The other day while visiting my parents, my dad had my kids and I step out onto the back porch with him so he could show us why this coming winter was going to be a bad one. One of the trees outside his house is home to a football-sized hornet’s nest that’s over 20 feet in the air.
According to weather folklore, hornets nests that are built up high in the tree tops indicate that the coming winter is going to be a rough one. Later that evening, once we were home, Blake and Mikala were playing outside when she noticed yet another hornet’s nest, this one even up even higher than the one at my dad’s.
Yesterday was an extremely windy day. The trees were bending in the wind and as a result, the hornet’s nest in my yard fell down. I didn’t notice it. My kids did. Mikala went on a search for it but could only find a couple pieces. It wasn’t until this morning when walking down to the bus stop that I found the majority of it. She, of course, wanted to keep it, so I let her. She ran back into the house to drop it off while her brother and I continued walking to the bus stop. This is the conversation that ensued between him and I. And like always, Blake’s logic had me laughing like a hyena.
Blake: Mom?
Me: Yeah, buddy?
Blake: We’re not going to have a winter now.
Me: Why do you say that?
Blake: Because the hornet’s nest fell down.
Me: So why do you think we won’t have a winter?
Blake: Because Bampi said we will only have a bad winter if the hornet’s nest is up high.
Me: Right.
Blake: So that means now that it fell, we won’t have a winter. *sad face*
Me: What’s wrong?
Blake: No sledding.
Me: You don’t think you’ll be able to go sledding?
Blake: No, because the hornet’s nest fell.
Me: Okay.
Blake: No snow. *sad face again*
Me: I think we’ll have snow, buddy.
Blake: No, we won’t. Bampi said.
Me: Buddy, it doesn’t mean we won’t have snow.
Blake: *angry face* Yes, it does.
Me: Okay, then. No snow it is.
A few minutes later my dad drove down the driveway and Blake and I filled him in on why there won’t be snow this winter. My dad laughed and told him we’re still going to get snow and he’ll be able to go sledding and possibly ice skating, as well as snow shoeing. Apparently he believed my dad more than me because he didn’t get angry with him. What do I know anyway? I’m just the mom.
(Photo courtesy of huggy1)