Animal Communication

13 April 2009 — Amy

"Oh wow," I said, interrupting the flow of conversation we had been having with Amy about pain medicines she has been on. "Jennifer, Amy is VERY concened about a BIG hurricane coming. She is worried that when the Barometric Pressure drops really low with this storm, it will cause her a lot more pain."

This is a common ailment with arthritis patients, no matter the species. Some humans are even known as "weather predictors" because they will always tell you a storm is coming because they start to have flare-ups and get painful as a storm front comes in. So is the case with Amy Boyd.

With her first weather prediction, Amy showed me a HUGE hurricane. The time frame seemed to be a long way off — in the beginning of September. This storm looked like a Cat-5 to me, as I reflected upon the "pictures" I've seen on the Weather Channel in years' past. As I looked, Amy continued on with her worries.

"She is very concerned about where you live being inundated with water. These seem to be secondary effects to your area as you won't take a direct hit, but will suffer the side effects of this storm being so huge and so close to you," I said. "She is not worried about flooding or being separated from you, rather the effects of the substantial drop in pressure to a very low number."

Jennifer assured Amy that if a storm like that came, she would take them all to safer grounds, away from the track of the storm. She then went on to tell me that Amy is very smart — "Whenever she tells us something, she is always right!"

Amy Boyd is 13 years old. She is a rescued long-haired chihuahua and lives in Jacksonville, FL with her human Mom and Dad, Harvey. She is a "daddy's girl," Jennifer told me. "She has spunk and so much personality. For many years she was the pack leader of the dogs."

11 November 2008 – Lady Jane

"Not a bad winter this year, Mom," Lady quietly stated, then she explained that we would have "a regular amount of snow, but it won't get really cold."

Lady indicated that snow would come, the sun would come out, it would melt a little, warm up a bit, then snow again. This is Lady's second time predicting weather (25 August, 2005) and her first time was a hit. Lady is currently stabled in Mexico, NY, within the Tug Hill Plateau. It sits at the east end of Lake Ontario and it's winter weather is often reported on The Weather Channel.

31 May, 2009

Marci reported this regarding Lady's prediction for last winter: "Hi Colleen—Lady's forecast was pretty accurate......this past winter wasn't terribly cold, actually for the most part we didn't have to coat the horses that much this winter, except for a cold spell that only lasted about a week. As far as snow goes.....Lady was correct. We would get a good snowfall, then it would melt ......then some more snow and it would melt. We got our average fair share of snow, but it wasn't overwhelming this year like it has been in the past. All in all I would say Lady was accurate in her forecasting:)"

9 November 2008

"It won't be too cold this winter, but we'll have snow," Jenny was quick to say, and as the herd leader of 6 in her new barn, this was interesting because this is Jenny's first winter in Clyde, NY, part of Central New York.

For this winter she spoke of how it would be filled with snow, and although she showed me that it would come, then get sunny, more would come again. She didn't show me much melting off inbetween snowfalls.

At this stable call, Jenny was the first of 49 animals to speak that day. Not very long after her it was Doo's turn, even though he spoke from a distance while being warm and at home in Fulton, NY. He also indicated that this would be an easy winter - warmer than ones in the pat. Considering that I live not too far from these two, I sure hope they are right.

5 September 2008

"Will we have enough straw in our house this year, Mom?"

 

Bumper, a little black pig in New Madison, OH, seemed concerned about the upcoming winter. He and his herd actually have blankets in their houses, but like any good nesting pig, they'll get whatever they can add-to when the need arises. Many pigs have been known to drag in twigs, branches, brooms, screwdrivers, tool belts, a television set (that Bushka in England pulled off the table in the kitchen one time) and one ever tried to pull a mattress in from the other room! So asking for extra straw was not a surprise. The fact he was asking for it in the beginning of September raised my eyebrow because THIS was a weather prediction.

Upon inquiry, Bumper went on to say he was worried about the upcoming winter. He wasn't as concerned about it being frigid cold, but that there would more snow than usual.

"I hope he is wrong about the snow," Cindy said in an email she sent with Bumper's pigture.

"Last year he was concerned about the cold and we had more days below zero... like -20º below zero... than I ever remembered in year's past!"

Update 1 june, 2009

Cindy wrote, reporting this regarding Bumper's wintertime prediction: "Winter was colder than usual. We usually see some warm days here and there starting in Jan. This year the frigid temps ran through March. Along with the frigid temps we had terrible wind. One evening I nearly got blown to the ground while I was checking the plastic around Bernice's porch. Never felt wind that strong before during the winter. I actually put straw around Bernice's porch on the south side which I had never had to do before. The wind just never quit this past winter and kept things even colder."

"We also usually have maybe 2 large snowfalls with nothing in between. This year we had continuous flurries. Every couple of days we would have some accumulation and then back to flurries every day in between. Then we suddenly got a week the end of March that was highs in the 60's and mid 30's at night. The next week? We had to turn on heat lamps again, put the plastic back up and we only had highs in the upper 20's during the day and teens at night? Crazy weather for sure. Then it was pretty much spring after that weird week."

