For many families, Thanksgiving is not only an opportunity to give thanks, but it’s also a good time to relax outdoors. Often, the weather hasn’t cooperated.

Just consider the Blizzard Bowl in 1950, when Ohio was buried under a record amount of snow. Ohio State faced Michigan in front of 50,000 fans that braved 35 mph winds and a temperature of only 5 degrees. Michigan won 9-3 on 27 total yards and never even scored a first down. (For more memorable Thanksgiving weather, see the story on our web site, www.farmersalmanactv.com or click here).

While I don’t remember that event (I was born in 1965) I do remember many Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades when the temperature was below or near freezing.

Through this, I have learned not to take chances. After consulting the Farmers’ Almanac and learning that rain is predicted for my area, I think we’ll plan on some indoor games.

If you want to check out the weather over the next ten days, please enter your zip code into our 10-Day Weather Widget.

By Jennifer Dlugozima, VP of Marketing, Farmers’ Almanac TV

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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By Deborah S. Tukua
www.hollycreekbooks.com

Hot summer weather makes us thirsty. But we must be selective in what we drink to quench that thirst. Hot weather conditions combined with an increase in iced tea consumption makes favorable conditions for kidney stones to develop!

Although kidney stones form due to excessive amounts of calcium or uric acid there are outside factors that affect its formation.

Dehydration in the body is a prime suspect. Those that drink lots of tea or fruit juice or calcium products in hot, humid weather may increase their chances of developing kidney stones. Instead of increasing your intake of tea, milk or fruit juice, drink water, especially when spending time outdoors in the summer.

Drinking water may not only prevent dehydration and heat exhaustion but may also keep miserable kidney stones from forming!

Good water to good health!

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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©By Deborah S. Tukua
www.hollycreekbooks.com

With the heat index soaring into the triple digits through much of the U.S. those working or playing sports outdoors need to take great precaution against heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Drink water hourly to keep the body hydrated. Starting work earlier in the morning and quitting early in the afternoon is advisable for those laboring in extremely hot temperatures.

Individuals who perspire a lot when working outside in severe hot weather may experience a cramping sensation in their legs, arms or stomach. If cramping occurs while laboring in the heat, it is most likely a sign of heat exhaustion. Heat cramps occur due to a lack of salt in the body. Other signs of heat exhaustion are paleness of skin, weakness, faint feeling and even nausea.

To treat heat exhaustion or heat cramps, follow these steps.

- Stir a teaspoon of salt into a liter of water and drink it. Repeat this once every hour until the cramps stop.
- The individual should sit or lie down in a cool or shaded place and gently massage the cramping areas. Individuals experiencing weakness or nausea as well as leg cramps should lie down with feet raised while someone rubs the legs.

Heat stroke is much more serious but less common than heat exhaustion. How heat stroke differs is that the skin becomes red, hot and dry. A high fever is present and the person will either feel very ill or become unconscious. In this situation, the body temperature must be lowered immediately. Professional medical help is necessary in cases of heat stroke. Move the heat stroke victim to shade and soak him with ice water, if possible and fan him until help arrives or the fever drops.

Taking a few wise precautions can help keep your time outdoors productive. This article is not intended to replace the advice of your medical professionals, especially if other medical conditions exist.

Source: Where There is No Doctor by David Werner.

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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Chances are you’ve come in contact with someone that’s been ill recently. To eliminate germs in your home this winter season follow these helpful suggestions.

