This past week’s early winter storm brought with it sub-freezing temperatures, ice, sleet, and more than 8” of snow in my backyard.  It also prompted me to scan the recently published, 2007 edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac.  This ageless publication provides times and tables for planting, and predictions about the upcoming weather sprinkled with interesting factoids.  One such factoid tells how to determine the temperature by listening to the chirp of a cricket.  Count the chirps during a 14-second period and add 40 to determine the approximate temperature.  Interesting, but it doesn’t work when there’s 8” of snow on the ground.

http://www.ericwilder.com