210 GREEN TRAILS AND UPLAND PASTURES 



expected to continue for some time. Evidently the 

 theory here is that they say to themselves: "Oh, what's 

 the use? It's going to last all day" and plunge out 

 into the rain. 



The heavens, too, must be constantly observed. 

 Select a single cloud for observation, and if it grows 

 larger, that is a bad sign. If it diminishes, fair weather 

 may be expected. On the other hand, it is very sus- 

 picious if the sky is absolutely cloudless all day. (Per- 

 haps there is a hint of Puritan pessimism in this be- 

 lief; nothing so perfect can long endure in this vale of 

 tears!) Again, watch the direction the clouds are 

 taking, or keep an eye on the vane, and if the wind is 

 backing around into the fair weather, quarter don't 

 let it deceive you. It has to go around into the west 

 by the full route before fair weather can be hoped for. 



When sunset comes, the summer boarders go out 

 on the pasture knoll to rhapsodize, the farmer scans the 

 west carefully to predict therefrom to-morrow's weather. 

 A red sun ball means a hot day coming. If the wester- 

 ing sun is "drawing water," look out for rain. Draw- 

 ing water, perhaps we should explain, is the Yankee 

 phrase to describe the shining of the sun through dis- 

 tant clouds so that it sends down fanlike ribs of light 

 toward the horizon. As a matter of fact, it is a bad 

 sign in general if the sun sets in a cloud. Certain 

 other sunsets are portentous of cold, perhaps because 

 they look so cold. It is chiefly in Winter that the sun 



