Persimmon seed
This time of the year I always hear folks discussing what the coming months of weather will be. In the last few days I’ve heard folks talk of an early fall, a late fall, a bad winter, and a mild winter.
I’m always hoping for a snowy winter prediction. I figure that would surely mean I’d get at least a couple of big snows 🙂
You’ll find a lot of folklore mentioned in the weather forecasting discussions, things like wooly worms, persimmon seeds and fogs in August.
The folklore of the persimmon seed:
- If you split open a persimmon seed and see a fork shape the winter ahead will be mild.
- If you split open a persimmon seed and see a knife shape the winter ahead will be icy with cutting winds.
- If you split open a persimmon seed and see a spoon shape it signifies a snowy winter ahead.
According to the farmers almanac you’re supposed to use a persimmon from your neck of the woods to forecast the coming winter in your area.
Over the years I’ve share a lot of other weather folklore. You can read some it at the links below.
If you’ve got any weather predictions I’d love to hear them…especially if they include snow for my area 🙂
Last night’s video: Making the BEST Apple Preserves in Appalachia.
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If a hog piles up sticks and brush, it means a heavy snow is coming soon.
The only weather signs I’ve heard are the hazy circle around the moon in winter means snows coming & scorching heat in the afternoon means a thunderstorm at 5pm. The snow has always worked, but, although the summer one used to be true, I’m not so sure that it still is, with all of the global warming changes.
I’m hoping to see snow this winter. It’s not very often that we see snow here in Kings Mt. NC I’m originally from Michigan ( some 40 years ago ) and we saw quite a bit.
I have noticed in the past that when we have more foggy mornings in August, we do seem to have more snow. It isn’t a perfect 1:1 correspondence, but it does seem to lean that way.
I’m with you Tipper, I love snow & it is a real treat for us to get snow in central Mississippi-almost like a holiday. Schools & some businesses shut down since we don’t have equipment to handle snow. When I was in high school, we had a 14 inch snow the week after Spring Break in March & we were out of school the whole week- a record for us for sure. I don’t like ice though because it knocks out our electricity. Several years ago when we had a couple of inches of snow, I made a miniature snow woman about 8 inches tall. Put a little felt hat on her & little earrings & put my daughters little doll dress on her. Fixed her face up nicely & used yarn for her hair-then put her in my freezer. That little snow woman stayed intact & perfect for several years. My daughter would take her out & look at her often & we would remember the fun we had in the snow that day.
Randy, hope your eye gets better real soon & I will put you on my prayer list.
I’ve heard that if it thunders in the winter, ten days later there will be snow on the ground. Here it’s like for as hot as summer as you have had, it will be that cold of a winter. Also, if your arthritis is acting up, the weather is changing. I agree with Miss Cindy, the weather is going to do whatever it’s going to do. Have a blessed day everyone!
If you hear thunder in February it means frost in April. That is for East Central Mississippi area. My brothers still watch that one to predict Spring forecast.
I’ve seen 3 wooly worms in the last 2 weeks. All 3 were solid brown, so no snow.
We were up your way Wednesday and there was a thick fog when we got up.
I thought about you and at least one good snow to please you this winter.
It looks like The Old Farmer’s Almanac is predicting we are both in the path of Shake, Shiver, and Shovel for the upcoming winter. I hate being cold! We have had the third hottest July (maybe August, too) on record. I have spent hours working outside in the heat that didn’t bother me as much as spending ten minutes outside in the cold
I can totally discount the “fogs in August” theory here. I live down in a river valley. We get fog almost every morning in late summer and fall. It seems like the only days in August we don’t have fog is when it is raining.
My memory is the same as Mr. McKinney’s. We had two fogs so far in August. But to me that one is tricky because fog in the valley bottoms is more common than fog on the ridge. So since snow is not so sensitive how can fog be a predictor?
I predict there will be a woman in Wilson Holler in North Carolina that will look for snow all winter. And I predict she will see some. I just won’t predict how much.
If it snows as much as its rained this summer it’ll be measured in feet. I live in southwest Virginia and the tops of the pine trees are loaded with pine cones, I remember somebody telling me years ago that was a sign of a lot of snow. I don’t have access to a persimmon tree anymore but I saw a solid black wooly worm.
I enjoy all your posts.
Johnny if rain predicts the amount of snow , I will not see a flake. I live in the extreme southern end of Greenville County, SC , 30 miles from the city of Greenville, Down here the trees have been fighting over the male dogs. I hope that lady in Wilson Holler will get one of those knee high to a giraffe snows. After driving in it for 38 years at all hours of the day or night it will not break my heart if we don’t get any because my son would have to now.
