Springtime?

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.

And then there’s General Beauregard Lee,  a groundhog that resides at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn, Georgia just outside of Atlanta.  He has received honorary doctorates from the University of Georgia - "DWP, Doctor of Weather Prognostication" and Georgia State University - "Doctor of Southern Groundology."

 “Beau,” as his intimates refer to him, works only on February 2^nd.

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!