Getting Ready for Groundhog's Day

The February 2 celebration, which involves a weather-predicting woodchuck, dates back to the late 19th century.

On Groundhog Day, a groundhog in the small town of Punxsutawney emerges in the morning to a throng of onlookers. If he spots his shadow and returns to his hole, it means winter will last six more weeks. If the groundhog does not see his shadow, an early spring is sure to come.

Not to be outdone, many other towns now have their own woodchuck weatherman.  Punxsutawney Phil is the original star.   He first predicted the weather 126 years ago and has had about 39 percent accuracy ever since.

This is from the site http://www.groundhog.org/

"Come and celebrate the 126^th year of Groundhog Day at Gobblers Knob, Thursday,  February 2nd 2012. This is the main event where Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of Seers, the Prognosticator of Prognosticators, the worlds most famous groundhog and the only real weather predicting groundhog will greet his true believers and will reveal to Bill Deeley the president of the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club his prediction for the end of winter."

Now on the calendar the first day of Spring is March 20, so whether the Phil says so or not that is when spring arrives.  In my opinion Phil should be saying an early spring because today's temps are certainly rising to the occasion.

Maybe Catty should get a weather predicting Groundhog, God knows I have them in the backyard.   Maybe tomorrow I will look for Corky from Catasauqua and see what he says and that's another day in Catasauqua.