The month opens the holiday, which is called "Mocrida". It is directly connected with the agricultural work and cares of the peasants: the people's signs on August 1 determined what will be the coming autumn.
The first day of August - the weather indicator for the autumn
This day in the people was considered the sign of autumn:
- for this holiday the end of the main works in the field was timed, but harvesting and harvesting began;
- if it was rainy on that day, it was expected that the whole fall would be wet. It is worth noting: the old people say that the observations of this day have never failed;
- signs on August 1 determined the harvest of the next year: it was believed that the rain on Mokrida promised a good harvest of bread for the next year;
- in the wooded areas on this day, observed the aspen: if it flew down, then it was time to gather in the forest for mushrooms: by this time ripened by the boletus;
- people closely followed the behavior of insects. So, it was believed that the gadfly, whose bites are extremely unpleasant and painful, were stung the last day, if they were seen as a curling column in the field - from the next day they became harmless.
On August 1, especially, we paid attention to the signs of the weather:
- if the Mokrides were warm and quiet, they thought that the Indian summer would be long, and the first two autumn months would pass without rain;
- a very hot day warned that the heat would last for another six weeks, and if there was a downpour , the rains would be charged for the same period;
- a small warm "blind" rain foreshadowed a good harvest of nuts;
- Spiders, hiding from the eyes of man on this day, warned that soon the cold will come, but the absence of frogs, on the contrary, foreshadowed the heat.
Superstitions of the first day of August
The first of August was rich not only in signs, but also in superstition:
- it was believed that the appearance of the gadfly in the house on August 1 - to the deceased;
- apples are not recommended on that day - (the Apple Spas has not yet come): one could get a lot of trouble, although small;
- They feared prolonged rains: they promised poor harvest and poverty.