21 July 2008 — Lindsey

A beautiful little sheltie from Jacksonville, FL, Lindsey allerted her mom to worries of an impending storm.

Click images to enlarge

Like so many animals from the Jacksonville area this year, Lindsey was insistent that I pay attention and relay her message to her. Lucinda's notes reflect her dog's concern.

Lindsey "really wanted to talk to me about hurricanes and that we would have to get in the car and leave. She said there would be three and it was the middle one we would get in the car and leave for," Lucinda remembered.

 

Update 29 July, 2008

During another call for her brother Toby, Lindsey again turned the conversation to storms. Lucinda sent this from her notes:

"The first one was going to be in mid-August, about 3 weeks away. I told her Jacksonville doesn't usually get hit, but she said it would be coming across the state and that Jacksonville would get it."

Update 26 August, 2008

Today, during another call for Toby, Lucinda started with the fun news first—Lindsey and her predictions.

"Lindsey was right!" she exclaimed, making note that if any of her 3 dogs would know, she felt it would have been Danny who is the storm sensitive one, so this was unexpected. Lucinda reflected on how she had put Lindsey off, thinking she could not be right because Jacksonville rarely has a direct storm hit. With this, the little dog jumped in, saying: "But mom, when it started raining, you thought about putting cookies in the car for us."

"Does this make sense, Lucinda?" I asked.

"Yes!" she laughed. "I did start thinking about their food and having enough of their food and everything else for them in the container we would take with us if we had to leave."

We asked Lindsey if Fay was the first or second of the three storms, and like Mercedes it was hard to understand what she meant as she said, "No." But then gave me the number 2, and repeated it with 1 - 2. I believe she meant that Fay represented storms one and two, for unlike anyother storm in history, Fay made landfall 4 times, coming in from the gulf, then a direct hit to Jacksonville from the Atlantic. Both of these landfalls did affect Jacksonville, the second of which, thankfully, did not require evacuation.

I asked Lindsey about Gustav who was just turning into a Tropical Depression in the Atlantic, would this be the second of the three storms she was worried about, but with exhasperation at her interpretation of me as an apparently slow-witted human, she again said no. Fay was 1 - 2. She wasn't sure about Gustav, but felt that it would track to the left as it came up the Gulf, hitting from Louisianna, over toward Texas or Mexico.

I am still amazed at these creatures who predict these storms such as Katrina, Rita and Fay because they are doing so months in advance! What else can the animals tell us about the world around them? What else, I wonder, is built into their instinct or perception of weather that perhaps we, as humans, can learn to recall for ourselves?

Colleen

UPDATE November 23, 2008 3:11:18 PM EST Lucinda wrote:

Yes, she was very accurate. We didn't have to evacuate - but she did revise that after her first communication. She is a fabulous little princess!

2 July 2008 — Mercedes

Mercedes burst forth with weather worries today as he asked LeaAnn if the roof would stay on the barn in high winds, and it seemed like winds that moved in one

direction to me, such as straight-line winds — something I am familiar with.

We assumed he was talking about the high winds of hurricanes as he had just made his prediction of three, late this summer a few weeks before. LeaAnn told him he didn't have to worry because the roof was strapped onto the barn (as all roofs need to be to stay within code since Hurricane Andrew unleashed its devastation upon FL back in 1992).

He was greatly concerned about this and said that the straps didn't matter, so she assured him that if the storms came she would take them to a safer area until it passed.

He said all right, that he wasn't really worried about his safety with this, rather the inconvenience it would cause to everyone and to the herd's routine.

Update 14 August, 2008

LeaAnn called in to report that the weather guys are investigating what appears to have been straight-line winds that came through Jacksonville, FL, yesterday. "It took down two $6.million cranes at the main docks, down on the river," she said. "It dropped them like tinker-toys."

We are awaiting a video link from the Jacksonville news crews, but are happy to report that Mercedes barn was not in the storms' path.

11 June 2008 — Mercedes

"Three big ones are coming," Mercedes reported today. When LeaAnn questioned him as to when, the reply was about the end of August. Two would come close

Click image to enlarge

together — in a row — and then the last one would come through a few weeks later. 

As any horse owner in hurricane territory would wonder, LeaAnn asked Mercedes if they would be safe staying in their barn?

"I'm not sure, Mom," he replied. "I'm not sure which way the wind will blow."

He went on to say he hoped she would have water on hand via a water purification system. 

"We drink a lot," he told me. "You know my mom will worry about parasites in our water and hers," he said.

Mercedes then went on to show us that the storms would cause power outages that will last perhaps for a few weeks.

He also said that we will see from this year until next spring heat in the Jacksonville area of FL unlike ever seen before and weather pattern changes that will effect many things in the animal world, such as the movement of the alligators.

