Wiarton Willie, Shubenacadie Sam , Punxsutawney Phil,
General Beau Lee
The Canadian Press
It’s
Groundhog Day — the day millions of North Americans turn to weather
prognosticating rodents in the hope they’ll call for an early spring.
And Wiarton
Willie, Canada’s most celebrated of all its furry forecasters, is predicting an
early spring.
Folklore has
it that if a groundhog sees its shadow on Groundhog Day it’ll flee back to its
burrow, heralding six more weeks of winter, and if it doesn’t, it means spring’s
just around the corner.
Willie did not see his shadow this morning.
On the East
Coast, Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam was the first out of his burrow this
morning to make his prediction to a worldwide audience via webcam, and sadly
for those hoping for an early spring, the pride of Shubenacadie did see his
shadow. So did Quebec’s groundhog, Fred, who gave his forecast in front of a
church in Val d’Espoir, a community in the Gaspesie region.
And, this just in…
On this
February 2nd, 2013,
the One Hundred and Twenty Seventh Annual Trek of the
Punxsutawney Groundhog Club at Gobbler’s Knob….
Punxsutawney
Phil, the King of the Groundhogs,
Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators,
Weather Prophet without Peer,
was awakened from his borrow at 7:28 am
with a tap of the President’s cane.
Phil
and President Deeley conversed in Groundhogese
and Phil directed him to the chosen Prognostication scroll.
The
President tapped the chosen scroll and
directed Phil’s Prediction be proclaimed:
My new
Knob entrance is a sight to behold
Like my faithful followers, strong and bold
And so ye faithful,
there is no shadow to see
An early Spring for you and me
(AP Photo) Groundhog Club Co-handler John Griffiths holds the weather predicting groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, as he is surrounded by photographers in Punxsutawney, PA this morning.
“Beau,” as his intimates refer to him, works
only on February 2nd.
Groundhogs are classed as
mammals. Their order is Rodentia. They primarily eat healthy vegetables and
salad items. They are nocturnal, sociable and “chatter” to those they know in
fluent “groundhogese.” While groundhogs
in the wild live only to about four years old, Beau’s lavish yet healthy lifestyle at The
Game Ranch has extended his years. The first General Lee, “in service” for ten
years, is now retired and lives in seclusion at The Game Ranch. Beauregard is
his seventeen-year-old bachelor nephew and has inherited his wealth and
brilliant prognosticating skills.
Background
Around the fifth century, the
European Celts believed that animals had certain “supernatural” powers on
special days that were half-way between the Winter Equinox and Spring Solstice
(forty days after Christmas and forty days before Easter). Folklore from
Germany and France indicated that when groundhogs and bears came out of their
winter dens too early, they were frightened by their shadow and retreated back
inside for four to six weeks.
When Christianity came into
being, the formerly pagan observance was called “Candlemas Day.” In America,
Candlemas Day became “Groundhog Day” to singularly honor the whiskery waddler.
The current tradition calls for “Spring Just Around the Corner” if the
groundhog does not see his shadow. However, look for “At Least Six More Weeks
of Winter” if the groundhog spies his pudgy image!
Breaking
News from CBS Atlanta:
Gen. Beau Lee saw
his shadow and that traditionally means six more weeks of winter. The Georgia
groundhog made his prediction today.
Meanwhile, at New York's
Staten Island Zoo, fellow groundhog Staten Island Chuck also didn't see his
shadow, agreeing that an early spring was on its way.
So there!
