There was a time that I was all into Groundhog Day until I realized that winter is winter for however long it intends to be winter. Anyhoo, this morning I was scrolling my FB page and the ceremony for the famous groundhog P. Phil came up. Curious I've never seen this ceremony before so I watched it. Of course with the COVID restrictions real people were not there but instead cardboard figures lined the seating areas, a recorded sound of cheers and applauding were heard as the introductions and speeches made way to the main expose' of the day. What will P. Phil predict? Tap, tap, tap of a cane used to awaken this docile creature. The sound of key and chain could be faintly heard before the doors opened to reveal a bundle of hay(?). Carefully the creature was brought forth from within its warm abode and into the windy, freezing cold to be introduced with all the accolades to the onlookers 'virtual' that is. Then set upon a bright red carpet on top of a hugh old tree stump facing a gentleman. Then the conversation begins - but all I saw was the gentleman's head nod a couple of times. He then stood up and announced that P. Phil has predicted whether there will be an early Spring or 6 more weeks of winter (Ha,ha,ha). I was like 'What?' But, but, but P.Phil didn't do anything ....
@Gloria Mitchell from where I sat he was just laying there as if to say 'You woke me up for this---again? lol
@Cody Fousnaugh, yep that's what my calendar says too. @Joe Riley, what do you have to say about this?
@Von Jones My Grandpap was born this day in 1888. The first official Groundhogs Day was celebrated on February 2, 1887. It was one of the many traditions, the German immigrants brought with them. The movie just made fun of it. I was 4 when my Grandpap died, and don't remember him, but I think of him on his special birthday! My Grandma always said "Don't worry....let Febru-worry"!
"Groundhog Day lets us embrace silliness. We can relax and enjoy harmless festivities in the deep cold of winter without worrying about our responsibilities".
It's interesting what I read about the 'groundhog' and why it is renown as the predicator of 'snow or no'. It's because of its hibernation (winter) and mating (Spring pups are usually born) instincts are so predictable. They don't really hibernate but take periods of what we would call 'naps.' They live underground and come above to eat and mate and every thing else is underground in burrows. Farmers have been dealing with groundhogs forever for they come up from the burrows to feed on the crops. Relief is found once winter comes. So from the festivities today it wasn't really the groundhog predicting but the farmers praying for a longer winter so as not to have to deal with groundhogs sooner.