I never saw a persimmon seed in my life but thanks to you, Miss Tipper, I’m less ignorant than I was 5 minutes ago so thank you. I think I see a spoon in there? Am I right? You’ll have the white “s” word this winter. It’s a 4 letter “dirty” word in my house… lol I’m good with snow on Christmas. The rest of the time I’d love to have 60’s for winter temps and 80 for heat of summer. Talk about about a dreamer on steroids… lol I got a feeling we are in for a hum dinger cause it’s been nothing but rainy, moldy and cold. I don’t know what they dropped in a rain not long ago but my entire county is sick with respiratory illness here in southern WV. Why can’t we just live in peace???
YAY! Thanks for the mention of splitting open Persimmon seeds to see a fork, knife or spoon. When I told my grandchildren about this, it must’ve confirmed to them that Nana is nuts. I am now on the search for a (small fruit) persimmon tree to prove my story. My Dad was a wizard, we thought, conjuring up magical feats of finding cutlery inside of persimmon pits. THANKS FOR THIS BIG SMILE, TIPPER!
Hi all. I think you mentioned them all. I haven’t heard the fog prediction, though!
God bless
Unfortunately for some or maybe all, I am back after two unexpected days in hospital with a vision problem in one eye. They thought I had had a stroke but the test showed no signs of stroke , tumor, or bleeding. They think it is weak nerves and muscles something like Bell Palsy. I hope that is close enough to know what I am referring to. My neighbor said if I did not behave myself while there they would kick me out or send mr to a mental hospital.. I tried my best to keep everyone laughing. I am going to fix that droopy eyelid just as soon as I find my roll of duck tape. Ladies don’t get upset but why do they send pretty nurses to check an old man’s heart rate and BP, what the heck do they think is going to happen?
My mother in law liked to look at a persimmon or wild plum seed and do the same as above. My granddaddy would watch his chickens or birds and tell you that bad weather was coming that probably had more to do with rain or snow. Many times he would be right. With the weather or climate having changed so much, I don’t anyone other than God can now predict the weather with any accuracy.
Randy-so sorry to hear about the eye problem. Glad you are back home and I’ll be praying it gets better 🙂
Tipper, i truly appreciate you and the others on here. I inherited from my daddy the joy of joking, teasing or cutting up. He and another man kept everyone the department they worked i laughing with stories or things they would say. But I will not be dirty or make any type of comment to anyone about any kind of handicap or physical problem they may have unless they joke about it. I have heard it said that when you do this you are really trying to put someone down. I can not speak for others but I know with a 100% certainly that is not the case with me. It only means I like you and enjoy being with you., just like in my comment above BP nothing meant to be more than a joke.. Tipper you ask one time why did you choose to live or stay where you did,, my answer was family and lifelong friends, if you could only see the concern and love that has been shown for me in the last few days you would have a better understanding of my answer. I hope I am not doing all of the taking and am not giving something back in return. But since my wife’s death , humor, joy or happiness has been in short supply. I apologize to. Tipper and everyone for writing a book. Not suppose to drive car but they forgot about my John Deere!
Randy, it is so good to know you can laugh again. I think pert near all of us here have sorrowed with you. I know there yet is a thread of sorrow that will not go away in this life but in its own odd way it is a sorrow that is also consolation that love survives.
Randy, so sorry to hear that you have been in the hospital. I have had 2 family members that had Bell’s Palsy. They recovered but it did take some time. And yes, a little humor helps also. Prayers being sent your way.
Wolley worms / caterpillars on road in Sept, the more there are the more chance of colder weather
I have heard the same thing about August foggy mornings and snow. Tipper, count your foggy mornings this month and then see if it matches the number of snows.
I am hoping for a real winter, too. One with snow and colder temps! Winter is my second favorite season. Fall is my favorite.
Donna. : )
Interesting that you should post this today. Just the other that the lady that has the ‘Appalachia Homestead’, her name is Patara, did post having cut open a persimmon off her tree. She is in SE Tennessee and has a farm/homestead. She did show the inside of the persimmon and it clearly showed a spoon….so, lucky you, it might be what you want. Having said that, it was also a pleasure watching you help plant their garden. God Bless
Tipper,
One winter prediction I have heard over the years is that there will be one snow for every foggy morning in August.
Well, at least I think the month is August. It’s a memory thing. If August isn’t the correct month, perhaps someone can correct. There have been very few foggy mornings so far in August here.
I don’t think much about predictions for the weather, it’s going to do whatever it’s going to do, and it is my job to work around it.
That’s right Miss Cindy! I agree Seems as though the meteorologist would have a heads up with all of the technology they have now a days ( smile). Love to your family!