· Allow fresh airflow in your home daily. Open a window or outside door for a few minutes each day.
· Change the filter on your heating and air conditioning system at least every 3 months.
· Change your toothbrush after recovering from a sore throat. In the winter, change your toothbrush monthly.
· Disinfect doorknobs, light switches and all cabinet knobs when there is sickness in your household to keep from spreading germs to other family members.
· Soak drinking glasses used by sick family members in the sink with warm water and a teaspoon of bleach for five minutes before washing.
· Wash bed sheets and towels in hottest water possible, adding ½ c. vinegar to each washer load.
· Don’t share pillows with sick family members. Sick persons should use their own bed pillow when resting on the sofa.
· Take Vitamin C supplements or eat fresh citrus fruit.
· Always wash your hands after using a Kleenex or caring for the sick. A bed-ridden person can clean their hands with a hand sanitizer after sneezing and using a Kleenex. Never sneeze into your hand. If a kleenex or handkerchief is not available, sneeze into the inner elbow of your shirt sleeve.
· When sick with a fever, chicken soup, herbal teas and ginger ale are soothing and help keep you hydrated.

©Deborah S. Tukua, www.hollycreekbooks.com. Deborah is also the author of Pearls of Country Wisdom, filled with hundreds of helpful, household hints and home remedies.

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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A generation or two ago, preparing for winter was something that everyone did toward the end of summer or early autumn depending on where you lived. Square bails of hay were often stacked around the foundation of outbuildings and even houses to keep winter’s frigid air from going up under off grade buildings.

Vast supplies of firewood was split and stacked into the infamous wood shed!
With the advent of central heating systems a lot less people take thought in preparing to keep warm in winter. Yet, today there are things that we can still do to keep the costs of heating our homes from escalating.

Here are a few ideas.

- Turn the thermostat a few degrees lower at night just before going to bed and when leaving the house for several hours.
- Clean or replace the filter on your furnace or heating system monthly.
- Sleep between flannel sheets and under a goose down comforter or an electric blanket.
- Use thicker area rugs on the floor.
- Install blinds or shades on your windows and pull down at sunset to keep the heat indoors. Wait until it is sunny during the day to put the blinds up. The natural sunshine will help warm your home during the daytime.
- Check the weatherstripping on your doors for leakage and replace if needed. To determine if weatherstipping on a door seals out air leaks, light a match or hold a lit candle and move slowly in front of where the doors and jamb meet. If the flame flickers, the outside air is entering the house and needs replacing.
- If space and lodging permit, consider installing a wood burning heater or an insert into your existing fireplace. Cut your own firewood. Or, ask a sawmill for their discards.
- In winter, always wear long sleeves indoors.
- Reverse the direction on ceiling fan blades and keep constantly on low speed to force the warm air down and circulating through the house.

Deborah S. Tukua, author of Pearls of Country Wisdom.

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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When Grandma said it was fixin’ to rain because her bones were aching more than usual, she was on to something sound and scientific. Her bones were sensing changes in the weather conditions.

Surveys conducted among arthritis sufferers showed that up to 93% of those surveyed believe that weather affects their pain level and 68% believe that weather severely affects their pain level.

Studies indicate that certain weather conditions cause swelling and inflammation of arthritic joints, stretching the inflamed joint lining, thus heightening arthritic pain. When any two of the following weather conditions are present, pain can be more severe. An example would be a combination of chilly, damp weather when low pressure is falling. Weather conditions that increase joint discomfort and arthritic pain include:Changes in atmospheric pressure, especially falling pressure.

• Changes in temperature, especially lowering temperature
• High or increasing relative or absolute humidity.
• Relatively low atmospheric pressure
• Low temperatures
• Precipitation

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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There are so many things to like, enjoy and appreciate this time of year. Autumn happens to be my favorite season for many reasons, but here are a few. Then, I’d like to read what you look forward to this fall too.

~ I love the crisp, cooler air in the mornings and at night.

~ I love to sit on the front porch and look across the valley to the vibrant changing leaves of the trees on the hillside.

~Autumn is when I like to decorate inside and out with adorable scarecrows. We even have a trio of scarecrows in the main bathroom.

~ I love baskets brimming with bright, radiant mums.

Deborah Tukua, country author, www.hollycreekbooks.com

Help me keep this list going, by posting what you love about autumn.

