The Captain and Netty have both received their first snowfall of the season. The seasonal chants on the radio and in stores have begun. It seems that they get earlier every year. Even before the turkey is in the oven. The skies are overcast and the cold nips at your face when you leave your warm house. I have begun the annual methods to ward off the winter snows. But anti-snow rituals are a pain. If you don't do them right it has the opposite effect. I took the snowblower out of the tool shed. Started it up and waving the snow shovel and ice scrapper in the air while circled the blower 3 times clockwise. Then I threw sand to the 5 winds. As all New Englanders know Northeast is a winter wind that has to be appeased. The snowblower started up first try and none of the sand came back into my face so I think I'm O.K. I placed the shovel and scrapper facing NE against the house and angled the snowblower the same way after returning it to the toolshed. A mouse that lives in the toolshed, passing by with an acorn paused long enough to witness the blower placement before disappearing into a dark corner with his loot. One ominous indication that I do not understand are the two all black wooly bears that I found. There was no orange……either that is all bad or all good. Maybe I should circle the snowblower 6 times?? Or used winter lawn fertilizer instead of sand? Anti-snow rituals are a pain. Jerry
Jerry, anti-snow rituals don't work. Believe me, when we lived in upstate NY with "lake effect" snow storms, if there had been a efficacious ritual, I would have found it. Move to Texas. That I guarantee will work!
I believe you are using the wrong ritual tools. By circling the snowblower clockwise (which is the proper direction for bringing about good results) you were letting the universe know that you wanted to USE the snowblower more often...therefore you are asking for more winter weather. You could circle the winter tools counterclockwise but unless you are very well taught in the ritual practices, that could result in more problems than just a few deep snowfalls. Put all the winter implements in the shed covered with a heavy cloth so there is no confusion concerning what the expected outcome is to be of your ritual. The proper ritual tools for counteracting a harsh winter would be plants, flowers, seed packets, etc. and you should be wearing shorts and a t-shirt (typical gardening attire) while performing the ritual. Use fertilizer or compost instead of sand and throw it to the wind by hand, it's an insult to the wind to use a modern appliance that competes with the strength of the wind. And possibly, since the Northeast wind is the one you must appease, you might want to reconsider throwing the compost to the other directions. The Northeast wind is dominate at this time of year and you might insult it by placing the other directions in a position of equality with it, thereby causing the Northeast wind to become angry and even stronger to show you it's power is greater than the other winds. Never circle the ritual item an even number of times, nature doesn't 'do' straight lines or even numbers, too unnatural looking. And the more black on a Wooly Bear the harsher the winter...but there are some who believe that the coloration applies to the previous winter and not the coming one. So you will need to study several Wooly Bears, preferrably ones that were born at various times of the year...the older ones are more likely to be showing the results of the previous winter, the younger ones predicting the coming winter.
I KNEW anti-snow rituals were a pain. :'( Moving my house to Texas is out since it involves moving too many overhead wires that cross the road. I guess I will have to put more wax on the snow shovel, stock up on garden books and send for more seed catalogs. I knew there was a reason to stock up on sunflower and thistle seeds. Hmmmm……I think I saw one of the Captain's snowflakes falling to the ground…..??? Jerry P.S. I guess I will have to spend the winter months putting more plants into the Plant Database.
