Groundhogs?
I am totally confused about the GroundHog thing and so I have looked at Wikipedia which is my favorite place for learning things and they have told me all about GroundHog Day. This is what I have learned:
Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2 in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand, it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly "see its shadow" and retreat back into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks.[1]
Modern customs of the holiday involve celebrations where early morning festivals are held to watch the groundhog emerging from its burrow. In southeastern Pennsylvania, Groundhog Lodges (Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge,[2] social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g'spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel, dime or quarter, per word spoken, put into a bowl in the center of the table.[3]
The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Groundhog Day, already a widely recognized and popular tradition[4], received worldwide attention as a result of the 1993 film of the same name, Groundhog Day, which was set in Punxsutawney and featured Punxsutawney Phil.[5]
I am thinking that I should go to Pennsylvania and see what all this hoopla is about. My Mom, on the other hand, says that all I need to do is watch the movie with Bill Murray and I will understand. I don't think that watching a movie is the same as actually being there and it is far to late for us to go tomorrow, but next year I plan on going to see THE groundhog and learning what all this hoopla is about.
And furthermore, my sister, Lydia, says that there are groundhogs in Virginia and if I wasn't so lazy, I would go and find one here and ask him if it is still Winter. That seems like an awful lot of work, if you ask me.
I have barely gotten back into Blogging and now she wants me to go and look up a local groundhogs? Right! I will get on that as soon as possible.
So in closing, let me remind you that today is the first day of the big countdown to BLOGATHON.......... please be sure to check out all of our posts on the 5th of February as we are giving away great prizes and will be having a lot of fun. Without the GroundHog.
Love and Licks,
Bob, your Pit Bull Reporter Extra Ordinary
Hi Bob - Nigel here. I hate to tell you this, but you don't want to go to Pennsylvania for Groundhog day. It is very cold and lots of snow. As you know, I love snow, and even though I am from PA, my mom and dad have not taken me to the big celebration called Groundhog day. My mom told me you ride a bus out to Gobbler's Knob at 3 a.m. in the morning, and stay outside in the cold and snow until Phil makes his prognostication(big word), at sunrise. My mom and dad went every year with my "sister Nutmeg" whom I never got to meet, but alas, I am forced to stay home with my sister Saffron because she does not like snow or the cold.
Waiting for the blizzard that hit Chicago to come to Leesburg.
Lots of licks,
Nigel
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