Update 5 August, 2008

I spoke with Mercedes he was still concerned about the roof staying on the barn as they are moving to a new barn in a week or so. He still talked about 2-3 hurricanes and the 2nd one he'll be watching for evacuation warnings. He feels the 2 events are on top of each other and will be a Cat 3 or high Cat 2 in Jax.

One will come in from the Gulf and two from the Atlantic. The second (middle) one, will be the worst, with ankle-deep water from the 1st already on the ground - hence his worries of clean drinking water. He is concerned about weakened roofs from the first one becoming incapable of withstanding the winds of the 2nd, which seems to come right on the heels of the first storm. He was glad to know that Randy & LeaAnn can fix a roof themselves and won't need to wait for contractors.

"It's too warm, Mom. The water is too warm," he said in a wearisome way. Although it has been very hot this year, LeaAnn felt he meant the waters are too warm in the oceans, which feed hurricanes.

This was the only quote from Mercedes this time around and of course points to the ocean and Gulf. He shows me that one of these storms comes in differently than most. As we in the North typically see weather coverage of hurricanes, the storms coming in from the Atlantic typically skip or travel up the coast of FL, either hitting FL or bending out to hit the Carolina's or open ocean. But in this instance, Mercedes shows me it slamming right into the coast from the Atlantic - no skipping or cruising the coast at all. I had never seen this kind of picture before, however LeaAnn said it can happen and the last time it did was in the 60's (I think she said the 60's) when Dora hit FL dead-on in the same fashion.

So, in trying to decipher all this - which is still new to me as an interpretor - it seems he is having a bit less lack of clarity AND this seems to stem from 2 coming back to back, with the last one following about 3 weeks later.

As usual, I don't know what to make of this, but at least he is not talking Cats 4 or 5, like Katrina, Rita and Andrew.

I'll be watching the forecast with all you Floridians in mind.

Colleen

Update 14 August, 2008

It was reported this morning on the Jacksonville news that they are watching one particular tropical disturbance in the Atlantic Basin. This particular storm keeps forming, falling apart, then forming again. Today they are continuing to send research planes down to investigate this particular depression because computer models are showing it could develop FAST. Trajectory projections to date put it as coming in past Bermuda and onto the FL coastline from the east, although it was noted it is too early to really tell, it could go to the west.

Update 25 August, 2008

LeaAnn wrote to let me know they had all endured Fay's lengthy visit and that on her way to the house, a bass swam past her — in the driveway! She emailed:

"Well, reeling from the storms. Green Cove Springs, FL has a recorded 18.54 inches of rain from the last 4ish days... I am now getting flooded with calls from friends that I told what Cedes said... all wanting (demanding is more like it) to know about this next storm... was it the one or now is Gustav the second storm? The current track is 'eastern' (although I have not studied it much yet)... and my friends are saying I need to speak with Cedes again. It's getting weird here, but I am truly glad for my horse. He's saved us thus far!

"18.54" of rain — mosquitoes galore, horeseflies, deerflies, fire ants floating in the water, and the list goes on. Will call to discuss more soon! I'm off to buy bug spray... go figure. LeaAnn"

26 May 2008 — Dee Dee

DeeDee the rescued Rottie is worried about a BIG hurricane she feels will hit the Jacksonville, FL area this summer.

Her concerns came to light during a session one of her handlers was having with another of the rescued dogs at the Jacksonville Humane Society.

"She said she thought we were going to have a big hurricane hit Jacksonville this year.  Lots of very heavy wind, but you didn't see flooding," Cheryl B. recapped when sending me DeeDee's picture.

"DeeDee is a very sweet girl.  She has bad arthritis in her toes and it hurts to walk," she added.

DeeDee has her own web page on Petfinder: http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11089937

Or check out the Jacksonville Humane society Adoptees:

http://www.jaxhumane.org/adopt/find-a-pet

What makes DeeDee's prediction stand out for me is that just 3 days before I had made the same predition made by a pack of rescued dogs at another Jacksonville rescue facility - ALONG with Mercedes the horse who you will see with his own running tabs here in the Weather Predictors section of our website. This pack was worried about a big hurricane coming through Jacksonville this summer, which seemed like mid August, and they were worried if they would be safe. Sue assured them they would be very safe where they are, but if a big storm did come, she would move them to safety before the storm arrived.

To visit "the pack," you can visit The Barking Lot here: http://www.thebarkinglot.us/

Update Nov 23, 2008, at 2:37 PM, Cheryl wrote:

While we didn't get hit by a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane, Faye sat on top of us for days and soaked the whole state with 10 or more inches of rain. It was like being in a washing machine and thousands were without power for hours to days. DeeDee was at JHS and some staff stayed there with a generator for 3 nights. DeeDee, being old and sick, was in the office, not the kennel, so she was better protected, but those buildings are little more than trailers... No hurricane has ever stuck around so long. "Faye, Faye, Go Away" was the tv headline. From the dogs' points of view, it must have lasted forever and they probably have their own standards, so yes, I do think her prediction was accurate. Ask her!

