Considering here in PA we've been blasted with an icy storm there hasn't been any sign of the sun on this slip sloshy day. So if the good old groundhog did emerge from hibernation, it is doubtful he saw his shadow. Which supposedly means old man winter is nearing its end. Somehow I doubt it. It's been 12 hours and we are still without power, relying on our wonderful generator (which started on the first pull...yeah!)If you are not from Pennsylvania, you probably wonder or maybe could care less where this silly tradition started anyway.
Groundhog Day all started in Germany as one more way people tried to figure out the earth's cycle based on observing the wildlife. In Germany they have the Badger rather than the groundhog, and when the immigrants settled in Pennsylvania they discovered the eastern part of the country didn't have badgers but did have a similar looking animal, the groundhog.
The Punxutawney Groundhog Club has been watching the groundhogs on Gobbler's Knob since 1898. Another group joined them in 1908, the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge of Quarryville, PA. The theory goes like this..
A groundhog emerges from hibernation on February 2. If it is cloudy, winter is nearing its end. But if it is a sunny day and the groundhog is spooked by his own shadow, he'll jump back into his hole for another six weeks. The point was that farmers were to observe and time the planting of their crops with the true arrival of spring. Weathermen claim Punxutawney is only correct 30% of the time, but its fun for those who get into predicting the weather.
This humorous treasury hits home with how many of us on the east coast feel about our weather.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d481667031c8eef951b040f/punxsutawneys-advicejust-chill?index=0
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