Groundhog Day is a popular tradition celebrated in Canada and the United States on February 2nd. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will persist for six more weeks, and if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early.
—Wikipedia
Did you celebrate Groundhog Day when you were young? We did, and I’m surprised that now some adults say I can’t look at our weather here, I have to bow to the authority of Punxsutawney Phil.
In fact, Punxsutawney, Pennyslvania isn’t the only locality to officially celebrate Groundhog Day. New York City, for example, is another one. (See Staten Island’s famous groundhog died after Bill de Blasio dropped it.)
Phil is just the most well known because the movie Groundhog Day made him an international celebrity.
For the record, it’s sunny here today, but I’m not worried about six more weeks of winter.
Happy Groundhog Day!
February 2, 2020
Sunny here, too and I am sure enjoying it. I just need a day or two of sunshine a week. I would prefer more. LOL I do not remember celebrating groundhogs day at all…
We lived in Ithaca, NY for 8 1/2 years. I was happy there, but we saw the sun only about 6 times during the long winters. That was over 40 years ago, and we still don’t take the sun down here for granted.
“Celebrate” is too strong a word, but we were aware of Groundhog Day and thought it was fun. It was before we had TV, so we were no doubt desperate for entertainment. 😀
I had never heard of it until the Internet came along – I still actually don’t know what the critter is, a type of mole I guess. But as we have neither, not sure what…
Do you have any critters that live in the ground and eat plants?
I don’t think so…but do we have “pests” like the Possum (which is a protected species in Australia) but here they munch their way above ground causing whole forests to disappear…
https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/animal-pests/possums/
a DEAD possum is the best option – but also enterprising small business has found a profit in both skins with fur – and just fur to be blended with merino wool. Possum fur has same hollow and warm qualities as polar bear – but the fur is length is short-as…
https://mohairpossumstore.com/possum-merino/
Being from Pennsylvania I’ve only ever heard of Punxsutawney Phil. It was funny this morning I was scrolling through Facebook and someone who lives near me posted that he just saw that Phil predicted an early spring and yet it’s snowing out.
That makes sense. If it’s sunny and he sees his shadow, that means six more weeks of winter. If there’s no sun then it will be an early spring.