More winter?!?

What is it about a Ground Hog that makes up intrigued enough to listen to him for the weather when in any other situation we'd whack him on the head with a shovel to rid him, since Ground Hogs are such pesky rodents. Even on the Beverly Hillbillies, Jethro would've eaten Punxsutawney Phil for a snack.

He saw his shadow so we get 6 more weeks of winter, which hasn't been such a big deal because the winter is so mild. BUT WHY DO WE CARE? Yes, it's fun to talk about. Yes, it's silly and harmless. Yes, I know I'll say "6 more weeks of winter". But I still wonder why Phil got to be the lucky guy, and why a Groundhog? And a shadow?

Why don't we have 6 more weeks of winter if a cow moos 11 times before sun up?

I actually like the movie Ground Hog Day that stars Billy Murray who plays an asshole reporter sent to cover Ground Hogs Day and he's forced to relive that day over and over again, until he becomes "good".

And it's just not a Ground Hog in Pennsylvania, though he's definitely the most famous. There's Potomac Phil in DC, Buckeye Chuck in Ohio, Smith Lake Jake (Alabama), Shubenacadie Sam (Canada), Sir Walter Wally (North Carolina), General Beauregard Lee (Georgia), Peewee the Woodchuck and Staten Island Chuck (New York). I have no idea if these rodents saw shadows or not. I'm just floored that the idea of ground Hogs and shadows are so popular that every state wants their own versions!

I think it's interesting that we take our weather prediction from a rodent but we no longer have faith in a weatherman if he's silly by wearing huge glasses, an umbrella hat or a yellow slicker.

So, six more weeks of winter! Thanks Phil!
Maggie