So I have asked DeeDee about last summer's weather and she simply says, "It is nice here now."

11 Oct 2007 — Kat and Coco

"It will be a hard and cold winter, with ice, a lot of snow and cold winds. Be sure the windows can go in, and that the big door will close, Mom."

Kathiawar, a 17 year old Saddlebred, offered this advice to Lynn recently which brought her to the realization they should really get to preparing the barn for winter, especially if Kat's prediction rings true. She told me their area, in general, can get a lot of snow in the winter, but Kat's comments put it above and beyond the norm.

Coco also chimed in with fears of his own about the roof of the barn falling in by his stall. I asked Lynn if they ever get that much snow to cause a roof to cave in, much like the many roofs which did so in our area last year when Oswego and surrounding townships got 10 feet of snow in a weekend. I kid you not! But Lynn said, "Never." She assured Coco the roof is good and sturdy, but then with the next thought remembered there is a dead tree which needs to come down as strong winds could possibly drop that tree — even into the barn. It's my hope that putting this worry to words will help insure Coco's worry never come to light!

Below is a note from Lynn sent yesterday along with Kat's picture. Date: October 18, 2007 3:41:36 PM EDT

This is a picture of Kathiawar, our weather predictor. Hope Coco isn't one too, they have tornado warnings out this evening, wouldn't be impossible for that dead tree to fall on the barn right by his stall!

Kat is 17 years old and is an American Saddlebred.  We live in Michigan near Flint. Lynn

Update October 19, 2007 10:01:46 AM EDT

Nope, we were spared again, the storm hit west of us and turned north before it reached us so the barn still stands and so does the tree! Lynn

Update March 27, 2008 11:19:22 AM EDT

"I was just thinking of this the other day! Mr. Kat's weather predicting, I think, is a hit! As of now, it's been the second snowiest winter on record. It wasn't frigid cold but the cold has come and stayed most of the winter including being below normal even now.

"I'm not sure about the wind part. I haven't heard anything about wether or not it's actually been more windy than usual but the barn roof has held without any problems. Probably because the snow didn't fall in record amounts at any ONE time... there were just so many more days of an inch here an inch there.

9 Oct 2007 — Leon

"It won't be a bad winter, Mom," Leon stated as his human Jennifer searched for a way to begin her talk with him.  "He thinks he can make it through the holidays," I added as Leon showed me himself wandering about the farm, freely. 

"The ground is easier to walk on than the mud of last year's winter," he added, for which Jennifer agreed - last winter had been very muddy where they live. In fact it had been very muddy here where I live too, right through January. It was a very odd year, but I didn't realize it had reached so far away.

Leon lives in Fishs Eddy, south of Binghamton, NY which is still considered the edge of the central NY region and is responsible enough to be able to wander the farm freely. Because I had only recently had the first winter weather prediction come in a few days before, for our area, I questioned Leon a bit further to see if he was expecting the bitter cold snap Dyna had for mid-late January. But Leon's answer was swift and to the point: "I'm 35. I don't have to think that far out."

This was all welcomed information to Jennifer who had called to speak with the whole herd, but especially to Leon. At 35 years old, she didn't know if her old-timer could handle the upcoming winter, or if it was fair to make him do so. Leon's words helped a lot, as Jennifer's email with his picture states:

"Dear Colleen, Thank you so much for speaking with me and the crew today! It was VERY enlightening, and reassuring to hear from my babies... I am attaching a photo of dear Leon. He is a wise old fellow, and he is correct that he is VERY RESPONSIBLE. I am still reeling from the session today... Thank you again! Jennifer"

Update March 27, 2008 4:08:06 PM EDT

Dear Colleen,

How strange to receive an email from you this week. I am sorry to say, we had put Leon down two days ago due to health issues. His weather predictions were right on, and apparently the holiday he was referring to was Easter. We mourn our beloved and wise old horse, as do the other horses here.

"It was indeed a mild winter, and there were few days when the horses were not turned out." Jennifer

NOTE: At nearly 36 (if not already) Leon lived a very long life. We wish his people and herd much love and support at this sad time, and I thank them for sharing this special horse with me.

1 Oct 2007 — Dyna

"This coming winter will be easy," Dyna said when I met her for the first time during a local stable call. With

this she showed me frozen ground with maybe a dusting to an inch or so of snow, but no real winter weather as we central New Yorker's are used to. "But we will have a bitter, bitter cold snap," she went on to say and the time frame appeared to be mid-late January 2008. What she imparted was 2-3 weeks of bitter, 0º to below temps, and at this stage she would be happy to wear her new blankets.

