A: Before the invention of mirrors, the only way you could see your own image or reflection was to peer at a pool of water. If your image was distorted, bad luck was headed your way. After mirrors were invented, breaking one was tantamount to breaking your own image. You could then expect to be plagued by bad luck for seven years.

But why seven years? It seems that the Romans believed your body was completely renewed every seven years, at which time you became an entirely new person, thus breaking the chain of bad luck.

Photographs, like mirrors, were/are also believed by some to possess a part of a person’s spirit or soul. Primitive people often refuse to have their picture taken, fearing that they will lose a part of themselves or that they will be bewitched by the picture.

Q Do train whistles mean something? I heard there was a code to them. Do you know what this code is?

A: Yes, train whistles have a meaning all their own. There is a code that is used throughout the railroad industry, which enables good communications between an engineer and the other train employees as well as people working at a station.

The following are a few commonly used whistle signals in the railroad industry. One short whistle means STOP. One long whistle (three to 10 seconds) means the train is approaching a station. Two short whistles mean that the engineer acknowledges that he or she heard or saw a signal that affects movement. Three short ones mean that the engineer intends to make a reverse movement.

Two long, one short and one long mean trains are approaching a highway or street crossing. And the list goes on.

So, while train whistles can sound nostalgic, they do have an important communication role in the railroad industry. Next time you hear a train whistle, see if you can perceive a pattern.

Q I have rust accumulating on my cake pans. Is there a way to remove this?

A: To remove rust from the corners of cake tins that have been in use for a long time, dip a raw potato in cleaning powder (dish or clothes detergent) and scour. This will take the rust off easily.

Q Do you have any tips on ways to make juicy burgers?

A: Try adding one egg white, stiffly beaten, to each pound of hamburger.

If you have a question for the Farmers’ Almanac write to Farmers’ Almanac, P.O. Box 1609, Lewiston, ME 04241 or e-mail: [email protected].