Fall is officially here. It was announced by the first yellowhammer making his way down the coast from northern British Columbia to winter southwards. No fool that bird.

His announcement came with a hee-yaw! Just one strident call that would not pass for a birdsong. Mr. Yellowhammer would never make a Baptist choir. At least not after the first rehearsal.

Strange how birds and beasts interpret the weather. Or how agitated animals become just before an earthquake. Now how do they know? Is there a but of intuition between bites of fodder that alerts them? Do they feel the rumbling deep down, just before the earth heaves?

Indians knew when they saw snow-levels creeping down Mount Baker’s sides it was time to get off the mountains and down to the river deltas. Indians watched closely to see if oak trees produced a heavy mast of acorns. If the ground was covered, it meant get ready for a long winter. A lighter mast meant folks could look forward to a mild, pleasant winter.

Pilchuck Julia, the old Indian lady who lived in the foothills above Arlington had a good grasp on Northwest weather. The Herald quoted her predictions regularly under “Pilchuck Julia Says.”

She had the Farmer’s Almanac beaten all hollow. Pilchuck Julia’s knew when silver poplar trees turned rightside up, it was going to rain. She noted comings and goings of birds, beaver, otter and foxes. Julia interpreted the weather from each creature’s actions.

As they flew past her door or built their homes, they let her know what was coming.

We are sure last week’s yellowhammer would have stoped at Pilchuck Julia’s for a “yee-haw” on his trip south.