Dyna lives here in the northern suburbs of Syracuse, NY — smack dab in the middle of New York State. She is also pregnant, due in mid-March, and this was the first thing she had told us that evening. (I did not know this, going into this stable.) With her weather prediction, she also predicted her foal would be a colt, but she still liked little hot-pink halters, one of which her human, Cindy, said would be forthcoming. Dyna asked that it hang on her stall door, along with hers. Because she is pregnant, she is warmer than usual, so Dyna doesn't think she'll be needing her blankets really until sometime after the holidays, but if she's shivering, she'll ask for them before that.

Update March 25, 2008 11:06:55 PM EDT

"Dear Colleen, I am proud to announce that my horse Dyna had a healthy baby boy, just as she predicted, February 26, 2008.

Throughout her entire pregnancy, we were told by the breeders who own the stallion that she was sure to have a filly as their stallion has thrown 99% fillies and only a couple of colts.

Not only were we wrong, but Dyna reminded us in her October 1st reading by you that she was indeed having a colt, and she did. I did grant her wish and hung a hot pink halter on her stall for the whole pregnancy which the baby now wears every day. We call him Riley.

Dyna was also correct about the weather we had in January and was correct on the fact that she was much to warm for any blanket. I rarely blanketed her at all this winter. Only if it got below 0 degrees." Cindy I, N Syracuse, NY.

NOTE:

Regarding the sub-zero weather Dyna predicted for 2-3 weeks in mid-end January: We did drop below zero a few times, but the mid-west to just west of NY, suffered the real, record-breaking deep freeze. It was amazing to me that what she predicted did in fact really happen, animals did suffer horrid freezing temps and just as amazing to us, it was NOT us here in central NY! Colleen

1 May 2007 — Mercedes

"A major (hurricane) storm coming in off the Atlantic early this year," was the surprise statement Mercedes made during a recent communication about all things other than the weather. He went on to elaborate, "It will come in late July or early August. It'll be followed by three more which aren't as strong. They are more like Jean or Francis were."

Mercedes is a very accurate weather predictor and you can see more of his predictions on this page (July 2005). When his mom replied, "I hope you're wrong, Mercedes," his simple reply was, "Don't count on it."

Mercedes lives outside Jacksonville, FL with his herd of two, Chance and Reign. Although he did not say he felt they would need to evacuate for these storms, as he's done in the past, he did say it needed to be planned for. He always makes note that the horse trailer only holds two and although LeaAnn promises to NEVER leave anyone behind if evacuating she's working on getting a three-horse trailer soon.

Update 21 August, 2007

As Hurricane Dean moves past Jamaica on it's way toward the Yucatan Peninsula as a Cat 5 storm, Mercedes has revised/or rather clarified his hurricane predictions for the Jacksonville, FL area.

"Colleen, what Cedes said in May was that we'd have one in July and one in early August. Which in fact we did," LeaAnn recently wrote. She went on to remind me that when she commented at the time July was VERY early for a hurricane, even though it is still officially during the season, he didn't respond, except to say there would be one in early August also.

"I took that as a change of his mind to August," LeaAnn continued. " WRONG....we had a tropical storm develop right off the coast in the Atlantic (something completely unheard of) and just blow about. It was not serious in any way, low numbers for everything so the weathermen weren't alarmed about it in any way, except that it was something new to study. But the horse WAS right."

"Then early August there was Tropical Storm Erin that blew through Houston and left more rain." And now Hurricane Dean, and so early in the season too.... especially for the nasty one Dean! Those don't get going till later usually," LeaAnn added.

"Three, three, three," Mercedes stated in a communication today. Three more coming is what he seemed to be saying in a very calm manner, very unlike Mercedes when he is talking about hurricanes - a subject that usually has him inquiring about evacuation plans and the size of their horse trailer.

He spoke of the first one to come in off the Atlantic which would make his mom's hair stand on end. LeaAnn wasn't sure if the wind would make it stand up or it would be scared up, but Mercedes seemed to indicate it would scare Jax, then go up the coast and blast the Carolinas, North Carolina to be specific.

He predicted two more hurricanes coming in off the Gulf Coast into FL, but he gave them nothing more than a mere mention.

If you don't remember, Mercedes has proven a very accurate equine weather predictor. And his track record shows that when a storm is coming, he gets antsy; not wanting to be left in the pasture alone and even eliciting wild behavior that causes him ailments, such as the torn suspensory ligament he suffered in his freak-out as Katrina came ashore two years ago, even though it did not bring worries to his area.

We can only watch and see how Mercedes prediction will pan out this year, but in the meantime, we'll keep the updates coming, as they come in from our leading hurricane watcher in Jax.

