Today is February 2 .. Groundhog Day.
Although "overshadowed" by more prominent February observances like Valentine's Day and President's Day, Groundhog Day still gets higher marks than more obscure February celebrations like Toothache Day, Plum Pudding Day, or Pistol Patent Day .. I'm not making this stuff up .. Google it!
According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow .. signifying winter will soon end. However, if the groundhog sees its shadow, it will supposedly retreat into its burrow and winter will continue for six more weeks.
Of course, this process can get a little confusing if the groundhog doesn't emerge until late afternoon .. a time when "five o'clock shadow" normally occurs.
This holiday began as a Pennsylvania German custom in the 18th or 19th centuries, but its origins are from European weather lore where a badger or bear were the prognosticators .. they had to start using the more genteel groundhog because the badger kept maiming the onlookers, the bear .. ate them (in retrospect, compared to losing a limb .. or death, six more weeks of bad weather is really .. no biggie).
The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania where the crowd can get as high as 40,000 (of course these numbers can't compare to those who attend Mardi Gras, where the crowd can get as high as .. a kite).
Bill Murray's movie by the same name helped bring the town and event world-wide attention when it was released almost seventeen years ago (it's a classic and one of my favorites .. check out the $5 bin at Walmart if you don't have it on DVD).
Jackson and the surrounding area has Gary Pickens.
The rest of the world? ... Punxsutawney Phil.
Mr. Groundhog, which is it?
Sweater .. or heavy coat and long handles?
"They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them." - Isaiah 18:6
1 comment:
I am so upset. I came here just to see a picture of you as a groundhog with big teeth and you let me down. What's up with that? My heart is crying big tears.
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