Woolly Bear

This is the time of year you can find Woolly Bears, AKA Woolly Worms. They have also be called a Hedgehog Caterpillar because of how they will curl into a ball and play dead when disturbed. Despite the name, they are not worms at all. Woolly worms are actually caterpillars that turn into an “Isabella Tiger Moth”.

While we were taking a walk the other day I looked down and saw this little fella.

According folklore, the woolly worm can predict the severity of the Winter coming. But wait, there are actually two versions to this story. 

The first one says that the woolly indicates how severe the Winter will be by looking at the color bands on its coat. The longer the black bands are the more cold and snowy the Winter will be.  On the other hand the wider the brown band in the center means a mild Winter. 

The other version of the Folklore is to depend on the direction it is crawling. If it is crawling Southerly, It is escaping a cold wintery conditions from the North. So if the caterpillar is crawling a Northern path, it is expected to have a mild winter. 

If you see one that is all black, do not think we will have a Winter apocalypse. This type of worm is not even related to the woolly worm.

The popularity of the woolly bear caterpillar has resulted in several festivals honoring them. Not far from me, in Banner Elk North Carolina, they have a woolly worm festival every year 3rd weekend in October. They have worm races all day until they crown a champion at the end of the day and declare the official winter forecast. 

According to the little woolly booger I found, It looks like we will have a mild Winter because of the smaller black bands. 

He was crawling West, but I think he was just lost.  

Giving Thanks

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is here again already? I love Thanksgiving. I love the smell of food on the stove and in the oven. Me and Nick both have managed to get the day off after thinking we were going to have to work. Now I get to spend all day with my husband, daughter and family.

Thanksgiving is busy for us. I have my side of the family that cooks a meal, and then I have my husbands side of the family that cooks. Me and my husband cook a dish or two to share at each place. We always have to work around our schedule to enjoy the company of both sides. It can be stressful and filling! I get stuffed! Everyone has such wonderful food its hard to turn it away. 

I  hope everyone has a place to enjoy time with the people they love, to share stories with, to laugh with and just be thankful for what the Lord has given you and not worry about the things you do not have.

I hope every family can find a place around the table instead of scattered throughout the house watching TV.  I hope talks are full of laughter and not talks of politics, work, or of hard times.

Time with family is precious and does not need to be taken for granted. If you do not have a family, I hope you realize that you ARE the family and there are friends, churches and shelters that are full of people that will be thankful you come around to share time with.

I'm Thankful for..........

The stress of deciding where to have dinner first.

Because, this means I have family that wants to be together.

The cleaning and dusting, the lawn that needs mowed, and the things that need fixing.

Because, this means I have a home.

The clothes that are too tight.

Because, this means I have enough to eat.

All the complaining I hear about the government.

Because, this means we have freedom of speech.

The huge heating bill.
Because, this means I am warm.

The piles of laundry
Because, this means I have clothes to wear.

The birds outside singing.

Because, this means I can hear.

For the parking space I have to take at the far end of the parking lot.

Because, this means I am capable of walking.

For the alarm that goes off in the morning.

Because this means I have a job or church to go to.

For the sunshine.

Because this means God has given me another day.

WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!