"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...

The alders and birches are almost bare, and the chestnut tree by the
henhouse has dropped all its large leaves in a heap at its feet. Scores
of small and large birds are gorging themselves on autumn fruits, the
rowans already stripped by fieldfares and pheasants patrolling for the
leftovers. After a terrible wet cold floody day yesterday we woke up
this morning to see snow on the mountain tops; winter's here :-)

Janet (Scotland).

Well I'm testing out a piece of folklore. Apparently, the longer the
berries stay on the trees, the harder the winter will be. Now in 2000, the
Rowans still had many beries well into Nov and that winter was mega hard -
like permafrost for 4 months:-( Last year I didn't notice much cos I was
away before daylight and back after 'sunset'. This year, as you say Janet,
the birds have finished all our berries already. Could this be a sign of a
mild one?????