Update

"Hi! It's late and I am exhausted. Wanted to tell you, have you noticed the weather in Florida? We've been drowned by what started out as a Noreaster....but then part of what was left of tropical storm Irene?(will check name) that broke up in Bahamas reformed ....where? Right on the coast of Jax. Well, Cedes was right...and the right time frame too. It has the spin, the wind....it will have a name tomorrow of some sort (maybe sub-tropical storm from the NHC) but he was right...and right on. There's one in the gulf that might form by early next week.... we'll see....so far my little horse is dead on right.....the wind IS blowing and my hair IS standing up. will talk friday.. lea ann"

Interestingly enough, a few days after Mercedes gave us his previous update for this season, another horse in Jacksonville, predicted the same thing in August. Lil Man and Stacy do not know Mercedes or LeaAnn, so I felt you'd find

this as amazing as me. Here's the email from his human, Stacy, too.

Update September 19th, 2007 9:01:09 PM EDT "Hi Colleen, Just to let you know, we've been having a major storm in Jacksonville, Florida---started raining Sunday night and has not stopped and is expected to continue for at least another day or more! When I spoke with you and Lil' Man, about the first of Sept., Lil' Man said he was concerned about a storm coming, he thought in about 2 weeks----and here is a big storm. You said he was the second horse to mention a storm coming. Thought you might find that interesting, I do. Take Care, Stacy"

 

28 February 2007 — Daphney

"We have to make an evacuation plan Mom," she said with urgency in her message.

"We have one Daphney," Petra replied. "We have two horse trailers and 20 horses, but we have a plan and we'll be alright."

"Not for a hurricane, Mom," Daphney said with such a serious tone I knew something big was coming. She then went on to show me a tornado.

Jacksonville, FL is not really prone to tornadoes unless they spin off hurricanes, I was told. But Daphney was worried about this kind of event. She showed me how she wanted to be with her mom at the barn when she put the identifying tags on all the horses halters so they would be ready in advance.

"We just turn them loose Mom, right?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes Daphney," Petra replied. "For that we would turn them all loose. And you can come help me put the tags on all the halters."

Daphney, a Mexican Chihuahua, came across with the feeling of a Welsch Corgi. I was surprised to find she was not the breed of dog often associated with horse farms, but nonetheless, she takes her horse duties seriously.

Daphney indicated April as being the timeframe she was most worried about — early April.

29 December 2006 — Cassie

"We will have NO wildfires this year, Mom."

Cassie, a 14-year-old cat in Avada, CO, mentioned this her mom Robin during their consult just before New Year's. I asked Robin if they have had them in the past and she reported that they sure do. Last year they could smell only one, but in previous years they have had many. Arvada is a suburb of Denver.

Cassie had also said that the road to the cottage would passable for their upcoming annual trip there in January. "We have to go Berthod Pass," Robin said, "and it can be treacherous." At the time of Cassie's predictions, Denver airport had only recently reopened from the Christmas storms that swept the area, and they were in the process of getting another one as we spoke. Surely the Pass, in the Rockies, was heavily inundated with snow.

Update 29 December, 2006

"She was absolutely right!" Robyn announced when I asked later in 2007. "There was no problem getting over the Pass at all," she continued.

As for the wildfires, there were none in their vicinity of Arvada at all, and the entire of Colorado only had 3 or 4, she said, which was very low anyway, especially considering the year before in 2005.

28 November 2006 — Mercedes

Mercedes is a 15 year old Thoroughbred living in Jacksonville, FL. He has been a very accurate hurricane predictor in past years however this year he never mentioned a word about hurricanes. Finding it rather odd this past June and July, when he usually would be starting to issue forth worries and concerns, in retrospect we were thrilled to see that his NOT predicting for this season proved true. No hurricanes of significance in the Atlantic Basin came ashore in the US except for one Cat 1 that slid over Key West early in the season.

This past week Mercedes issued forth a message unlike he ever has before. "We will have a little snow this winter, Mom," he told LeaAnn during a consult. "Not a heavy frost, snow!"

LeaAnn's reply echoed a foreboding tone, as a typical Floridian might, "So we're going to have a real cold winter, Mercedes?"

"No Mom, not a cold winter, just a burst."

Update Dec 2006

LeaAnn reported that while she was away at Equine Massage school the first week of December, the farm where Mercedes and his herd reside experienced snow flurries — something quite unusual for Florida.

 

19 October 2006 — Wren

"A bigger one, Mom. A bigger earthquake." Along with this Wren shared that he felt this quake would be in the range of close to 7.0, and coming inside of 4-6 months.

Wren is a beloved Thoroughbred gelding who pastures across the road from the beautiful beaches of Oahu, Hawaii. He had not been concerned about the 6.5 quake that had hit the island the previous week, but this statement came with trepidation.

When asked about the quake HI had just experienced days before, Wren said, almost in passing, "The fish were flying."

Monika felt she understood what he was talking about. She believes the fish kept in the big water tanks for the horses (which help keep algae and other things from growing in them) were jumping when the quake hit. But Wren's worry about a bigger, future quake in the not too distant future kept her worried.