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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Top Ten Hurricane Tips

If your city or town is in imminent danger of a hurricane, most likely evacuation announcements have been made, and should be taken seriously. Here are a few things to consider before you leave:

1. First, get important papers and special photos in order and secured in plastic. Identification is difficult and time-consuming to replace: so be sure to include social security cards, birth certificates, high school diplomas or GED certificates, titles or deeds to property. Photos of special occasions or loved ones cannot be replaced, so including these is important as well.

2. Think ahead and take video or photos of your property before you leave. This will help later on with any insurance checklist claims for damage that may need to be filed.

3. If staying with relatives is not an option, consider booking a room in a hotel or motel in another nearby town or state. Make sure to get directions and put them in the car ahead of time. It is easy to forget that piece of paper in the rush out the door. A cheaper route might be to find temporary hurricane shelters. Usually nearby towns not in the direct path of the hurricane will provide these for people in need.

4. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that your pet will have a place in a motel or hotel. Keep this in mind and try to find alternate housing for your loved one until it is safe to return, or check out pet-friendly hotels in your area.

5. Designate a spot, in the hall closet, to keep a bag of clothes for each person in the household. Make sure to include sleeping gear if you plan on going to a temporary shelter.

6. Along with overnight clothes, consider stocking your Hurricane Kit with the following: extra cash, generator, batteries, flash lights, battery operated radio/television, bottled water, toilet paper, non-perishable foods such as cereal or crackers, canned goods, can opener, a small cooler, candles, prescription medicines and any over-the-counter remedies you use regularly; and if you have small children - diapers, baby wipes, formula, baby food.

7. Count on the power being out for at least a day or two. Remember that ATM’s will be non-operating, so have at least some hard cash in your Hurricane Kit (see no. 6, above) to see you through the storm.

When TV and computer games no longer operate, board games or a deck of cards come in handy! Arts and crafts, crayons and downloadable coloring pages are always great distractions for the kids - so make sure you’ve stored some of these supplies in a tote bag or in the car trunk.

8. If you decide to tough out the storm, stay downwind in your home. This means if the wind is hitting the living room windows, go to the room opposite the living room.

9. Plywood is a ‘hot’ commodity for those of who decide to stay. Boarding up windows that will take the brunt of the wind and rain is the wisest decision. If board is not available, protect your windows from the wind by criss-crossing them with layers of duct or packing tape. This will be enough protection for light-to-medium winds, but learning how to build and install plywood hurricane shutters is your safest bet. If you can afford it, have them installed by a professional.

10. Finally, STAY INSIDE. However tempting it may be to videotape or take photos of the storm, be sure to shoot from indoors - where it’s safe, and dry!

Hurricanes are serious business. Weather forecasters can only predict so much. Educate yourself and stay on top of weather updates in your area. There is no harm in being overly cautious. In most cases where a hurricane is concerned, it truly is better to be safe than sorry.

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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Up to the early 19th-century most Americans lived in rural settings. For them, changes in nature and even animal behavior served as weather predictors. What natural signs have you noticed before rain approaches? I’ve noticed that flies cling to the window screens before rain. Flies and horseflies are more bothersome just before it rains. Also, frogs croak louder just before rain. My husband’s grandparents, who were farmers, taught him to notice the weeping willow tree. When the under side of the leaves turned upward, it was going to rain.

Using nature to predict upcoming weather goes back further than early American farming. The oldest record I have a copy of dates back to 58 – 63 A.D. and is found in Luke 12:54-55 of the Bible. It reads, “…When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.” An even earlier recording is found in Matthew 16: 2-3, which reads, “…When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowring.” Thus came the adage, “red sky at night, sailors’ delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.”

People suffering with rheumatism or previous broken bones often feel pain or greater discomfort prior to rain. Fish are said to bite more at the water’s surface when rain is coming. A halo around the sun or moon is said to indicate rain, snow or hail, depending on the season. What signs of rain have you noticed in nature?

Deborah Tukua
www.hollycreekbooks.com

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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