Welcome to Poetry Friday. I am "embracing challenges" by participating in this weekly community of all things poetry. Please join Keri at Keri Recommends for this week's Poetry Friday Round-Up.
We have three persimmon trees near the edge of our property. When we built our house, these gnarly looking trees remained standing. When my children were little, we picked up the ripe persimmons from the ground, shook the trees to make some fall, and made our own pulp for persimmon pudding. This process is quite messy and takes many persimmons and hard work to make the pulp. Might be the reason we only did this a handful of times.
Early this week, the few remaining persimmons were holding on and holding out for winter's wrath. After a windstorm today, the trees are now bare and the critters are having a feast of leftovers on the ground. Looking at the seeds on the ground reminded me of one of nature's weather forecasting methods - cracking open the persimmon seeds.
If we see a spoon - expect shovels of snow.
If we see a knife - expect cutting, cold winds.
If we see a fork - expect a mild, warm winter.
An ice storm is on its way as I write this. May all of you in its path be safe. Let us hope the weather folklore was not a knife. (Personally, all I ever see are spoons!)
Interesting perspective, Leigh Anne. I never heard the tale of weather being predicted by persimmon seeds so I researched that. Thanks for giving me some new knowledge. I am glad that you are making a routine to stop by Poetry Friday each week.
ReplyDeleteLeigh Anne, I didn't know about the persimmon predictions either. Thank you for expanding my horizons.
ReplyDeleteI've never actually seen persimmons growing - they've always been a rare treat, imported from somewhere far away! Thank you for this!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of these "persimmon predictions" and enjoyed how you wound your way through to your lovely poem. I heard about that ice storm on its way, not to us in Denver, but further south. We have snow coming, I guess "spoons"! Thanks, Leigh Anne!
ReplyDeleteYum, I do like persimmon pudding, and we have occasionally gotten the pulp from the persimmons falling from the tree on the edge of the yard, but I much prefer when some one gives my husband a bag of pulp. (He's a forester, and it happens regularly). I do appreciate the effort behind the gift. Stay safe in the ice storm. We are bracing for the same one.
ReplyDelete"guess't" - clever! And I hope a fork shows up soon--albeit a little late for the seasonal forecast.
ReplyDeleteYour persimmon weather lore is a new one to me, Leigh Anne. Stay warm and safe. We've had two storms in less than a week... with lots of wind. It sure isn't a fork. I love your description: "the few remaining persimmons were holding on and holding out for winter's wrath....and the critters are having a feast of leftovers..."
ReplyDeletePersimmon pulp, now there is a delicious idea. I love how they taste and smell. I imagine the critters love them even more.
ReplyDeleteThank you for enriching my stock of trivia with persimmon trees and predictions made with their seeds! (After looking at images in a quick search online, I'm not sure I see cutlery in those shapes at all!!)
ReplyDeleteWhen I moved to Mississippi I found my husband loved a more apple-like persimmon grown at a local orchard. To me it doesn't have much flavor. I like the softer ones and make a persimmon bread with the pulp -- yum! Like everyone else, the weather predictions were new to me. So interesting all the different ways folks used to "predict" the future!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to PF, Leigh Anne! What a wonderful story of the prediction power of the persimmon. Hoping that you weather the ice storm this week! Come back and join us again soon!
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