"I don't worry about an earthquake affecting the horses as much as I do a tsunami," she told me, "because the beach is so close to where they are. Maybe I will retire Wren back to the Mainland against his wishes," she sighed, but as our conversation continued, Monika decided to keep Wren with her in HI as he was more distressed about the thought of retiring to OH before she can go with him.

Wren, although bred to play polo but it doesn't seem he ever played. He did assist with exercising polo ponies and had a brief career as a pony club horse. He came to Monika when his former humans placed him in a good home when they had to move to Argentina.

A hot blooded Thoroughbred at times, his only job now is to be a companion to Monika, a pleasure and trail horse, and to be an uncle to their new foal.

"He will still occasionally go out for leisurely rides if Wren can understand the concept of leisurely!" Monika reports.

Wren is 18 years old and this is his first prediction. We all hope he is wrong.

28 March 2006 — Pepper

"Do you hear the piggies crying?" Pepper asked his mom, Pat, today.

"No," she replied.

"I think they don't want to move," he said, indicating that the wild pigs of Hawaii are moving to different grounds.

"It's the rain," Pepper continued. "They don't want the ground to move." (He seems to feel the pigs are moving to higher ground, and one was seen on the property a few weeks ago — very unusual to see.)

With this Pepper showed me that if you went out to the barn at the back toward the pastures, to the far left is where he is thinking the land will slide.

"That's absolutely right," Pat said. We are butted up against the mountain, but to the left the land rolls downward a bit. If we have a mudslilde, that's where it would be.

Pat reported that today on the news Hawaii has broken a consecutive rain record, last set in 1951. They've had 38 straight days of rain and another week of it is in the forecast. I did not realize Hawaii could be prone to land or mudslides, but it is true, I am told. I just hope Pepper's concern for the piggies is unwarranted and that the land will stay intact, where it belongs.

Pepper, a 10-year-old gelding, lives on the main island, outside of Honolulu.

Update 1 April, 2006

Colleen, I don't have details yet, but we had our 41st heavy rain day and because we're saturated, it didn't take long to have substantial run-off damage. There was a landslide yesterday at about 1:00 p.m., a block away from us. About 5 years ago, during hurricane Iniki, this same nursery sustained a landslide with huge boulders rolling down from the Koolaus. At this point, I have no details, other than knowing first-hand of substantial water damage to a home below the nursery.

Will try to report back to you when I learn more.

Gosh, I'm so proud of pepper to have made this prediction, especially when we're not prone to landslides in our area, except 5 years ago. There have been many landslides, but in different areas always plagued by heavy rains and water.

Aloha, Pat

6 January 2006 — Gracie

"Hurricanes will go around us next year," Gracie told her two-legged mother on January 6, 2006.

A nice New Year's prediction from a little pinto potbellied pig. Gracie lives with her humans and herd in Ruskin, FL, just outside of Tampa. It has been a concern of weather experts that Tampa is overdue for a good sized hurricane. This is Gracie's first weather prediction. She is 7 years old.

Update

Gracie's two-legger, Barb wrote to say, "She was right!  In 2006 we didn't even have any close calls or many hurricanes at all for that matter. 

What is her prediction for this year? We'll have to stay tuned... Gracie is contemplating this question, or grazing.  I'm not sure which.

8 December 2005 — Whisper

"Winter is not too bad so far – I'm afraid of what's coming, but it won't last very long this year.Whisper is an American Warmblood who was

born and raised at the farm she lives on with her mother and herd in Aylett, VA. She is two years old.

Colleen,

I don't have to go back and look up what Whisper said, I LIVED it all winter! She said, "I shudder to think about this winter; but it won't last very long." When she said that, I think we were already heading into our cold spell (December), and it was bitter for quite some time. Not much in the way of snow, though. For the most part, Jan and Feb were fairly mild; March was mostly just too windy! but not very cold. I would say that Whisper was very accurate in her prediction! Interestingly, I kept hearing the humans in this area predicting at least two huge winter storms for January. Well, I didn't see them in MY corner of the world!

Chris

13 October 2005 — Lollypop

"Winter is not coming soon and will not be really cold, like last year." Lollypop is a Vietnamese potbelly pig who was rescued in Florida but now resides in Oneida, New York. Her prediction was given on October 13th, 2005. Her 'pigture' was taken on November 4th of the same year, and her pal Babe is smiling behind her. I REALLY hope Lollypop's prediction is right on as I live only 45 minutes away from her and the past two winters have been brutal. Lollypop is 15 years old.

Responding on behalf of Lollypop regarding her prediction last fall, so as not to be influenced by my personal relationship with her (and wanting her to be right), I sought out the advice of Carol, pig slave to a herd of 80+ rescued pigs, who also lives about 45 minutes away from Lollypop.

