack.

We debated whether to go out as planned or to hang tight at the house. We had the van loaded and ready to go, so Larry took a test run up our driveway in the truck to take my ebay packages to the mailbox. He came back to say it wasn't slick at all, so off we went. 

We got done what we needed to do, and now the van is emptier than it has been in a month. Good sales meant lots of space for new stock!

But about goose tracks: have you ever heard the saying that the date of the first snowfall deep enough for geese to leave tracks is the number of measureable snows you will have that winter? Our first measureable snowfall was November 10, so will we only have 10 decent snows? There are other snowfall/winter predictors, and I am sure you have heard a few, such as the black and brown bands on wooly worms, the size of oak leaves, etc. These below are from The Foxfire Book, so are relative to the Appalachian region where I live:

•Birds active and flying low, beware of a coming snow.

•Chimney smoke hugging the ground; there snow will soon be found. True for rain also. 

•When the ground and grass is dry at morning light, expect snow before the night. Applies to rsin too.

•When heavy frost is on the grass, snow seldom comes to pass.

•When the moon carries a halo, it’s a sign of coming snow (or rain).

•When there’s lots of snow, a fruitful crop will often grow.

•Rabbits moving on a winter day, a heavy snow is on the way.

•If snow lays on the ground for 3 days it’s waiting for another snow. 

•When dimmer stars disappear, rain or snow is quite near.

•When clouds move against the wind, Rain or snow is around the bend.

•When hornets build their nest’s extra high; Look for snow nearing your thigh.

•If snow on the ground won’t melt, it’s waiting for more snow, or it’s calling it in.

•If snow sticks to the sides of trees, another snow will come in 48 hours.

•If the sun shines while it’s raining or snowing, it’ll come again the same time tomorrow. Yep, often true.

•If there is no snow in January, snow will come in March or April.

I am sure there are many others. Can you add to this list?

Such folklore is based on long-term observation. Before meteorologists, people had to really on their own eyes and experience to predict weather. I often do the same, actually, listening for the rain crows (mourning doves), noting the dew or lack thereof, hearing the sounds of faraway traffic which we can only hear before rain or snow, etc. It becomes habit, I think, for country dwellers.

Tomorrow we are on the road again to Huntington for a couple of appointments.  At least the weather will be fittin', as my old neighbor would say. Maybe some of this will melt if the sun comes out, although temperatures are supposed to hover near or below freezing for the rest of the week and into next week. But it sure makes even the interstate roadsides pretty.