Pic of the week : February 2 is Groundhog Day!

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The groundhog wakes up from hibernation on February 2.
If the groundhog sees its shadow when it emerges from its burrow, there will be six more weeks of winter.
If it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive soon.

This tradition started in Europe as « Candlemas Day ».
Germans who settled in Pennsylvania in the 1700s brought the custom to America.
 
Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil is the most well-known groundhog, but more than a dozen states celebrate with their own groundhogs, such as Georgia’s General Beauregard Lee and Buckeye Chuck in Ohio.
 
Punxsutawney Phil –in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
 
 
Its full name is “Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary.”
 
Here is Phil‘s official website ! http://www.groundhog.org
 
February 2, 1886 – The Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper proclaims this date as Pennsylvania’s first official Groundhog Day celebration.
1986 – Phil travels to Washington, DC to meet with President Ronald Reagan.
1993 – Columbia Pictures releases the movie, “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray.
In the years following the release of the movie, crowds numbering as high as 30,000 have visited Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney.
1995 – Phil appears on the Oprah Winfrey show.
January 27, 2010 – The animal rights group PETA suggests using a robotic groundhog in place of Phil.
February 2, 2010 – For the first time, fans can register for a text message alert of Phil’s prediction.
February 2, 2017 – Phil sees his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter.
 
February 2023 – Phil sees his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter!!!

 

Six More Weeks of Winter!

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Now on this February 2nd Punxsutawney Phil,

The seer of seers,

Was awakened from his wintery nap

At dawn on Gobbler’s Knob

Phil looked to the skies and then,

Speaking in Groundhogese,

Directed this President Dunkel

To the proper scroll, which reads..

I see the morning has brought the finest people

I see their bravery and spirit

The time has come – I can feel it

The excitement – I can hear it

I see the folks with gray in their hair

And the kids all young and scrawny

Their eyes and cheeks aglow

From the cold, clean air of sweet Punxsutawney

I see that everyone knows their part

And I am merely the sage

But above all else, I see a SHADOW on my stage!

So no matter how you measure

It’s 6 more weeks of winter weather!

(For educational purposes only)