Today's tips are provided by Dave the Botanist! Thanks Dave! ~*~ Don't count on spring till you've heard the spring peepers three nights in a row ~*~ Spring moves north at 13 miles a day ~*~ If the temperature falls below 50 degrees F at sunset watch for frost in the morning ~*~ When splitting kindling, break it twice as small as you think you should ~*~ One inch of rain equals ten inches of snow ~*~ When spit freezes before it hits the ground it is at least 40 degrees F below zero ~*~ The rain is over when dry spots appear on the pavement ~*~ To estimate the temperature outdoors in degrees F., count the number of times a lone cricket chirps in 15 seconds and add 37 ~*~ You can check the fit of new pants without trying them on. With the top of the pants closed and the button snapped, the waist band should just wrap around your neck ~*~ Burned out auto fuse - In a pinch one wrap around the old fuse with cigarette foil gives you 20 amps while 2 wraps 35 amps ~*~ When in doubt, use semi-colons; the average reader won't understand its use and will give you credit for erudition. ~*~ A 10% brine solution will float a two once egg so the shell just breaks the surface of the liquid ~*~ Twenty five strokes per day is optimal for combing your hair ~*~ A spoon will ring when rapped on a cartoon of ice cream if your freezer temperature is zero F or older ~*~ Your thumb and index finger will surround enough spaghetti to feed four people. ~*~ It takes four turns of electric tape to waterproof a connection ~*~ If birds are out in the rain, the rain will continue for the rest of the day ~*~ To judge the quality of fireworks displays check the number of blues - The more blues the higher the quality ~*~ If flies bite it will rain ~*~ Twont snow till the brooks flow ~*~ You need three consecutive days below 20 F before you can ice skate ~*~ Count at least ten seconds before you shut off a movie camera ~*~ If you are checking out a used engine that doesn't run, if the carb throat is stained red-brown it was well cared for, if it is black poorly cared for ~*~ If the car following you at night does not have perfectly aligned headlights it is not a police car ~*~ Can't sleep - a good gulp of hot whiskey at bedtime - It's not scientific but it helps - From Sir Alexander Fleming - discoverer of penicillin) ~*~ In older cars - if the car idles OK but misses on acceleration 9 times out of 10 its the distributor cap ~*~ In bird watching - study the bird not the book - The bird will fly away - not the book ~*~ To get the "feel" of a book read the table of contents, then read the index and the 1st and last paragraph of each chapter ~*~ Snow squeaks when the temperature is below 20 F ~*~ Tighten a wheel bearing nut until there is no "slop" then back off 1/8 turn ~*~ The single best clue to a bird's identity is the shape of its bill ~*~ Never buy a hand tool that does not have the manufacturer's name permanently inscribed on it . Absence of a name indicates poor quality ~*~ When you can see your breath the temperature is below 45 degrees F ~*~ If you ask a negative question - you'll get a negative answer ~*~ Measure twice around the thumb, once around the wrist, twice round the wrist, once round the neck. Twice round the neck - once round the waist ~*~ If your engine knocks during acceleration it's probably the connecting rod. If the engine knocks during deceleration its probably the piston wrist pin. If you have piston slap the knock will be loudest when the engine is cold and idling. ~*~ The flavor of cheese is inversely proportional to the thickness of the slices ~*~ When you use an extension ladder, you should put the bottom of the ladder one foot away from the wall for every 4 feet of vertical height ~*~ If you add 18 degrees to temperature at 6 AM you'll have the high for the day ~*~ Testing for edibility of an unknown plant on an uninhabited island. Take a small amount in your mouth, chew and hold without swallowing for five minutes. If no ill effects swallow and wait eight hours. If no cramps, numbing, vomiting, diarrhea eat another handful and wait eight hours. If no problem - the plant is probably safe to eat ~*~ Sharp saws and chain saws produce large chips when they cut wood, fine dust means a dull blade