So although we have not heard from Lolly's two-legged mom, there are two It's a Hit responses to Lollypop's winter prediction. Winter did not come as early as it had the year before, and we received most of our snow in mid December. And despite the doubling of fuel oil prices this winter, I personally did not see us using as much fuel oil as the winter before. Colleen

30 September 2005 — Pippen

"Winter will come early and hard." This report is from Pippen, a domestic/feral stray who now enjoys the life of an indoor/outdoor cat in the cranberry bog country of Marsten Mills, MA - Cape Cod. On September 30, 2005 he gave us this prediction for the upcoming winter.

Pippen is believed to be 6-7 years old.

Update

Deb, Pippen's human, reported in a recent consult that she felt Pippen was definitely a HIT for how winter came early and hard. "We got snow earlier than I remember in a long time. October and November were the coldest months too, which was very unusual, but once we got past December, it was more mild and easier than usual," she said.

23 August, 2005 — Lady

Lady, a 10 year old Arabian horse in Fulton, NY is a weather sensitive girl as well. Although new to weather predicting, Lady reported on 23 August, 2005 that winter would be cold but not as snowy as last year.

Update April 2006

" Hey Colleen, I think Lady Jane did a great job her 1st year predicting. We did have cold temps and gosh LOTS of wind, but not much snow this year." Marci 

23 August 2005 — Bailey

Bailey, an 8 year old Poodle, also in Fulton, NY when asked her thoughts on the upcoming winter reported, "I don't go out in it so what do I care?"

 

 

 

July 2005 — Mercedes

Mercedes, a 13 year old thoroughbred in Jacksonville, FL predicted in early July 2005 a severe hurricane to hit FL during the 2nd to 3rd week of August. He predicted that it would come in from the Gulf Coast, that it would be BAD and he wanted to leave, despite him living in a new concrete barn built to all current hurricane building codes. It would be bad enough that when they left, the cats needed to go with them, but not in the back of their new horse trailer with him and his herdmate Chance. Hurricane Katrina popped up out of nowhere off the Bahamas the third week of August. After raking the tip of FL, she headed into the Gulf and early on was predicted by the National Hurricane Center to either travel up the coast of FL or to make a C shape in the Gulf, swinging back in and tracking across FL, with a hit upon Jacksonville. A very sensitive horse, Mercedes is a great weather predictor and has been uncanny in predicting Florida's hurricanes. About 3 days in advance of a "big wind" (his term for hurricanes) Mercedes will NOT go out into the pasture unless he's accompanied by a human who stays there with him. If left out there, he will panic. Interestingly enough, on August 26th, as Hurricane Katrina was well out into the Gulf, setting her sights on New Orleans, LA and Biloxi, MS, Mercedes was put out in the pasture to graze. No sooner had he been left, he freaked out and snapped a deep flexor tendon in his right rear leg. He was brought in immediately and was quickly followed by one of Katrina's leading rain bands which sent downpours through that area. As Hurricane Katrina is just now making landfall on New Orleans, Merecedes is recovering from his injury but will NOT go out to pasture himself, even though it is bright and sunny in Jacksonville.

Update November 1, 2005

"It's OVER!" Mercedes lead off the consultation with this prediction, coming right on the heels of Hurricane Wilma, the largest hurricane ever this late in the year in the Atlantic Basin. Even though Alpha and Beta followed, Mercedes was not concerned about any of these three. He is still recouperating from his injury acquired the morning Katrina came ashore in the Gulf, but is relaxed and looking forward to calm winds and fair seas.

LeaAnn asked him if he knew the hurricanes were coming because he could feel the vibration of them which lead Mercedes to ponder that for a minute. Thoughtfully he finally said, "No. If I spit in the wind it will come back to me," he replied while showing me that the droplets of spit would be picked up by the trade winds, encircle the globe, then come back to smack him in the face. Although sounding humourous, it did make sense to LeaAnn and I. Mercedes is aware of what is on the wind. Obviously he is very intune with the environment.

23 May 2005 — Boo

"Do not go west mom, we HAVE to go northeast!"

This was Boo's response when he asked his mom to explain the hurricane evacuation plans that she should have ready for this year. She responded that they all would get in the car an head west. Boo didn't think that was a good idea. Three times he came back to this during Shelly's communication and he even asked if they all (5 dogs in their home) could get hurricane collars.

"What does a hurricane collar look like, Boo?" I asked, and he quickly showed me bright (hunting) orange with name tags riveted to the collar.

"We'll get those for you Boo," Shelly assured him.

Several more times throughout the session, Boo mentioned that the should not go west, only north east should the hurricanes come. It seems he feels they will come in from the Gulf Coast this year.

So this is Boo's first weather prediction, of sorts. We will all have to wait and see what happens during the coming hurricane season.

Boo is a 5 year old Chow/Black Lab mix dog who lives in St. Augustine, FL.

Update

Although I have no specific information for you from Shelly, Boo's human, St. Auguustine, FL is next door to Jacksonville and as you will see from Mercedes predictions, 3 big hurricanes came in from the Gulf Coast this year:  Katrina, was the deadliest, but was joined by Dennis (before her) and Rita (after her).