When it turns March, lots of old people will quote: “In like a lamb, out like a lion; or in like a lion, out like a lamb.” This was quoted according to whether it was raining or if the sun was shining on the first day of March.
But some other older person would pipe up: “If it rains on the first day of the month, it will rain for the next 15 days.”
So go figure. What if it does both?
We have a number of sayings and old superstitions or whatever you want to call them. One that most everyone knows is the one about the groundhog.
If he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, we have an early spring.
When any group of old people (like me) get together we talk about the weather: “Reckon it`s going to rain.” ”Wish it would rain.” “Sure am glad it quit raining”. Seems we are always talking about rain.
If it is raining and the sun is shining, then the devil is beating his grandmother. Or the devil is beating his wife ("behind the door" is added in some places). This is predominately said down South. Other regions of the U.S. just call it sun showers. In France, they say the devil is beating his wife and marrying his daughter.
Nevertheless, there are all kinds of expressions about the weather.
Recently I heard if it thunders in the winter, it will snow within a week. Or if it thundered in January it will frost in April. I do remember back in 1968, it snowed the first day of spring.
If you see a rainbow in the morning, it will rain soon.
If the ants build tall anthills in July, we will have a hard winter.
If the flies gather indoors, we will have rain soon.
But lots of lightning bugs means fair weather.
And everyone knows that when they hear frogs croaking they are calling for rain. BUT if they are croaking in the evening, we will have fair weather the next day.
Now, if you need rain, go kill a snake, hang it on the fence and it will rain within three days. How do I know this – My daddy told me so.
My personal favorite is the weather rock: if it is wet, it is raining, if it is not wet, then it is not raining.
